Too much noise has me suffering for days

[Mickey]

Let me also join in. This weekend I went to a wedding which had very loud music. I forgot my cotton earplugs and tried to put cut paper napkin in my ears. Well anyhow it didn't work to well. My tinnitus has picked it up a notch and knowing from past experience its goiing take a week to get back to my normal level, I hope! I usually always carry cotton ear plugs for any noisey situation which I do find helps a great deal. Best wishes, Mickey

[moe]

Next week I will be visiting another home for the first time for another birthday party. When I arrive I will have to ask the hostess if there are any steps I should know about so I don't take another fall.

Our lives are so interesting aren't they? Who would think that you would have to do a STEP evaluation when entering someone's home?! Hey we gotta take care of ourselves. So sorry about the headaches when you stumble, Syl.

Being a female, I always carry ear plugs in my purse. I feel for you,  Mickey-you don't have that readily available stash of ear plugs. Maybe put a pile in your glove compartment of your car? I bet you were real cute with paper napkin sticking out of your ear
And it didn't even work..

Keep pluggn along,
Maureen

[Cheryl R]

I had the surgery on the one side that was almost deaf but improved post op.    I am deaf on that other side so factors in for me.  I have 96% word recoginition and a heck of a time understanding people talking unless right at me in a more quiet area.     Some peoples voices are harder than others.    But I can hear the birds outside and the frogs this spring thru a closed window!    Just frustrating how you never know how sound is going to be at any given time!
                                                              Cheryl R

[Mickey]

Yea, I`m usually on top of things but this time I tried to improvise.  I`m shure they were quite noticable but my wife said "who cares" and the way we go dancin the night away. I`m hoping its just a few days of paying the piper. haha, Mickey

[Syl]

Mickey:

I find that when I have to improvise, toilet paper works better than paper napkins. It's softer, so it scrunches  up into a ball a bit better.

Syl

[free2be]

This is interesting for me to read. I am pretreatment and technically have very good hearing. I do however have high sensitivity to noise (they call it hyperacousis). I believe it is from the AN, never been told or questioned otherwise. I have the pretty constant pressure/full feeling, but too much noise makes me very uncomfortable, it almost hurts. It also messes up my equilibrium. The first time I noticed this was when I tried to go to a H.S. basketball game. Oh my, the noise noise noise! It was unbearable and I had trouble navigating the bleacher seats cause I got off balance. It comes up more easily now, restaurants, dog barking (mine unfortunately), coffee grinder, etc. etc. I have to make a treatment decision; it is another "interesting" factor to note that even with hearing loss this can happen. I'm having trouble finding any silver linings.

Connie

[CHD63]

Syl .....

Not being an audiologist, it seems strange to me that I have perfect word recognition with an 80% hearing loss, but I do.  The audiologist tried to explain that my particular hearing loss did not affect the normal voice frequencies as much as both the highs and lows ...... in other words my mid-range hearing is better than either extreme.  I have come to the conclusion that hearing is a very complex issue.  Not only does it involve the mechanism of the inner ear receptors, but also the auditory nerve's response to the stimuli, and then the brain's perception of those signals.  Apparently I am one of the "lucky" ones, in that a traditional digital hearing aid can boost the power of what I have to a satisfactory level.  Mind you, it will never be "normal" hearing but it is so much better than SSD.

My audiologist is finishing up work for her doctorate in audiology and is currently taking a course on tinnitus.  She is very interested in my case so I am enjoying some more personal attention to the issues of hearing related to tinnitus.  There is a Zen setting on my widex mind440.  It consists of soft bells ringing both pitch and frequency randomly.  The intended use is for tinnitus, but I have not been given a specific regimen for using it so cannot say if it is helping when I use it intermittently (when I am not needing to hear someone/something else).

Much research is being done on causes and treatment of tinnitus so there is hope!

Clarice

[Syl]

This is interesting for me to read. I am pretreatment and technically have very good hearing...I'm having trouble finding any silver linings.

Connie

May I suggest a silver lining? With all the disruption that you face in your hearing, the fact that your hearing is very good is a good thing.

Syl

[free2be]

May I suggest a silver lining? With all the disruption that you face in your hearing, the fact that your hearing is very good is a good thing.

Syl

Syl,

Oh Syl, I agree and I am grateful for it. But, now that I am facing treatment it seems that no matter what course I choose the probability is that my hearing will be impaired if not gone in that ear. While at the same time, the hearing may be the least of the evils that the treatment might cause. I have more fear of balance, headaches, tinnitus, etc. Choosing treatment just seems impossible.

I admire so many of you that persevere and despite side effects that have altered your quality of life, you stay positive. I am just feeling very frightened and frustrated by the options right now.

Connie

[moe]

Connie,
It's ok to feel frightened. Things will all come together when you have your treatment (what will it be?) Ear plugs are just the name of the game, and I plug my "good" ear whenever I put on the coffee grinder. Earplugs ALWAYS in place when vacuuming. It's just reflex now!
Maureen

[Syl]

Connie:

The risks of additional damage with surgery are there, whether it's hearing loss or facial paralysis. You learn to deal with it & you try to find solutions to make the quality of life better. It's not easy, but may I point out that everyone still has a smile or half smile in their photos. Even after 2 years since my surgery, I continue to see improvements. I have less headaches & they are not as intense. I don't tire as quickly. The tinnitus is always there, but my hearing aid helps in that regard. My hearing on my right side sucks, but people just deal with my "What did you say?" "Can you repeat that?" "I didn't hear that." Life is certainly changed, but I emphasize that life is still good. I've learned to get more use of my sense of humor.

Your tumor is small. You have time to research & get plenty of drs. opinions. And remember we are here for you.

Syl

[free2be]

Thanks Maureen and Syl,

I know so many of you are so positive as well as helpful. I will get there, it's just been an overwhelming 10 days or so. My tumor is small, which at least gives me treatment options. It is getting very close to the brain stem and my current doctor said we should be moving forward with an orderly plan (he wouldn't say I could wait, in otherwords). I'm not happy with his two options and I am starting the process of getting a couple of other opinions. SO...I'm moving along, whether or not it is exactly "orderly" might be questionable, but I'm plugging along (no pun intended of course, Maureen). I never realized how many analogies and sayings made reference to your "head," "nerves", etc. I do have to laugh when some of those just come out of my mouth and I say, "there's another one"!

Thanks for your support. This is a great forum and has been so helpful in trying to wade through all the questions and unknowns. I feel (in the last 36 hours -- subject to change of course) like I have a better idea of what I am most comfortable doing and where I want to get opinions from; so, that is progress.

Blessings to you all,
Connie

[jsmith3151]

I bought "sleep" ear plugs for when I went to a parade.  They worked great (pink ones) and I enjoyed the parade.  Only put them in my good ear.  It is a total pain picking and choosing where you go due to noise level.  Good luck -

Jane