Stress Center Peer Support

Can anyone give me some hope for this? I am experiencing a condition called tinnitus - ringing in the ears.
I've been experiencing this for about a week and a half -- with a one-day break last Sunday. I visited my internist on Monday and she is sending me to a specialist. I will see the specialist on Monday (March 4).
I haven't been on these boards in a very long time because, frankly, I've been quite well for the last ten years.
I used the Attacking anxiety program very heavily a number of years ago and it enabled me to overcome my problems with anxiety.So, now, here I am again -- taking xanax and trying to take it one day at a time. From what I understand, there are no cures for this condition, but there is help - so in that sense, people do overcome it.

Has anyone else been through this? Can you give me any hope? It's really hard to sleep. I am taking a low does of xanax in the daytime and then more at night to sleep. I really could not make it right now without the medication.

Stress does make the noise much more noticeable so I think it makes a lot of sense for me to dust off my program CD's and get back to work on the program especially managing my thoughts and catastrophizing.

I will appreciate any encouragement I can get from this community.

Thank you.

Well, I don't get the ringing in the ears, but do seem to get a lot of ear infections, which make the anxiety worse. Especially the inner ear infection that makes you dizzy. I just finished a dose of prednisone for one, which i think didn't go away. My doc wanted me to see an ENT if the prednisone didn't clear it up. I am trying to give it some time though, and make sure it is still there before i go back. So I can definately see your problem!! Glad to see that you were able to go so long without the anxiety bothering you, and sorry its back, but i guess if you conquered it before you can do it again!! Good luck!

Well, I suddenly had a terrible case of it in my right ear. Hardly any relief. So went to the ENT which I thought was very worthwhile. Mainly I was reassured it is not an infection, there is a slight hearing loss in that ear, but was assured it will subside and so it did.

Occasionally I still hear some clicks but they do not bother me. You may want to check with an ENT.

This is Coach Chris from the coaching team here at Stress. I have had about a dozen clients who have struggled with this as well.

The program and its coping techniques have been very helpful and each one of them have had relief from the ringing.

I hope this is encouraging to you all of you.

Here to help,
Coach Chris StressCenter.com

Hi catmom. How long have you been on the xanax. Some of the medications I take for anxiety or the antidepressants have ringing in the ears as a side effect. I already had ringing in mine for many years before the anxiety problem started so I don't really notice the difference. Thankfully, mine has not gotten any worse. It seems like a high pitch sound and/or sizzling noise mostly in my left ear all the time. So far, I just ignore it. I'm not sure what you can do to stop it. Hopefully the dr will give you some relief. Good luck.

Catmom, you need to talk to my mom, she got rid of her tinnitus, you can pm me for her e-mail

I'm only 21, but I've had ringing in my ears even since I can remember. I find my ringing the loudest at night- which makes it difficult to sleep to say the least. Now I have a fish tank where I can hear the water and that really helps. If that's not enough I'll play some music or watch a movie until I get so tired I just fall asleep.

I would try to keep some "white noise" on when it gets too quiet.

I started taking Ginko Biloba and it has lessened it a whole lot! Good luck!