Tinnitus, Deafness and Ear Problems Support Group
This group is for those coping with Tinnitus (ringing ears or ear noise), hearing loss, and all ear issues. Join to find support and get advice from others.
I thought I was doing better with my T related anxiety.. I really did.. I had been able to sleep ok most nights, and was very functional the 2 days I have worked driving my school bus thus far... I start back in earnest on Monday.
Today however[9/10/11], I have regressed back into crushing anxiety, bordering on panic... I fell asleep too early fri night, maybe 10 or so, and slept till about 3:30 am.. I awoke with my typical twin sirens shrieking in my head... Unable to get back to sleep, I grew more and more weary, more agitated, more hopeless feeling, more depressed and more anxious... Basket case all day on saturday.. I was SO hopeful a few days ago... I had just taken a course of prednisone, and believe it or not, I think the pred is the only reason I was feeling better about my T.. I was able to curse at it, tell it it was insignificant, and I had no more fear of it... I was doing this several days in a row, felt stronger in my will to improve, and was starting to be interested again in the things I have enjoyed all my ife, like fishing, and playing music..
Now I feel like I felt the first few weeks of this T nightmare... Sick, exhausted,scared, depressed, fearful, and hopeless, and helpless.
Pred is suppossed to cause anxiety, NOT stop it, however, I think the pred is what caused me to feel a little better for a week or so.. Man, I pray that my anxiety goes away again. Its as bad as ever, even though the T itself is about the same as it has been since it started 7/10/11...
Looks like a small amount of xanax tonight may be in order.. If I am doing better tomorrow after a full nights sleep, I will do whatever I must to sleep, even if it means taking pills... At least for now, until I get better habituated..
It sucks thinking one is gaining control, when in reality it was just an illusion... Back to square one I guess. ... bob
Today however[9/10/11], I have regressed back into crushing anxiety, bordering on panic... I fell asleep too early fri night, maybe 10 or so, and slept till about 3:30 am.. I awoke with my typical twin sirens shrieking in my head... Unable to get back to sleep, I grew more and more weary, more agitated, more hopeless feeling, more depressed and more anxious... Basket case all day on saturday.. I was SO hopeful a few days ago... I had just taken a course of prednisone, and believe it or not, I think the pred is the only reason I was feeling better about my T.. I was able to curse at it, tell it it was insignificant, and I had no more fear of it... I was doing this several days in a row, felt stronger in my will to improve, and was starting to be interested again in the things I have enjoyed all my ife, like fishing, and playing music..
Now I feel like I felt the first few weeks of this T nightmare... Sick, exhausted,scared, depressed, fearful, and hopeless, and helpless.
Pred is suppossed to cause anxiety, NOT stop it, however, I think the pred is what caused me to feel a little better for a week or so.. Man, I pray that my anxiety goes away again. Its as bad as ever, even though the T itself is about the same as it has been since it started 7/10/11...
Looks like a small amount of xanax tonight may be in order.. If I am doing better tomorrow after a full nights sleep, I will do whatever I must to sleep, even if it means taking pills... At least for now, until I get better habituated..
It sucks thinking one is gaining control, when in reality it was just an illusion... Back to square one I guess. ... bob
The problem is this... I was positive my limbic system had disconnected its death grip.. I suppose its letting me know I still have a long way to go.. I am praying for a good sunday, and an even better Monday... Work has been good therapy.. I have the lives of hundreds of children in my hands each day, and I MUST be alert, attentive, sharp eared, and keen eyed.
I did very well behind the wheel.. the T could not break through my concentration... No chance.. I was focused.. Its just SO hard to keep that focus when i am in my dead quiet homed with nothing at all to do..
If anything gets me through it will be my job, meanial though it is.. it forces me by its very nature to shut everything out except the job at had which is getting the kids to and from school safely... Thank God for xanax at night.. some nights its been my lifeline.. I don't use much, and don't use it all the time, but its a great comfort just knowing I have it in case... bob
I have recorded some white noise on the cassette(45 min. each side)and then go to bed. Every morning I wake up and I find that my headphones are on the floor and the tape player is off because it automatically shuts off and the end of the tape(45 minutes).
I find it interesting that I never remember taking the headphones off. This routine works for me every time.
Lets say you get between say 7-8 hours of sleep one night , and 4-5 hours of sleep the next night. Do the extra few hors make for a better following day?/.. Can you say your t is worse, or your reaction to it, if you get a few less hours of sleep.. I am not speaking about no sleep. Just a few hours less.. it seems so far to make a very big diffeence in my ability to function.... bob
Today was a better day.. I took .5 mg of xanax XR last night, got more sleep, and today I am once again telling this ringing... "go s#%t in your hat".. My anxiety is tyrying to get he best of me, but I won't let it...
Tomorrow I am back on the bus, and am hopefull for a good day,, we'll see... bob
That's fine cause over the years I have been able to get it and it did nothing for my tinnitus. He will give me Klonopin(Clonazepam) because he said it's much safer than Xanax. Right now I take .5mg each night which is not a high dose.
Also, for those on benzos even if it's .5 mg a day, have you tried tapering off of the benzos at all? I was on this low of a dose for about 7 or 8 weeks when I was tapering off because I was told it was a safe dose. I started having withdrawal symptoms and would have had to up my dose to get rid of them, but I continued doing the taper. As I have said before, I am not a promotor or a strong believer in benzos long term, anyway. I believe one shouldn't be on them for more than 3-4 weeks at a time.
They say you must follow this to the letter.
No TV /computer for 2 hours before bed - relaxing gentle music is allowed.
Hava a warm milky drink before bed - it works!
DO NOT doze during the day even if you are tempted.
Dont go to bed before you are sleepy and also dont eat anything heavy or sugar laden before going to bed.
No caffeine after noon.
Go to bed when you are sleepy but if you dont go to sleep within 25 minutes get up and go back to the lounge until you are sleepy again..
repeat this step till you fall asleep, but dont lie in to recoup the sleep you may ahve lost if you were awake late ito the night...you have been relaxing all this time
I have been tryinh it for the last week and it takes about 3 weeks or so, but i have already had unbroken sleep for at least two nights and counting...
Hope this helps.