u/AppropriateGood9

I’m coming up on 11 or 12 weeks since an acoustic trauma left me with a spike significantly higher than baseline. You’re all welcome to go back and read that post.

The long and short of it is - I’m all over the place.

- A 5-hour stretch of MUCH lower volume.
- Nearly an entire day of much lower volume
- A tone that’s extremely similar to my usual tone, but feels deeper in my head and is much more easily masked.
- Quieter, softer nights, which haven’t been common.

All of that positive progress over a week or so, only to go back to louder, more intrusive, more obnoxious stretches. This is so frustrating. Am I getting better, or not? Has anyone experienced a spike recovery like this? I’m open to any advice or suggestions.

I’m making this post as a way to document my ongoing spike. It is, without a doubt, the longest, most intrusive spike I’ve ever experienced. Just to set a baseline, I’ve had tinnitus for 4 years brought on by noise induced hearing loss from years of being a musician and trying to find the right SSRI to treat anxiety. During the initial year after onset it was LOUD. As time passed, maybe 6 to 8 months, it became a low whisper hiss that was audible, but easily forgotten and maskable.

Exactly 8 weeks ago, I was sitting on the floor, brushing my husky, when a door-to-door salesman knocked on my door. My husky, who is ordinarily extremely quiet (surprisingly), went absolutely nuts barking in my ear. Here’s a rundown of everything that happened since then:

- Had a hearing test, no additional hearing damage.

- Loud, intrusive hiss started the next day. Much worse at night and upon first waking up. (The morning hiss after waking up has since stopped around 5 weeks in)

- Constant fluctuations between harsher tones and softer tones, with occasional great moments, but they’re fleeting

- Had a good stretch of around 3 days after 7 weeks with lower morning volume and less volatile changes as night approaches. Sadly, that didn’t last.

I plan to keep everyone updated on my status. Hopefully this can serve as a spike success story for someone out there one. You’re all welcome to ask questions or tell similar stories of either recovery or new baseline. My best hope is to come back in 6 months and tell everyone I got through this.