Thread: Any Tinnitus Sufferers out there?

Originally Posted by Neckbone

Army gun ranges did me in. Then industry, Harley's , and more shooting finished it off.
I get different frequencies kicking in and out. Now the left ear is starting to fade like I have a wad of something stuffed in there.
Any background noise kills my hearing .
Can't hear any conversation in a crowded room.
It sucks.
I may look at that web site. Thanks.

You ought to go to the VA. They will provide very nice hearing aids even if you don't end with a service connected disability.

Some words of advice about dealing with the VA. First off, they're S-L-O-W. Don't go it alone. Get help from your state veteran's representative or the DAV. Don't give up, keep after them. My hearing aids have helped immensely. Most of my high frequency hearing is gone. My hearing aids make my tinnitis slightly less when I'm wearing them than when I'm not.

Hearing aids will not replace what you've lost. They will help you hear if they're programmed right.

BTW, tinnitus is a 10% "freebie". They can't prove that you have it or don't have it. Bi-lateral hearing loss is another 10% or possibly more depending.

Even if you jump through all the hoops and don't get any monetary award, they will still provide the hearing aids and batteries at no cost. Since you were in an art'y outfit, should be slam dunk.

The VA blew me off for 35 years before somebody told me where to go to get help.

W

Originally Posted by Wullie

You ought to go to the VA. They will provide very nice hearing aids even if you don't end with a service connected disability.

Some words of advice about dealing with the VA. First off, they're S-L-O-W. Don't go it alone. Get help from your state veteran's representative or the DAV. Don't give up, keep after them. My hearing aids have helped immensely. Most of my high frequency hearing is gone. My hearing aids make my tinnitis slightly less when I'm wearing them than when I'm not.

Hearing aids will not replace what you've lost. They will help you hear if they're programmed right.

BTW, tinnitus is a 10% "freebie". They can't prove that you have it or don't have it. Bi-lateral hearing loss is another 10% or possibly more depending.

Even if you jump through all the hoops and don't get any monetary award, they will still provide the hearing aids and batteries at no cost. Since you were in an art'y outfit, should be slam dunk.

The VA blew me off for 35 years before somebody told me where to go to get help.

W

I served in the late 50's and never have gone to the VA for anything. I would think they would give me the bums-rush if I went there.

Originally Posted by Neckbone

I served in the late 50's and never have gone to the VA for anything. I would think they would give me the bums-rush if I went there.

I got that for 35 years. My personal opinion of the VA is that they hope we'll die without them having to spend a dime on us. They will provide IF you persevere. I wouldn't have gotten a dime from them if I hadn't taken the advice of a fellow 'Nam vet to get my state veteran's representative involved.

Here's the link to PA's site.
Veterans Online Resource Directory

Won't cost anything but time. I recently helped a WWII B-17 pilot jump through the hoops and get some hearing aids. The grouchy old coot was amazed at the difference it made. He's a cool old guy and a lot happier now that his wife isn't yelling at him all the time. She's happier too, as is my wife.

Originally Posted by Neckbone

I served in the late 50's and never have gone to the VA for anything. I would think they would give me the bums-rush if I went there.

In spite of the what we read of the current servicemen/women getting short shrift from the VA, I have a few friends, both Viet Nam era, and later, who say the VA has been very good in taking care of their ongoing problems. Give it a shot.

I've said this before and I still say it. The VA has always been one of those agencies that no one gave a damn about. It has always been ignored and underfunded until of course now and all our politicians run away from their problem. It's a terrible agency to work for and a terrible agency to be a victim of. I've known two MDs and an RN who worked for them and the stories they tell....

It's a place of last resort if you have no where else to go.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I've said this before and I still say it. The VA has always been one of those agencies that no one gave a damn about. It has always been ignored and underfunded until of course now and all our politicians run away from their problem. It's a terrible agency to work for and a terrible agency to be a victim of. I've known two MDs and an RN who worked for them and the stories they tell....

It's a place of last resort if you have no where else to go.

Those of us that are in the system have a very good view of what the ACA will be like when and if it is fully implemented.

It's not pretty and never will be.

In the 11 years that I've been in the system, I've had 9 primary care physicians. Two were born in the US and spoke English as their first language. One of the two was a retired US Army Dr. He got recalled to active duty. He's still listed as my PCP but I haven't seen him in two years now.

General consensus is that there are a lot of good people at the VA and they are trying to help.

The VA system hopes that we all will accept the prozac they seem to want to dole out at the door when you walk in and that we will die without bothering them.

I don't take the prozac.

Originally Posted by Wullie

I don't take the prozac.

Can I have yours ? ...........

Bad joke, I know .....

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Can I have yours ? ...........

Bad joke, I know .....

LMAO!! I remember those days.

I refused it. one of the Doc's that I fired must have been getting kick backs from a drug company. The good lady from Pakistan was trying to get all of her patients hooked on that shyte. After she told me she was prescribing it for me, I told her I wasn't getting the prescription filled and I wasn't going to take it. She argued a bit and I stood my ground. SHe was noticeably hostile the next time I went in for a scheduled check up and told me I needed to take that crap.

I told her to take it or shove it didn't matter to me, walked out and filed for a new veterinarian that was NOT from that part of the world.

Ended up with a Dr from Nigeria. Nice gent. Saw him once and got reassigned another Dr. The newest Dr is from Alabama. She's a nice lady as near as I can tell. Going back on Oct for more stuff. Have to see how round two goes.

We're (the Army) going to be starting some trials soon looking at using neuromodulation for treating tinnitus. Right now we're using it for TBI. We're also funding some studies at Oregon Health Sciences using transcranial magnets to treat tinnitus:

Mouth device in clinical trials as possible treatment for TBI | Article | The United States Army

Have I been diagnosed? No.

Do I have it? Yes.

Time spent in the infantry...

...really should call up DVA and get the ball rolling on this as well.