Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Tinnitus Relief

I thought I would bring you all up to date on my hearing loss...anyone who has seen me in the last year knows that my hearing has deteriorated tremendously due to tinnitus. I wear two hearing aids.

My niece mentioned to me a couple of months back that her ENT (ear, nose, throat) had told her about a product on the market called arches Tinnitus Relief Formula. Available only by calling an 800 # or on-line.

I have been taking four capsules a day for about a month now and I think it is helping somewhat. It is subtle, but I can now distinquish more words than I could in the past. I was at 30% voice recognition in my right ear, but I think that has improved quite a bit.

The next time I'm tested (later this year), I'll let you know what percentage shows up. But I truly think this stuff might work.

Down side of this is that the stuff costs about $40/bottle for a 25 day supply. If it works, it is definitely worth it. Oh and I don't take the b supplement they want you to buy with it...figured I could just buy a B complex for a lot less than $30-some a bottle!

Okay, enough of that advertisement for arches!

Next:

With my hearing problem, I find that all this background music on some of the TV programs is causing me more problems than before. I think they are increasing the volume of the music...anyone else noticing this? I truly love to watch The Mentalist, but it seems like I miss more and more dialogue because of the music. Forget Hallmark movies...way too much music for me.

Anyone else noticing this?

Oh, what I can hear with or without my hearing aids are the commercials...Don't they dare try and tell me they don't up the volume for those!

15 comments:

Huck Finn said...

Closed Captioning is the Deaf person's friend. Do you use any of the relay services yet? Do you have a TTY? Have you been informed about TAP and TEPP? TAP provides free equipment vouchers for the deaf and hard of hearing. TEPP is a co-pay but for a LOT more. $100 out of pocket get's you $1,200 worth of equipment. Even more if you are deaf and blind/poor vision.

Sassa said...

I've noticed on Breaking Bad the wife always talks in a whisper and I cannot understand her unless I turn the TV up. I thought it was the show but maybe it's me. Also on channel 13 the movies are quiet but the commercials are LOUD! I thought the commercials could only be as loud as the loudest part of the show they are sponsering.

kkdither said...

I'm very lucky.. all the concerts haven't wreaked too much havoc on my hearing. In fact, my hearing is too acute sometimes.. I can hear the darn mosquito ring tones on kids cell phones.. Grrrr. And if you are talking about me... I know what you said, darn it!

Huck is correct, sometimes the CC helps quite a bit on hard to hear portions of programs.

Beejay said...

I know cc is my friend....but I guess I'm a bit stubborn about it. And besides that, I can't find it on Comcast! I do know I'm hearing better, but I know I have a long way to go to be back where I was before this 'suddenly' set on. With me it was sudden and that is what is so angering to me. Why? And I just don't believe they can't do something more.

Reading the articles out there, I do find that I'm not alone, but sometimes it just is so hurtful when people treat me like I'm stupid because I have a hearing loss.

Huck, thanks for your info...I'll check into some of it. The phone is not a problem for me as of now...we'll see how things go.

OKIE said...

Beejay - Gary put two little speakers almost like computer speakers on the floor on each side of the couch. I have to say, with me having my hearing loss on the left side, having a speaker on the right is great. Just plain sound which really helps me hear the talking.
Of course we have wires running all over the place too.

drewzepmeister said...

Thanks Beejay, for the info on the tinnitus relief. I'll pass it on to someone I know with tinnitus. Never know, it might help.

Yes, close caption is my best friend. I'm totally dependent on it while watching TV.

BTW Huck, what does TTY, TAP, and TEPP stand for? I may interested in more of this program.

OrbsCorbs said...

I use CC on my bedroom TV because our walls are porous. It's okay most of the time, but if a show is heavy on dialogue (Robot Chicken), I can't keep up. Also, the CC sometimes covers part of the action.

I agree about commercials (especially Time Warner Cable commercials) being louder than the rest of the program. They've lied for years and say they're not, but you know they are. You can hear it. Sometimes a commercial comes on and I almost jump out of my seat at the volume.

I hope something helps you, Beejay. Already having some vision loss, I didn't take a chance with my hearing when I worked with small power equipment and always wore ear protection. I was tested years ago and had some loss in the mid-range of my left ear. I don't know why.

SER said...

commercials are LOUD! Yes they are. I time Timer Warner and all the commercials are cranked up, I hate it. I checked into commercial blockers...darn they are proud of them. $100 for a cheap one.

Beejay said...

commericial blockers??? Didn't even know they existed, SER!!!! I'm calling Comcast about this....I need to find out how to do the closed captioned on the tv's with the boxes...the others, no problem. Isn't it strange that we can do the DVR stuff, but not cc?

Thanks, guys, as usual, you gave me some tips to use!

Why Not? said...

Speaking of speakers, my grandmother always had a little speaker on her arm support where she sat on the couch.. It was specially formed for an arm support, helped her hear the TV quite well.

Beejay said...

Guess this means I should learn how to use this fancy-dancy surround system I have in the living room! BUT, when we used it to watch AVATAR, all I could hear was the music, not the dialogue. There must be some adjustment I need to do on the smaller speakers that are set around the room....okay, I'll read the manual...grrrr.

I guess I can just buy some speakers for the bedroom TV and then I'll be pretty set for the TVs I use here. Wonder if I can get some wireless ones for the TV on the lanai? Then I could watch that one while I'm in the pool!

kkdither said...

Beejay, if the tinnitus came upon you suddenly maybe there is some other explanation for it?

Many medications have that as a possible adverse reaction. Have you checked into your prescription medications, OTC's or vitamin supplements you might be taking?

Maybe it is all those snakes... or perhaps your provocation of Madame Z.???

Beejay said...

Remember, the MRI with the phone flying out of my bra??? Yep, they've checked me out, including all my meds. It was preceded by a minor bout of vertigo...appears to have been a virus that attacked me...

But now that you mention Madame Z...ummmmmmmm

Anonymous said...

Don't look at me, dearies.

Beejay said...

Huh? What??