Further adventures in having recent hearing loss - tinnitus

[hedgehog]

I'm very lucky with my tinnitus - the low level background sounds like a summer's night -insect noises or little frogs.

My left ear has me convinced there is a cricket in the room. My right ear makes me think I'm hearing a windchime in the background. So, nothing too intrusive. Ironically, I can't hear actual windchimes any more.

[PADemD]

1. Do you find that the sound gets louder when you are tired?

[mikealanson07]

2. Dr. Shemesh Alleged Tinnitus “Cure” / Fake-Cure False-Hope “Fallacy”

My commentary is a discussion about my trip to Israel in an effort to find the “secret cure” for intractable chronic tinnitus. Yes, there is a correlation to my story as told in the movie “Jules Verne’s, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.”

Three years ago, I was diagnosed with intractable chronic tinnitus. I traveled from one doctor’s office to another only to hear the repeated phrase “you will have to learn to live with this condition, there is nothing that can be done medically.” Shocked and dismayed, my anxiety lead to serious depression and I further developed sleep deprivation. My emotional light bulb was turned off to a dark and dreary reality.

It is unfortunate for the 260-million tinnitus sufferers in the world that the majority of ENT and Otolaryngology physicians do not know much about the physiological mechanisms of tinnitus. The subject matter is barely discussed in medical school, limited to a brief few hours of study.

Many patients who develop chronic severe tinnitus become emotionally handicapped and very vulnerable because there is a deep sense of isolation; it is a loneliness, which can lead to suicidal ideation.

The medical community is lacking in the area of patient education, selective counseling and emotional support for patients with chronic tinnitus. None of the doctors I visited ever told me about the ATA (i.e.: American Tinnitus Association)!
The ATA website was my initial source for discovering and reading information concerning the different methods / modalities for managing the symptoms of tinnitus.

Tinnitus is mostly a psychological challenge, by this I mean how we “react” to the bizarre noises in our head determines the state of our emotional temperament.
Well, I was on over-load and my reactions were that of fear and bewilderment.

In desperation, I searched for clues on the internet. I was playing a bad game of monopoly; eventually I would loose everything on the boardwalk. I wanted to find the magical “cure”, to put an end to my misery. Now, I knew from my reading of many medical textbooks that in “reality”, there is “no cure” at this time for tinnitus. There are several clinically proven methods, tools and mechanisms to improve and manage the condition.

Vulnerability was my middle name and the logical side of my brain was on a long-term hiatus. As I searched through the onslaught of websites on the internet, I came upon the website of a Dr. Shemesh located in Israel. As I read the information on Dr. Shemesh’s website, I noticed the words “cure” “curative process” “healing process” strategically placed and repeated on several pages of his website. The website also displayed several anecdotal videos presentations by former patients who spoke highly of Dr. Shemesh and told of their personal stories.

Well, to make a long story condensed, I traveled to Israel and I met with the doctor of magic. I performed Dr. Shemesh’s “curative protocol” in a most disciplined manner, for a two-year period I took his medicinal capsules and subscribed to his dietary suggestions. I spent $3,600.00 for the doctor’s consultation fees, $1,200.00 for required laboratory tests and $1,000.00 for initial supply of capsules.
Overall, I spent $12,600.00 for my trip to Israel, which covered a six-week period. Over the two-year period, I spent an additional $1,500.00 for monthly capsules.

Conclusion: As of this writing, my tinnitus symptoms have not improved even to the slightest degree. This fact was confirmed by the results of my recent hearing and tinnitus test performed by my Audiologist, PhD.

The so-called “cure” has eluded me in the same manner that a criminal-mind / con-artist eludes an investigative process, which seeks to discover factual evidence.

The magical cure has escaped me. Additionally, it has escaped the six (6) other tinnitus patients I met in Israel; we have continued to correspond throughout the two-year period.

Time for a Reality Check:

On Dr. Shemesh’s website, he discusses the silver-bullet word of a “cure.” Argument: No other licensed doctor or medical clinic in the entire world makes such a statement. Considering that, Dr. Shemesh did not major in ENT / Otolaryngology or Neurology, his statement of a “cure” can only be considered assuming and questionable.

Being that Dr. Shemesh has “never” subjected his tinnitus treatment protocol to clinical trials, random study trials, double-blind placebo trials, etc., perhaps it would be correct to call him “ludicrous.”

Dr. Shemesh sells to his patient’s prepared medicinal capsules made of vitamins, minerals and herbs. An “individual” pharmacist prepares the capsules. The name of the pharmacist is secret; this information will not be revealed to any patient. There is no way of determining the quality, consistency, purity, and shelf life of the capsules because they are not prepared in a manner, which is regulated by Israel State Pharmaceutical practices. Argument: What is truly in the medicinal capsules; they have never been tested for ingredient composition by a licensed testing laboratory.

The website of Dr. Shemesh shows pretty pictures of Hadassah Hospital and other Israel medical facility buildings. This is very deceitful because Dr. Shemesh’s office is in a very small medical building in an isolated area of Bane Braq. He no longer is involved with Hadassah Hospital. Argument: Is the website layout designed to be miss-leading and to capture the eyes of vulnerable and gullible tinnitus sufferers?

Dr. Shemesh will verbally tell you the patient has an 80% chance for “cure” in a two-year period. However, on the paper work agreement, which the patient signs, it states that 90% of patients have been cured. Argument: 80% is not 90% and 90% is not 80% - so please make up your mind. Now, remember there is no substantial medical data to back up any of these claims.

With in the paper work is a signed agreement, which expresses that Dr. Shemesh has no obligation to offer the patient a “refund” should the protocol not work (No Cure). Argument: With a 90% cure rate, why would the good doctor be so concerned about a small 10% failure rate?

Several patients that I know asked Dr. Shemesh for a “partial refund” because the process did not work for them, his answer was an “absolute” not possible you signed an agreement.

Suggestive Summary:

With over 260 million tinnitus sufferers in the world is it not possible that the good doctor had a brainstorm. “If I suggest that I hold a “cure” for this most difficult brain and auditory condition, then people will flock to me as if I am the Messiah.”

“With the avoidance of legitimate clinical study and comparative analysis they will never be able to disprove my magical cure.”

“What a great idea and who does not trust a man with the initials Dr. (Doctor).”

“With all of this in mind I can create a most financially rewarding business model.”

I sincerely suggest to any tinnitus sufferer who is searching for the non-existent “cure” to repeat these words aloud – “Buyer Beware.”

On a personal note, I do question the very basic fabric of this man; what is his motivation and what is his standard of ethics.

[SheilaT]

3. I have tinnitus.

I have no idea how severe it really is, as I've never bothered to consult a doctor about it. But I can say that it's almost always present, although most of the time I simply don't pay attention to it. When I do pay attention, as right now, it's pretty loud. But it doesn't affect how well I hear anything else. I think I also have some mild age-related (I just turned 67) hearing loss, but that's quite separate from the tinnitus.

I am sorry that anyone would fall for a promise of a magical cure for anything at all.

Here's a non-tinnitus, but relevant story. Both of my sons have alopecia areata, an auto-immune disorder that causes hair loss. My older son lost his hair when he was four, the younger one at age ten. Both have alopecia areata universalis, the most extreme form. They have no hair on their heads, no eyebrows or eyelashes, no body hair whatsoever. I was fortunate in that I got a correct diagnosis of the condition immediately after my oldest son started losing hair. At first I was sad and angry at what was happening, but thanks to the wonderful people at NAAF (National Alopecia Areata Foundation) and their fabulous conferences, I soon learned everything I needed to know about this condition, namely that they don't really understand what causes it and there is no cure. Meanwhile, over the years I met many people who thought they'd found the magical cure for alopecia. Usually it was diet related. The thing with alopecia is that it can come and go without any rhyme or reason. A person has a full head of hair, and then in short order is totally bald. Someone who's been totally bald for many years, might suddenly grown a full head of hair.

Over the years at the conferences, I met many people in desperate search for the cure. For some magic that would make the hair grow. But there is no such magic.

For me, my tinnitus, like my sons' alopecia, is a benign condition I can live with. It can be annoying at times, especially times like right now when I'm hyper aware of it. But like the lack of hair for my sons, it's not the most important thing in my life. It doesn't define me.

I know that not everyone can be as philosophical about such things. But I want to get back to my earlier statement: there is no magical cure. If a genuine cure is found, we'll hear about it pretty quickly.