LWHS: The Difficulties Shopping with an Auditory Processing Disorder
A year ago today I wrote:
Today, I am happy to say, since starting cognitive therapy, I've improved. While a spike in my tinnitus or hyperacusis can cause this to come on full-blown at any time, I'm not as hurried as before. My coping skills have improved, I adapt quickly to unforeseen events, and I'm not noticing any daily spikes due to shopping. As well as spikes in the meat section or freezer section of stores have gone down to just the winter season now.
I've for the most part have found ways to deal with the beeping at the registers, people in the store, and overhead music. However, this is in a small size store. Going to a mall or plaza would still be more challenging for me. More people, more sounds. It's a given that I would start to adjust and adapt better to small environments first.
So, while there is no way to prevent an onset completely. Cognitive therapy has shown proven results in helping my brain function better when I go grocery shopping in a small environment.
Time is a factor as well. Clearly, there's no way I could stay in such an environment 2 to 3 hours, but the advantage here is I hardly ever run vomiting anymore from the sound, have a major migraine spike due to the environment, and even my balance has improved to where the environment itself isn't causing a full-blown dizzy spell or vertigo episode.
It's not to say it can't happen, because in certain situations yes it has. But once in a three months time period is a huge difference to every time I walk in a store. And even then it's not every symptom. I might get nauseated and end up vomiting but no vertigo or a migraine. Or I may get disoriented from my processing issue and find myself dizzy or getting a migraine.
It's a great feeling to walk into a store and not feel like the surrounding environment is attacking your body. But with tinnitus, hyperacusis and processing issues that's exactly what it does.
I've worked hard to get to this point, my doctors have worked hard to get my symptoms under control just so I can walk out my front door and now after vestibular therapy and starting cognitive therapy, I've reached the next level of treatment.
I can't even begin to know how many levels I've had to go through...
Calculating it out...
Level 1 Getting Diagnosed (Took 1 year)
Level 2 Adding Restrictions and Accommodations (Took 1- 2 years plus ongoing)
Level 3 Reduce Symptoms by Targetting Most Severe FIRST (Took 3 years)
Level 4 Start Therapy TRT if it doesn't work Walking Therapy, Device Assistance (Took 2-3 years)
Level 5 Test Trial for Medications to Get the Right Treatment that Works (Took 3-5) years)
Level 6 Once First Therapy has Improved, Start the Next (Took 3-4 years)
Continue this with EACH SYMPTOM
Level 7 Retrain the Brain for Sleeping with Tinnitus (Took 3-4 years)
Level 8 Vestibular Therapy (Took 4 years)
Level 9 Cognitive Therapy (Took 4-5 years)
So.. I'm basically heading on Level 10 once improvement with cognitive training gets better.
*Note: In terms of "years" that's when it was started for my case with Severe Tinnitus, Hyperacusis Induced Vertigo with Migraines with Auditory Processing Issues.
Please note because my symptoms were so severe with making me physically ill that had to be started so that we could do other treatments and therapy. Had my doctors not put restrictions and accommodations in place once we had the diagnosis, I would still be far worse off.
Be sure to join our podcasts on LWHS as we share tips and tricks to living a happier healthier lifestyle with t and h. I'm so thankful to my team of doctors. They've really helped me gain my independence and freedom back. And you too can experience that same feeling. With hard work and dedication to your managed care plan, you'll find yourself winning the battle against tinnitus and hyperacusis too.
My hope is that by share my journey with t and h, others might benefit from what we've learned and be able to make the necessary changes in their care they need. If I can make it easier on those still suffering as horribly as I was, then it's worth it.
I don't run into a problem with people taking advantage. I'm pretty straightforward with my shopping. It might make it seem like I'm unfriendly or don't want to be bothered but I have to stay focused or I get disoriented by all the sounds. I don't have time to chat... "Hi, how are you, hows the kids." It's something that extremely difficult for me.. If someone approaches me, I really have to bite the bullet so to speak because I don't want to be rude to others, but it's at a cost to me. When I go shopping its not a relaxing experience. Its lists, a processing nightmare, and a register that well... won't shut up. I try my best to stay calm, focused and relaxed but 4 yrs in and I'm still working on that. #tinnitus #hyperacusis #processingissues
Shopping with hyperacusis involves many challenges, including the need to get in and out of stores quickly so as to limit the time spent in a noisy atmosphere. Stor...
Today, I am happy to say, since starting cognitive therapy, I've improved. While a spike in my tinnitus or hyperacusis can cause this to come on full-blown at any time, I'm not as hurried as before. My coping skills have improved, I adapt quickly to unforeseen events, and I'm not noticing any daily spikes due to shopping. As well as spikes in the meat section or freezer section of stores have gone down to just the winter season now.
I've for the most part have found ways to deal with the beeping at the registers, people in the store, and overhead music. However, this is in a small size store. Going to a mall or plaza would still be more challenging for me. More people, more sounds. It's a given that I would start to adjust and adapt better to small environments first.
So, while there is no way to prevent an onset completely. Cognitive therapy has shown proven results in helping my brain function better when I go grocery shopping in a small environment.
Time is a factor as well. Clearly, there's no way I could stay in such an environment 2 to 3 hours, but the advantage here is I hardly ever run vomiting anymore from the sound, have a major migraine spike due to the environment, and even my balance has improved to where the environment itself isn't causing a full-blown dizzy spell or vertigo episode.
It's not to say it can't happen, because in certain situations yes it has. But once in a three months time period is a huge difference to every time I walk in a store. And even then it's not every symptom. I might get nauseated and end up vomiting but no vertigo or a migraine. Or I may get disoriented from my processing issue and find myself dizzy or getting a migraine.
It's a great feeling to walk into a store and not feel like the surrounding environment is attacking your body. But with tinnitus, hyperacusis and processing issues that's exactly what it does.
I've worked hard to get to this point, my doctors have worked hard to get my symptoms under control just so I can walk out my front door and now after vestibular therapy and starting cognitive therapy, I've reached the next level of treatment.
I can't even begin to know how many levels I've had to go through...
Calculating it out...
Level 1 Getting Diagnosed (Took 1 year)
Level 2 Adding Restrictions and Accommodations (Took 1- 2 years plus ongoing)
Reducing restrictions and accommodation as well as adding was left to me by my specialist as he stated, "Only the patient can know what sounds will trigger symptoms, pain, and discomfort as well as spikes."
Level 3 Reduce Symptoms by Targetting Most Severe FIRST (Took 3 years)
After ALL tests ruled out anything other than what my doctors believed I had, they could then start treatment of my symptoms.
Level 4 Start Therapy TRT if it doesn't work Walking Therapy, Device Assistance (Took 2-3 years)
I credit most of my habilitation to WALKING THERAPY made a huge difference.
Level 5 Test Trial for Medications to Get the Right Treatment that Works (Took 3-5) years)
This was the hardest because I'm so sensitive to medications. In fact, I had a severe reaction to one medication and that incident, reduced the tinnitus in my r. ear. However, it is believed the reaction itself cased the change, due to once the medication was out of my system the T should have come back.
Level 6 Once First Therapy has Improved, Start the Next (Took 3-4 years)
Continue this with EACH SYMPTOM
Level 7 Retrain the Brain for Sleeping with Tinnitus (Took 3-4 years)
Once we knew what was happening we immediately started documenting my improvement to being completely able to sleep with no assistance at all at the 5 years mark. Some could see improvement with this as soon as 1 year. It took me 3 years.
Level 8 Vestibular Therapy (Took 4 years)
Vestibular Therapy was also a huge help with my imbalance issue and it reduced how often I get vertigo episodes and how long they last.
Level 9 Cognitive Therapy (Took 4-5 years)
So.. I'm basically heading on Level 10 once improvement with cognitive training gets better.
*Note: In terms of "years" that's when it was started for my case with Severe Tinnitus, Hyperacusis Induced Vertigo with Migraines with Auditory Processing Issues.
Please note because my symptoms were so severe with making me physically ill that had to be started so that we could do other treatments and therapy. Had my doctors not put restrictions and accommodations in place once we had the diagnosis, I would still be far worse off.
Be sure to join our podcasts on LWHS as we share tips and tricks to living a happier healthier lifestyle with t and h. I'm so thankful to my team of doctors. They've really helped me gain my independence and freedom back. And you too can experience that same feeling. With hard work and dedication to your managed care plan, you'll find yourself winning the battle against tinnitus and hyperacusis too.
My hope is that by share my journey with t and h, others might benefit from what we've learned and be able to make the necessary changes in their care they need. If I can make it easier on those still suffering as horribly as I was, then it's worth it.
You never stop fighting the fight, but you do stop losing the battle.
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