[icinggurl]

Has anyone ever had tinnitus and is was misdiagnosed as psychosis? A couple months ago, I started hearing this repetitive music note in a specific rhythm that lasts the entire day. I know it's not real and that it's all in my brain somehow. I've had songs get stuck in my head before (I'm a musician), but this is just a single note, OVER AND OVER, etc. By the end of the day, I get aggitated by it's presence. I have other noise going on all the time so it drowns out the stuff in my head.

Also, my mother has tinnitus.

Since I've had auditory hallucinations in the past, my shrink thought the sound was just psycosis. What's different is that I know it's not real. With psychosis, I was 'literally' hearing things that weren't there.

So this is the battle now. I'm seeing my family practice doc tomorrow and I'm afraid with my psych history, the assumption will be that I'm psychotic again. (That's a whole other mess of a convo). On the other hand, my shrink doesn't want to prescribe more antipsychotics if this isn't psychosis.

I just wondered if anyone else has dealt with a similar situation?

[Travelinglady]

That sounds really aggravating. I am thankful to say that I haven't had either problem. I hope your doc will keep an open mind.

[kiwi33]

It might be worthwhile getting your GP to refer you to an ear, nose and throat specialist.

An ENT specialist will be able to check if there are any physical issues affecting your ears.

[Sinking Feeling]

I have tinnitus in both ears. It's permanent and none stop, 24/7, ringing in my ears. So since it's non-stop, I can tell the difference between it and actual audio hallucinations which I get from very mild to loud. I hear melodies, people chatter, whispers, to loud words. All inside my head. Mine come over my tinnitus. Occasionally I hear stuff that seem to be coming from outside my head, like some one standing next to me or behind me. That is spooky. I find the chatter inside my head, which usually sound like a radio or TV playing in my head less stressful or concerning, at times comforting, at times annoying because I have no control over it.

I almost forgot. Some thing else that happens which is very odd. Noise, any kind, specially motor sounding, turns in to voices some times. This I can not tell what the cause is.

[icinggurl]

Originally Posted by Sinking Feeling

I have tinnitus in both ears. It's permanent and none stop, 24/7, ringing in my ears. So since it's non-stop, I can tell the difference between it and actual audio hallucinations which I get from very mild to loud. I hear melodies, people chatter, whispers, to loud words. All inside my head. Mine come over my tinnitus. Occasionally I hear stuff that seem to be coming from outside my head, like some one standing next to me or behind me. That is spooky. I find the chatter inside my head, which usually sound like a radio or TV playing in my head less stressful or concerning, at times comforting, at times annoying because I have no control over it.

I almost forgot. Some thing else that happens which is very odd. Noise, any kind, specially motor sounding, turns in to voices some times. This I can not tell what the cause is.

Omg that sounds like a nightmare. I'm sorry you deal with that! Aren't brains amazingly dysfunctional for some of us? Your description of the difference between those types of sounds was very helpful.

I did see my reg doc and he didn't think my noises sounded like a tinnitus symptom. He said my ears looked perfect upon examination and that he'd refer me to an audiologist if I'd like my hearing tested, but he thinks it's highly unlikely that this is tinnitus. He was very polite about it and I think he was concerned that I would be offended by being told that, but he's known me forever, and my whole crazy family too, so it didn't bother me. I've long given up being upset over the fact that I have a diagnosis, because what's the point? I've been mentally ill for a long time (since I was 6) and have accepted this as "it is what it is". I haven't given up on life as a whole - I've just given up on being upset over something I can't change, such as chemical abnormalities, genetics, etc. I just try to manage it like a person would manage any other health condition.

I see my shrink tomorrow and will give her the news. I've started the respiridone and so far I feel pretty good on it. I think it may be helping with the sounds, but it's a little to early to be sure. The power of suggestion is pretty huge for me so I want to be sure it's helping before I say it is. I actually feel less tired than the when I was on the huge dose of Seroquel. If the med change stops or at least lowers the volume of the sounds in my head, I'll know it's psychosis. I have truly been psychotic in the past, so it's not a big surprise to find out I'm hearing things again.

Thx for all your responses!

Originally Posted by icinggurl

Has anyone ever had tinnitus and is was misdiagnosed as psychosis? A couple months ago, I started hearing this repetitive music note in a specific rhythm that lasts the entire day. I know it's not real and that it's all in my brain somehow. I've had songs get stuck in my head before (I'm a musician), but this is just a single note, OVER AND OVER, etc. By the end of the day, I get aggitated by it's presence. I have other noise going on all the time so it drowns out the stuff in my head.

Also, my mother has tinnitus.

Since I've had auditory hallucinations in the past, my shrink thought the sound was just psycosis. What's different is that I know it's not real. With psychosis, I was 'literally' hearing things that weren't there.

So this is the battle now. I'm seeing my family practice doc tomorrow and I'm afraid with my psych history, the assumption will be that I'm psychotic again. (That's a whole other mess of a convo). On the other hand, my shrink doesn't want to prescribe more antipsychotics if this isn't psychosis.

I just wondered if anyone else has dealt with a similar situation?

Tinnitus is not at all related to voices/audio hallucinations. It's more of a neurological/ear issue as opposed to psychologically based. Noises aren't audio hallucinations

Originally Posted by Sinking Feeling

I almost forgot. Some thing else that happens which is very odd. Noise, any kind, specially motor sounding, turns in to voices some times. This I can not tell what the cause is.

I used to get this in particular a good bit, it is kind of weird. Like if a fan or something is on, sometimes it sounds like it's whispering statements about stuff. That used to happen with me more, hasn't in a while but I used to get that a lot.