Said nobody ever! 
9 Likes
Same! Watching your diet, exercise and allopurinol is the way to go.
1 Like
oh come on, southern fried okra is delightful.
4 Likes
I’ll take your word for it! 
1 Like
it’s delicious but not healthy and apparently can trigger episodes of gout, so we can certainly agree that it violates the spirit of this thread.
3 Likes
Yeah my old man’s on this. I don’t think he particularly watches his diet or exercises (unless you count golf, I certainly don’t) and hasn’t had any bouts or other issues.
In two weeks time I’ll be back on the start line of the Brighton marathon, I’ll be raising funds for Breast Cancer Now as usual. I’m sharing this as a hopefully reassuring message that even as an older bloke I’ve been lucky enough to be able to maintain an active lifestyle for the last 12 months, with an unbroken streak of 50 weeks training including 250+ runs, bike rides, rowing and gym sessions. It’s been a great process and I’m looking forward to sharing the streets of Brighton with all the other runners. Good luck in all your health and fitness challenges. If you’re able to share or support the fund raising many thanks 
18 Likes
Good luck Matt!
1 Like
In a couple of weeks I’ll be walking up Ben Lomond for charity (Munros for Menopause). Apparently it’s still covered in snow, so should be an adventure. There’s about 50 of us doing it.
9 Likes
I’m back trying to wear my NHS Phonak hearing aids for bastard Tinnitus again. Had them since 2019. I never wear them but my T has spiked quite a bit in the past few months.
Recently had a hearing test at Boots (one year waiting list for NHS) and they tried the hard sell on me but she did let me try a pair of Phonak Audeo Infinio Sphere i90, and they seemed really good. Much more advanced tech than my NHS ones, it was really like I didn’t have them in, wheras the ones I have really make everything sound so tinny.
Boots charge just shy of £4K for those. £2350 online 
My T is keeping me awake most of the night, when I do sleep I don’t feel it’s very deep. I’m listening to audio books or YouTube all night. Insomnia caused by chronic tinnitus, and subsequent anxiety. Fuck this absolute bullshit. I’m wondering about medication for sleeping but haven’t a clue what they could prescribe and worry about long term effects anyway…
I could probably get medical Cannabis for it in all honesty, although that actually makes it louder. Although I care less 
5 Likes
How do the aids help with the tinnitus? Mine isn’t that bad but it comes and goes and some days is worse than others.
I gave up on the NHS as the consultant I saw didn’t really care and to be honest they have bigger things to deal with than my level of tinnitus.
Often wondered about paying for a private session but never got round to it.
In self diagnosis mode I wonder if mine is linked to poor sleeping posture as it’s often worse first thing in the morning with associated tension across the base of my neck. Wondering if a good shoulder massage/osteopath may sort that
1 Like
i would suggest looking into gabapentin as a sleep aid. Gabapentin - Wikipedia
it was prescribed to me a while back, is non-habit forming, has no oddball side effects (for me anyway). i find it’s most effective at helping me remain asleep - i’m one of those “high alert” sleepers, any perceived noise or disruption would wake me up and i couldn’t get back in to the deep sleep.
anyway, it’s probably easy to get prescribed, once i was on it and talking about it, it seemed like everyone i knew also had a bottle as well.
2 Likes
I do have slight hearing loss in my left ear, the aids are supposed to help the brain try and fill in the frequency of your Tinnitus. Can’t really say that it does that, but I do struggle in crowded spaces like bars and restaurants hearing the person right next to me 
1 Like
I’ve seen someone on the Tinnitus sub-Reddit mention Gabapentin. Very interesting!
One of the reasons I don’t go out as much. When the old crew gets together it tends to be in a bar and I can’t hear a word anyone is saying. Give me a quiet pub any day. If I’m going out I’ll loose myself on the dance floor and avoid conversation
3 Likes
Gabapentin is the worst prescription drug I’ve had. Ruined me for 8-9 months, eventually got my consultant to change it over to Pregabalin after a lot of hassle and his admittance it was a cost based decision… Got off that eventually too.
Tread carefully is my advice, they are both heavy gear.
3 Likes
I’m curious, what type of negative effects did you experience? I’m approved for 900mgs a day (but really only take 300) and honestly, i don’t notice the effects at all.
I take one about 30 minutes before bed when i know i’m going to have a busy, front-loaded day and will need a solid night of sleep.
1 Like
I was put on gabapentin at the outset of CNS issues and subsequent MRI brain scans whilst investigations continued in to MS. It ruined my sleep, appetite in both directions, libido, stress levels, made me anxious which I’ve never been fortunately and depressed. Pregabalin got rid of a lot of the former issues but I was still getting really heavy moods and exhaustion. I’m still in the MS clinic annually and have continued to have MRI (also in a study on advanced MRI tech, it was invented here in notts so happy to help them out)but have fortunately never progressed very much from back then (19yrs). Get flare ups and other bits but making the choice to get off the meds was the best thing I could do I think on balance.
2 Likes
i don’t know shit about drugs, but i wonder if it’s like lithium, where the same drug both can calm hyperactivity and stimulate listlessness. it sort of sounds like it was working in the wrong direction for you. anyway - glad you moved on from it and found what works for you.
1 Like
Pregabalin is not a very nice one, you feel really bad next morning anxious and very jumpy,…
1 Like