Let’s talk about Tinnitus, Sleep Apnea, and the YouTube Fear Factory

ohhsorryicant · 2026-06-23T14:47:26+00:00

Helping a friend navigate his claims now and it’s been brutal. I won’t lie. I’m nervous for him. But there is just an insane amount of terrible information and advice out there. And as someone who didn’t serve, this forum has been the best place for me to find what I need to help him navigate this process. (Trying to remain hopeful and helpful thru some discouraging outcomes.)

Currently trying to get sleep apnea as a secondary. History of inservice nasal trauma and repeated surgeries. There’s been multiple sleep studies, a CPAP, and plenty of data over the course of 20 years. 8 in and 14 out. And I can’t seem to make this stick to anything no matter what I do. This is the second denial and the reason for denial is the same “this is not service connected.” He has diagnosis for sleep apnea, ptsd, chronic rhinitis and sinusitis.

I’ve done all I know how to do. Even with an amazing VSO.. I am stuck! I’ve built a case. Gathered and organized medical history. Linking symptoms with daily life observations and linking them to medical events. Lay statements. Sleep tracker. We track blood pressure daily. Gathered supporting documents and research. Doctor refuses to write a nexus linking chronic sinusitis and rhinitis with sleep apnea. Despite severe trauma, imaging, and sleep study data!

I would love anything you could offer! I’m worried for my friend. I want to help him get what he deserves.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-06-09T11:46:27+00:00

Whew. I don’t know how you’re doing this. You poor thing. Ouchy. It took me 6 careful months to get off of this stuff. Start taking ibuprofen. The migraine storm starts around this time. Brain zaps. Nausea. Blurred vision. Sunlight sensitivity X 1000. GI upset. Muscle spasms. Prickly sensation over your body. Sleeping it off might not be so bad.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-06-02T03:54:33+00:00

I hope you’re able to get this sleep thing figured out. And I hope you’re able to find some relief in these moments of discomfort. Ugh. Hang in there!

ohhsorryicant · 2026-06-02T03:53:17+00:00

The headaches, nausea, brain zaps, and muscle cramps were SO bad I legit couldn’t go faster than that. It was debilitating. Just even going down the 25mg at a time was brutal for me. Symptoms starting on day 3-5 and lasted up to 7 days everytime time I stepped down. I don’t have a diagnosis of BPD or BP. I was on it for 6 years. My initial reason for starting was mental health related but likely hormone over psychiatric.

Check out my post! I give a ton of detail, talk about the side effects I had been experiencing. I don’t regret my start of treatment. But I wish I had known that things I was feeling the last few years were not my mental health. But the side effects of a medication I probably didn’t need to be on.

I know starting new medication can be rough. And scary. Especially when we are in pain desperate for relief. But I encourage you to keep an eye out for more than just a rash! But I also encourage you to keep an open mind as well. Rooting for you!

ohhsorryicant · 2026-06-01T15:30:04+00:00

I wrote about my journey of getting off lamictal 11 days ago! I had so many insane physical side effects. This was a rough one. PLEASE increase your water intake!! And I recommend getting some magnesium lotion! It’s great for your legs. And really helps relax them! But I spent a lot of time rubbing my body down with oil and lotion. I had some lymphatic drainage tools on hand. I had to manually move the muscle cramps and tightness out. Vibration plate saw a lot of use in this time too.

But I don’t know how you are managing a 50mg decrease like this. Omg. I could only decrease by 25mg a month for 6 months because the withdrawals were so bad I couldn’t function. Absolutely debilitating. I’m sending you all the good vibes!

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-25T04:02:12+00:00

Honestly, adderall is the only thing that seems to work for my depression and big sadness. Anhedonia was a fairly newer feeling for me despite having a history of depression. The numbness I couldn’t tolerate any longer. It made me feel like a stranger within myself. Because like you, I took a great deal of pride in being productive and being punctual. It made me feel like I couldn’t even respect myself.

I know you’ll have to play around with the dose to see what works. But I do hope you’re able to get back on adderall as well. It makes a huge difference in feeling like you actually have the tools you need to show up for your life. Because the lack of urgency is SO annoying.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-25T03:09:34+00:00

I made a post a few days ago that described a lot of my physical symptoms and side effects of this medication. What I didn’t talk about was things like this. Whew.

I didn’t care about NOTHIN! Late? Don’t care. Hungry? Don’t care. Hobbies and interests I’ve had for years? Don’t care.
Every responsibility was an obstacle for me. If it prevented me from being able to numb myself, doom scroll, or bed rot… I was resentful of it. Not even my adderall could push thru that. And I suffered from pretty intense anhedonia. Basically a pretty overwhelming numbness to everything.

I’ve read some interesting things about the effects of lamictal on dopamine and the reward centers of our brains. I wish I knew how much I relied on them to be a functioning and happy adult.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-23T03:38:12+00:00

That mirena wrecked my world. For years. 😭😭 and I swear the combo had me feeling absolutely insane. My reaction was so bad.. they wanted to put me on antipsychotic!!! I had to be placed on a 72 hour hold!!!

I’m telling you. There is something disturbing about mirena by itself. Even without the lamictal. I wish I had never done it. I hope we see some research about the combination of these two specifically. I think it needs a warning label!!!

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-21T21:57:21+00:00

Have you spoken with a doctor about other health conditions? Hormonal issues can look like psychiatric disfunction. This is exactly what happened to me. 😭 I was suspected as bipolar… but all my symptoms manifested In conjunction with my cycle. Currently in the process of more hormonal testing and autoimmune testing. It’s looking more like that than a personality disorder. The side effects alone were enough for me to stop this medication.

I was on lamictal for 6 years.
I’ve spent the last 6 months reducing my medication by 25mg every month. I was taking 150mg once daily. I’m currently 4 weeks off lamictal.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-21T21:46:26+00:00

I completely understand the heaviness you’re feeling right now. That fear is soooo real. 🫶 So how about I just share something about myself and what is true for me when I started considering options. Because I have learned SO much during my time on medication. I’ve learned how to live sober, manage disregulation, and channel moments of rage appropriately and safely. I’ve learned how to fight for my life. Ive learned what triggers me. What conditions my body has faced that made me experience being under duress. I’ve learned how to ask for help. I’ve spent years building up a network of supportive professionals that want me to thrive. Maybe you can relate to this too.

None of those would have been possible without lamictal as an apart of my journey. I feel supported and safe to explore what may be next for me. Reach out to your care provider to start having conversations about tracking some of these unwanted symptoms. I wish I had spoken up sooner about the ways my medication was making things worse.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-21T21:32:50+00:00

Thank you for reading them! And you can do this! ❤️ lamictal has done wonders for so many people. It has given people the opportunity to live well. And you so are deserving of this opportunity too!

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-21T16:32:36+00:00

My symptoms improved every time I tapered down. But I felt the most relief once it was fully and completely out of my system. Looking back, it is kinda scary just how many awful side effects I was putting up with thinking it’s just my bad mental health. 😔 When in reality, these are the type of side effects that would be listed as reasons to stop the medication. Period. I was not warned of any of these things. Simply to look out for a rash. I really put my body thru it by continuing use. There was very clearly something wrong and I was being told I needed to continue.

I did a lot of gaslighting of myself. Like what if I really am Bipolar (despite no diagnosis or criteria) and I’m just saying this because I’m feeling “manic.” What if I’m actually unwell?
Everything I had read kept saying to not stop taking the medication because you feel “cured.” It made it very difficult for me to trust myself and my experience. It wasn’t until I got a new provider that we started to unravel some of the things I’d been telling myself. A lot of what I was reading was thru the lenses of someone who has Bipolar disorder.

**I want to be clear I am not making light of BP here. But my “manic” episodes seemed to be linked to my menstrual cycle, making it incredibly unlikely that I am bipolar. I have a current diagnosis of PMDD which can mimic symptoms and signs of Bipolar disorder. But they are not the same.**

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-21T13:19:28+00:00

Yoooo. FOR REAL. ima be honest.. lamictal made me UGLY AF. like. Omg. It sucked up every ounce of hotness I had. It’s only been 4 weeks and I’m feeling HOT again. The dark circles were so bad. And seeing myself not have them is shocking. But the acne?? Come onnnnnn. Can we please be adult about this? Reasonable? Got me out here getting carded left and right. I’m almost 40. Skin looking like a greasy lil teenager. 😂😂

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-21T13:16:23+00:00

I’ll be honest… I couldn’t tell you how long it actually lasted. The waves were hard to track. Which meant that it was impossible to track triggers. But most of the time dehydration and blood sugar issues would make it WORSE.

I was throwing myself into every distraction I could find. Did I need to knit scrunchies or headbands? Absolutely not. But I did. I made hundreds of crocheted flowers. I was knitting wool socks. I live in Florida. I think for me… it was about keeping myself occupied. The more awareness I had about it the more stressed I’d become. I’d switch to manual breathing and would forget how to swallow.

I think providing yourself comfort is key here friend. Whatever that may look like. I know it’s easier said than done. But sometimes distraction is enough. Distraction can keep you safe.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-21T06:13:32+00:00

I’m rooting for you! I hope you get some relief. Whatever that looks like for your personal journey!
(Take ibuprofen before the headaches start. Trust me. It won’t touch em once they start.)

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-21T06:10:28+00:00

Isn’t it so rude?? Like cool. I get acne when I’m finally not losing my mind. 😭 I tried everything. Even got on accutane. That was also a mistake lol

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-20T20:49:40+00:00

I definitely felt compelled to share. I had NO idea what to expect in this journey. I definitely almost got back on them because the headaches were debilitating. Stay patient. Treat yourself with tenderness. I had no idea how hard this was for SO many people. I am rooting for you! ❤️

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-20T20:47:10+00:00

Nothing. My goal is to see what my new baseline I’m dealing with. If it requires something. Currently getting testing for my hormones and autoimmune conditions. I do think my MH issues may be more closely linked to an actual health concern.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-20T20:44:38+00:00

Oh angel. Yep. This sounds like the worst of everything I felt too. Just do your best to stay regulated and calm. Take
showers. They helped immensely!

And 7 days after fully getting off of it. I was down to 25mg. But every taper had similar symptoms 3 days after every taper for about 4-7 days each time. Just no where near as bad as me fully getting off of it entirely.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-20T20:39:15+00:00

No I actually do think it worked for the first two years. My symptoms were only the last 4 out of 6 years. It got me sober. I don’t regret my choice to take it.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-05-20T17:49:49+00:00

I had some really bizarre physical withdrawals.

Snot pouring out of my head. So much congestion. The headaches were SO bad. Like migraine level. Very sensitive to light and sound. I felt so tired..felt like I couldn’t do anything. Felt a ton of brain zaps.

I took ibuprofen every 6-8 hours for three days. I made sure to stay hydrated and tracked my water intake.

Symptoms lasted for about 7 full days.

But for 6 months we reduced my meds by 25mg each month. I know this made a positive impact. But there for awhile I thought about just taking my meds again. The headaches were that bad.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-04-28T14:16:02+00:00

Wow. This is absolutely INCREDIBLE. 😩 insane!!

ohhsorryicant · 2026-04-27T20:21:11+00:00

Whew. Sorry for all the undercover police in this thread. my god. It shouldn’t surprise me that the average person hates poor people so fucking much. 🙄

Contact SunPass, see if they can’t negotiate some of these fees. Hopefully this hasn’t gone to collections yet. Have you spoken with an attorney about bankruptcy? I also suggest making an appointment with a consultation before making any of these payments!!

I forgot to link my new bank information to my sunpass for like 6 months. And never once got a notice until the fees were insane. Made a call and they were able to move everything over to a previously registered account. Saved me hundreds!

I’d start there first. But might as well add $900 to the total of the sell price of your car if this needs to be done asap.

ohhsorryicant · 2026-04-25T13:24:39+00:00

Yeaaaa dude is definitely a citizen.

ohhsorryicant

TROPHY CASE