Am I a candidate for a CI (or 2)?

ecp

ecp

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I have progressive hearing loss that is currently severe to profound. In February of this year (the day after my 26th birthday) my left ear basically quit working.
After an audiogram it seems that my thresholds for that ear have gone from 70 in the lows and 100 in the highs to 85 in the lows and 120 in the highs. My right ear remains almost completely flat at 90dB.
I wear phonak Naida hearing aids and I was really impressed with them when first got them but my left ear was the one I used to actually hear with and now my understanding has dropped off.
I'm in graduate school and applying to medical school. My hearing actually took the nose dive *right* before my medical school interview this year (sorta a funny story because my interviewer was a Russian guy with an accent no hearing person can understand. It was TERRIBLE. I couldn't understand him and I misheard some of his questions and in retrospect had some awkwardly hilarious responses.)

Anyway.
My speech scores are 40% in the left and 48% in the right which I know is pretty good but it could be so much better. I am really struggling in grad school and I'm tired all the time from struggling to hear and keep up with my hearing peers. The last time I was I school, 2 years ago, I had an interpreter (I didn't ask for one but the school assigned me one and it worked out).

I have a wonderful support system. My fiancé is amazing and has been learning ASL because after a day of class with my hearing aids screaming in my ears, I usually rip my hearing aids out as soon as I leave school. He knows to always get my attention and to re-word what he says if I don't understand instead of just repeating.
He is a damn good guy.
 
it sounds like you are a candidate, but best way to find out for sure is to go to a CI center and be evaluated by the CI team.
 
do you have candidate eligible cochlear implant?

did tried you have trouble Cochlear Implant?
 
My last audiologist told me I was luckly to be hearing so well and that I shouldn't go after a CI becuase I "do well with my hearing aids".
My hearing aids are maxed out and the sound quality is awful.
There is constant feedback and unless the speaker is looking at me, I am lost.

I used to love music. I ALWAYS had music playing. Now, I don't listen to music and when I get the urge to listen to my favorite artists I ended up disappointed and sad. I want to enjoy music again.
 
Sounds like you could be a candidate but it's not just the criteria that has to be met theres things like insurance, the actually structure of your cochlea, *sometimes* there's a balance test, havig realistic expectations etc. I'm currently awaiting approval as well for my R ear as I also have naidas that don't sound that fantastic anymore because it's just alllll noise! -_- I ended up dropping out of nursing because of it.

I'd say research some CI centers near you and their doctors and any reviews patients may have etc and then ask for an CI evaluation :)

Also you may want to just get one CI at a time. It isn't as easy as just getting implanted you need to practice and do oral rehab and such and re-learn to hear with the CI so maybe one would be a better idea not to overwhelm yourself!
 
ecp said:
My last audiologist told me I was luckly to be hearing so well and that I shouldn't go after a CI becuase I "do well with my hearing aids".
My hearing aids are maxed out and the sound quality is awful.
There is constant feedback and unless the speaker is looking at me, I am lost.

I used to love music. I ALWAYS had music playing. Now, I don't listen to music and when I get the urge to listen to my favorite artists I ended up disappointed and sad. I want to enjoy music again.
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Oh, I understand sorry hear news,

me too

Audiogist did already evaluated observed you

you love alway Music played an

I understand you feeling I know experience tell you I frustrated to cochlear implant

audiogist refused to me cochlear implant not work said provide me hearing aid

I know not easy frustrated!

I search find research Candidate!!!! I will
 
I'd say research some CI centers near you and their doctors and any reviews patients may have etc and then ask for an CI evaluation :)

Also you may want to just get one CI at a time. It isn't as easy as just getting implanted you need to practice and do oral rehab and such and re-learn to hear with the CI so maybe one would be a better idea not to overwhelm yourself!
Click to expand...

Thanks!
I just moved to the Atlanta area and need to find a good audiologist and other support people.

I had a NIH sponsored research job in developmental neurobiology/hearing. I understand the reality that a CI is not perfect but I had normal hearing until age 5, and then mild to moderate hearing until puberty then my cochleas gave up :).
My speech is really great and gets me in trouble because people assume that because I don't have a Deaf accent that I can hear. My speech isn't perfect, I make many errors but people just think I'm not from the USA.

Also, nursing needs people who understand that not everybody can hear. When worked in an er I got so annoyed with everybody for treating hard of hearing patients as if they were idiots.

Thanks for the advice. Y'all rock.
 
ecp, It would be worth going for a CI evaluation. It will be a chance to find out more about what getting an implant and adjusting to an implant(s) involves. A CI center is the only place that can tell you whether or not you are a candidate or whether unilateral or bilateral implants would be appropriate for you. Don't hesitate to ask questions. there are still some adult recipients on this board who lurk most of the time but don't mind answering questions about our experiences. One thing you should remember is that it will take time to learn to hear with an implant. It is a Journey but it is a Journey I will never reqret taking.
 
set2 said:
ecp, It would be worth going for a CI evaluation. It will be a chance to find out more about what getting an implant and adjusting to an implant(s) involves. A CI center is the only place that can tell you whether or not you are a candidate or whether unilateral or bilateral implants would be appropriate for you. Don't hesitate to ask questions. there are still some adult recipients on this board who lurk most of the time but don't mind answering questions about our experiences. One thing you should remember is that it will take time to learn to hear with an implant. It is a Journey but it is a Journey I will never reqret taking.
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I agree!!! Be careful with your expectations. I have not heard of a CI surgeon who will do two CI's at the same time and if they did I would not recommend it. A CI is definitely not a cure and for some of us the journey can be difficult. Take your time, research and ask a lot of questions. There are so many wonderful people on this site who have helped me so much. It definitely is a lot of work for me, but I am happy with my decision and I continue to work hard every day. Good luck!!!
 
NaidaUP said:
Stay away from Dan! He doesn't even have a CI, he's only hard of hearing. He's caused a lot of problems within the CI world re telling people they should not go with cochlear and only go with AB!
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Who is Dan? And I ruled out advanced bionics about a year ago. Cochlear is my preference but I like the complete cochlear coverage of Med El.
 
ecp said:
Who is Dan? And I ruled out advanced bionics about a year ago. Cochlear is my preference but I like the complete cochlear coverage of Med El.
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Not too sure but he's been adding himself to Facebook CI sites, forums etc and telling people to only go with AB. He has cause out rage amongst people regarding CIs.
I've been told that he keeps trying to get a CI but gets turned down as his hearing is way too good.
I keep hearing bits from my Mums friend who has had discussions with him. I've stayed well out of it.
*Dan Schwartz*
 
I'm going to second the stay away from Dan S. I asked him if he had access to a study on the Nucleus processor's hearing in noise performance and that did NOT go well... :eek3:

ECP, it sounds like you will be a candidate. How is your bilateral hearing in noise? I qualified with this because my hearing in noise (+5 SNR) was only 16%! (I have useable hearing in one ear but am totally deaf in the other)
As far as brands, you can't go wrong with any of them. They all are good and will give you the potential for good speech.
 
Chadbert said:
I'm going to second the stay away from Dan S. I asked him if he had access to a study on the Nucleus processor's hearing in noise performance and that did NOT go well... :eek3:

ECP, it sounds like you will be a candidate. How is your bilateral hearing in noise? I qualified with this because my hearing in noise (+5 SNR) was only 16%! (I have useable hearing in one ear but am totally deaf in the other)
As far as brands, you can't go wrong with any of them. They all are good and will give you the potential for good speech.
Click to expand...

He said to my mums friend that you had let your daughter now by going with cochlear and not AB, she won't have access to speech etc. she's been implanted for 16 years and you wouldn't even know she was deaf.

Each CIs are good. You can't go wrong with any of them.

I will choose Cochlear when my right ear stops giving me access to speech. :)
 
ecp said:
I have progressive hearing loss that is currently severe to profound. In February of this year (the day after my 26th birthday) my left ear basically quit working.
After an audiogram it seems that my thresholds for that ear have gone from 70 in the lows and 100 in the highs to 85 in the lows and 120 in the highs. My right ear remains almost completely flat at 90dB.
I wear phonak Naida hearing aids and I was really impressed with them when first got them but my left ear was the one I used to actually hear with and now my understanding has dropped off.
I'm in graduate school and applying to medical school. My hearing actually took the nose dive *right* before my medical school interview this year (sorta a funny story because my interviewer was a Russian guy with an accent no hearing person can understand. It was TERRIBLE. I couldn't understand him and I misheard some of his questions and in retrospect had some awkwardly hilarious responses.)


Anyway.
My speech scores are 40% in the left and 48% in the right which I know is pretty good but it could be so much better. I am really struggling in grad school and I'm tired all the time from struggling to hear and keep up with my hearing peers. The last time I was I school, 2 years ago, I had an interpreter (I didn't ask for one but the school assigned me one and it worked out).

I have a wonderful support system. My fiancé is amazing and has been learning ASL because after a day of class with my hearing aids screaming in my ears, I usually rip my hearing aids out as soon as I leave school. He knows to always get my attention and to re-word what he says if I don't understand instead of just repeating.
He is a damn good guy.
Click to expand...

hello i was in kinda same boat as you
Sound like u will be candidates for Ci but is depend on ur hearing nerves, cochlea if everything is fine u will have Ci .


senisnerual hearing loss nov 2011
med el implanted july 19th 2012
switch on august 23rd 2012
 
Dan S. is NOT a professional, is NOT deaf, does NOT have CIs or HAs, has nothing to do with hearing loss. He's just a "fool" basically. Seriously, stay away from him. A lot of my CI friends do not have nice things to say about him either, and when I chatted with him online, he just rubbed me the wrong way. Yeah, no way. He has technological engineering understanding I think, but other than that do not go to him for any advice. Stick with the CI centers/CI audies/CI community and stay away from Dan.
 
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