davidlawson
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- Aug 7, 2010
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I know that some of these questions are probably outside of your experience because they are to do with the UK healthcare system and this seems to be mainly an American website. With that caveat...here goes:
My situation:
I was diagnosed with hearing impairment when I was 3. My hearing deteriorated until I was 6, where it has plateaued at profound Deafness. I have worn hearing aids since I was 3. I can sign BSL, I can lipread (speech read) and I’m a fluent oral speaker (I rely mostly on lipreading though- I cannot understand a conversation, for instance, if I’m not lipreading). I’m now 21 and am weighing up the pros and cons of getting a cochlear implant, and I live in the UK.
I’m particularly interested in the experiences of people who had a cochlear implant who were in a similar situation to me - i.e. They could communicate hear before the cochlear implant but not as well as a typical person, and there has been a notable delay between their deafness and getting a cochlear implant.
I don’t think that the experience of those who got a cochlear implant when very young, or after having normal hearing but became Deaf when they were an adult will help me much in making my decision to get a cochlear implant.
Here’s a list of questions that I have. It’s quite a list but if you could answer any of them I would really appreciate it.
Questions anyone can answer:
Is it worth waiting for future technology?
Do the current CI destroy the existing cochlear hairs? If it doesn’t is the process theoretically reversible? E.g. Go from a CI back to a hearing aid?
What are the present guidelines in the NHS re unilateral/bilateral CI, e.g. Could I get bilateral CI or is unilateral CI the best I could get?
How long do the CI last typically? I have heard the figure 70 years being bandied about.
What are the risks of the operation? What percentage of cochlear implantees have complications like the body rejecting the CI, losing your taste etc?
What are the best CI? What CI do the NHS provide? Which CI have the largest market penetration in the UK?
Questions for anybody who has had a CI:
Did you get unilateral/bilateral CI? What difference do you think it makes? Did you get your unilateral CI in your best or worse ear? Why? Is it reasonable to think that my best ear would have the best results for a CI? What’s it like wearing a CI with a hearing aid?
What activities are curtailed? What sports should I avoid? I heard somewhere that CI don’t weaken the skull so there’s no additional skull strength issues to consider. Is this true?
How do you cope with living with a CI? Do you cover up the CI? What precautions do you take?
Questions specifically for people in a similar situation to me:
Were you able to use the telephone after getting the CI? Could you do that before? (I can’t do it now, but if a CI could give me that ability then it would be a massive plus for me.)
How did the range/sound distinction/amplification improve?
How long was the rehabilitation process?
Could you listen to/appreciate music? (I can listen to a very small amount of music and would love to be able to hear much more than I can do now).
My situation:
I was diagnosed with hearing impairment when I was 3. My hearing deteriorated until I was 6, where it has plateaued at profound Deafness. I have worn hearing aids since I was 3. I can sign BSL, I can lipread (speech read) and I’m a fluent oral speaker (I rely mostly on lipreading though- I cannot understand a conversation, for instance, if I’m not lipreading). I’m now 21 and am weighing up the pros and cons of getting a cochlear implant, and I live in the UK.
I’m particularly interested in the experiences of people who had a cochlear implant who were in a similar situation to me - i.e. They could communicate hear before the cochlear implant but not as well as a typical person, and there has been a notable delay between their deafness and getting a cochlear implant.
I don’t think that the experience of those who got a cochlear implant when very young, or after having normal hearing but became Deaf when they were an adult will help me much in making my decision to get a cochlear implant.
Here’s a list of questions that I have. It’s quite a list but if you could answer any of them I would really appreciate it.
Questions anyone can answer:
Is it worth waiting for future technology?
Do the current CI destroy the existing cochlear hairs? If it doesn’t is the process theoretically reversible? E.g. Go from a CI back to a hearing aid?
What are the present guidelines in the NHS re unilateral/bilateral CI, e.g. Could I get bilateral CI or is unilateral CI the best I could get?
How long do the CI last typically? I have heard the figure 70 years being bandied about.
What are the risks of the operation? What percentage of cochlear implantees have complications like the body rejecting the CI, losing your taste etc?
What are the best CI? What CI do the NHS provide? Which CI have the largest market penetration in the UK?
Questions for anybody who has had a CI:
Did you get unilateral/bilateral CI? What difference do you think it makes? Did you get your unilateral CI in your best or worse ear? Why? Is it reasonable to think that my best ear would have the best results for a CI? What’s it like wearing a CI with a hearing aid?
What activities are curtailed? What sports should I avoid? I heard somewhere that CI don’t weaken the skull so there’s no additional skull strength issues to consider. Is this true?
How do you cope with living with a CI? Do you cover up the CI? What precautions do you take?
Questions specifically for people in a similar situation to me:
Were you able to use the telephone after getting the CI? Could you do that before? (I can’t do it now, but if a CI could give me that ability then it would be a massive plus for me.)
How did the range/sound distinction/amplification improve?
How long was the rehabilitation process?
Could you listen to/appreciate music? (I can listen to a very small amount of music and would love to be able to hear much more than I can do now).