Hearing aid not much help anymore...

etalton

etalton

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While it is true I can still hear sounds, speech comprehension in my "good" ear is now at 50% or worse, while there is no comprehension in my bad ear. Both ears tested at the high end of the profound loss range and my Military ENT has put in a referral for an off base specialist to have a consultation for a CI. I am depressed, angry,scared, worried, hopeful, you name it...all rolled into one and I just need someone's shoulder to lean on/cry on.
The main reason I am hopeful is, honestly, this forum and the wonderful people that share their CI experiences.
So, any of you out there care to share helpful hints? concerns you had? troubles along the way? Any of this would help me to know what to expect in the coming year.
Thanks for being here guys..it really does help... :ty:
 
I am not going for I CI, but I do have speech comprehension problem. I know you are frustrated.

The best I can do is just say I am sorry. Hang in there and I hope it works out and that a lot of the CI people come and talk to you here.:fingersx:
 
ET,
I would totally opt for getting your no speech comprehension ear implanted first. There's nothing to lose AT ALL.
I would however maybe try to experiment with a high powered hearing aid or a really good digital aid in the other ear to see if that makes a difference with speech comprehension in that ear. Then again, you might really like the bimodal combonation of your current aid and a CI. It can be hard to tell.
 
etalton said:
While it is true I can still hear sounds, speech comprehension in my "good" ear is now at 50% or worse, while there is no comprehension in my bad ear. Both ears tested at the high end of the profound loss range and my Military ENT has put in a referral for an off base specialist to have a consultation for a CI. I am depressed, angry,scared, worried, hopeful, you name it...all rolled into one and I just need someone's shoulder to lean on/cry on.
The main reason I am hopeful is, honestly, this forum and the wonderful people that share their CI experiences.
So, any of you out there care to share helpful hints? concerns you had? troubles along the way? Any of this would help me to know what to expect in the coming year.
Thanks for being here guys..it really does help... :ty:
Click to expand...

I have bilateral cochlear implants for a year. I understand the frustration you have and believe me I have been there. It sounds like you are just starting your research. I believe the first step is the research the three companies that make cis, Advanced Bionics, Med-El, and Cochlear America. Google the companies and read about what a cochlear implant can and can't do. Each CI users has made a very personal choice and for some of us it thats years to make this choice. I also suggest DeafVillage as a site for wonderful CI blogs.
 
I am sorry to hear. I understand how do you feeling. I has a profound deaf 110db. I can't hear anything like a died. Hearing Aids is not 100 percent help me enough. I decide to get a CI to hear for my new life. I am same with you. I have been depress, angry, isolate, lack of communicate with hearing people, and emotion a lot. I never hear anything since I was born. It's my hopefully to get CI to hear. You have 50db. I'm not definitely about your hearing test result current. You have to go back to audiologist to get re-test. You will figure it out how much you have hearing loss more serve or profound. CI is the best for profound deaf. The hearing aids are fit for

* Mild:
o for adults: between 25 and 40 dB
o for children: between 20 and 40 dB
* Moderate: between 41 and 55 dB
* Moderately severe: between 56 and 70 dB
* Severe: between 71 and 90 dB
* Profound: 90 dB or greater
The people have CI's decide want to hear because hearing aids aren't help for them.

I hope that help.

etalton said:
While it is true I can still hear sounds, speech comprehension in my "good" ear is now at 50% or worse, while there is no comprehension in my bad ear. Both ears tested at the high end of the profound loss range and my Military ENT has put in a referral for an off base specialist to have a consultation for a CI. I am depressed, angry,scared, worried, hopeful, you name it...all rolled into one and I just need someone's shoulder to lean on/cry on.
The main reason I am hopeful is, honestly, this forum and the wonderful people that share their CI experiences.
So, any of you out there care to share helpful hints? concerns you had? troubles along the way? Any of this would help me to know what to expect in the coming year.
Thanks for being here guys..it really does help... :ty:
Click to expand...
 
~♥~Pinky~♥~ said:
I am sorry to hear. I understand how do you feeling. I has a profound deaf 110db. I can't hear anything like a died. Hearing Aids is not 100 percent help me enough. I decide to get a CI to hear for my new life. I am same with you. I have been depress, angry, isolate, lack of communicate with hearing people, and emotion a lot. I never hear anything since I was born. It's my hopefully to get CI to hear. You have 50db. I'm not definitely about your hearing test result current. You have to go back to audiologist to get re-test. You will figure it out how much you have hearing loss more serve or profound. CI is the best for profound deaf. The hearing aids are fit for

* Mild:
o for adults: between 25 and 40 dB
o for children: between 20 and 40 dB
* Moderate: between 41 and 55 dB
* Moderately severe: between 56 and 70 dB
* Severe: between 71 and 90 dB
* Profound: 90 dB or greater
The people have CI's decide want to hear because hearing aids aren't help for them.

I hope that help.
Click to expand...

I guess I didn't say that right, did I? My bad ear is at about 100db and my "good" ear..ha ha, is now at about 90db, give or take with my meneire's attacks steadily taking more. It is the comprehension that is at 50%, as during the speech test yesterday, I could only comprehend (with a few guesses thrown in) about half the words he asked me to repeat. Four months ago the good ear was at 80db and 100% word comprehension. Thanks for the input, advice and caring :P
 
Thanks for the great advise. This is the kind of thing I was looking for. Will do some googling tonight.



vallee said:
I have bilateral cochlear implants for a year. I understand the frustration you have and believe me I have been there. It sounds like you are just starting your research. I believe the first step is the research the three companies that make cis, Advanced Bionics, Med-El, and Cochlear America. Google the companies and read about what a cochlear implant can and can't do. Each CI users has made a very personal choice and for some of us it thats years to make this choice. I also suggest DeafVillage as a site for wonderful CI blogs.
Click to expand...
 
That is what I was hoping the advice would be. I have heard some say not to use the hearing aid at all, so that the brain has to listen to the sounds in the implanted ear totally. But, my thought was that the side with a bit more hearing would be able to help the brain figure out what the sounds were in the other ear. I have a BTE Widex Inteo, and that is supposed to carry me through till a hearing aid is not helping at all. Seems like it is almost there, but maybe it will hang in there long enough. :ty:

deafdyke said:
ET,
I would totally opt for getting your no speech comprehension ear implanted first. There's nothing to lose AT ALL.
I would however maybe try to experiment with a high powered hearing aid or a really good digital aid in the other ear to see if that makes a difference with speech comprehension in that ear. Then again, you might really like the bimodal combonation of your current aid and a CI. It can be hard to tell.
Click to expand...
 
Bottesini said:
I am not going for I CI, but I do have speech comprehension problem. I know you are frustrated.

The best I can do is just say I am sorry. Hang in there and I hope it works out and that a lot of the CI people come and talk to you here.:fingersx:
Click to expand...

Quite often, I am sorry is all that needs to be said. Thanks
 
give or take with my meneire's attacks steadily taking more. It is the comprehension that is at 50%, as during the speech test yesterday, I could only comprehend (with a few guesses thrown in) about half the words he asked me to repeat
Click to expand...
*grin* Thanks. I gotta say that everyone's an indivdual....Yes, a lot of people have opted to get bilaterals, but there are still people who use bimodal, and are happy with it. It really does seem pretty much like the analog vs. digital debate back in the '90s.
Maybe a good idea would be to have your military ENT refer you to someone who specializes in Meniere's. I do know that Meniere's can be "cured" (well more stablized) by CIs. The Meniere's specialist can then help you make good decisions based on the latest research.
 
Half the problem with that is finding one in the area that takes Tricare. No way I can afford all this on my own, or with Tricare paying their percent for a non tricare doctor. If I see a doctor that takes tricare, they pay 100%. As it is, this one I am being referred to is 3 hours away. Good thing my daughter lives there..I can crash at her place if I need to.:lol:
Question? I read in one of the other posts something about a vaccine? What is all that about?
 
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Well, I met with my new ENT today and it looks like I just have one more hurdle before they schedule the surgery. I have to go back to him on Oct. 2 and bring my MRI and CT results, etc. from the base doctor and then have the hearing test with the CI audiologist. From our talk today, that is a mandatory thing and once done, the surgery can be scheduled. I am getting the Nucleus Freedom, mostly because that it his preferred implant of choice, but I have done some reading up and I think it will suit me fine. I also found out he does the surgery himself, in Wilmington, so that is a relief as I won't have so far to travel for the surgery and mapping later. Woo Hoo :laugh2: ...getting excited.
Thanks for being there guys.... :ty:
 
Wilmington? Delaware? If yes is it Dr. Teixido? I'm asking because your location said north carolina so I'm not sure lol


etalton said:
Well, I met with my new ENT today and it looks like I just have one more hurdle before they schedule the surgery. I have to go back to him on Oct. 2 and bring my MRI and CT results, etc. from the base doctor and then have the hearing test with the CI audiologist. From our talk today, that is a mandatory thing and once done, the surgery can be scheduled. I am getting the Nucleus Freedom, mostly because that it his preferred implant of choice, but I have done some reading up and I think it will suit me fine. I also found out he does the surgery himself, in Wilmington, so that is a relief as I won't have so far to travel for the surgery and mapping later. Woo Hoo :laugh2: ...getting excited.
Thanks for being there guys.... :ty:
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Doug..

No, SkullChick, that is Wilmington, NC and a Dr. Brinson is my CI guy.
 
Don't know yet vallee. I have to have the hearing test with CI audi first. I should find out in two weeks. :fingersx:
 
Well..I am almost there. I saw the CI audi for all my hearing tests today and flunked them all. No news there, except my comprehension is even worse...in just three weeks. I had an extra CT scan in the doctors office, and was sent for my vaccine. I had to take the release forms home and read them, since I couldn't always understand what I was being told..and will fax them back to the office tomorrow...
Then, I just have to wait for the call from their office giving me the date and time of the surgery and I am on my way!!
 
etalton said:
Well..I am almost there. I saw the CI audi for all my hearing tests today and flunked them all. No news there, except my comprehension is even worse...in just three weeks. I had an extra CT scan in the doctors office, and was sent for my vaccine. I had to take the release forms home and read them, since I couldn't always understand what I was being told..and will fax them back to the office tomorrow...
Then, I just have to wait for the call from their office giving me the date and time of the surgery and I am on my way!!
Click to expand...

Congrats on flunking. :giggle:

I'm looking forward to hear about your journey.
 
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