MattyinAus

Gidday everyone.

I still wear hearing aids. However, just wondering what limitations of wearing the implants? Does it stop from you to do anything as you used to do before that being installed?

Deafness

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zajko

no, it doesn't stop me to do anything

you just need to be careful about the external parts - but that's same with hearing aids; you should also avoid hits to implant area, but to be honest - hitting the head isn't quite healthy for everyone, not only the implanted ones
and there are some restrictions for scuba diving and 'violent' sports like wrestling, box etc.

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Cloggy

Not really....
What kind of things are you dong now?

"Townsville, Australia" sounded familiar... I know a girl living down the road (actually, 2 roads.. A6 & A2) from you in Mount Isa that has bilateral CI and is doing gymnastics... Lots of movement going on there... LOL...

She goes to Townsville for mapping... Should be good information over there...

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Frisky Feline

For your information, I do not have CI but my hub has it.
From my understanding that you can do anything if you had a CI but just a little alert on the side note. Same idea when you wear your hearing aid, and someone try to hit your ear. You do get hurt on your ear from hearing aid. Speaking of CI, I dont have CI but It can be same feeling so hurt or more. Just think that the metal all stuff inside your head that may take a more caution. Overall, it should be ok as long as you put some alert in it. My kids accidently hit my husband head and it did hurt. He taught them not to touch his head again. They stopped knowing that he really mean it.

kokonut

Which implants are you talking about? Esteem implant or the cochlear implant? One is where you can swim and take a shower while it is on while the other you cannot.

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cdmeggers

actually with the Neptune from Advanced Bionics (cochlear implant), you can swim/shower/get wet with it on, no problem.

I've had my cochlear implant turned on for 2 months, and I've been happy with it so far. Whole world still sounds weird and electronic, but it's still sound (I implanted my left ear, which was my dead ear, so there's been no sounds in the left year for ages until the implant was turned on). It hasn't stopped me from doing anything, but then again, I don't really do much active activities or anything like that. I have showered and bathed with the Neptune processor on, just to see what the sounds were like.

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Grummer

cdmeggers, nice way of putting out how your curiousity of sounds...it would be interesting i guess, but for me id never had a CI, thats just me, yeah, maybe once every couple year i id actually leave HA on when i have a bath just to hear water, its really different something i dont *think* about but it kind of like tastin what hearing people's experience i the bath*

G

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cdmeggers

I've just been curious with all of the sounds and exploring and all that. Yesterday I heard a drop of water fall from the faucet, splashing onto a plastic tupperware container in the sink. I heard that little drop hitting the tupperware, and I thought that was quite exciting. Just being able to pick up on those little sounds and finding out what the sounds are, it's been a fun journey for me.

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etalton

I imagine the same restrictions that go for hearing aids. Simple things like using an umbrella or hat in the rain, a scarf/hat in extreme cold, wearing a helmet for some active sports that you might not have thought of using in the past. Being super cautious if you are walking on ice (having fallen on ice while I had normal hearing, that is my big concern). Remembering to take it off when the need arises (better to be cautious). I got caught in a downpour with no umbrella/hat and lost sound for a while in one processor. Had to take it off, removed battery and dry both parts off. I should have known better and taken them both off and stuffed them in my purse..live and learn.

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cdmeggers

with the implants from Cochlear and AB (not sure if Med-El's implants are water resistant), one can get caught out in the rain and not worry too much about the devices getting too wet as they are water resistant (unless the Neptune from AB is in it's waterproof set-up). Even hearing aids are being made to be water resistant nowadays.

Just have to be careful with static electricity (like don't go down plastic slides with the implant processor on, as there's the potential for the MAPs to be wiped cleaned from the processor). Doing sports? Wear a helmet as so not to possibly get hiT in the head right where the implant is

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soutthpaw

Yeah my second one messed up my ability to be upside down.. do a flip/ go on a roller coaster which I used to love. I get sick and nauseous for hrs if i do any of that. Also had to give up snowboarding. can't spin around in a circle either without same effect... I would get it taken out if it would fix the issue. no problems with the first one I got

Frisky Feline

second?

drphil

As I have had my Cochlear Implant almost 5 years-thus a "bit of experience". Not much different than when I had Hearing aids almost 40 years.
Most of the thoughts expressed above-reasonable.

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BleedingPurist

Do you have Menieres? Also, how long have you had the 2nd implant for?

I did have a bout of dizziness about 2 months after surgery that just went away on it's own. It felt like being drunk.

Hopefully your issues resolve themselves with time. What has your physician said about it?

BleedingPurist

Bilateral. It's the only way to have a second one while still having the first one. They don't put two implants in one ear.

BleedingPurist

No, it hasn't stopped me from doing anything. The only difference from a hearing aid is that the BTE processors are not anchored by an ear mold.. so if you are going to ride a roller coaster then you would want to ensure it's secured somehow or remove it for the ride. Off the ear processors like the Neptune are anchored by the wire so you have more freedom.

Frisky Feline

Umm, I know that? I thought you said you know ASL. I believe southpaw knows purrfectly I am asking him about his second CI.

BleedingPurist

Never said I know ASL. I said I know sign language. Enough to get by if I must. Even in the unlikely event that I'd be forced to be deaf, it would be useless to me since I live in the hearing world and that would not change other than in extreme circumstances.

You seemed confused by what he meant by "second." So figured I'd apply logic and help clear that up.

AlleyCat

Ditto. Even I understood what you were asking.

Frisky Feline

Thats okay. I was saying, " second", means I did not know that southpaw have a second CI or bilaterial in ASL. Last time you said you knew sign language that is where I assume you know ASL. Anyway, I agree that it help to clear that misunderstanding up here.

MattyinAus

Last appointment with hearing centre they told me it is highly recommend for me to get those implants. They said its cochlear. Nothing else. My both ears are profound deaf.

I go do sports a lot, go to gym, do tough muddle, fitness classes, running, being in water a lot, doing sustainability activities, travelling and that. I'm very very certain wearing cochlear implant will stop most of the stuff in above list.

To my perspective about those implants, its really high maintenance to me because it more of a package (not intentionally) that you see as a 'biological life box' or whatever you call that. It really push me off the cliff.

BleedingPurist

Hmmm.. a cochlear implant will not stop you from doing any of those activities. So you can put that thought out. As you've been told... it is the same as a hearing aid as far as how you manage it. You would simply remove the processor for the same activities you would remove your hearing aid for. Not sure why you would think traveling would be limited. I just went all over Europe last year.

However, yes, an implant will require you put effort into learning how to hear to maximize the capability. If you are not prepared to do that, then perhaps it is not for you. It really depends on how valuable hearing is for you.

If you don't know any implantees, perhaps you can ask to be put in touch with those who are local. It may help you make a clearer decision.

Good luck!

cdmeggers

oh no, looking at your list of activities, I don't see why the CI would prevent you from that. And you can take the CI off when you go swimming (unless you get Advanced Bionic's Neptune, then you can swim/get wet with it on). I have no idea what tough muddle is but... wearing a CI shouldn't stop you from doing most of (if not all) of those activities. But yes, CIs can be high maintenance... have to be able to clean/dry them and make sure they're working properly, go back to the audie every so often for MAPping appointments, relearning all the sounds again, etc. But it is totally up to you if you want to get the implants or not.

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Cloggy

Basically, you could do everything you do now.
As for maintenance.. Apart from charging batteries each evening, or changing batteries every 2-3 day, there's no maintenance. In fact, without the ear olds and tubes that need to be clean, there's probably less maintenance, but someone who went froM HA to CI will be able to tell you more..

With my daughter, we have no maintenance at all. Lotte has them on the whole day, off when she goes to bed. Charge batteries during the night. CI on in the morning for the rest of the day...

Have you been able to contact people with CI in Townsville.. Did you find Lissy from Mount Isa?

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MattyinAus

Charging batteries every night, imagine I'm a trip and or out camping? There would be no power outlet.......Don't let me to go shopping around the world to find an awesome solar or winder recharger.....

I never met any one here in Townsville who have CI. I only met few of them have HA just like me.

Cloggy

You missed the part "or changing batteries every 2-3 days .."
So.. Camping is back on..

you want to meet Lissy... Upcoming gymnastic champion..?

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BleedingPurist

Both Advanced Bionics and Cochlear Ltd have processors that use both rechargeables and disposables, whatever your need or mood is for the day. I'm assuming you would get the N5 processor due to being in Australia. That really isn't an area you would have to be concerned about. You would just have to make sure you bring enough batteries.

There are usually networks to put you in touch with Cochlear Implant users. Whatever manufacturer (or your implant center) you are going with can help put you in touch with people who are similar to you that can talk with you. I've done this for newbies and I know it made a world of difference for them after meeting me as far as being sure about the direction they were going in.

Like cdmeggers said, it's all up to you. It is absolutely an adventure in hearing because it opens up a new world of sound.. sounds you didn't know were there. I just passed my 6 year mark and everyday is still an adventure. If you feel you will be fine without hearing, that's fine too, of course.

MattyinAus

You think it is appropriate for me to meet Lissy the upcoming gymnastics champion of Australia? I would not mind meeting someone new, in case of HOH, CI or being deaf etc.

I agreed with your intentions BleedingPurist. Not sure if I able to make a decision because I find having HA is pretty suitable for my environment. However, just one question. Why CI is handy? Even the audiologist asked me to wear one? Does it help to change the preference of someone's speech ?

flip

If you were born deaf, CI probably won't be worth it, but everyone is different. If you are late deafned, it's probably more a yes-choice.

But hard to say, since you lost hearing at 18 months(in another post)? If you have lost more gradually after that, you will maybe feel CI is an improvement over HA. Haven't the doctor commented this? They appears more like salesmen for CI if it's a go for CI no matter what according to them.

You also say you are into really demanding sports, and that's perhaps not the best combination with CI, though I don't know people who have CI AND are involved lots of this kind of sports. Think it's a good idea to ask other people, like "Lissy". I know few who had to or wanted to quit. I do much extreme sports and it's no point relying on HA or CI for me in those environments, in addition to the risk of severe hits at my head. It's worth to notice that I was born deaf, and have no interest in sound, so I'm maybe a bit biased here, too. Every surgery in my body puts partipication in sports at risk, because of complications that can arise.

Good luck with your choice!

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BleedingPurist

A CI will bypass the damaged hair cells, those you can't remember having and those you more recently are aware of losing. So how "handy" a CI is really depends on the individual.

Your audiologist is directly addressing your hearing in telling you that you are actually getting relative minimal benefit from a hearing aid. If you want to improve your hearing at this stage, a CI is your only option.

If you are comfortable with how you hear with your hearing aid, that is something to consider just as much. I am not sure what you mean by "change the preference of someone's speech." Can you elaborate, please? A CI will definitely change how you hear speech, but there isn't a guarantee that you'll have speech discrimination. It may make you more aware of your own speech. I think the most reasonable goal for anyone who uses a combination of speech reading with a hearing aid is that speech reading will probably be a little easier due to the additional auditory cues available to you.

So how important is hearing to you? If you aren't feeling any impact on your quality of life due to worsening hearing, then perhaps a CI isn't for you. You may be fine with what you do get from your hearing aid. In that case, I wouldn't let anyone talk you into it. If you think you might be interested in improving your hearing, get all the facts and definitely meet CI users similar to you. That will help you be clear which way to go for you.