zebadee2010

So basically, i'm 18 as of this year and i fell off a 3 1/2 ft camera stand while at church. Because i locked my legs too long i passed out and fell onto concrete flooring. After a few weeks in the hospital I went home to find out that I can't hear and I can't walk well yet (its getting better though). And also I have a cracked left cochlea and a week left side of my face. After 3 audiologist appts. i found out my hearing wouldn't come back without a cochlear implant.

So to my question. To those with cochlear implants
How was the pain after surgery?
Did you have ringing in your ears afterwards?
Are you able to greatly understand at concerts?
How long did it take you to be able to hear again?
What do you do as far as taking showers and or swimming or getting in the ocean?
Which company do you prefer Cochlear, Advanced Bionics, or MED-EL? (we chose med el but the doctor told us we should get cochlear.)
For the musically advanced is the frequency range great or highly limited?


I'm coming from having great hearing to nothing more than hearing imaginary crickets in my head. I had a hearing range of about 40-16000 hertz. I've lost quite a lot. I was planning to be a sound and or light guy for concerts and thats why I ask about them. I'm not asking everyone to answer all these questions, but answer what you can/feel like answering and give any information that might be useful.

Deafness

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deafgal001

is there any reason why he didn't recommend med-el?

The pain wasn't so bad but the pressure of the bandage was. after removing it, I feel alot better.

some people still have ringing but I don't. it depends on the person. Most say CI helped ringing go away. I always had ringing but it isn't so bad. So I don't notice before and after CI. Although some things do make my ringing get really bad.

I do not understand concert. Never had either. I can only hear it like distorted noise that knows it's rhythm high and low and that's just about it.I mean I can hear the music, but some parts are not understand (if you ask me what the person just sang about, forget it because none of the words are registering but I know she is singing) . Also Sometimes your CI think concerts are background noise and tend to filter it out so if you love concerts, you'll need something that give you control of what you want to hear.

I don't wear my processor during swimming or showering. I might wear it if I'm walking by the ocean, but not in it. I put my processor away. You'll have to deal with silent when you do these things.

Since I've been deaf all my life, I don't know anything how music suppose to sound like. I'm tone deaf even with my CI.

rockdrummer

Many of your questions can be answered in the FAQ sections of the CI manufacturers websites and also by doctors. I would defer to those with CI's to share their experiences however my guess is that you are going to get a mixed bag of results. Some will experience ringing and others wont. Some may have numbness and others wont. It's part of the reason we sign waivers before being eligible for any surgury. I wish you all the best!

Frisky Feline

my hubby has a tinnius since he was a toddler and even he got a CI and still got a tinnius anyway. Others have already answered to your questions.

Hohtopics

It also partly depends on what your background is. Since you're a late deafened who had just lost your hearing recently, you might be able to pick up certain sounds, particularly speech sounds more quickly than someone who has been deaf for a long time prior to their implant.

krazykatkitty

[QUOTE=zebadee2010;1719903]So basically, i'm 18 as of this year and i fell off a 3 1/2 ft camera stand while at church. Because i locked my legs too long i passed out and fell onto concrete flooring. After a few weeks in the hospital I went home to find out that I can't hear and I can't walk well yet (its getting better though). And also I have a cracked left cochlea and a week left side of my face. After 3 audiologist appts. i found out my hearing wouldn't come back without a cochlear implant.

So to my question. To those with cochlear implants
How was the pain after surgery? I had my CI surgery a decade ago and not much pain at all. No balance or dizzy issues at all. Depends on people though. Some people do and some not.

Did you have ringing in your ears afterwards? nope, remember I am profoundly Deaf and yours is different because you are late deafed from accident.

Are you able to greatly understand at concerts? Depends on people as you used to be hearing. You might able to hear and adjustments much quicker than others because you got experience hearing before.

How long did it take you to be able to hear again? You might able to hear and adjustments much quicker than others because you got experience hearing before. My good friend who used to moderate-severe hearing but now profound and got his CI fitted a year ago and it was a huge success for him. He had no issues with it and hes very happy to hear again. I am sure that you will be able to hear again.

What do you do as far as taking showers and or swimming or getting in the ocean? You have to remove your speech processor before you off to swim, pool or even showers. You can put your speech processor in box in a safe place and thats simple.

Which company do you prefer Cochlear, Advanced Bionics, or MED-EL? (we chose med el but the doctor told us we should get cochlear.)
For the musically advanced is the frequency range great or highly limited?

Honestly, I chose Cochlear Corp because it was widely available anywhere in the globe, it had backwards and forwards compatible with any external of Cochlear, most reliable products, It had the option of both (rechargeables , and plain batteries),Cochlear has been in the CI industry for over 20 years, Excellent customer service and much more. I dont know much about Advanced bonics and knew a bit about Med-el but I don't like shape of a speech processor (look like a hearing aids, in my opinion). The Med-el got a musically advanced (im not sure about this). Im sure others will know other products.

Nucleus 5 speech processor and internal implant is a newest products and it cames with remote. Go to Cochlear: World leader in advanced hearing solutions. Nucleus cochlear implants and the Baha system. more info about N5.

Hope this info is useful. You can ask me any questions Good luck.

Anij

Just to clarify - you are now bilaterally deaf ?
If you've only lost the hearing but have normal hearing (or even moderate severe hearing loss)on one side you aren't a CI candidate (currently)

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zebadee2010

All I can hear is ringing and imaginary crickets. I feel like i'm always outside.
We just finished testing to determine whether i'm a candidate or not. I am, surgery is scheduled for december 14th. Hoping to have hearing back by january 14th for a job i signed up for before my accident.However i've been told not to get my hopes up!

And yes i guess i am bilaterally deaf. I can't hear anything except for really low noises such as a cabinet shutting or a car door shutting. can't hear much of it just the loud bump noise. maybe because there is so much air movement?

And overall i'm hoping i can understand things very quickly, although i might not. But i can still imagine what things sound like in my head from before i had my accident. Its been almost 2 months since i lost my hearing. So far i'm coping well.

Anybody have any Pros or cons to any of the implant types? One fails often or anything?

In particular nucleus 5 and med-els latest model?
Also they switched me to nucleus 5 because the electrodes in med el were longer and may have problems inserting them..

drphil

I was implanted with an Advanced Bionics-Harmony 3 years ago. It was recommended by the Sunnybrook/Toronto cochlear implant team based on my specific situation. They already have over 18 years of experience and have used all 3 companies over that time frame. They were designated by the Ontario government to handle implants-roughly 1/5 of Ontario. They have already implanted almost a 1000 patients. Personally, I have no regrets in accepting their choice. I still don't understand the electronics of the implant and was unable to judge which of the 3 are/were most suitable for me. So far, so good.
Good luck in your "implant journey" zebadee 2010.

Implanted Advanced Bionics-Harmony activated Aug/07

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Hohtopics

There's some good CI related resources in this thread:

What Resources Do You Use to find Info about CI?

Hope this helps?

john57

The Med-El standard electrode array is a bit longer than the others on purpose in order to reach the lower pitch nerves. I have small cochlea’s and the Med-El standard array is unlikely to fit in with my cochlea’s. Med-El does have a compressed array that is shorter that may fit better. It may be possible that your surgeon has not done many Med-El implants with the compressed array and feels that he has a better chance to get a good insertion with the Cochlear N5. That would carry a lot of weight as decisions goes. As far reliability issue goes, I do not believe that Med-El is any better than Cochlear according to the European clinics study that I read.

deafgal001

Wirelessly posted

I'm guessing her ENT didn't recommend med-el because of her cracked cochlea.

shel90

I know one lady who got a CI for the purpose of reducing her titannus...she was pleased with the results.

Gotta remember...these are people who see deafness from a pathological point of view. Maybe you can extend your reasons for why you prefer them not to be called patients because in their views, they probably wont understand what you mean.

*I used to be one of them*

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posts from hell

I would appreciate it if you didn't use "Patients" although it might be factual - it represents medical views that within the deaf community. we look down upon it.

"People with Cochlear Implants" would be better.

Good luck in your journey. I cannot help you here, I don't have cochlear implants.

DeafDoc1

Wow, that seems pretty unlikely. Are you sure you'll even be activated by then? I've heard from other late-deafened that sounds are dramatically different with a CI than with "normal" hearing. They say it takes time, sometimes many months to understand and accomodate to the new hearing.

In any case, best of luck with surgery and with your new job.

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green427

It takes several weeks or months for your brain to adjust to the new way of hearing things.

Your CI will be "turned on" 3-4 weeks after surgery. Things will not sound like what you think they should.

You will be going in once a week for a few weeks to "tweak" the CI.

Do NOT expect to have your hearing back the way it was. If you do, you will be very disappointed. Everyone has different results.

My 'learning curve' topped out after 5-6 months.

shel90

Maybe I should get a CI to see what the big fuss is all about.

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deafgal001

Wirelessly posted

Are you serious?

Bottesini

Dare you.

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shel90

Normally, would take a dare bit my moral values can't fathom wasting a $100K surgery based on a trivalious action like these two( me getting one just to see what the big fuss is or on a dare). I do not want to waste other people's time and money when it is something I am not passionate about. I just can't be that frivilious. That's just me.

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zebadee2010

I know the results will be very different, but I have to try i've been working with sound since i was 15 so i've lost a lot. Also I'm going to be doing everything I can to get my hearing back as quickly as possible.

We talked with them and they have given me a earlier date for surgery and have agreed to activate it at the earliest date possible (3 weeks) so chances are in my favor. my main goals are to be able to understand speech well enough to tell what someone is saying i feel that if i can do this i can keep up with who is singing.. (I change the words on the screen)

And additionally sorry to anyone i offended by saying patient. I figured that words would be the same didn't see someone getting offended by that.. I'll try to refrain from using it again. And I guess that just offers insight into the deaf community.

drphil

Shel: getting a Cochlear Implant is hardly a trivial matter! I was "out" over 5 hours from the surgery while I was a PATIENT in Sunnybrook/Toronto. To date I have had NO REGRETS in getting one.
Before PFH has another paroxysm- I didn't consult the "local deaf group-Ontario Association of the deaf"-if "they approved"! I have NO idea the actual number of persons belonging to this group.

Implanted Advanced Bionics-Harmony activated Aug/07

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Bottesini

I didn't really think you would.

Dr. Phil, I think there are people with CI belonging to Ontario Association of the Deaf. You might like them if you gave it a try.

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green427

True, it is not a trivial matter.

Don't even consider it unless you really are committed to seeing it through. If you are happy with your current situation, no need to get one.

zebadee2010

green, if you are talking to me, i am in no way happy with my current situation. since i had hearing before there is so much that i miss now.. And for all the deaf people out there, i really feel sorry for you even though you probably don't want me to. but ya'll are missing quite a lot.

deafgal001

let me guess. music?

zebadee2010

Music, largely because it was my intended career.. But even watching movies or "talking" to people isn't the same without being able to hear them laugh. Or with movies hearing the ambient noises. I can't even communicate with my family without a pen and piece of paper.

posts from hell

Well. Thats understandable coming from you - but I'll just be nice here and tell you this - I think you're missing out.

shel90

Right that's why I really need to want it to get one. I dont feel the need to hear any better than I do now so I wont get one. I dont stress about my deafness like I did before.

I stress about the audist attitudes that affect my career. I dont like that at all.

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SteveESP52

December 14th is not far off.
You'll be going through this surgery 4 years minus 2 days from my first CI surgery. I lost my hearing over roughly 18 month with the last 2 being very difficult with talking to others. I grew up hearing like you.

As far as surgery, it wasn't bad. The first week, you'll be sore but you can read other posts on how it goes. Mine, I was back on my feet pretty quickly. My biggest problem was the lifting restrictions. If you over do it, you just might hear ringing due to the pressure in the cochlea. You don't want to do this and your Surgeon will remind you of this. I was lucky and didn't cause any problems but it could have turned out differently.

On the question about at a concert. You will likely have some challenges but you might also be really lucky in that you can have your audiologist program one of your maps to turn the Microphone down so your not blasted with the loud noise. If I read your post correctly and I'm thinking your a stage hand and if you use radios to communicate with each other, you might be in luck. Use a telecoil and attach it to your radio, turn your microphone way down but keep the telecoil turned up, you might be able to hear better than you ever have before. You won't hear the concert because the microphone is down but.... Talk with your Audiologist on this topic. They might be able to just set you up.

I have Bilateral CIs and will say that activation was different with each. My first, I could hear and understand the moment they turned it on. My second, took some time to get use to it. The second is still not perfect but I really prefer bilateral. It is just easier to hear everything. I've had my second bilateral CI going on 2 years. The surgery was 2 years minus 1 day from my first surgery. It has been a very nice change.

Steve