Profound hearing loss + hearing aid questions

Hear Again - Definitely. Only a few more hours!!!! :eek3: :eek3: :eek3:

faire_jour - How does her hearing in her left ear with the HA compare to the hearing in her CI ear? It somehow seems that she doesn't notice the hearing aid helping, which seems like the CI actually overpowers the HA. Is this accurate?
 
I'm not faire_jour, but in my case, my CI did overpower my hearing aid. It took about 6 months for that to happen, but my hearing eventually reached the point where I could no longer tell whether my hearing aid was on or off. I also was nearly hit by several vehicles I didn't hear on my right (nonimplanted) side.
 
Currently i have HA and CI on Audi request. I cannot hear a thing from the HA and don't know if it's working! Audi is getting me tested for more powerful HA (is there any for 120db loss!!) *Sighs* wish they would let me go bilateral but I am not eligble for 2 in this country.
 
Latest audiogram results:

The situation's still the same: no hearing aid on the market will be able to help my left ear. We did the audiogram for my left ear and were able to get a tactile response but no auditory response. This means that there's nothing the latest HAs on the market can do.

Well, time to check out and be evaluated for a Cochlear Implant. I'm hoping the evaluation presents me as a viable candidate. Even if it doesn't, at least I know I'll have tried.

That still has to count for something right?
 
Phi4Sius said:
Hear Again - Definitely. Only a few more hours!!!! :eek3: :eek3: :eek3:

faire_jour - How does her hearing in her left ear with the HA compare to the hearing in her CI ear? It somehow seems that she doesn't notice the hearing aid helping, which seems like the CI actually overpowers the HA. Is this accurate?
Click to expand...

She will get some testing done with her hearing aid on the 25th, to figure out if we should go bilateral, but the last time she was tested it looked like this:

hearing aid CI- 1 month post activation

250 -40 db 250 -25 db
500 -40 db 500 -15 db
1000-35 db 1000-15 db
2000-40 db 2000-25 db
4000-45 db 4000-15 db
----------- 6000-25 db
 
Phi4Sius said:
Latest audiogram results:

The situation's still the same: no hearing aid on the market will be able to help my left ear. We did the audiogram for my left ear and were able to get a tactile response but no auditory response. This means that there's nothing the latest HAs on the market can do.

Well, time to check out and be evaluated for a Cochlear Implant. I'm hoping the evaluation presents me as a viable candidate. Even if it doesn't, at least I know I'll have tried.

That still has to count for something right?
Click to expand...

At least you know you've exhausted all of your options in terms of amplification. That's exactly what I did. I was usng the strongest FM system (Comtek) and hearing aids available on the market (Oticon DigiFocus II super power BTEs) yet neither of them allowed me to understand speech except for 8% in my left ear (aided with Comtek FM system using direct audio input) and 22% for my right ear (aided with Comtek FM system using direct audio input).
All the best to you with your CI evaluation!
 
What is the difference between an auditory response and a tactile response on a audiogram. I dodn't kow what a tactile repose is.

Adam
 
Adam,

A tactile response is when sounds are perceived only via bone conduction. An auditory response is when sounds are perceived through the ear/eardrums.
 
Hear Again - Yup!

Adam- I apologize for not being clear on the differences.

Well, NEW update: I am set for Monday morning (23rd) to see my primary care physician for my insurance (who I haven't even seen for the first time yet since I got my new insurance a year ago...ROTFL). This is so that I can be referred to a CI clinic for my first evaluation...this way the insurance will take care of it so long as I follow through the steps accordingly. *sigh*...these week-long waits between progress moving forward are killing me. :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:
 
Phi,

I know how you feel. My first CI evaluation took 6 months to complete due to testing equipment that had not come back from repair. I got tired of the constant stop-start cycle between being evaluated and having to wait. My first CI evaluation was in March of 2004 and my surgery was in December of that year.
 
Hear Again - Eeegads. So what's the typical length of time for evaluating the patient assuming equipment doesn't have to be repaired and such? What all is involved in the evaluation process? The web sites are not 100% clear on this part of the process it seems.
 
My initial Appointment was Jan the 15th 2008 it Took most of the day

I had Audiology tests (with new HA's but used Old Ha's as the new ones weren't working properly) and test to test the function of ear drum = Tympanometry and visit to the consultant who would be my surgeon. He accepted me for full CI evaluation.

Applying for PCT funding started.

18th Feb CT Scan
19th Feb Pneumococcal Vaccination
20th Feb User Group/device choice meeting (all day)
27th Feb Pre-implant OAE and ABR.
Repeat Audiology Test (with 2nd pair of different brand HA's)
SLT Pre Implant Assessment (all day)

17th March Expectations Appointment
18th April Approved for CI
13th May Repeat Audiology assessment (with another set brand HA's)
13th May Approved for Funding
early June Date set for operation 16th July
23rd June Pre OP assessment at the private hospital
15th July Pre Op appointment with consultant
16th July Operation.

Pretty quick as normally in Britian patients would wait as long 2 years.
 
Phi4Sius said:
Hear Again - Eeegads. So what's the typical length of time for evaluating the patient assuming equipment doesn't have to be repaired and such? What all is involved in the evaluation process? The web sites are not 100% clear on this part of the process it seems.
Click to expand...

The length of time it takes for a person to be evaluated varies from one CI center to another. I know people who have completed their entire CI evaluations in a single day while for others it took years.

My first CI evaluation began by seeing my CI audi for an interview, then a hearing test. After this, my next appointment was with the CI surgeon. My next appointment was for a CT scan. After that I was given an ABR (auditory brainstem response test) in which electrodes were placed on my head and my residual hearing tested. I then had to wait 8 weeks for Medicaid to approve surgery.

My second CI evaluation was much faster. I was evaluated in October (meeting with CI surgeon, hearing test, CT scan). Medicaid approved surgery in December (I remember this because my CI surgeon sent me an e-mail wishing me a Merry Christmas with the good news) and was scheduled for surgery in February.
 
Phi4Sius said:
Overthepond and SkullChick, thank you for your input as well. These are extremely helpful - I'm amazed the incredible amount of improvement in hearing that has been obtained with CIs. How is everything a year + later? Is it much improved?

djchur - Well, I've had to put up with the authority of audiologists (don't worry, I have nothing against them - without them I wouldn't even have my hearing and I'm extremely grateful) saying that my hearing in my good ear is good enough and that any hearing device would detract from the hearing in my good ear. I've had to put up with it for 26 years. I wonder exactly how much I'm missing out of my left ear. My hearing aid battery died last night and I was deaf for close to an hour while going to the store to get some additional batteries because I stupidly forgot to replenish my stash. I was accutely aware of exactly how much sound I was missing when I put my hearing aid back on. It's an eye-opening experience because I had really only took my hearing aid off when I'd go to sleep and never really noticed that before.

I wonder how much of everything I've been missing for the past 26 years.

Well, the day of reckoning is upon us. My new audiogram is on Monday and apparently my audie has new equipment that can reach beyond 110 dB and we'll see if we can get some response out of my left ear.
Click to expand...

the implant i have is on my worst ear and it never heard a sound for 15 years and it didnt take lobg for it to understand sounds, speech or whatever i think its because my other ear recieves sound up until 17 years old (21 now) so my brain have auditory memory so my implant is successful. recently at my last audiology appt she tested how much I can hear and I can hear all the speech sounds so she said it improved Aand probably hear between 15-20 db now.
(the audiogram i have on blog is from 6 months ago so of course theres some difference by now lol)
 
SkullChick- I'm in awe of the results of your CI. That's just incredible that you and others are experiencing these kinds of results...especially considering you hadn't heard anything out of that ear in 15 years. Just a question for you: how is the sound clarity compared with the ear that has the hearing aid?

For those with AB CI's: Also, just what IS the benefit of Advanced Bionics' 16 electrodes firing at once vs. Cochlear's 22 electrodes firing alternately?
 
Phi4Sius said:
Just a question for you: how is the sound clarity compared with the ear that has the hearing aid?
Click to expand...

Umm... As now i have reached 6 months, I had my evaluation few days ago. The Audi and I agreed not to change my mapping since it suit me well. I had this map for a month. My CI's sound clarity is soooo much better than i heard with HA's and is alot clearer than HA's. With HA's all i heard was muffled sounds, distorted sounds, ampified. Last weds during my evaluation, I had therapy without lipreading and were able to understand most of the sentences which I never acheived wearing HA.
3 months ago my CI sounded like HA's, I was told it's normal process of learning sounds. Now it's no way sounding like HA...
Looks like I am on the right path now..... I am so excited to practice on the phone....
 
Phi4Sius said:
SkullChick- I'm in awe of the results of your CI. That's just incredible that you and others are experiencing these kinds of results...especially considering you hadn't heard anything out of that ear in 15 years. Just a question for you: how is the sound clarity compared with the ear that has the hearing aid?

For those with AB CI's: Also, just what IS the benefit of Advanced Bionics' 16 electrodes firing at once vs. Cochlear's 22 electrodes firing alternately?
Click to expand...

Oh the clarity's incredible with CI I can hear the difference on the first day (note: that's rare kind of reaction most people hear beeps, whistle, helium voices, it will normalize over time with listening practice) I think the reason I notice the massive improvement in clarity on the first day is because I was hard of hearing in my right ear (moderate loss at 50 db across frequency until 17 years old it went downhill and right now its profound loss) so I have better idea of what things should sound compare to someone that born with severe/profound hearing loss and get implanted at later age.
 
Phi4Sius said:
SkullChick- I'm in awe of the results of your CI. That's just incredible that you and others are experiencing these kinds of results...especially considering you hadn't heard anything out of that ear in 15 years. Just a question for you: how is the sound clarity compared with the ear that has the hearing aid?

For those with AB CI's: Also, just what IS the benefit of Advanced Bionics' 16 electrodes firing at once vs. Cochlear's 22 electrodes firing alternately?
Click to expand...

I don't think it actually makes a big difference. Some says it's better because you get better perception on sounds.

You can't just try a CI and see the difference. However, I've heard some bilateral have one AB and one Cochlear in the other. A couple would say AB sounds better, the rest says Cochlear sounds better.

Unfortunately, what they don't really realize is that each ear hears differently. My left ear has a greater degree of hearing loss, but picks up a the lows much better. The right hears the high frequencies better, and better clarity. That's why it takes two to work together.
 
Phi4Sius said:
Hear Again - Eeegads. So what's the typical length of time for evaluating the patient assuming equipment doesn't have to be repaired and such? What all is involved in the evaluation process? The web sites are not 100% clear on this part of the process it seems.
Click to expand...

As the people stated above, it varies from places to places.

I went to a CI audiologist and I got approved that same day. Probably because all the other tests were good, except for the hearing test and sentence discrimination (which was so poor). I lost 10 db in both ears within a couple years. This was in November.

However, I had to wait until Jan 2nd to see my CI surgeon because of the new insurance that would cover for CI 100%. After I saw her, I had the surgery a week later. If I waited two weeks later, then I would have been a guest on the MTV: True Life: I am Deaf. Oh well.

When I had the second one done, the surgeon set it up 3 days later (I emailed her two weeks ago asking if I can go bilateral, but she was in another country doing surgeries and examinations on any ENT cases). Since I already went through the process of vaccinations, MRI and all the other tests, the only thing I needed was blood test and EKG.

She is not a primary CI surgeon, so that kind of made a difference.

Good luck! I know what you mean by trying to keep the expectations low yet getting excited with all the information out there.
 
Back
Top