Ci And Background Noise

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TAMI SAM

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I would like to know from those of you with CI's how you do with background noise? This is my moot point as I cant hear anything unless in silence which how often is that for most of us.I'm trying to consider if I should start process of CI again because I am ready to try to start living again and am tired of not going out for the embarressment of constantly saying what and still not getting it or nodding and smiling like an idiot.:pissed:Thanks!
 
Only time I struggle with background noise is when I'm in the car or driving, especially when I'm on the freeway. So freaking loud! But other than that, you will learn to tune out background noise as you listen - I mean look at me, the CI helps me hear so much better now so background noises isn't really an issue anymore unless it's loud. Like being at Chuck E. Cheese, a game, fair, etc but I was still able to follow people & talk without struggling and smiling like I understood everything like an idiot. ;) LOL!!!

I really think if you want to go thru the CI journey, you should get on it! :)

I'll say it again, I LOVE MY CI! I now wish so bad that I got it 6 yrs ago when I started having hearing aid issues w/ my now implanted ear. But I was stupid & thought I was against CI's for myself. 'sigh' I bet you will be one of the lucky ones & will do just great with CIs esp 'cause you can hear so it will come easier to you. Probably a lil easier than me even! :)
 
Thanks, I think I would do well too Mama,ChuckECheese is hard in any situation hoh or not. I guess this time I'll flub way more words if need be.So you really have alot less problems now than with HA's huh? You can have everyone both your girls and hubby all talking together and get the conversation?Man that is my cross to bear.Everything just coming in and cant make out anything or who it is coming from so sick of it.I just worry if it would be a problem with the dizziness.
 
Tami,

I would start the process again if it is something you really want. This time I would make sure you have a folder that has copies of all your previous audiograms so they can see your hearing fluctuates. I would also make sure you have copies of any other medical records related to your hearing. This is something I would bring when you go for another evaluation. Maybe even write a letter saying why you want the CI and include it with the records. Be sure to keep at least one copy of everything at home.

As far as the dizziness, that is something you will need to ask when you are evaluated and you will have make the choice that is right for you.

You mentioned in another post that your Husband was starting a new job. I assume this means new insurance. I would study the new insurance policy to make sure what they cover and if there is any waiting period. You have been through enough already and don't need any insurance hassles.

If you have not done so already you might want to find a Hearing Loss support group/ CI group near you. I went to a CI seminar put on by a CI group and it was very helpful in making the decision to get a CI. There was a woman their with Meniers (sp) Disease who was thinking about getting a CI.

Good Luck!
 
TAMI SAM said:
I would like to know from those of you with CI's how you do with background noise? This is my moot point as I cant hear anything unless in silence which how often is that for most of us.I'm trying to consider if I should start process of CI again because I am ready to try to start living again and am tired of not going out for the embarressment of constantly saying what and still not getting it or nodding and smiling like an idiot.:pissed:Thanks!
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Looking a Lotte, with bi-lateral CI, she has no problem with background noise.
She's able to understand us fine insdie the car, with music in the background, making dinner in the kitchen... (e.g. when boiling water for tea...)

The Bi-lateral Ci does make a big difference.
The only way I can compare it is when I had an ear-infection, and could only hear from 1 ear.... Terrible... getting the other one back again was a big relief..
 
Cloggy said:
Looking a Lotte, with bi-lateral CI, she has no problem with background noise.
She's able to understand us fine insdie the car, with music in the background, making dinner in the kitchen... (e.g. when boiling water for tea...)

The Bi-lateral Ci does make a big difference.
The only way I can compare it is when I had an ear-infection, and could only hear from 1 ear.... Terrible... getting the other one back again was a big relief..
Click to expand...

But cloggy, how would you know that unless you had experienced it first hand? Actually, you are simply making an assumption based on your own observation, and as Lotte is your daughter, and you want so badly for her to be hearing, your assumption is rather biased.
 
deafmama78 said:
you will learn to tune out background noise as you listen
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Unfortunately this isn't something that everyone can do. I couldn't when I was wearing HA.

TAMI SAM: I'm sorry you will probably not like my advise much but I suggest that you give up on the CI. Haven't you already been rejected once. I also think you are expecting too much from this device. There are more then one route to any goals. Once you accept the cards that you've been dealt with and find alternative means to expand your social life then life will be so much better.
 
dreama said:
Unfortunately this isn't something that everyone can do. I couldn't when I was wearing HA.

TAMI SAM: I'm sorry you will probably not like my advise much but I suggest that you give up on the CI. Haven't you already been rejected once. I also think you are expecting too much from this device. There are more then one route to any goals. Once you accept the cards that you've been dealt with and find alternative means to expand your social life then life will be so much better.
Click to expand...

Ahhh, you understand the concept of self acceptance! That is wonderful!:kiss:
 
jillio said:
But cloggy, how would you know that unless you had experienced it first hand? Actually, you are simply making an assumption based on your own observation, and as Lotte is your daughter, and you want so badly for her to be hearing, your assumption is rather biased.
Click to expand...

I don't believe she is assuming anything. She is merely stating what she has observed in communicating with her daughter on a day to day basis. It isn't too difficult to determine if your son or daughter responds appropriately in the presence of background noise (with or without a CI).


Tami-if there's anything I can do for ya just PM me. I do not know what your audiogram shows, but I can try to explain why you may or may not be a candidate for a CI.
 
Like Deafmama stated, road noise can be a killer especially with the windows down but that is true for most people anyway. With the windows up, it not such a problem.

In general, I don't have much trouble as a rule but there are times when it is very loud that can make it problematical. In those circumstances, I either use autosensitivity (greatly diminishes the background noise) or have my CI more or less facing that direction. This is funny because I used to need my face (with HA) in the person's direction. Now, it is much more important to me if my CI is in the "line of fire". I don't have to "see" the person as much as "hear" the person.

If one has two CIs (which I obviously don't), that really helps as you get two sources of information to compare and make more sense out of it. That alone might tempt me to get another but not anytime soon. :D The bit about locating sounds isn't so important to me when I still have two great eyes. For somebody like Hear Again (deafblind), that is a whole different ballgame. In her case (she does have two CIs), it was totally justified in my opinion.
 
I have bilateral CIs and there are times I struggle with background noise (this is also true for people with normal hearing) although it's nothing compared to my HA days. What I'm able to hear/understand with my CIs compared to HAs is significant. With HAs, my speech understanding in noise was 0%. With bilateral CIs, it's 97%.

If I have difficulty understanding in background noise, I switch both of my processors to a sensitivity of 6 and this seems to work quite well for me. (I don't have BEAM or autosensitivity on my processors.)

sr171soars...Thanks for your comments regarding bilateral CIs. Yes, in my case, I needed bilateral CIs for sound localization to aid in mobility/personal safety. Until I received my second CI, I had difficulty localizing sound which resulted in unsafe street crossings. I couldn't hear turning traffic and was nearly hit by two vehicles I didn't hear on my nomimplanted side.

Tami Sam, I would suggest that you go for another CI evaluation. (You have nothing to lose.) If you're not deemed a CI candidate, then I would start learning alternative communication techniques (sign language, FM system, etc.) to help you function in background noise. Good luck! :)
 
TAMI SAM said:
I would like to know from those of you with CI's how you do with background noise? This is my moot point as I cant hear anything unless in silence which how often is that for most of us.I'm trying to consider if I should start process of CI again because I am ready to try to start living again and am tired of not going out for the embarressment of constantly saying what and still not getting it or nodding and smiling like an idiot.:pissed:Thanks!
Click to expand...

I scored a whopping 11 % on the noise tests. Was only able to hear the first sentence with HA's, after that the noise really started and it went down hill.

My insurance company approved based on that test, I actually heard about 69% in HINT sentences in the quiet. Depending on your insurance you 'might' be able to qualify based on that. Of course if you're on medical assistance or Medicare/caid you need to meet the gov. guidelines and they don't make any exception.

When I was tested 6 months after activation I tested around 50% in noise, a hugh improvement to me. And I should continue to improve. (hopefully) :) I hope you can get the approval to implant since I do know how frustrating it is to have to fake it so much. :)
 
jillio said:
But cloggy, how would you know that unless you had experienced it first hand? Actually, you are simply making an assumption based on your own observation, and as Lotte is your daughter, and you want so badly for her to be hearing, your assumption is rather biased.
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Jillio, Jillio, Jillio,
Perhaps understanding questions in a noisy environment might give an indication... something she does not when she wears only 1 CI....

Now, go study
 
SteveAUD said:
I don't believe he is assuming anything. He is merely stating what he has observed in communicating with his daughter on a day to day basis. It isn't too difficult to determine if your son or daughter responds appropriately in the presence of background noise (with or without a CI).......
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Don't worry Steve.... it's an involentairy reaction by jillio to anything I post....
Of course you're right....
 
Cloggy said:
Don't worry Steve.... it's an involentairy reaction by jillio to anything I post....
Of course you're right....
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Unfortunately- from what I've been reading on this board for the last while, that DOES seem to be the case. I wonder why.


As to answering the question posed - with HA's I had an impossible time communicating when there was loud background noise. With my CI, I still struggle from time to time, and end up relying more on lip-reading, BUT with the autosensitivity map I have, I can switch to that map, and most background noise is dulled or eliminated. While it also affects the loudness of speech, it does make it easier to understand in some circumstances.
 
Isn't OBSERVATION of how somebody deals with different situations acceptable? If firsthand experience was the only acceptable source of reasoning and understanding, then scientific observations would be moot.

What you are saying is akin to telling somebody who has two normal legs that says that "A child with two legs runs better than a child with one" that they have no right to make that judgment because they've never had only one leg. And we both know that's an asinine thing to say.


jillio said:
But cloggy, how would you know that unless you had experienced it first hand? Actually, you are simply making an assumption based on your own observation, and as Lotte is your daughter, and you want so badly for her to be hearing, your assumption is rather biased.
Click to expand...
 
neecy said:
Unfortunately- from what I've been reading on this board for the last while, that DOES seem to be the case. I wonder why.


As to answering the question posed - with HA's I had an impossible time communicating when there was loud background noise. With my CI, I still struggle from time to time, and end up relying more on lip-reading, BUT with the autosensitivity map I have, I can switch to that map, and most background noise is dulled or eliminated. While it also affects the loudness of speech, it does make it easier to understand in some circumstances.
Click to expand...

You knwo at first I used the auto alot, but hated the fact that the vol dropped so much. Now I use adro and bump the sense. down til what I want to hear is louder then the noise I don't want to. Hmmm, maybe that doesn't make sense. But using adro and controlling the sense. myself works much better in alot of situations.
 
That does make sense - I've never tried it that way before. I might the next time I'm in a crowded area and trying to understand somebody.

jag said:
You knwo at first I used the auto alot, but hated the fact that the vol dropped so much. Now I use adro and bump the sense. down til what I want to hear is louder then the noise I don't want to. Hmmm, maybe that doesn't make sense. But using adro and controlling the sense. myself works much better in alot of situations.
Click to expand...
 
Cloggy,im going to have to spend some time looking into Lotte's blogs.I wonder if its easier being a child to learn to block out background noise. Dreama I cant do it either with my HA thus making me want a CI.i'm trying to accept the deafness.but at the same time whats wrong with fighting to get the best out of life that you can.I had to come to acceptance 23 yrs ago that I had Menieres Disease and I wasnt like everyone else and couldnt make plans weeks or months in advance because i never know how I'll feel.That was a bitch and still is.Yes I was rejected already last month because I had gotten a HA that wouldnt hold a program and the stupid audi never picked up on it in 8 months!1 visit to each Audi,CI surgeons,CI implant team and one I payed for that was recommended by CI surgeons audi.Bam they knew it right away so I basically went through hell for nothing.Although with that said my right ear does nothing more than hold up my sunglasses.No hearing at all.With the tinnitus and my left ear's hearing fluctuating it seems like I would benefit regardless how well the left ear works.So why not do it? I have Medicare so I know thats probably a big deterent.im sure they dont pay well to surgeon ect. and dont want to shell out money. Jag, I guess thats the key is to fake it because they do consider hint sentances a score which I dont think is fair.If its not what they say it shouldnt count.As I repeated sentences my husband was trying not to laugh, so I know they were ludicrous and wasnt what she said.EX; what are you smoking on the bus? Steve thank you so much, I have just recently purchased a digital camera. Now if I could figure out how to get the pictures onto here that would be great. My son is fooling around with it. When we figure it out I'll be able to show you my papers. Thanks!
 
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