Question for other CI users...

TheIronQueen

TheIronQueen

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I was recently implanted and activated with the Nucleus Freedom... I'm a bit of a daredevil and I was wondering, are extreme activities frowned upon for CI users? I'm not sure what the restrictions are...
 
you cant scuba dive deeper than i dont remember, 80 feet? or something, uhh cant have too rough contact sports such as football but i assume you're female so you dont have to be worried about that part, hmm... just dont do anything that will hit you in the head like boxing, fist-fighting, etc simple as that :)
 
I'm not really into contact sports...
I'm more into things like motorcycles, 4wheelers(ATVs), ect.
And on that note... if you do things like that, where did you get your helmet that would fit for your CI?
 
Oh I don't have CI yet but I will in 2 days :) (I did a ton of researching and asked my surgeon a lot questions so that how I know that) I have idea about helmet, I'm thinking you put it on and then marked or feel where it touch then cut out small section of cushion and try it back on and see if it feel little roomy on implanted side and then when putting helmet on hold the whole side while putting it on so it don't knock ci off and then when done pulling it on then ta-da should fit in good or just take ci off and do those atv activites
 
I wish I could help you with this one. I do remember reading about one woman who has a CI who rides on the back of her harley and she has no problems.
 
SkullChick said:
Oh I don't have CI yet but I will in 2 days :) (I did a ton of researching and asked my surgeon a lot questions so that how I know that) I have idea about helmet, I'm thinking you put it on and then marked or feel where it touch then cut out small section of cushion and try it back on and see if it feel little roomy on implanted side and then when putting helmet on hold the whole side while putting it on so it don't knock ci off and then when done pulling it on then ta-da should fit in good or just take ci off and do those atv activites
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While you have a great suggestion, I dunno if it would work for me. Mainly because of the sweat factor at least for me. I guess I can blame my efficient sweat mechanism. Regardless of which CI you have, one has to consider the sweat factor.
 
If you're concerned about the processor falling off, you can try the following:

Get something similar to "Snug Fit" from Cochlear America. It comes in size Small, but I think there may be something else that's similar for adults. That way you can be sure that your processor doesn't fall off the ear, and if the coil falls off, no problem, just snap it back on.

OR
Get a earmold made. A friend of mine did that, and it works well.

I don't even know if this exists...I wonder if there's some kind of accessory that you put over the entire processor, and will protect you from the elements. I know there's one for hearing aids (I had that when I was a kid).
 
Anyone have tips for tinnitus?

:pissed:
Does anyone have tips for tinnitus?? I have had it since the sudden drop of no repsonse deafness last June and will have CI surgery Feb. 12.
I worry that once activated, the tinnitus will be louder. I wonder if others have had the same experience?
harleychick
 
harleychick said:
:pissed:
Does anyone have tips for tinnitus?? I have had it since the sudden drop of no repsonse deafness last June and will have CI surgery Feb. 12.
I worry that once activated, the tinnitus will be louder. I wonder if others have had the same experience?
harleychick
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I have heard many times that for many (some?) implantees, the tinnitus goes away after the surgery but don't take what I said as gospel truth.
 
Hey,

As a chronic sufferer of Tinnitus...I know the feeling. I had someone say to me, "It's a deaf thing. Live with it." - and she's deaf herself.

What I found that seems to help, is to listen to soft piano music. Not fast paced. I'm talking about soft, slow, relaxing type of music. I enjoy listening to Riley Lee who is a monk that plays a specialized flute. It seem to help reduce the "noise" level for me at times.

Another option is to turn off your hearing aids for all day if possible. I occasionally feel that it reduces the loudness. I wonder if it's because hearing aids is an amplification, so it's "screaming" at your ear drums. Our ear drums is just as good as a hearing person, so for a hearing person, very very loud sounds can hurt, and in fact has the capability to burst it.

For the love of God, do not use Aloe thing that people say that will cure it. I've tried it, and it stinks, and burns. It made everything WORSE! :)

Yes - I've heard from many people that the tinnitus goes away when the CI is turned on, and can come back if you turn off the CI for quite a while.
 
Tousi said:
I have heard many times that for many (some?) implantees, the tinnitus goes away after the surgery but don't take what I said as gospel truth.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I had tinnitus in a bad way for a couple weeks between implantation and switching on. Sure enough, it went away after surgery. The only thing that helped for me was to drown it out with music in my other ear, the one I could still hear with. An imperfect solution, but it did help.

My question is, did anyone else lose their sense of taste after the surgery? I did. There's only a small patch on one side of my tongue that still senses taste. The doctor said it might come back in a couple months, but it didn't.
 
Regarding contact sports, extreme things, I've been told it's best for each person to talk to their audiologist/doctor individually. The reasoning is that everyone's situation may not be exactly identical. For example, I didn't fly on an airplane until I was a freshman in college, because my doctor was concerned about my old fistula repairs and the effect of pressure changes (however slight, on a commercial plane). I'm still told that should the cabin somehow depressurize, I would probably not enjoy it very much :P

I did get the okay as a freshman in high school to play football if I wanted to. This is with an N22. I ended up playing baseball instead - sometimes helmets fit a bit funny, but I never did anything special with them, ie, cut out pads. Once in awhile, the helmet could "push" the implant magnet off, but I worked out various ways to get it back in position, with and without batting gloves on.

I don't see why riding a Harley would be too bad, or an ATV for that matter. As a person with an implant, you probably want to take slightly more caution than others might as regards blows to the head - but heck, most people are pretty averse to motorcycle/ATV wrecks anyway! Just be extra careful and I don't see any reason you'd have a problem.
 
Kluny said:
My question is, did anyone else lose their sense of taste after the surgery? I did. There's only a small patch on one side of my tongue that still senses taste. The doctor said it might come back in a couple months, but it didn't.
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I did on a small patch of my tongue, but it came back after a while. How long ago were you implanted? It could be that it might take more than 2 months to come back.
 
R2D2 said:
I did on a small patch of my tongue, but it came back after a while. How long ago were you implanted? It could be that it might take more than 2 months to come back.
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Mine was about the same. I had more problems with dizziness.
 
TheIronQueen said:
I'm not really into contact sports...
I'm more into things like motorcycles, 4wheelers(ATVs), ect.
And on that note... if you do things like that, where did you get your helmet that would fit for your CI?
Click to expand...

I've had my mc endorsement for about 5 yrs now and still ride. Why would I stop? As for the helmet. I pulled down the lining and filed off just enough of the lining in the spot where the implant sits to relieve the pressure. That helped very much. I also had to cut the bow of my sunglasses in half on the implant side so I could wear both the receiver and the implant without getting a sore ear. Have fun. :)
 
As far as helmets for racing, I use an open face helmet because I can put it on a lot easier. I think my next helmet, I'll go with a full face one. I just pull the lining outwards to slide it on over the processor and coil. There have been a few times when I put my helmet on, the coil slides and causes distorted sound.

Otherwise, I have not cut out any of the lining.

There is another racer who has a CI and she takes her processor off when wearing her helmet. I can't do that since I listen to the engine and tires a lot. Seat of the pants works if the car is loose and wanting to spin.

Good luck and if you have any specific questions, ask your Dr.

BTW, I have been told that I don't have to be overly careful. The internal processor if it is going to get damaged, I'll have other problems like a fractured skull. Of course the external processor is a different story.

Good luck and have fun playing this summer.
 
SteveESP52 said:
As far as helmets for racing, I use an open face helmet because I can put it on a lot easier. I think my next helmet, I'll go with a full face one. I just pull the lining outwards to slide it on over the processor and coil. There have been a few times when I put my helmet on, the coil slides and causes distorted sound.

Otherwise, I have not cut out any of the lining.

There is another racer who has a CI and she takes her processor off when wearing her helmet. I can't do that since I listen to the engine and tires a lot. Seat of the pants works if the car is loose and wanting to spin.

Good luck and if you have any specific questions, ask your Dr.

BTW, I have been told that I don't have to be overly careful. The internal processor if it is going to get damaged, I'll have other problems like a fractured skull. Of course the external processor is a different story.

Good luck and have fun playing this summer.
Click to expand...

You might try to burn a little under your helmet where is coil belong shape. Or you can make knife cut off the foam. What do you think? I think CI need invent for helmet to be safety. You can check it out at Hearing Aid Safety Device to Cover, Protect, & Prevent Loss of Children's Hearing Aids! .

Good luck! :)
 
jag said:
I pulled down the lining and filed off just enough of the lining in the spot where the implant sits to relieve the pressure.
Click to expand...

can't find the edit button. But what I meant was I pulled down the liner then i filed(or took out) a very small amount of the Styrofoam lining about the size of the receiver, making a small depression, so it would sit in that small recess rather then being pushed against my head. then I pulled the lining back down and now no longer either have to remove CI or reach up and pull the receiver off the head because it was causing me pain. Since a helmet is supposed to fit snuggly the placement of the internal device can cause pressure problems if the internal part of the helmet is not adapted. I don't know how much doing so effects the internal part of the helmet tho, so like any other adaptations people make to be able to use their Ci in different activities one needs to except the possible risks. I do.
 
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