Benefits/risks of CI?

gypseaemily

gypseaemily

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I am going in for an evaluation for a cochlear implant on November 9th. I am curious as to what the benefits and risks are of having the procedure done, and what I can expect should I be eligible for the surgery. I am really scared. I've been HOH/deaf all my life. This is something that (I believe) could change my life forever. Please give me some advice on what I can expect.... thanks in advance. :wave:
 
CI Center usually go over these things with you so that you are clear on the benefits and risks.

It will be what you make it. How important is hearing to you? How much are you willing to dive in and make it work? You can't just go "Oh, I don't feel like wearing my processor today because I don't like how it sounds." You have to use it persistently and let your brain work it all out over weeks and months. You have to actively listen to everything while learning passive listening (when you are still understanding what is being said without straining or trying.)

Assuming you are an ideal candidate, the benefits outweigh the risks. The risks are small and rare. Most "complications" such as changes in taste or numbness around the tongue pass over time.

A CI can change your life. It can make speechreading alot less of a chore since you will actually do alot of the heavy lifting with hearing you didn't have previously. In my case, I became less brooding and more revulsive to victimhood. There was just too much to be grateful for.
 
1) Why are you considering a CI now after all these years?

2) What do you expect to get out of a CI?

The biggest risks with getting a CI:

- Loss of residual hearing (any hearing you have now will be lost permanently)
- Increased chance of getting meningitis in those that are susceptible to infection
- End results may not be favorable
- Some folks are overwhelmed easily with the new sounds
- If you must get an MRI, you will need to remove the internal magnet, not complicated, but a big inconvenience


Statistically, a CI is most successful in people that have already developed hearing skills (late deafened), and those that were implanted as young toddlers.

People that have been profoundly deaf AND did not wear hearing aids most of their lives most likely will NOT benefit from a CI.

Those that have worn hearing aids for many years will benefit from CI's, but, the results will NOT be what you would expect, and individual results will vary. You may be happy with the new sounds, or you may be disappointed.

The cost of maintaining a CI is much higher than a hearing aid.

Most people are happy with their CI's, some are not.

Good luck with your decision.
 
The possibility of "developing" meningitis is obviated by getting an injection. That happened to me over 5 years ago while waiting the operation.
I was advised to leave my implant on all the time except for sleeping or swimming. At first I thought someone was following me when walking-just me picking my own footsteps. Amusing-sort of.
 
Here is comprehensive risks vs benefits

Benefits and Risks of Cochlear Implants

this, however, is very misleading and worth bashing:

Adults often benefit immediately and continue to improve for about 3 months after the initial tuning sessions. Then, although performance continues to improve, improvements are slower. Cochlear implant users' performances may continue to improve for several years.
Click to expand...

Yeah - if - usually you are late deafened. like, see here:
Many can make telephone calls and understand familiar voices over the telephone.
Click to expand...

the key world: familiar. if you never heard before, you can't hear familiar voices after.
so, likewise - "adult often benefit immediately..." - yeah, if you were able to hear before.
If you weren't. it may go both ways. you may learn to differentiate sounds, or you may never.
Most people with hard work do have success with various degree, though.


Cochlear Implants ? Facts, Benefits, and Risks

However, keep in mind - if you are willing to be dedicated to your CI, the benefits can be great.

Fuzzy
 
Above: re use of telephone. I have used a VCO/TTY since January 1996. Since my implant was "hooked up"- August/07- I tested whether I could "understand" people speaking on a regular telephone. I could hear the dial tone but not anyone speaking.

I raised this fact at Sunnybrook/Toronto-advised in their experience since 1984: one out of two could use a regular phone.

I continue using my UltraTec 1140- to this date-VCO accessing-711.
 
gypseaemily said:
I am going in for an evaluation for a cochlear implant on November 9th. I am curious as to what the benefits and risks are of having the procedure done, and what I can expect should I be eligible for the surgery. I am really scared. I've been HOH/deaf all my life. This is something that (I believe) could change my life forever. Please give me some advice on what I can expect.... thanks in advance. :wave:
Click to expand...

I do not have a CI. But I have witness one who is very close to me. I did witness others too.

Everyone gave you the pro tips.

You ask for "risk" (con) list.

Scar on your head and some numb on some area of head.

You would feel sick after the surgery, more likely you would vomit or not, and in pain without medicine, medicine can upset your tummy and more cautious.
If doctor performs correctly then you would be fine, if doctor dont performs correctly then you will have some serious consequences.

Just remember that foreign object will be in your head forever.
 
It's not very sexy when mate feel their side of head. It's kind weird.

However, I hear that it help aware of drop their object.
 
PowerON said:
It's not very sexy when mate feel their side of head. It's kind weird.

However, I hear that it help aware of drop their object.
Click to expand...


images
 
Thanks everyone! I feel more informed about the decision I need to make.... thanks again.
 
Frisky Feline said:
I do not have a CI. But I have witness one who is very close to me. I did witness others too.

Everyone gave you the pro tips.

You ask for "risk" (con) list.

Scar on your head and some numb on some area of head.

You would feel sick after the surgery, more likely you would vomit or not, and in pain without medicine, medicine can upset your tummy and more cautious.
If doctor performs correctly then you would be fine, if doctor dont performs correctly then you will have some serious consequences.

Just remember that foreign object will be in your head forever.
Click to expand...

I don't have a scar. That will depend on the skill of the surgeon.

Pain? I took an Advil or two, literally.

Would someone seriously consider vomiting after surgery a risk? Don't get pregnant, you might throw up and that would be bad!
 
BleedingPurist said:
I don't have a scar. That will depend on the skill of the surgeon.

Pain? I took an Advil or two, literally.

Would someone seriously consider vomiting after surgery a risk? Don't get pregnant, you might throw up and that would be bad!
Click to expand...

some people can tolerate pain, some people can't tolerate pain

I had witnessed someone who was in pain and didn't do too well for about 4 weeks. Don't ask me. everyone is different.

this person actually threw up several times after surgery also. Maybe this person is too sensitive from the veritgo, tinnitus and dizziness that has gotten worse for this person. :aw:
 
First CI surgery in 2003 left me with a small scar on my skull, cris-crossed nerves on my skin and tongue, I had a very bad migraine headache after waking up, felt nauseous & dizzy.

Second CI surgery on the other side in 2010 left me with no scar, no nerve issues, and I was on the road home one hour after waking up, feeling nothing but sleepy. Back to work the next day.

Same surgeon, but different surgical method, and done in 40 minutes the second time around. Surgeon said that procedures and materials have improved quite a bit recently.

I think the fact that I've been through it once before prepared me for the second one.
 
If there's any scarring from CI surgery, it'll be minimal and just right behind the ear, along the groove where the ear is attached to the head for the most part.

I did have a bit if pain, but I dealt with it as best as I could with ibuprofen and the vicodin I was prescribed. Left half of my tongue had no taste for quite a while. The taste is still slowly coming back. Hot stuff doesn't bother the left side of my tongue while the right side of my tongue is practically on fire which I find funny haha.

I just got my implant this past spring in my left ear. My left ear was a dead ear, hearing aids useless in that ear. When activated, it was the first time I've had sound in that ear in maybe up to 25ish years, definitely 20 years at the least.

I'm quite thrilled with the results of my implant, even if everything does still sound funny (my audie tells me it can be a while before things may start sounding "normal" for me with that ear). I'm hearing things with the left ear now, even things I can't hear with the hearing aid in my right ear, and I think that's amazing. Still working on making sense of speech, just need to keep up with the auditory rehab.
 
I don't see vomiting as a risk lol I puke when I get the flu. I find for myself the only "risk" would be facial stim issues and infection. I expect pain, dizziness, possibly vominting. But that can be with any surgery that requires anesthesia.
 
Frisky Feline said:
I do not have a CI. But I have witness one who is very close to me. I did witness others too.

Everyone gave you the pro tips.

You ask for "risk" (con) list.

Scar on your head and some numb on some area of head.

You would feel sick after the surgery, more likely you would vomit or not, and in pain without medicine, medicine can upset your tummy and more cautious.
If doctor performs correctly then you would be fine, if doctor dont performs correctly then you will have some serious consequences.

Just remember that foreign object will be in your head forever.
Click to expand...

foreign object will be in ur head forvever well yeah at least we could hear something ,also after surgery i was not sick or in pain .
i am sick of some people being negative toward cochlear implant even though they don't have Ci and how the he'll they know everything about CI. It make me blood boiled lol i:)
 
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