CI sound quality compared to hearing-aid days

Ruminator said:
Yep, I'm aware of that option. I'm pretty sure I'll be sticking to the 2/29 surgery date, however.

I've been 98% decided that I want to do this, so I guess it's that 2% that started this thread.

I understand it's not uncommon to continue to seek affirmation, even with surgery date so close, that the decision is the right one. And in my case, my schedule has been so insanely busy that surgery date has approached pretty quickly. But, I'm good with it.

- Steve

Surgery date: 2/29/08
Activation: 3/10/08
Advanced Bionics
Ruminator's Ruminatings
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Whilst I have no doubts at all a mate of mine who was called up for implanting last Novemmber was just like you, 2% undecided right up until the day. Now he says its the best thing he ever did, after only one month he is up to 97% on one of the tests, (think it is word recognition) and using the phone, this after having no sound at all for 15 years.
 
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Raykat said:
Whilst I have no doubts at all a mate of mine who was called up for implanting last Novemmber was just like you, 2% undecided right up until the day. Now he says its the best thing he ever did, after only one month he is up to 97% on one of the tests, (think it is word recognition) and using the phone, this after having no sound at all for 15 years.
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I felt that way as well before surgery. Now I wished I would have done it 5-10 years ago. It has given me so much more. I maxed my Hint sentence and my hint+10% noise is at 90% - wow 90%. This is 6 months after surgery. I think I was at 26% with hint sentences and now maxed out(close to 100%). I also hear my phoenomes and cnc words in the 70%. I am hearing in the 20-35db range and understanding.

I talk on the cell phone(still love relay), listen to music, and watch tv without captions(sometimes). These are things I have not done in 20 years.

Everyone I know who has had this done, said the same - I am happy with the results.
 
LuciaDisturbed said:
I only had to wait 5 days to be activated. Normally my CI center activates patients the day after surgery, but I asked to wait a few days to allow my incision to heal a bit and for the soreness to go down a bit. :)
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Wow lucky!!!!!
 
TechBill said:
I am what people would call a natural born lip reader because I could read lips and understood very good without the assistance of hearing devices.

But there are many time when I couldn't read what they just said or needed to ask them to repeat a word that I couldn't make out because there are hunderds thousands of words that similar lip movements so I have to contruct the sentence in my head and think what this person is saying like "baby" and "make me" lipreads the same to me but if a person is telling me "make me some coffee please" then I will know he/she is saying "make me" because "baby some coffee please" does not compute a sentence in my head. That even with a hearing aid on me those words that lip read lots of time also sound similar to me because sound to me with hearing aids are all mumbles.

I been implanted 4 year ago and I am finding myself less and less needing to contruct the sentence in my head to figure what word this person meant because I could actually hear the difference in words that lip read and sound similar with my hearing aid. I am even started to notice myself actually reponse to people that are speaking behind me or not in my lip reading view but that is rare however it is happening and it does amazes me that I understood it. There are times when I knew I couldn't make out what the person said reading their lips but I understood the word they were saying because of the CI.

Now my implant is broken that 4 year ago a bad batch with poor seal gotten out to people and I may be one of the unlucky ones to have receive one of those implant. But I am doing just fine for the last 2 months being deaf (I have no hearing aids and have not worn one since implanted 4 year ago so I gave them all away) and I am getting by fine reading people lip without any hearing aids or CI and still able to commuciate with hearing people in real world but I do really miss my CI because I realize how much more easier it made my life when it came to commuciting with people. So I cannot wait to have working implant again. I am having the surgery to replace it on following Monday on the 25th.

I am not saying CI is perfect or CI will solve all your hardship you expeince in your life because your deaf but I am saying that CI does lessen those hardship for me and is a great tool to aid me commuciating with people along with my lip reading skill.

CI will not magically turn you into a hearing person with an excellent speaking skill or will allow you to be able to understood everything even that is said on TV or Radio or Phone but over time you may start to develop a new skill to aid you commiucating or understanding using a CI or you may never will develop any skills and still only get the benfit of being able to hear sound that you never heard before with only a hearing aids. I still use relay service with with VCO sometime because I am not moviated to learn to use a phone without using relay service. I am quite happy with video relay service and my ASL signing skill.

So yes in my option that CI is a hell lot better assistance hardware than a hearing aid and I don't think there will ever be a hearing aids that could outperform CI since hearing aids only ampifty the sound while CI simulate the nerves that couldn't be ampfity by the hearing aid itself because the hair cell attached to it is so badly damaged so you get more range of sounds become avaliable to you with a CI.




Good luck with your decision and surgery!


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Probably the best thread and above post I've read here in a long time.
Your question was is the Ci sound basic, I know you have researched how a Ci works, the input is only a small percent of normal hearing and slanted toward that of speech, so basic would be a very good word

Is it worth it? If you have little normal hearing left when aided, have no doubt if you you ever want to hear your wife, children, or grandchildren.
 
kc said:
...the input is only a small percent of normal hearing and slanted toward that of speech, so basic would be a very good word
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Actually, it captures a lot more than you think. It is more the other way around of what one misses which is not much in the scheme of things. The things you do hear is scary sometimes especially compared to what you didn't hear before. I will never forget hearing the refrigerator the day after hookup. I woke up and put the CI on and went downstairs. I heard it before I even got into the kitchen and I had no idea at first what that sound was at first. I had to rove the room to isolate it and once I did that...I said to myself "YES! oh the pure vindication of it all!!!

kc said:
Is it worth it? If you have little normal hearing left when aided, have no doubt if you you ever want to hear your wife, children, or grandchildren.
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Worth it? You betcha! Hands down one of the best decisions I ever had made in my life. Nothing comes close to what a CI does for me.
 
Well, I just received a response from my doctor to several questions, one of which concerns whether I can expect CI quality to sound "natural," or anything similar to the way I am presently able to hear. See below -- my question is in italics and his response is in bold.

Incidentally, he has also mentioned that there has been a recent increase in implanting those who still have some residual hearing. I just sent him a request for elaboration, as I certainly fall in this category.

--

I thought I would let you know that, despite a slight bit of trepidation, I am now leaning towards having the better LEFT ear implanted.

While I certainly cannot hear as well as previously on the left, I still perceive sounds as having a natural quality that I know would be distressing if it were permanently lost to an auditory quality markedly less natural. (I am prepared for the initial transition and rehabilitation period, however.) Is it possible that things will always sound unnatural, or is it rare that patients report such?

The quality of the sound from the implant is not natural. Over time, many patients report that things sound more natural, but this is quite variable. It probably has the most to do with the ability of the brain to adapt. People are reporting more natural sounds with the newer speech processors, but I would not expect things to sound the same as they do now. While there is a chance that you would get a slightly better result implanting the left (better ear), it is impossible to know for sure. If you would be very disappointed to lose the little hearing that you have left in that ear, I would start with the right. If you are unhappy and continue to struggle, we can always go bilateral in the future. While the quality of the sound may not be more "natural" patients report that the listening experience is more natural with both ears functioning. Something to consider in the future.

--

Well? What's your take on this, folks?
 
my friend was supposed to get CI and then she opted out until her hearing get's worse cuz she does still get some benefit with HA's. But her dr too said that she shud start with her worse ear with ci and then if she was completely satisfied etc re-evaluate and get ci possibly if that's wat she wanted on the right. She's only 18 tho so she didn't want to make a decision on ci or surgery, (she hates doctors) lol soo ya. But from what i have read/people i've known, they get their worse ear done usually first, but someone can correct me if i'm wrong:) lol
 
Ruminator said:
...

I thought I would let you know that, despite a slight bit of trepidation, I am now leaning towards having the better LEFT ear implanted.

While I certainly cannot hear as well as previously on the left, I still perceive sounds as having a natural quality that I know would be distressing if it were permanently lost to an auditory quality markedly less natural. (I am prepared for the initial transition and rehabilitation period, however.) Is it possible that things will always sound unnatural, or is it rare that patients report such?

The quality of the sound from the implant is not natural. Over time, many patients report that things sound more natural, but this is quite variable. It probably has the most to do with the ability of the brain to adapt. People are reporting more natural sounds with the newer speech processors, but I would not expect things to sound the same as they do now. While there is a chance that you would get a slightly better result implanting the left (better ear), it is impossible to know for sure. If you would be very disappointed to lose the little hearing that you have left in that ear, I would start with the right. If you are unhappy and continue to struggle, we can always go bilateral in the future. While the quality of the sound may not be more "natural" patients report that the listening experience is more natural with both ears functioning. Something to consider in the future.

--

Well? What's your take on this, folks?
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All things being equal, no it is not "natural" in the sense of the word. However, one can adapt to anything and it becomes "natural" knowing there are some limitations (which is a given).

Having said that, I being a CI wearer going from HA to CI can attest that it isn't bad at all. I have adapted very well to my CI. I cannot tell you that there really is any difference from the HA as compared to CI nowadays. It has been three years and it sounds quite natural to me all the way around.

The only aspect that I know that doesn't sound quite like my HA days is complicated music. This is music that has lots of stuff going on all at once. It is a limitation due to the software and hardware not due to perception issues. I expect as processors get more powerful, that will be less problematical. Still for even that problem, I can still enjoy it and that is all that matters.

I think it all comes down to one's ability to take what stimulus they get and run with it. Some can and some can't. One can somewhat predict the outcomes based on how one does with a HA beforehand. I would like to think so as I did well with my HA and afterwards with my CI. Of course, other variables can and do come into play.
 
sr171soars said:
All things being... (snip) ...come into play.
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This is exactly the kind of comparison and expectations info I've been seeking. Thank you. Can I assume that you got by relatively well for years with a hearing-aid before it pretty much fizzled out on you one day? Did it diminish completely, or did you still have residual hearing before getting a CI? Is speech comprehension significantly better? And, in your hearing-aid days, were you able to use a telephone?
 
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Ruminator said:
The quality of the sound from the implant is not natural. Over time, many patients report that things sound more natural, but this is quite variable. It probably has the most to do with the ability of the brain to adapt. People are reporting more natural sounds with the newer speech processors, but I would not expect things to sound the same as they do now. While there is a chance that you would get a slightly better result implanting the left (better ear), it is impossible to know for sure. If you would be very disappointed to lose the little hearing that you have left in that ear, I would start with the right. If you are unhappy and continue to struggle, we can always go bilateral in the future. While the quality of the sound may not be more "natural" patients report that the listening experience is more natural with both ears functioning. Something to consider in the future.
Well? What's your take on this, folks?
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It seems to me that he is referring to "natural" in the sense of normal level hearing as opposed to your current hearing, in which sense he would be correct. I get the impression you are comparing CI sound to what you have now. In terms of forum experience, very few hearing aid users with profound levels of deafness who go on to get a CI are saying they think the hearing aid sounded more natural.
 
I got implanted in my worse ear. Would it have made a difference if I implanted in my right? Not really. To me the sounds are coming in my head, so it's not like I can only hear "out of my left", per se.

I'm one of the ones that still have residual hearing. And to be really honest, after a few weeks of activation, everything sounds "normal", just like wearing my hearing aids, but I pick up sounds a lot easier, especially in the high frequency range. Right now I hear everything on the 10db line (so yeah, I have supersonic hearing), and I was told that it's sort of rare for this to happen. While everything sounds natural, i still need tweaking.

I have come to a conclusion that my hearing aids is compared to Bass. I pick up all the low frequency sounds. The only high frequency sounds I heard through my HAs would be female voices, whistles (when people whistle, not hearing aid whistles), that's pretty much it. The CI adds the "treble" part. So, now I can hear the SHH, CH, high pitched sounds, and sounds from a distance that I couldn't hear before, unless if it's right there in my face. So, I could see why some deafies says, "Oh ew! It sounds electronic, staticky, robotic", etc. BUT...I think they don't realize that they're the high frequency sounds that they have never heard before so they're like "WTF?"

To me, I personally feel that anyone who has residual hearing and functioned very well with their hearing aids, but lost their residual hearing for whatever reason, will do a lot better than those who have been deaf their whole life, with low to poor lipreading skills, poor hearing skills. Mind you, I'm making this comment based on 8 other friends who have CI. Only two of us are able to hear very well with our hearing aids prior to CI. The others complained and bitched about how everything sounded so electroinic when they were activated.

SO...based on my comment, it's all on indivdual basis.

Sorry for blah blah blah! I'll be thinking of you on Leap Year!!
 
LadySekhmet said:
Sorry for blah blah blah! I'll be thinking of you on Leap Year!!
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Can't blah-blah-blah enough -- hungry for these sort of details, and I like the way you described the HA versus CI comparison.

Really been flip-flopping between the left and right the last week or two. I wish I had three ears!

CI Surgery: 2/29/08
Activation: 3/10/08
Advanced Bionics
Ruminator's Ruminatings
 
Ruminator said:
Had you been wearing a hearing-aid on that worse ear?

(I've not worn a hearing-aid on my worse ear in more than 30 years.)

CI Surgery: 2/29/08
Activation: 3/10/08
Advanced Bionics
Ruminator's Ruminatings
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i got my worse ear implanted and i didnt wear hearing aid for 12 years in that ear and the result is much more than i expected! the sound sounded really high pitched, piano-like and almost like feedback at first with female voices but all others like guy voices, evironment sound i remember sound same but better, crispier and louder. and can hear a lot of sounds i didnt hear before like clock ticking, stomach growling when hungry. So it doesnt matter which ear because theres only ONE brain! :mrgreen:
Good luck with surgery!
 
I am implanted in my left hear which is slightly better than my right ear because I have been wearing hearing aid in my right ear and wanted to save it just in case CI didn't work out for me so I would go back to hearing aid. So far 4+ year and I never went back to hearing aid and gave it away to someone whom needed it.


Today I had my implant replaced and I am home now. I am just fine and a little tired from waking up too early in the morning lol! My ear is a bit sore too but no major pain or anything like that. I only feel quick sharp pain if I gluped so I try not to glup. I had a small headache earlier but that was because I couldn't eat ot drink anything past midnight last night so I was real hungry when I got home and when I ate the headache went away.


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Ruminator said:
Had you been wearing a hearing-aid on that worse ear?

(I've not worn a hearing-aid on my worse ear in more than 30 years.)

CI Surgery: 2/29/08
Activation: 3/10/08
Advanced Bionics
Ruminator's Ruminatings
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Hey,
Yes I have, I have been wearing hearing aids in both ears for 27 years.

I'm not sure if it makes a difference if that nerve has not been simulated for so long, so things may actually be very loud to you...kind of like waking up a a bear in the middle of winter...it may be grumpy.
 
TechBill said:
Today I had my implant replaced and I am home now. I am just fine and a little tired from waking up too early in the morning lol! My ear is a bit sore too but no major pain or anything like that. I only feel quick sharp pain if I gluped so I try not to glup. I had a small headache earlier but that was because I couldn't eat ot drink anything past midnight last night so I was real hungry when I got home and when I ate the headache went away.
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Glad the reimplantation surgery went well and rest up!
 
Ruminator said:
This is exactly the kind of comparison and expectations info I've been seeking. Thank you. Can I assume that you got by relatively well for years with a hearing-aid before it pretty much fizzled out on you one day? Did it diminish completely, or did you still have residual hearing before getting a CI? Is speech comprehension significantly better? And, in your hearing-aid days, were you able to use a telephone?
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1) Pretty close. I got the CI before I had nothing left. I didn't want to go through the wilderness before getting a CI. I wanted minimal downtime and that worked beautifully.

2) I still had residual hearing. It was just a matter of time before I lost it all.

3) Oh yeah, my speech comprehension is off the charts now. I don't need to lipread and I prefer to "listen" to what I hear not see what I hear. Consequently, my lipreading skill have eroded big time.

4) With a HA, a phone was not easy but I could do it but it was mostly with those I knew well. Cold calls were very hard. After my CI, I gab with the best of them and have my own cell phone which I love.
 
sr171soars said:
1) Pretty close. I got the CI before I had nothing left. I didn't want to go through the wilderness before getting a CI. I wanted minimal downtime and that worked beautifully.

2) I still had residual hearing. It was just a matter of time before I lost it all.
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Since having made the decision to literally sacrifice all of my remaining hearing (and I definitely have some!) in the hopes of something better, sometimes I wonder if I've gone completely insane. I have to be very honest and say that despite my optimism and the abundance of encouragement by others, this is not exactly the most reassuring time of my life. It is so easy to wonder "what if..." and imagine scenarios such as disliking CI sound forever, or going completely deaf.

I am very fortunate for this network of support and I thank everyone here for that.

- Steve
Surgery: 2/29/08
Activation: 3/10/08
Advanced Bionics
Ruminator's Ruminatings
 
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