CI's.....are they that much better??

[kc]

I would consider myself in the "I can hear just good enough with a HA" section. I reckon I am spot on the hear 80% with HA's.

My hearing loss is about 60/75db in both ears. With my HA's in I can get by in most situations, and in really noisy situations I do better than hearies as i can lipread....its only when they try and help me and shout in my ear over the noise that I then have a problem!!!

....but I don't want to just "get by". I want to hear as well as I possibly can. So if CI can give me better sound, better clarity and a better comprehension of the what is going on in the world around me, then I think I should consider it.

It is not just about me either....my wife and kids have to deal with the fact that I mishear stuff on a daily basis which makes having conversations irritating....I have two teenagers....its hard enough getting conversation out them sometimes anyway without mishearing what they said when they did say something!!

Just my opinion

If you truly hear 80 percent with ha's, and get by with ha's you should exhaust all the avenues with ha's. 80% natural hearing is better than you will likely obtain with an CI. A Ci is different hearing than natural, less rich and much less input than natural.

A CI is not a cure, and a device of last resort, please do your research, wish you all the best.

 

[LadySekhmet]

OK....

so the consensus is that CI will deliver a much better clarity and quality of hearing.....

I am trying to get a referral from my doctors to a CI programme....to see if other think I am suitable for CI....and that might take some time...

I like to have some idea before I go for consulations and some eductaed questions to as with some idea of the answers I ought to get from a medical expert...

...so we approach the $64,000 question....

what if?? what it I was selected for a programme, and had an unsuccessful implant....does the operation cause irreversible "damage" to the cochlear which would mean that my HA's would be useless thereafter? ie...is this a no backward step option??

does anyone have any knowledge of the stats on how many % of implants have little, no or worse impact on the hearing of the person implanted?

this is purely the technical aspect of the CI itself...I know that surgical operations will always carry an element of risk to ongoing health, but that is a different area to the actual operation of the implant(s).

First of all - how is your sentence discrimination when someone covers their mouth? Or when they're turning their back? Can you understand most? All? or Very little? If you can hear okay, and most, honestly, you're better off trying to get more powerful Hearing aid because I didn't know you had moderate loss. Implanting moderate loss is a bit out of the norm.

Irreversible surgery - It's not going to destroy your cochlea, unless if the doc really screwed things up. If the implant failed, or didn't work for whatever reason, then it can be reimplanted. It's not common, but it does happen.

Also, not all implants will destroy the residual hearing. Most, but there's been quite a few people the last year or so that still has residual hearing. I still have mine. A couple people here still have residual hearing, others don't. Does it really matter to us? No. Because the CI is very successful, so regardless what had happened I would be happy. In a small way, I wished I didn't have residual hearing because when it comes to loud, low frequency sounds, I am hearing double the amount, so it does get a little bit of an annoyance.

 

[vallee]

First of all - how is your sentence discrimination when someone covers their mouth? Or when they're turning their back? Can you understand most? All? or Very little? If you can hear okay, and most, honestly, you're better off trying to get more powerful Hearing aid because I didn't know you had moderate loss. Implanting moderate loss is a bit out of the norm.

Irreversible surgery - It's not going to destroy your cochlea, unless if the doc really screwed things up. If the implant failed, or didn't work for whatever reason, then it can be reimplanted. It's not common, but it does happen.

Also, not all implants will destroy the residual hearing. Most, but there's been quite a few people the last year or so that still has residual hearing. I still have mine. A couple people here still have residual hearing, others don't. Does it really matter to us? No. Because the CI is very successful, so regardless what had happened I would be happy. In a small way, I wished I didn't have residual hearing because when it comes to loud, low frequency sounds, I am hearing double the amount, so it does get a little bit of an annoyance.

I am one who did not lose all my residual hearing, but come on 1% is nothing. I also am finding after a year that I am gaining more residual back. As for if it is worth it, Oh yes it is beyond worth it is priceless to me.

 

[Chalgravesteve]

Sentence discrimination is, like most things, dependent upon circumstances...ambient noise, my concentration on sound, my concentration on something else....

Hearing loss is also a personal perception....I think I am much worse than I was 10 years ago, and my audio says I have approx 50% hearing loss in both ears...

KC said what I am starting to think....at the present time I should maybe consider it a last resort...I have a lot to lose with the existing residual level of hearing...and one thing this forum has shown me very quickly is that there are loads out there worse off than me!!!

The research will continue and I think I will still try and get a consultation and see what comes of it.... I already know that it will be a massive decision either way.

 

[deafdyke]

Ah good............see LS and all........there are some people who think that CI is the latest gotta have state of the art device......
chalgravesteve,
Experiment with different types of hearing aids. some of the new digital aids are amazing! You really have to go hardcore with experimenting with BTEs....if you have the old lady aids dump them.

 

[vallee]

Sentence discrimination is, like most things, dependent upon circumstances...ambient noise, my concentration on sound, my concentration on something else....

Hearing loss is also a personal perception....I think I am much worse than I was 10 years ago, and my audio says I have approx 50% hearing loss in both ears...

KC said what I am starting to think....at the present time I should maybe consider it a last resort...I have a lot to lose with the existing residual level of hearing...and one thing this forum has shown me very quickly is that there are loads out there worse off than me!!!

The research will continue and I think I will still try and get a consultation and see what comes of it.... I already know that it will be a massive decision either way.

If you want your insurance company to pay for the cochlear implant and mapping, then yes it is the last resort. They won't cover the cost if you have benefit from hearing aids. Tinnutis and recruitment are reasons they might cover CI earlier. I understand your frustruation. I have been there.

 

[overthepond]

Chalgravesteve is from UK, the CI would be paid for by the PCT (primary care trust) and it's on going rehab for the rest of CI's/our life. Again the hearing aids are under NHS (national health service) so we don't pay for them but waits a looooong time for them.

As i am now under CI centre care i get my HA sorted there and it's much quicker!!

 

[Chalgravesteve]

Cheers for the advice....I have got some pretty good digital BTE's now....had to buy them myself as the NHS were still analogues and cr*p....

I have got an appointment for a new set of digitals on the NHS at the end of Oct...

and I started my research on CI's exactly on the basis of Deafdyke....that they were the latest gotta have state of the art.....

like most things in life.....it appears that there are plusses and minuses to be considered here as well.

Can I "get by" for a while longer??? Probably....certainly in fact...there are planty more powerful hearing aids than the ones I've got so I have nowhere near exhausted that particular avenue yet...

...learning all the time!!!!