question for those with bilateral implants

ash345

ash345

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if you had sequential bilateral implants, after you got the second one activated... did it seem like sound was echoing? how long did it last?

I had my second CI activated yesterday... and I can't understand speech with it at all yet... but its echoing like crazy... its almost like I hear it mostly clear then its all garbled from the other side... but they don't sound synced.
 
Just a few points of note here that might help you.

When the surgeons choose which ear to implant first (this is what I was told anyway), they always pick the best ear, or ear with most potential to hear well. The best ear was determined by tests they have carried out.

You are very soon after turn on. The first ear is way ahead of the second ear and will be for a few months, of the tuning and learning curve, yet. So give it time.

The echos and delays are common and you should see improvement is subsequent tunings even if they have to turn off an electrode or two to stop them. Have faith in your audiologist.
 
Habanerocat, that's not what the original poster was asking! Besides, I had my WORST ear done instead of my better one. Not everyone gets their best ear done.

Ash, give your brain some time to make sense of the sounds coming into both ears and figuring everything out. And of course, keep in touch with your audie if the echoing keeps up.
 
cdmeggers said:
Habanerocat, that's not what the original poster was asking! Besides, I had my WORST ear done instead of my better one. Not everyone gets their best ear done.

Ash, give your brain some time to make sense of the sounds coming into both ears and figuring everything out. And of course, keep in touch with your audie if the echoing keeps up.
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Thank you, and I also had my worst ear implanted. My left has always been my better ear, the right had NR for everything. I talked with my surgeon, and told him I would rather have my right done, because it had no response what so ever. He agreed that was the choice he would make for me as well, as the right he has seen work very well for the first time implants. He said he will do whatever ear a person wants, my left didn't have much response either... but he also said forcing my right to become my dominant ear for a while would be a good idea.

I know my audi is amazing, and she can work wonders... its just a frustrating thing. the echoing is starting to die down... i'm still hearing just beeps from the left... but the beeps are starting to try to maybe become robots... but only with specific sounds, like SH.
 
Glad the echoing is dying down. Hope things keep getting better and the sounds start sounding more like sounds for you soon enough!
 
cdmeggers said:
Glad the echoing is dying down. Hope things keep getting better and the sounds start sounding more like sounds for you soon enough!
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I've always been told that CIs work better on the best ear. Shame the surgeon I saw would only implant my right. If he implanted my left, I would be right there.
 
Yes, CI's do work better in the better ear, but it is possible to do the worse ear and get some benefit too. I probably would have made a lot more better progress if I had done my right ear first, but I really wanted to get sound in the left ear and be able to hear with both ears so I did the left first. I'm happy with the progress I've made thus far since my left CI has been activated, and even blew my CI audie away with my progress as she wasn't expecting for me to be able to pick up on words when I saw her last summer for another MAPping.
 
cdmeggers said:
Yes, CI's do work better in the better ear, but it is possible to do the worse ear and get some benefit too. I probably would have made a lot more better progress if I had done my right ear first, but I really wanted to get sound in the left ear and be able to hear with both ears so I did the left first. I'm happy with the progress I've made thus far since my left CI has been activated, and even blew my CI audie away with my progress as she wasn't expecting for me to be able to pick up on words when I saw her last summer for another MAPping.
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My audi is the same, she is amazed at how well I am doing with my right... and honestly so am I. When it was turned on she told me I would HATE IT, and I didn't. it was weird, but I didn't hate it. I hate the left, but not the right. I can't say the CI actually does work better on my better ear, because my better ear is my left... and its absolutely awful.
 
Ash, When I had my second implant activated I noticed sort of an echo and a beep. I guess my brain adjusted because I don't notice it now. Like cdmeggers wrote you just need to give your brain time. You also might want to try just using the new implant alone. Your right ear is the dominant one and you need to force the brain to pick up on what sound you are getting from the new implant on the left. It is hard because you get used to the sound from the first implant and with the new implant you have to take a step back in hearing to improve. Glad things are starting to improve. Happy New EAR!!!!
 
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