Tinnitus and CI? Before and after

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deafcanuck

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I am being assessed for a CI and I currently have severe tinnitus which got really bad just as I lost the hearing in my second ear. I've heard CI can bring relief for some people and others it gets worse? Anyone wish to share their story?
 
CI surgery can change your Tinnitus situation. worse / better
 
I have one CI, left ear and have very little tinnitus is that ear. Other ear, deaf unaided and the tinnitus is horrible. Getting approval to go bilateral. Hoping the 2nd CI will take away the tinnitus I have now.
 
I will have a surgery soon too, for both ears.
I hope I won't have any Tinnitus, atm I don't have any.
 
Hi Angel, I'm glad you replied. I was just reading your thread yesterday about your first implant. Had a tough go of it for awhile eh? I lost the hearing in my left ear a couple of years ago and the right gave out in january. The tinnitus is devastating. Both ears, different noises and varying levels of sound during the day. I just got news of my next appointments. I have to travel 2 hours so it's all on one day. I see the audiologist for second time, CT scan, social worker and finally the doctor who will hopefully be doing the surgery.
Trying to keep my eye on the prize. It's not easy but I hang in there. Off work so having a hard time filling my days. I mostly just kill time til I can take my sleeping pills and get a little break from the noise. May 6th is my next trip, then wait to get approved for surgery. The waiting is killing me. I live in Canada and one implant is covered but the government at this time only funds 50 implants for each of the 4 centers in the province.
So that's my story...........again, thanks for replying. I hope your next surgery is a piece of cake! lol
 
My tinnitus is about the same as it was before I had my CI surgery. I don't notice it at all during the day but at night it is there. It's never been too bad, annoying at times is all.
 
HOH-ME, does the implant help to mask the tinnitus at all? That's what I'm hoping for. Some literature on the subject says the chances are good that an implant can provide some relief.
 
deafcanuck said:
HOH-ME, does the implant help to mask the tinnitus at all? That's what I'm hoping for. Some literature on the subject says the chances are good that an implant can provide some relief.
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I've read the same and know of people where the implant actually took away their tinnitus totally. I know that the House clinic in CA was experimenting with placing something in the Cochlea to eliminate tinnitus way back in the 50's and had spotty success. Frank Borman, the astronaut, had that procedure and it helped him. A CI would be similar.

Wearing my CI, the sound it brings it masks the tinnitus because you are just hearing everything else. When I take them off and it's quiet, it's there. I don't mind the tinnitus I have because it's not strong and it gives me the illusion that I can still hear some things without my processors.
 
deafcanuck said:
Hi Angel, I'm glad you replied. I was just reading your thread yesterday about your first implant. Had a tough go of it for awhile eh? I lost the hearing in my left ear a couple of years ago and the right gave out in january. The tinnitus is devastating. Both ears, different noises and varying levels of sound during the day. I just got news of my next appointments. I have to travel 2 hours so it's all on one day. I see the audiologist for second time, CT scan, social worker and finally the doctor who will hopefully be doing the surgery.
Trying to keep my eye on the prize. It's not easy but I hang in there. Off work so having a hard time filling my days. I mostly just kill time til I can take my sleeping pills and get a little break from the noise. May 6th is my next trip, then wait to get approved for surgery. The waiting is killing me. I live in Canada and one implant is covered but the government at this time only funds 50 implants for each of the 4 centers in the province.
So that's my story...........again, thanks for replying. I hope your next surgery is a piece of cake! lol
Click to expand...


It looks like your finding some useful informaton here. I've had my one CI for almost three years now. I didn't think I would ever get the other side done. Now I am feeling super confident in my decision to do so. I found it very reassuring to read that others were experiencing tinnitus like me. It was nice to know I was not alone and that tinnitus is pretty common. I'm just waiting for insurance approval then I will have my second CI surgery as soon as I can.

Hang in there....things will get better. I'm always free to chat, so if you want to ask questions or just vent I would be happy to listen.

I have found that walking and keeping somewhat active makes a big difference for me.
 
HOH, I'm just hoping for a little relief from the tinnitus. I'm hoping the odds are on my side. Depending on where you read it's upwards of almost 90% get some relief or complete supression of T.
 
Hi Angel, I think only someone who has experienced severe tinnitus really "gets it". It can be agonizing. I'm thinking that you are very aptly named.

Just hope I pass all the tests next month and the surgery is done in a timely manner. Some days i'm barely hanging on. I miss talking with people and enjoying some sense of peace. Thank you for being generous enough to share your experience as you know it helps to know others have endured the same journey and received some help. I'll be sure to post any news and I will surely be following your next surgery. :)
 
no guarantees the CI will get rid of the tinnitus. I still have tinnitus in my right ear, and actually I've had new tinnitus sounds come up since getting the implant in Oct.... really annoying and drives me insane at times. It's most noticeable if my Ci processor is off or if it's quiet around me, although at times it'll be loud enough that it beats out other sounds around me, even music. It's frustrating.
 
cdmeggers said:
no guarantees the CI will get rid of the tinnitus. I still have tinnitus in my right ear, and actually I've had new tinnitus sounds come up since getting the implant in Oct.... really annoying and drives me insane at times. It's most noticeable if my Ci processor is off or if it's quiet around me, although at times it'll be loud enough that it beats out other sounds around me, even music. It's frustrating.
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I feel your pain cd, I'll be happy with any sort of relief. It really is enough to make a person feel insane.
 
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I had severe tinnitius til i had a ci in 2000. Havent had tinnitius since then. It really varies person to person. Some will continue to have it post surgery, while some may have less recurrences of tinnitius OR some have NO tinnitius at all.

Sent from my LG-D851 using AllDeaf App mobile app
 
I wonder how do you differentiate where is your tinnitus comes? I can't differentiate it, because whole head is ringing.
I got used to it, because it is ringing since when I was 8 years old, I can't say which ear is ringing.
 
I have "gotten rid" of the new tinnitus sounds that popped up/annoyed the heck out of me after the Christmas holidays... Cutting back on sodium intake certainly helped. Still have my usual tinnitus that I've had forever, but don't have the bothersome tapping/clacking sounds and repetition of the same musical tone anymore, yay!
 
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