Audiologist

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ClearSky

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My BTE does not work at all. I have to make an appointment to troubleshoot it or get a new one. My audiologist has given me a difficult time responding about sending me my battery wallets and other documents. I had to try different ways including contacting the head of audiology to get her to do what she needed to do. She has yet to give me other documents like the programming report which I always keep. Anyway, since I have to see her again...do you think I should confront her about her tardy services or should I go on like nothing happened? How should I confront her the best, if you think I should confront her?

I am using my BWP which I do not like. Blah! But I have to fix it because I still experience twitching on my eyelid with my BWP. So things like my BTE becoming unavailable is why I need to continue to fix it. She did not fix it at my last appointment and she made 2 other programs only to be used through cd, walkman, radio listening only, which I did not ask for that!

I don't know, it seems she's gotten clumsy with organization and doing things right at all times.
 
I would talk to your audi and mention the fact that you always like to have a copy of your maps.

Given her behavior, I wonder if it might be easier for her to send you your mapping reports (and/or hearing evaluation) via e-mail? This is what my audi does and it works out perfectly for both of us.

This wasn't clear from your post, but have you told your audi about the eye twitching you experience with the BWP? Seems to me that this is something that should be addressed immediately.

How vocal are you at your mappings? In other words, do you communicate with your audi by telling her what features you would like on your BTE and/or BWP or do you let her decide what programs will be added? If you're not happy having two programs for use with portable devices, I would let her know this and request the features you would like to have. I don't know what CI brand you have, so can't comment on specific programs.

Communication between you and your audi should be a two-way street. If you're not happy with the treatment you're receiving (or you feel she does not listen to your concerns/questions), perhaps it's time to find a new audi.
 
Hi HearAgain,

I don't want you to think that I don't know much about CI. I know the twitching should never be present, but because I started to wear my BTE...I never bothered to continue to fix my BWP. Though I have made a couple of appointments to fix the twitching, but not consistently enough. It's still not fixed at one appointment plus it's hard to experience the twitching in her office or normal environment because it only happens at certain times and environments like with coins, glasses, metals, etc. At one point, I had twitching when she talked or clapped, but she could normalize that in her office, then I would find out that in my normal environment it would reappear with some other sounds. This is tricky. My temporary solution is to lower the volume and sensitivity a little. Anyway, I have always mentioned to her this problem, but she hasn't been able to fix it at these last appointments I have had in the past. I made a new appointment to mention her the twitching again. I don't really think the mapping in August helped to lower the twiching more. Let's hope it stops for good this time.

Also, yes I am vocal about what I hear. The main point of my post was to ask opinion of whether or not I should confront her about her lack of response to my e-mail requests. She's always e-mailed these papers via mail. I never heard of them being e-mailed to patients. It's this year that she ignored my e-mails for months and hasn't sent me the complete reports that I always get. Last year, she did however delay a long time with a battery order that I had requested. I don't know how to really confront her without offending her and if I should confront her. Maybe I should see how it goes this time, and if she still doesn't get better...I should perhaps switch. I just wonder if I should confront her or not?

By the way, I have the Clarion. One that's not made anymore. I don't like wearing my BWP, but I like that it lasts throughout my working shift without interruptions. My BTE only last between 3-4 hours. That's the norm for my old implant.
 
I hope my post didn't come across as if you knew very little about CIs. If it did, I apologize. :)

Yes -- pinpointing problems with the CI can be a challenge outside of the audi's office. I know what that's like. One day after leaving my CI center I realized that I underestimated my C levels and couldn't hear traffic as a result. While I could have marched right back into my CI center, I was waiting at a bus stop and would have been required to cross a very busy street in order to get back to my CI center -- and there was *no* way I was going to do that if I couldn't hear! All I could do was make it home as safely as I could and wait until the following day for a mapping.

I don't think it would hurt to say something to your audi. Perhaps there's a good reason why she doesn't answer e-mails as promptly as she probably should.

As for audis e-mailing mapping reports and/or hearing evaluations, this is what mine does since I'm totally blind and unable to read print. It works out great for us both because I have the same information other CI users do and can make a printout of my maps for the times I travel out of state.
 
That's all right.

I had my appointment today, and I realized my when we went through the 8 channels, the levels were too high. I can't remember what C, M or T levels are. I forgot them. Could you explain them to me as short as you can? I just could not get it before that the levels were just uncomfortably too high. It's funny that the BTE were easier to program than the BWP. She says that I am not the only one who cannot program the BTE and BWP the same easily. She doesn't know why. I am just glad I finally got that it has to be comfortable. The BTE was different. I am not sure why.

Anyway, I am a little worried because I made quiet a change on my BWP which I wore only as a back up after BTE arrived a few years back. Anyway, well, I don't experience discomfort now, but I am worried that when the environmental sound seem to sound 'controlled.' Like I need to expand something. Looking through the mapping papers she gave me, maybe the IDR range should be increased? What's IDR exactly? Anyone know who has Clarion?

Thanks a lot.
 
im been gone audiologist when i was little girls for ear test but im wearing hearing aids for years but my mom told me and she says its too much to spend that hearing aids.

but i need some new hearing aids for deaf people
 
ClearSky,

I don't have a Clarion/AB CI, but I can tell you what IDR is. IDR (input dynamic range) is a "sound window" that controls how much background noise you hear. The wider the IDR, the more sound you hear. The narrower the IDR, the less background noise you hear. Several CI users I know report good results with an IDR of 60 or 70. Some also do well with an IDR as high as 80 (especially for music enjoyment).

Hope this helps! :)
 
Thanks for your response. I set my BWP way too low. It's frustrating. I knew it wasn't right at the audies office, but I couldn't tell until the real environment. Anyway, so I'll be back to more programming soon : ).
 
sara1981 said:
im been gone audiologist when i was little girls for ear test but im wearing hearing aids for years but my mom told me and she says its too much to spend that hearing aids.

but i need some new hearing aids for deaf people
Click to expand...

you can also get good deals on hearing aids - just watch out the local stores or check on the web ;)

Kind regards, Mark
 
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