Been referred for a cochlear implant

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ukgirlie

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Yikes! I never quite thought I would be referred for an implant... I was born with a severe hearing loss in both ears and wore hearing aids all my life - I heard well enough to use the telephone depending on who was speaking and speak to most people with relative ease.

Unfortunately, my hearing this year suddenly dropped to profound in one ear (exceeding 100db in one ear and remains severe in the other ear).

Had a speech discrimination test and I scored 40% listening solely with my better ear and 44%-50% bilaterally. (I had 62% speech discrimination with both ears before my hearing dropped).

Am I likely to be offered an implant? given that my better ear still gets benefit from a hearing aid - the other ear is dead and I hear next to nothing with a hearing aid in the ear and listening out of one ear alone with a hearing aid isn't really good enough...

What should I expect being referred for an implant? Xxx
 
UK? Doesn't a part of it depend upon your age there?
 
ukgirlie said:
I am 24 :)
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Hmm. I think that means you get one at the most.

I can't be too helpful. With any luck one of the UK CI people will show up and talk to you.

At any rate, welcome to AD! :)
 
I would be very happy with an implant in my worse ear and a hearing aid in the other - i've heard (with hearing aids) out of both ears my entire life...it's a shock only suddenly hearing out of one ear which isn't that great to begin with. I was coping fine until now... the imbalance in hearing between the ears is quite distressing and it would be great to get something in my suddenly profound ear to balance it out xxx
 
in the states, those scores are enough to qualify for a CI. I don't know the criteria/system in the UK. But if you are being referred, you might qualify.
 
What to expect from Cochlear Implant consideration: the ENT doctor will examine very carefully the "state of your ears". Also the state of your health- can you survive the operation?
In general that is what happened to me-7 years ago in "review for Cochlear Implant".
I was a bit older than you-70.
As noted above-different countries may/do specific criteria re Cochlear Implants.

Much success in your upcoming "journey".
 
I tend to be on the semi conservative side when it comes to implantation, but I DO think that YES, your SRS are low, and since you do have a "dead" ear it should be relatively easy to get implanted..
 
I am also from the UK! You can have one CI, I am 24 also :) You have to have a speech discrimination score of 50% or less, but the CI team will do a bunch of testing to make sure you are a suitable candiate if that is what you want
 
Sorry for the late reply! It's been a busy few days and I've been a bit under the weather. Well, I was referred a couple of weeks ago, do you all know how long it'll take for the appointment to come through?

I'm terrified they'll reject me as a candidate... they say my better ear is still slightly too good to be implanted... it's 90 in the low frequencies, 80-70 in the mid frequencies and rises to 60 in the high frequencies. I still get some benefit with a hearing aid but on its own... its not good enough. I'm having trouble talking to EVERYONE and it never used to be this difficult... the reason my hearing dropped was due to an operation that went badly wrong. But, despite this, I have a horrible feeling I won't be a candidate which will devastate me as I really can't hear a thing xxx
 
(when I say my better ear is still slightly too good to be implanted, I meant in general, not that that ear was going to be implanted - I wish for the ear that's been dead for 6 months to be implanted and keep my hearing aid in the other ear)
 
ukgirlie said:
(when I say my better ear is still slightly too good to be implanted, I meant in general, not that that ear was going to be implanted - I wish for the ear that's been dead for 6 months to be implanted and keep my hearing aid in the other ear)
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EMPHASIZE that! Really.... Very strongly emphasize that you want your dead ear implanted. Also emphasize that you're having extreme significant difficulty hearing, in ALL situtions, including best listening situions.
 
I shouldn't have gotten a dead ear from my operation... it was blundered/something happened, so I feel like my hearing was taken away from me... it will be a double blow if they reject my candidacy. My brother who was born deafer than me, also actually has an implant. I just feel like the NHS owes me something for making my life more physically difficult :( Xxx
 
If you kind folks can inbox me or even type on here your experiences transitioning from wearing HA to CI, I would really appreciate it. I want to get as big a picture as possible of what I am possibly getting myself into. Thanks all :) X
 
30% speech scores with HA's to 98/100% speech scores with bilateral implants....enough said :D

It's too bad the UK (and Canada) can't get with the program and give you 2 working ears....
 
wow! amazing! what's your hearing history like? were you born hard of hearing or profoundly deaf or? I'd be happy with one implant provided I still get to wear my hearing aid in the other ear.
 
ukgirlie said:
wow! amazing! what's your hearing history like? were you born hard of hearing or profoundly deaf or? I'd be happy with one implant provided I still get to wear my hearing aid in the other ear.
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I lost about 50% of my hearing in my late 20's and it gradually went down from there. Finally got to the point were understanding what was being said just was not there and a friend suggested I look into CI's..so here I am 2 years later and loving life :D.
 
Ah so you weren't born deaf! That would explain how you get tons of benefit with an implant! Glad it worked out well. :)
 
HOH-ME said:
30% speech scores with HA's to 98/100% speech scores with bilateral implants....enough said :D

It's too bad the UK (and Canada) can't get with the program and give you 2 working ears....
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Wow!! I have had my CI for 14 years and I get 52%, they havent changed hardly at all since 2 years post op! Anything is better than 0% I guess.
 
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