CI - Just been switched on, would like some advice!

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TSleat

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Just wanting to share my experience, and see if I'm on track!!!

I started loosing my hearing in my 20's albeit gradually...., started with analogue aids, moved on to digital.... managed OK, until about 3 years ago, when had an ear infection and lost all sound in my left ear, and very little left in my right ear! I now use a Phonak Nadia V UP in my right ear, without which I could not manage life! Personally I think this aid is fantastic! However, I still find myself sitting on the sidelines of life in large group situations, meetings, telephone.... It was suggested that I look at having a CI on my deaf left ear!

I had my CI on 3 November, and my Nucleus Freedom was switched on Friday! Definitely had sound, although not very usable, so on my mapping appt on Mon made some changes and am quite impressed! I am trying to leave my HA off (where possible) until I get to grips with the CI. I can converse with my family using CI only, (vocals are sounding robotic, my son thinks its really cool that he sounds like Darth Vadar... bless!) although not yet getting clarity with TV yet!

My main concerns at the mo, which I am hoping someone might have suggestions for:
- so much background cackle/scratcy/noise.... (like tuning in a radio) - constantly - very tiresome
- have had the vocal tones turned up, which is more to my liking, but still the background noise
- its never quiet (like my HA) even in quiet situations, almost unnecessary noise,
- I hear (can only describe as a trumpet playing one note) constantly - would this be tinnitus? Will this go?
- Since the implant on 3 Nov, have a constant metallic/tinny taste on my tongue?

Looking forward, I am hoping that for me the CI will be fantastic!! Although I wonder whether it will be as good as my HA?

Anyway, I'm not moaning, very pleased so far - just wanting to hear that these effects are normal and what I should be suggesting to my audiologist on mapping appt.

Many thanks for your time
Tracy x
 
Hi Tracy from my past experience-2007-strange sounds all time. Just harmonic sounds-streetcars don't have dance music.Right funny-to say the least. The only way to get used to them is have your Implant on all the time. Over time it will help you can used to sounds that you have not heard-previously. The key is for you to be very accurate with your audi re mapping.
Your Cochlear Implant is very different from any Hearing aid which just "amplify sound to be louder".
Give yourself lots of time to this electronic device.

Another plus in getting used to your Implant-go to dances. Reason: people speaking to you with loud music helps your brain adjust. My experience: went to a dance 3 days after activation-right everything sounded weird and my audi adjusted mapping forthwith. Lucky my appointment was the next day.
Further luck- no metallic/tinny taste on my tongue after the operation.
 
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Tracy, It took me about a year to get to a point where speech sounded intelligible. It's still not "normal" (and never will be). But be patient and practice with the CI only an hour or two a day. You may see improvements up to 3 years after. I found I had to keep pushing the envelope with every programming before I started to feel like I could rely on my CI for speech. Good luck with your training and your mappings!
 
TSleat said:
- Since the implant on 3 Nov, have a constant metallic/tinny taste on my tongue?

Tracy x
Click to expand...

That's the bruising of the nerves from the surgery. They stimulate the nerves during surgery to make sure they do not cut the facial nerves. After the surgery the nerves are "bruised". This happened to me as well. This goes away after a few months.
 
Cheetah said:
Tracy, It took me about a year to get to a point where speech sounded intelligible. It's still not "normal" (and never will be). But be patient and practice with the CI only an hour or two a day. You may see improvements up to 3 years after. I found I had to keep pushing the envelope with every programming before I started to feel like I could rely on my CI for speech. Good luck with your training and your mappings!
Click to expand...

This is 4th hand or so, but it's all I can offer. I met a parent whose child has bilateral implants; the 2nd one was done many years after the 1st. The child reports that it took about 5 years to discern speech with the 2nd one to the same level as the 1st. They indicate that hours per day were spent at home training.

Best wishes on your journey.
 
It'll definitely take some time for everything to smooth out I'm sure. Just keep notes of what you're hearing, be as descriptive as possible, so that when you see your audie again, he/she can make appropriate changes to your MAPs. I don't have a CI yet but the note-taking bit is advice I see a lot of CI recipients share with prospective CI users.
 
rivenoak said:
This is 4th hand or so, but it's all I can offer. I met a parent whose child has bilateral implants; the 2nd one was done many years after the 1st. The child reports that it took about 5 years to discern speech with the 2nd one to the same level as the 1st. They indicate that hours per day were spent at home training.

Best wishes on your journey.
Click to expand...

When I get my second CI, at some point I am going to go without my first CI for about a month to force my brain to deal with the weird sounds coming in.
 
Tsleat, you do have an advantagein that you once heard normally and are late deafened. Even with that remember that artificial hearing is never ever going to be as good as normal hearing. Even the best users of a CI are functionally mildly HOH....and a lot of that is in best listening conditions.
 
It does take some time for everything to stabilize, it definitely did with me. Sounds were "weird" for several weeks before they even started to sound "normal". The cracking static noises you are hearing may actually be ambient noise you've never heard before - with me, it was air conditioners, computer fans running, the refrigerator, etc. Once I figured out what was making noise around the house and got my brain to connect it, it started changing the static into actual noises, which was still really annoying since it was so obvious, but after a while, I got used to that and it faded into the background as well. Now even next to a running computer I don't notice it anymore unless I think about it.
 
^^^^^^ Lily, I had a similar experience. I still search for sounds sometimes.
 
Tracy,

Your experience is pretty normal. I also had the "trumpet" sound and it went away after the second mapping. The background noise should not be as much of a problem after more mappings and more time with the implant. It takes time for the brain to get used to the implant. What I hear now with the implant much better than what I was hearing when first activated.
 
It took me 3 years to get speech, BUT i have been deaf since birth which is the factor to slow progress and we weren't expecting me to be able to hear speech. Each person have different progress.

Tinnitus might lessen/dismish after switch on.

Metallic taste, took a good few months to disappear.
 
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