How long should I have to put up with uncomfortableness of CI

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lslatter

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I had the cochlear implant surgery last December and was activated in January. I have had mapping done every 3-4 months and was told I was making progress every time. But I could never get comfortable with it enough to keep the ear processor on for any longer than 6 hours at a time. It seems I was continually bracing myself against the shrilly sounds. I was born with nerve deafness with 98% loss of hearing. My brother, also born with nerve deafness but with slightly more hearing also had the implant done (2 yrs ago). He says that whenever he hears a new sound, he gets dizzy but after a few days he's ok with it. Same thing with a friend. She had as much hearing loss as I do, and she's fine after a few days too. That has never happened to me yet. The shrilly sounds is just constant. What does that mean? Do I just need more time to adjust to the high pitches? Or am I having the wrong mapping done? My audiologist keeps reassuring me that everyone just responds to CI differently and my brain just needs time to adjust. But it's been almost a year now. Has anyone else had this same experience?
 
It sounds to me like you need a new map. If sounds are shrill (they shouldn't be at this point), it's a sign that there's a problem with your current map. I don't know your ci audi, but if he/she is unwilling to help you create a good map, I would find another audi to work with.
 
Also, you need to keep wearing it. The more you have it on, the easier it will get. If you keep taking it off your brain will never learn to understand and interpret the sounds you are hearing. My daughter's audiologist said that you can turn the volume down to "get a break" but don't take it off, that is counter-productive.
 
Both posters (hear again and Faire jour) are right.
I had shrill sounds when in the first few weeks of activation, it was awful i was so scared, explained to the audi, she changed the entire maps, it has been much better since.
My Friend is also CI user, recently she had experinced similar problems as you are having (she's 2 year user), she had an emergency mapping change and it had improved since.

Have u had different Audis during your mappings??
Have you turned your senstivty down? (which brand are you using?)
 
I think you should try a new map.

Don't wear it if it's physically uncomfortable to wear. Take it off until you get your new mapping done. I've found with wearing hearing aids that were phyisically uncomfortable just made problems worse. I don't wear hearing aids any more. I want going to get myself a tactaid 7 instead.
 
What brand do you have?

With advanced bionics, there are so many different ways to fix a mapping. You might need some electrons turned off or a setting lowered. You need to communicate with your audie. If you still are not getting more comfort, then ask for an audie from the company to come and map you.
 
to the op: have you seen your audi (or a new audi) for another mapping? if so, how did it go? are things sounding better for you?
 
dreama said:
I think you should try a new map.

Don't wear it if it's physically uncomfortable to wear. Take it off until you get your new mapping done. I've found with wearing hearing aids that were phyisically uncomfortable just made problems worse. I don't wear hearing aids any more. I want going to get myself a tactaid 7 instead.
Click to expand...

The problem with taking ci off until we get new map is that when we put them back on after period of time it becomes too distorted / intorable and it will be even more uncomfortable to wear for the OP. OP needs keep wearing it even just for few hours a day with volumes setted low and book for new mapping asap with new audi if possible.

I have been told this through my audi and I know a friend who took her ci off for two weeks due to infection, she didn't realise that she would need to remap her ci to lower settings since her nerve was without stimulation for 2 weeks. When she put it back on after 2 weeks, She got so upset and thought things weren't right as it sounded so loud/distorted. The audi had since lowers her mappings then granually increased to her normal setting over few weeks.

Would be interested to see whats Tactaid 7 is? :D
 
charlotte is right. the same thing happened to me when i experienced migraines after wearing my processor (1st ci) for only 2 hours. my ci audi advised me to take a break when needed, but to continue wearing my ci at all times with the volume setting turned down low. she said that if i had gone even a week without wearing my ci, it would have resulted in an oversensitivity to sound necessitating the need for a new, quieter map.
 
Wow, looks and sounds interesting.. So it is put on the body? and virbrates when sounds comes in?
 
overthepond said:
Wow, looks and sounds interesting.. So it is put on the body? and virbrates when sounds comes in?
Click to expand...

yes, that's correct. unfortunately, the tactaid 7 isn't sold to individuals -- only doctors, audis and those who work in the field of deafness.
 
Hear again is right. I'm still waiting for my apointment with Audiologist. These things take ages. I just hope it's still sold by the time I get an apointment.
 
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