Now considered DEAF, can wear with the help of hearing aids. Possible C.I. ?

[Rachel Serrano]

I had another audiologist exam and my hearing is now considered on the profound side. My hearing aids help me hear but my audiologist thinks that the best bet for me would be getting a Cochlear Implant. I guess my question is, has anyone switched from hearing aids to CI, and if so, did your hearing get better?
I'm worried about the whole surgery thing and the learning curve with the implants. I heard that it will feel weird after a while, is this correct?

Would you recommend getting Cochlear Implants?

 

[LoveBlue]

I'm late-deafened and wore hearing aids for 15+ years. Last year I got my first implant (may be getting the other ear done this year). Yes, I hear so much better now - while wearing the processor. At night, peace and quiet.

 

[Sarfarigirl2011]

I had another audiologist exam and my hearing is now considered on the profound side. My hearing aids help me hear but my audiologist thinks that the best bet for me would be getting a Cochlear Implant. I guess my question is, has anyone switched from hearing aids to CI, and if so, did your hearing get better?
I'm worried about the whole surgery thing and the learning curve with the implants. I heard that it will feel weird after a while, is this correct?

Would you recommend getting Cochlear Implants?

my mom is where you are! (hearing aids helps but we'll see what's up since her 1st testing in '14)

 

[Some guy]

If you have profound deafness on one side and decent hearing on the other side, I would think a while about the CI.

I got a CI on one side, and now I cannot wear my hearing aid in the other ear. The CI transmits the sound at a different speed than the hearing aid...A split second difference, but it sounds like an echo. So, it is difficult to hear the words.

My hearing aid side is not too good...it is probably at 20% word understanding capacity at best. So, I use the CI only, as with it I have about a 40 -50% word understanding (which is not great, but better than I had).

So, if your "good side" is fairly decent in hearing with the HA, you may want to think about it, or talk to the doctor about a good system that would allow transmission at the same time (I think Phonak has some HA that is compatible with CIs...I am not sure).

I had my CI for about 3 months now...In my circumstance it is clearly better than what I had. But, it is not great...Though I am still going through adjustments.

Good luck...it is not an easy choice...

Have they given you the literature yet about the different systems?....Cochlear, Med El, etc....Wait until you see that nonsense,,,You need an engineering degree to read it.

 

[LoveBlue]

I had no problem using my HA with my CI. It may have helped that I had a Phonak HA and had gotten an Advanced Bionics CI since they're now owned by the same company I now have a Link HA which is Phonak's HA that is specifically made to work with the AB CI. They "talk" to each other (change the program on one and the other changes program, etc.)

 

[Some guy]

I had no problem using my HA with my CI. It may have helped that I had a Phonak HA and had gotten an Advanced Bionics CI since they're now owned by the same company I now have a Link HA which is Phonak's HA that is specifically made to work with the AB CI. They "talk" to each other (change the program on one and the other changes program, etc.)

I am curious about that. Does the transmitted sound to the HA side enhance your understanding of speech?...That is, do you understand better because you are hearing with both ears?...It is basically from the same receiver. What I am asking is if you turn off the HA and only listen with the CI is the clarity the same?....Or does using both at the same time make the clarity of the words better (help you hear clearer)?

 

[LoveBlue]

I am curious about that. Does the transmitted sound to the HA side enhance your understanding of speech?...That is, do you understand better because you are hearing with both ears?...It is basically from the same receiver. What I am asking is if you turn off the HA and only listen with the CI is the clarity the same?....Or does using both at the same time make the clarity of the words better (help you hear clearer)?

1) As far as I know, the sound is only transmitted between the CI and the HA if I’m using Zoom Control when I want to focus on someone’s voice on my HA side (if I’m in the car or other noisy place). Or if using DuoPhone with the phone. They basically do the same thing - turn down the “volume” on the HA. I use zoom control on the phone.
2) The Link, and my old HA, smoothes out the sound making things sound better. So, yes, I notice if I’m not wearing my HA.
3) Hearing with 2 ears is definitely better than with just one.

 

[Some guy]

1) As far as I know, the sound is only transmitted between the CI and the HA if I’m using Zoom Control when I want to focus on someone’s voice on my HA side (if I’m in the car or other noisy place). Or if using DuoPhone with the phone. They basically do the same thing - turn down the “volume” on the HA. I use zoom control on the phone.
2) The Link, and my old HA, smoothes out the sound making things sound better. So, yes, I notice if I’m not wearing my HA.
3) Hearing with 2 ears is definitely better than with just one.

Thanks....It's something to think about.

 

[LoveBlue]

Thanks....It's something to think about.

I have an Advanced Bionics CI which “pairs” with the Link HA. I don’t know if other brands have anything similar, but would think it’s still better to have an HA for the non-implanted ear. If the non-implanted ear gets no benefit from an HA, AB has the CROS HA which transmit sounds on that side to the CI on the other ear.

 

[ecp]

I had another audiologist exam and my hearing is now considered on the profound side. My hearing aids help me hear but my audiologist thinks that the best bet for me would be getting a Cochlear Implant. I guess my question is, has anyone switched from hearing aids to CI, and if so, did your hearing get better?
I'm worried about the whole surgery thing and the learning curve with the implants. I heard that it will feel weird after a while, is this correct?

Would you recommend getting Cochlear Implants?

My hearing with Naida SP and UP hearing aids was never higher than 50dB in the lows and didn’t even make the audiogram in the highs. My speech scores were in the single digits WITH hearing aids and a very loud signal.
3 months after getting g my CI, I had something like 90% word understanding at conversational levels.

Now I can’t wear my hearing aid in my unimplanted ear because it sounds like garbage.

Keep in mind that before getting a CI, I had hearing was worse than in the audiogram below. I have no hearing above 1k and no hearing below 100dB.

 

[Anni890]

i have ci now, its been 2 years. i can say, i hear a lot better, but not enough to enter hearing world. back then i was against ci op, after all it was my very first time with op. however, my hearing gotten worse, i became depressed , tried to be full deaf, no , i couldnt it, and talked a lot with friends who have ci. dear rachel, you have to be clear, if you expedetions too high , you will fall. in my case, i told myself, i dont think i will able to hear 100 % , but i want to hear something, just like in old times. and so, i agreed to to have op. and now, i dont regret. so, ah right, back then, left ear there i had hearing aid. for op i decide on right ear, because if the docs mess up with my right ear, i could continue to hear with my left ear. after OP it was success, i tried to hear with hearing aid on the left and CI on the right ear. omg, the gap is too big. ci is far more powerful. i rejected a lof the offer from doc who are too quick. no no, please take your time, its up to you. greet from berlin

 

[stephonical]

Hello,
My name is Stefon and I lost my hearing at the age of 6 due to Bacterial Meningitis. A 109° fever burnt the hairs on both of my Cochleas which caused 100% hearing loss.
As a experimental child for a Cochlear Implant in the late 80s, i have to say that it has changed my life completely. With a Cochlear Implant compatible hearing aid such as the Nucleus 6..... My hearing is up to about 85% which is borderline average.
The latest and greatest Cochlear technology makes sounds crystal clear and if things get too loud to carry on a conversation, you can change Cochlear settings to lower background noise while focusing on closer sounds. It really helps. There is also a way to change settings for music as well along with other options to help you get the most out of your hearing aid. Even with a Bluetooth accessory or a Nucleus 7 that allows Bluetooth connections with iphones(android coming soon)...... You can get audio to bypass speakers and go straight to your hearing aid.
Ive never used a In The Ear or Behind The Ear hearing aid so I cant tell you the difference between those and a Cochlear Hearing Aid.
As a Cochlear Implant recipient, I remember the surgery being completely painless. Also the learning curve...... Well i cant say much on this topic because my 1st hearing was back in 1988 and technology has changed a lot since the old days. But it did take me a while to get used to the sounds. Eventually you get used to it and everything becomes enjoyable.
I hope this helps.

 

[deafdyke]

i have ci now, its been 2 years. i can say, i hear a lot better, but not enough to enter hearing world.

There's NO device that will allow you to "enter the hearing world" Even the best users of devices still need closed captioned, FMs and other ALDs. HOH is NOT hearing!

 

[LoveBlue]

There's NO device that will allow you to "enter the hearing world" Even the best users of devices still need closed captioned, FMs and other ALDs. HOH is NOT hearing!

FALSE!!
I have a CI and I don’t need all the ALDs I needed when I wore HAs. My HEARING is normal with my CI.

 

[deafdyke]

FALSE!!
I have a CI and I don’t need all the ALDs I needed when I wore HAs. My HEARING is normal with my CI.

The MAJORITY including virtually ALL born/early dhh function as HOH with CI. There may be superstars but again if the CI gives "normal" hearing levels, then why does HLAA promote usage of ALDs? Also do you use closed captioned? Do you have difficulty in noise? Even unilateral dhh people do.....

 

[LoveBlue]

The MAJORITY including virtually ALL born/early dhh function as HOH with CI. There may be superstars but again if the CI gives "normal" hearing levels, then why does HLAA promote usage of ALDs? Also do you use closed captioned? Do you have difficulty in noise? Even unilateral dhh people do.....

Guess what. People without hearing loss have difficulty in noise. And some CI users can actually hear better than them in noise.

Hearing & hearing loss is not one size fits all so stop generalizing about the deaf & HoH.

 

[deafdyke]

Guess what. People without hearing loss have difficulty in noise. And some CI users can actually hear better than them in noise.

Hearing & hearing loss is not one size fits all so stop generalizing about the deaf & HoH.

No, it isn't but even an AUDI will tell you that functioning exactly like a hearing person with a CI is rare, even for a late deafened person. Otherwise why all the ALDs etc? Its not an attack on you and people will still use and investigate CIs even if they aren't marketed as exactly like hearing person hearing

 

[LoveBlue]

No, it isn't but even an AUDI will tell you that functioning exactly like a hearing person with a CI is rare, even for a late deafened person. Otherwise why all the ALDs etc? Its not an attack on you and people will still use and investigate CIs even if they aren't marketed as exactly like hearing person hearing

Just stop. YOU don’t have a CI, do you? YOU can’t speak from experience can you?
Sure, many, and probably most, CI users still use ALDs, but there are those of us who hear just fine with our CIs. And from my experience talking with CI users online I don’t think we’re rare.
And you are attacking me because I don’t fit your perception of a deaf/HoH person with a CI.

 

[Anni890]

dear deafdyke,
i am saying to rachel. many people tends to think, once you have ci , you are like hearing one. so i am telling her, in my case i am not enough for that, but much better. I knew before op i would not hear 100%.... besides, there are ci user who dont need cloes captioned. *envy*
but I still do need it.

 

[Jane B.]

dear deafdyke,
i am saying to rachel. many people tends to think, once you have ci , you are like hearing one. so i am telling her, in my case i am not enough for that, but much better. I knew before op i would not hear 100%.... besides, there are ci user who dont need cloes captioned. *envy*
but I still do need it.

My understanding is that by keeping using the CI to listen and have additional mappings it can continue to improve even over years.