trying to make the decision

[Guest guest]

Hi--

I am new to this group and have benefitted from reading some of the previous

postings. I am

a 61 year old professional with differing progressive hearing loss in both ears

and Meniere's.

Recently my hearing loss in my good ear equaled the hearing loss in the bad ear.

During my

cochlear clinic assessment, my discrimination for words tested around 20% in

each ear but

for sentences was up to 90%. With 2 hearing aids I still do well in quiet one

to one settings

and even some quiet group settings. Talking on the phone is however, getting

harder. The

clinic at s Hopkins is suggesting implanting soon before any more loss of

hearing.

I have many questions but the two most important are: what are people's

experience about

implantation when still doing pretty well without?

Has implantation helped (or hurt) people's experience with either tinnitus or

dizziness?

Thanks,

Lynne

[Guest guest]

Lynn,

I too, thought I was doing okay before the implant. After getting it I realized

that I wasn't doing as well as I thought. I'm doing so much better and Lynn is

correct it has benefitted me and those around me. It's so wonderful to just pick

up the phone now and use it. Before I was usung a CapTel phone. My tinnitus is

much improved in my implanted ear. The one thing to remember is it's different

for each person and it takes work and a positive attitude after getting the

implant. Is it worth it....ABSOLUTELY!

Nina

--- Original Message ---

From: " lynnel88 " <lynnel88@...>

Sent:Wed 6/4/08 6:51 am

Subj: trying to make the decision

Hi--

I am new to this group and have benefitted from reading some of the previous

postings. I am

a 61 year old professional with differing progressive hearing loss in both ears

and Meniere's.

Recently my hearing loss in my good ear equaled the hearing loss in the bad ear.

During my

cochlear clinic assessment, my discrimination for words tested around 20% in

each ear but

for sentences was up to 90%. With 2 hearing aids I still do well in quiet one

to one settings

and even some quiet group settings. Talking on the phone is however, getting

harder. The

clinic at s Hopkins is suggesting implanting soon before any more loss of

hearing.

I have many questions but the two most important are: what are people's

experience about

implantation when still doing pretty well without?

Has implantation helped (or hurt) people's experience with either tinnitus or

dizziness?

Thanks,

Lynne

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hi Lynne

My first thought is that you're probably not doing as well as you

think you are if you qualify for a CI. 90% in the booth and in real

life are two different things.

I knew I was struggling, but thought I was doing ok, too. After my CI

I realized how hard I was working just to get through the day. My life

is much easier, now. I use the phone for the first time in 10 years.

Hearing loss no longer runs my life.

My tinnitus (I had severe, constant ringing and also clicks and

various other noises) has completely resolved in my implanted ear,

though I'm sure all have different experiences.

The CI has completely changed my life (and countless others). Please

do your research and consider it. If you have any more questions, ask

away!

Sheila in MI

On Jun 3, 2008, at 10:56 PM, lynnel88 wrote:

> Hi--

>

> I am new to this group and have benefitted from reading some of the

> previous postings. I am

> a 61 year old professional with differing progressive hearing loss

> in both ears and Meniere's.

> Recently my hearing loss in my good ear equaled the hearing loss in

> the bad ear. During my

> cochlear clinic assessment, my discrimination for words tested

> around 20% in each ear but

> for sentences was up to 90%. With 2 hearing aids I still do well in

> quiet one to one settings

> and even some quiet group settings. Talking on the phone is however,

> getting harder. The

> clinic at s Hopkins is suggesting implanting soon before any

> more loss of hearing.

>

> I have many questions but the two most important are: what are

> people's experience about

> implantation when still doing pretty well without?

>

> Has implantation helped (or hurt) people's experience with either

> tinnitus or dizziness?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Lynne

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Lynne,

Another point to consider is, that without a CI, your hearing loss

will probably continue to progress , until you reach the point

where a CI is the only choice. Without a CI, your hearing can only

get worse, whereas with a CI, it will continue to get better. Also,

If you get a CI while your hearing is still pretty good, and your

brain remembers what words are supposed to sound like, you will adapt

to it more easily. I am 80, and my hearing has been degenerating for

the last 35 or so years, until it more or less had completely vanished

about a year ago. My word discrimination and sentence recognition

scores were both 0. I was implanted last November, and am very happy

with my implant - although I have had some problems in adapting to it,

due primarily to the state of my hearing when I finally got the

implant. I wish that I had been more CI aware, and had gotten the

implant 5 - 10 years ago. A final point; you will be able to handle

the surgery better if you are relatively young and healthy. In my

case, it turned out that my heart could not cope with a general

anesthetic, and the first implant attempt had to be aborted. Two

months later, I had the implant with a local anesthetic and sedation.

A little painful, but worth it.

Good Luck

On Jun 3, 2008, at 9:56 PM, lynnel88 wrote:

> Hi--

>

> I am new to this group and have benefitted from reading some of the

> previous postings. I am

> a 61 year old professional with differing progressive hearing loss

> in both ears and Meniere's.

> Recently my hearing loss in my good ear equaled the hearing loss in

> the bad ear. During my

> cochlear clinic assessment, my discrimination for words tested

> around 20% in each ear but

> for sentences was up to 90%. With 2 hearing aids I still do well in

> quiet one to one settings

> and even some quiet group settings. Talking on the phone is however,

> getting harder. The

> clinic at s Hopkins is suggesting implanting soon before any

> more loss of hearing.

>

> I have many questions but the two most important are: what are

> people's experience about

> implantation when still doing pretty well without?

>

> Has implantation helped (or hurt) people's experience with either

> tinnitus or dizziness?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Lynne

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Lynne,

I knew I was struggling but I still functioned with a lot of work. Did ok

in one-on-one conversations and in close quarters. Couldn't talk on the

phone much unless it was with family and then still worked at it. I used

the CAPTEL for many phone conversations. After I had my first CI, I

realized how poorly I was hearing.I knew it was bad but I guess I had kind

of gotten used to it so I dealt with it and kept going and had forgotten

what semi-good hearing was like. My lipreading skills were phenomenal (not

so much anymore because I really don't have that much need for it.) My loss

worsened over the years and then really took a hit when I developed

tinnitus. That's when the struggle really became apparent.

My tinnitus is completely gone UNLESS I have fluid in my ears. Then I will

notice it. Even when I have the CI's off at bedtime, I don't seem to notice

it or if I do, it doesn't seem to last long. I have no dizziness now that

I'm healed. I did for a few weeks after the first and second CI surgeries.

As others have said, everyone is different and responds differently but I

will tell you that this was one of the best decisions I've ever made in my

life. My CI's have improved my life tremendously. I'm not missing out on

my children's conversations. I'm blessed to hear them playing in the next

room while I'm working on whatever chore I'm doing. The list goes on and

on.

Feel free to ask other questions as they come to mind.

Blessed by Him,

Right ear - 3gEsprit - 1/05 using the Freedom processor

Left ear - New Freedom - 8/07

Hi--

I am new to this group and have benefitted from reading some of the previous

postings. I am

a 61 year old professional with differing progressive hearing loss in both

ears and Meniere's.

Recently my hearing loss in my good ear equaled the hearing loss in the bad

ear. During my

cochlear clinic assessment, my discrimination for words tested around 20% in

each ear but

for sentences was up to 90%. With 2 hearing aids I still do well in quiet

one to one settings

and even some quiet group settings. Talking on the phone is however, getting

harder. The

clinic at s Hopkins is suggesting implanting soon before any more loss

of hearing.

I have many questions but the two most important are: what are people's

experience about

implantation when still doing pretty well without?

Has implantation helped (or hurt) people's experience with either tinnitus

or dizziness?

Thanks,

Lynne

------------------------------------