When did you consider yourself SSD?

[lholl36233]

Should I consider myself SSD now that my word recognition is zero on the left side?  I feel like as the left side got worse, the right side got better when it never was bad.  Did that happen to anyone else?

[Sefra22]

I consider myself SSD (right side), because I cannot use that ear for the phone. When I put it to my ear, I can very faintly hear the dial tone, but can't really hear words someone may be saying on the other end.  I also tend to find myself leaning in with my left ear whenever someone is talking to me. I don't feel my right side is any better than it was before.

Lisa

[mikjul1]

I consider my self SSD because I can not hear at all on my right side no phone no sounds what so ever deaf. But of course with the Baha I can had to put that in there lol .

[lholl36233]

The interesting thing is, in January, my word discrimination score was 100% but August it was zero.  In January, I couldn't hold the phone to my left ear, the volume was too low so I don't really understand what changed.

Ok, I'm officially SSD.  Did you feel like your good side got better as your bad side got worse?  My right ear is great...

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Laura ~

Nice avatar photo. 

I considered myself to be SSD about a year prior to my diagnosis.  At that point I reluctantly acknowledged that my hearing had been gradually diminishing (in my left ear) for some time and I could no longer 'use' that ear when on the phone.  Foolishly, I just accepted it as a manifestation of 'age".  Fortunately, my hearing had been excellent up until then and my right ear continued to be highly functional.  Today, three years post op, I've completely adjusted to being SSD.  I compensate in small ways and although the hearing loss is an impediment, I don't consider it a handicap.  If it ever became intolerable, there is always the option of acquiring a BAHA. 

Franky, I have some doubts about the hearing in the unaffected ear actually improving, but I could be wrong about that.  My admittedly unprofessional guess is that, as we begin to totally depend on the one 'good' ear for hearing, it gives us the perception that we're hearing more from that ear when, in fact, we're simply depending on it - a lot more.  Just a supposition.  As I stated, I could be wrong.  It wouldn't be the first time.   

Jim

[lholl36233]

I agree with you Jim.  The right ear probably is as good as it ever was.  It just seems like it is better because I am depending more on it than I used to.   

[leapyrtwins]

I considered myself SSD when I actually became completely deaf on my left side as a result of my AN surgery. 

Jan

[lholl36233]

Thank you Jan.  As I've said, I can hear sounds on the phone on the left, just can't make out the words.  I haven't considered it useful hearing in at least a year.   On the 8/5 hearing test, I could ear, Say the word, just couldn't make out the word to say.  I'm confused.   

[epodjn]

I guess I've been SSD longer than I realized. Of course after my translab surgery I was deaf but now that I think about it I was SSD for at least 6 months before surgery. I couldn't hear on the phone and I couldn't hear when people were on my "bad" side. I could hear very loud sounds like thunder, car back fires, etc but quite often I could't tell what exactly it was, just a loud noise.