Hearing implants after a translab approach surgery for AN

[Autumnbird]

Hello, I am 47 and due to have translab surgery in November for a 1.5 cm AN. When I asked the doc about hearing option for my AN side ear (severe hearing loss), he said we can look at those options after the surgery. He said cochlear implants might be a possibility but he doesn’t want to raise my hopes. He did say he can transfer sounds from the AN side ear to the other ear (perhaps referring to BAHA or CROS—not sure). Please share your personal experiences and inputs on the hearing options after translab surgery. Also, some people get their hearing device put in at the same time as surgery but I was told that, for me, it’d be done after the surgery. Is that a standard practice too?
Thanks so much!

[alabamajane]

I had translab surgery 10 years  ago yesterday,,,, I decided to get the Cochlear BAHA implanted 3 years after surgery. I’m sure your doctor explained that you will be completely deaf in your AN ear following surgery.  You don’t have to wait that long of course,, I just decided to.

I tried SSD ( single side deaf) for awhile and then decided to try the BAHA. The BAHA surgery is not as invasive as the brain surgery of course and recovery is not hard at all. I like the BAHA and am anticipating getting an upgrade this next  year.  No option will give you excellent hearing again,, but it is better than being deaf on that side.

I’m not sure about having the BAHA surgery at the same time as the translab,,, one surgery was enough to recover from at a time for me.
Good luck!!

[Autumnbird]

Thanks Alabamajane! Were you given the option of cochlear implants? I heard my ENT mention it but I was diagnosed recently and am still researching. On a scale of 1 to 10 how much improvement have you noticed with BAHA? Thanks

[alabamajane]

Hi Autumnbird,,

I was not given the option for the Cochlear implant because I have very good serviceable hearing on Non-AN side. So the BAHA was the option offered to restore some hearing. If you have good hearing on your non AN side it may be the option for you too. I’m not sure but I believe the Cochlear Implant is more for someone without good hearing. I could be wrong though. The BAHA “base” or stud is implanted in your skull ( and the outer processor attaches to it) ,, so the doctor may be speaking of it too when he used the term “Cochlear implant”,,,, but they are two distinct hearing devices.

I have gotten good results over the years with the BAHA. Some people experience better results than others from what I’ve read. In all fairness to the BAHA itself,,, I don’t wear it all day every day as I should,,,,, mainly because I’m retired and at home with hubby and have VERY good hearing without it. Mostly I use it when people come over like grandchildren or when I go out somewhere.

As I said,, it won’t give you back what you had. Nothing will. And I struggle  with “directionality” ,, meaning I can not tell where the sound is coming from if it is from behind me. I’ve heard many people say that. Mainly I get sound in that ear that I do not without it. I am deaf so if the kids stand on that side and talk to me I may not hear them. With the BAHA on, I’m more likely to ,, I look forward to getting the newest upgrade,, BAHA 6 , in the Spring. I think it will be a much better, clearer processor. ( it’s out now but I don’t qualify yet for an upgrade )

I hope that helps a little. Sorry for the rambling 
I would get it implanted again but I probably would not wait 3 years to do it. My brain seems to have adjusted to the deafness and maybe hasn’t “learned” to hear with it as well as it would have. If I’d gotten it sooner after surgery.

Jane

[Autumnbird]

Thanks so much for clarifying!! Since my diagnosis is so recent, I have a ton of questions. I think the surgery part is all finalized, but I am struggling to decide which hearing implants would work best for me. Again, thanks a lot for taking the time to answer my questions !!