New SSD Questions

[Keri]

Hello Neal,
You and me are in the same boat. I had translab 2 days after you and now I'm SSD. Before surgery, i had 60% hearing loss; I had more hearing in lower ranges. I also thought being SSD would feel pretty much the same (it's not).

Here's what I'm learning 8 weeks post op -
my tinnitus seems better, but it's still there
in environments that aren't too busy or noisy or echo-y, i seem to function just fine. My hearing also seems sort of stereo in these ideal settings.
when there's noise around (a crowded room etc,) it does limit my capacity to hear

This is all obvious stuff. What surprises me now is how different things sound , and they're always changing. I have yet to hear any clicking (i've know several others have heard clicks). But I do hear weird noises. Sometimes my hearing is so obviously impaired. But sometimes, it seems more sensitive. I seem to be more aware of some sounds, at least part of the time. It's very different. I ran in a race the other day (with 8000 others). I've run a lot of races, but when we started, it seemed like every person there was chattering! I've never noticed that before; just noticed a couple of people talking. It sounded like the whole world was talking softly. Today when I walked up my driveway, i was really aware of my feet hitting the ground (i wasn't marching or anything!). it's just seems to be an acute awareness of background noises at times.
Other times, i just hear some loud or pronouced noise. This morning i swore i heard thunder (weather was clear). the other night i heard a loud, high pitched screech in my deaf ear (only lasted a moment, thank goodness).

Since I'm going through these changes and adjusting to the new type of hearing i have, I'm holding off on the BAHA or other decision. And, like you, I just don't want another head surgery there right now. Once things 'settle down' I want to check into the BAHA, or Transear (leaning towards BAHA, but will be looking forward to your impressions of the transear). I'm hoping that once I adjust to hearing loss that when i do get a hearing aid, it will be better and I'll be thrilled! Right now, it's been a year since i heard normally anyway. Hopefully a hearing aid will someday bring a big improvement.

Keep me / us posted. I hope you come up with some solutions that you are satisfied with.

[nteeman]

Hello Neal,
You and me are in the same boat. I had translab 2 days after you and now I'm SSD. Before surgery, i had 60% hearing loss; I had more hearing in lower ranges. I also thought being SSD would feel pretty much the same (it's not).

Here's what I'm learning 8 weeks post op -
my tinnitus seems better, but it's still there
in environments that aren't too busy or noisy or echo-y, i seem to function just fine. My hearing also seems sort of stereo in these ideal settings.
when there's noise around (a crowded room etc,) it does limit my capacity to hear

This is all obvious stuff. What surprises me now is how different things sound , and they're always changing. I have yet to hear any clicking (i've know several others have heard clicks). But I do hear weird noises. Sometimes my hearing is so obviously impaired. But sometimes, it seems more sensitive. I seem to be more aware of some sounds, at least part of the time. It's very different. I ran in a race the other day (with 8000 others). I've run a lot of races, but when we started, it seemed like every person there was chattering! I've never noticed that before; just noticed a couple of people talking. It sounded like the whole world was talking softly. Today when I walked up my driveway, i was really aware of my feet hitting the ground (i wasn't marching or anything!). it's just seems to be an acute awareness of background noises at times.
Other times, i just hear some loud or pronouced noise. This morning i swore i heard thunder (weather was clear). the other night i heard a loud, high pitched screech in my deaf ear (only lasted a moment, thank goodness).

Since I'm going through these changes and adjusting to the new type of hearing i have, I'm holding off on the BAHA or other decision. And, like you, I just don't want another head surgery there right now. Once things 'settle down' I want to check into the BAHA, or Transear (leaning towards BAHA, but will be looking forward to your impressions of the transear). I'm hoping that once I adjust to hearing loss that when i do get a hearing aid, it will be better and I'll be thrilled! Right now, it's been a year since i heard normally anyway. Hopefully a hearing aid will someday bring a big improvement.

Keep me / us posted. I hope you come up with some solutions that you are satisfied with.

Keri,

Thanks for your reply. I will definately let you know how I do with the TransEar. I was fitted last Saturday and I am now waiting for it to be delivered.

I went to a meeting at my Masonic Lodge Monday night and noticed a few things. First, the lodge room is big and has lots of ECHO -- this caused a constant ringing in my deaf ear even if only one person is talking.  Next, many of my lodge brothers hadn't seen me since before the surgery and when several brothers would call me at the same time I found myself turning round and round trying to figure out who was calling me and from where. After a bit some would call out 'I'm over here!'  I reacted with a laugh and it stuck me as more humorus than anoying and while I realize that in another situation this could be hazardous, I also realized that I can, and must, learn to live with this.

Cheers
Neal

[LADavid]

Wow, Neal.  As far as I know you are the first to mention the woosh/thump.  I get it in the middle of the night.  I've had tinnitus for 25 years and it was only after surgery that it started happening.  I thought it was my neighbors above me until I moved and I didn't have any neighbors above me.  I'm seeing my doctor on Friday and I'll ask.
David

[mikjul1]

Hi everyone, I got my new TransEar 380-HF with bi direction microphones it is nice I have been deaf in my right ear since I was 7 yrs old I am now 39.I tried a cros aid in 1998 an hated it I went to the audiologists 2 weeks ago and he told me about the trans ear and baha but recommened the transear which he heard about and it was new to him so I got it, I love it it would be like have a head set on and turning the volume up to 3 in your good ear. Of corse they tell me that my brain will learn to adapt to hearing again in my right ear so we will see if it gets louder but I am happy with it because I could not hear out of it any way so I am so happy I have some hearing out of it. The only problem that I am having out of it is so times I get alot of feed back towards the afternoon when I turn my head or talk. but the audioloigist is still fine tuning it.I did not have the old model so I can not compare sorry but this model is great get the bi directional mic they say I am the first to have it they did not even put it on the order form yet I just happen to talk to transear and they told me about it so I told them to put it in it was a $100.00 more the hole thing was 2500.00 but my insurance covered 1400 of it. hope this helps.

[LADavid]

Hey Neal (and everyone who has had this),
I saw my doctor today and asked him about the whoosh, thump sound I get in the middle of the night -- what you desribed too.  He wasn't surprised at all.  He said that is a result of SSD.  Your brain is making up stuff.  And to think that I thought it was noisey neighbors.
David

[nteeman]

David,

Yes, and as I awoke this morning to one of those phantom sounds with some relief I realized that you heard it too.

 

Neal

[ScoobyDoo]

Hi, Neal!

I've had progressive hearing loss in my right ear for 5 years.  My audiologist says I am now SSD, although I do have some hearing in that ear.  The upper portion of my ear is dead and my speech recognition is only 36%.  I don't know if I have an AN, may not, but I do have the hearing loss.  My audiologist said to stop wearing my hearing aid and in a noisy environment, to put an ear plug in my bad ear to stop it from trying to hear.

The first time I experienced a "whooshing" was during my last hearing test.  As I understand it, as I was being tested, the tone was in a frequency range where my ear is dead.  The volume was so loud that other areas of the cochlea picked up the vibration and it comes across as a whoosh.  I don't know if that's what you are experiencing.

As for tinnitus, I have a constant high-pitched tone.  I do experience fluttering sounds frequently and every now and then Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader try another light-sabre fight in my right ear.  Can never tell who wins, but it's quite a show while they're doing it!    My tinnitus is pretty constant, all things considered.  It does bother me but I just have to put up with it.  I wish I could just hear "silence" again for even a few moments.

Since my hearing has been progressively worsening, I have probably just adapted slowly over time without realizing it.  Yours would be more dramatic.  I do find that I can't understand anyone on my right side and I'm constantly doing the SSD-shuffle trying to move so that I always keep people on my left side.  It is funny how many people move with me and I have to tell them to stay still while I move so that I can hear them.

You do get used to SSD and cope with it.  Over time it becomes less of an issue.  I find that I just avoid situations where there is a lot of background noise (such as dances and house parties). 

[nteeman]

Hi, Neal!

I've had progressive hearing loss in my right ear for 5 years.  My audiologist says I am now SSD, although I do have some hearing in that ear.  The upper portion of my ear is dead and my speech recognition is only 36%.  I don't know if I have an AN, may not, but I do have the hearing loss.  My audiologist said to stop wearing my hearing aid and in a noisy environment, to put an ear plug in my bad ear to stop it from trying to hear.

The first time I experienced a "whooshing" was during my last hearing test.  As I understand it, as I was being tested, the tone was in a frequency range where my ear is dead.  The volume was so loud that other areas of the cochlea picked up the vibration and it comes across as a whoosh.  I don't know if that's what you are experiencing.

As for tinnitus, I have a constant high-pitched tone.  I do experience fluttering sounds frequently and every now and then Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader try another light-sabre fight in my right ear.  Can never tell who wins, but it's quite a show while they're doing it!    My tinnitus is pretty constant, all things considered.  It does bother me but I just have to put up with it.  I wish I could just hear "silence" again for even a few moments.

Since my hearing has been progressively worsening, I have probably just adapted slowly over time without realizing it.  Yours would be more dramatic.  I do find that I can't understand anyone on my right side and I'm constantly doing the SSD-shuffle trying to move so that I always keep people on my left side.  It is funny how many people move with me and I have to tell them to stay still while I move so that I can hear them.

You do get used to SSD and cope with it.  Over time it becomes less of an issue.  I find that I just avoid situations where there is a lot of background noise (such as dances and house parties). 

I know just what you mean. I've been trying to keep it a humorous aspect of my life.  The other day at work after I finished my business I was washing up as my boss came to use the sink on my left (SSD) side. He ran that faucet and began talking to me very seriously about some work issue. I kept nodding my head as if I understood him and then as he paused to get my reply to whatever he had just asked me, I replied with a smile, "You know you are on my deaf side and with 2 faucets running I have no f*ing idea what you are taliking about."  We both had a good laugh. 

Neal

[leapyrtwins]

Very funny story, Neal and a wonderful "live" illustration of what SSD is really like.

I've been in situations like this many, many times - especially at work.  Prior to my BAHA I just used to nod my head, smile, and say "um hm".
It was frightening how many times I had no idea what I was agreeing to or what people had just told me.  My BAHA has helped me greatly in this area.  I'm confident your TransEar will do the same for you.

Jan

[sgerrard]

Great anecdote, Neal. It's a good thing you have a boss with a decent sense of humor. If I had said that to my boss's boss Randy, he would have been quick to reply "Do you ever?" 

Steve