"Sinking" BAHA

[leapyrtwins]

Just wanted to report that I am now a "convert".

For the past several days I've been putting my Divino in the jar of drying beads each night when I go to bed.

I'm not sure I'll continue this practice once I return home from my business trip - it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks (and I'm definitely an old dog) - but we'll see.

Jan

[Kencutus]

Hey Jan,  It takes practice to get used to putting the Baha in the drying jar.  I already made a habit of doing it every day.   

[lori67]

Good job, Jan!  NOW, maybe Cochlear will feature you in a commercial!   

Lori

[leapyrtwins]

Who knows, you may be right.

They recently had a job opening in their Colorado office for a BAHA person, which I would have loved to accept.  But I'm not yet ready to relocate my kids.  Maybe once they finish high school. 

It would be great to turn my volunteering passion into a job that would pay my bills

[hjb4971]

OK, I'm relatively new to this but nobody mentioned drying beads or boxes.....are these only for Cochlear BAHA units?   No-one said to do anything to my Ponto except clean the mics with the brush.

Unlike many of you and many on the UK site, I had absolutelky almost no problem with my incision or the abutement, but we threw out the tooth-brush when it pulled loose a stitch. Since then I wased daily in the shower and my bride cleaned the site maybe two times per week with Q-tips and peroxide. Now that is all healed, we use a little alcohol to clean the abutement.

I do find it interesting that seemingly all of us have an abutement that seems slanted, I though I was the only one. 

[leapyrtwins]

Unlike many of you and many on the UK site, I had absolutelky almost no problem with my incision or the abutement

Most of us here haven't had problems with our incisions or abutments, so I don't know where you got this idea 

Drying beads are essential for keeping moisture out of the microphone(s) of the processor, which prolongs the life of your processor.  If nothing else, you should take your battery out of your unit when it's not in use and remove the cover (or open the battery door) - again, the moisture issue.

The abutment is "slanted" for a purpose.  There needs to be a certain amount of air between the skull and a processor so that it functions properly and sound isn't compromised.  Docs slant the abutment intentionally.

Jan

[hjb4971]

Maybe drying beads are needed just for BP100's.  I was told to open my unit and remove the battery at night but told nothing about drying beads.

[Kencutus]

Maybe drying beads are needed just for BP100's.  I was told to open my unit and remove the battery at night but told nothing about drying beads.

Not so true, It's for all Baha units.  Maybe, Oticon didn't tell you needed to dry out your Ponto.

[leapyrtwins]

Drying beads and drying boxes (kind of like little dehumidifiers) are for all types of hearing devices - including BAHA processors as well as conventional hearing aids. Some believe in them, some don't.

I didn't use my drying beads for 2+ years, but have since been told the importance of them - by numerous people (wearers and audiologists alike).

You can find out more about drying systems on the web - here is one link http://www.dryandstore.com/index.cgi?BISKIT=4210301527&CONTEXT=cat&cat=37

I decided for the amount of money I (and my insurance company) have invested in my processors, something as easy as placing them in a jar or box to increase their lifespan is a no-brainer.  It's easy to do and it's worth the small amount of time it takes.

[dalern]

OK, now I need someone to tell me if my healing is still normal.  Not only do I have bumps but the area around the abutment, just underneath where the post sticks out, no longer feels like my skull.  If feels like there is a sharp piece of metal sticking there.  None of my stitches have dissolved as they were supposed to.  They have sat there on the surface until I nudged them out.  But now, the are just under the abutment feels like metal, not bone.  Anyone else experience that?
~Dale

[leapyrtwins]

Dale -

this isn't a situation I'm familiar with from my own experience, nor have I ever heard of it.

My skull, although originally numb from both my AN and BAHA surgeries, has never felt like anything other than my skull.

I don't have a feeling that a sharp piece of metal - or even a dull piece of metal - is sticking out. 

I can't recall if my stitches dissolved - or if the doc removed them - but I didn't have an issues with that either.  And the area just under my abutment feels like the rest of my skull - not any different.

I'm not sure what to make of this, but I'd definitely consult with the doctor who did your implant.

Good luck and please, keep us posted.

Jan

[Joef]

  None of my stitches have dissolved as they were supposed to.

I took out mine ... it was a few weeks after the surgery... it was getting itchy... I felt a little piece and pulled on it.. a big long peice came out !!

[leapyrtwins]

joef -

did you charge your doctor for this "procedure"? 

Sorry, Dale, couldn't resist the hijack.

Jan

[lori67]

My skull never felt like anything other than my skull either.  It was numb for a while (insert numbskull joke here) and then I got some sensation back.  It's not quite the normal sensation that it used to be, but I can feel it.

I have the same problem with the stitches that are supposed to dissolve too.  My body just doesn't absorb them so they wind up working their way out eventually.  I had my husband pull mine out because they do get itchy.

Dale, it's probably nothing to worry about, but it wouldn't hurt to mention it to your doctor to see what he says.

Lori

[Paul F]

I read somewhere that they have changed the shape of the abutment to keep the skin from growing over it.  I wonder if thats not what Dale is feeling.  I don't know what the new shape is or how it is supposed to work.

Paul