Surgery Date

[Carrol]

I haven't posted anything for quite a while.  I was diagnosed with a 2 cm AN back in Feb.  This has been a very rough year. My dad died in April and in July I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy and a sentinal node biopsy in August and then twenty radiation treatments in October. I just finished the radiation on October 29. My AN translab surgery is now scheduled for Nov 16th at Sunnybrook Hosp. in Toronto, Ontario. I'm wondering how long the surgery usualy takes, I forgot to ask. This week I am having the balance testing and a pre-op appointment.
I read that some people get  a Baha. My doctor has never mentioned anything about this. He just said I would be SSD after the surgery. Does the doctor usually wait until after the surgery to mention the Baha at a follow up appointment or is this something I have to initiate. Should I have asked about it before this? I'm wondering if this is a possibility, why he never mentioned it.

Carrol

[opp2]

Hi Carrol, so sorry to hear of all the troubles, You've certainly had your share. The surgery generally, not as a rule, takes 6-8 hours. Some are much shorter, occasionally they are longer. The doctors I spoke to in Ontario and BC did not mention BAHA, and when I mentioned BAHA to my otolaryngologist in BC he sort of waved his hand and said he didn't think it was any better than any other bone conduction device. (though I've heard he has recommended it for other folks). Seems to me the BAHA is more popular in other areas than Toronto. Now with all that said, I have done only minimal research into BAHA because I don't believe it will improve my situation, and I really don't want another surgery, no matter how minor it may be.

I hope that helps, and I'll be thinking good thoughts for you.

NIkki

[leapyrtwins]

Carrol -

congratulations on the surgery date.

I have a BAHA - my doc implants them, but not all docs do, which may be why yours never mentioned it (?)

There are also some docs who don't believe BAHAs are that great - but I subscribe to the theory that unless you personally have one, you really can't make that judgment.

As someone who has had a BAHA for over 2 1/2 years I can honestly say that I've never regretted the surgery and that I love my BAHA and don't know what I'd do without it.

Some docs who implant BAHAs combine the surgery with AN surgery - some don't (my doctor falls into the latter category).

Obviously it's a personal choice, but if you want more information on BAHAs, here is one of my favorite links that explains how it works http://www.umm.edu/otolaryngology/baha.htm

And you should also check out the Cochlear websites.  Their main site where you'll find general information and a list of clinics where you can have a BAHA implanted is www.cochlearamericas.com and they also have a discussion forum similiar to this one called the Cochlear Community (www.cochlearcommunity.com)

Jan

[Carrol]

Thanks Jan and Nikki for the info. I checked the hospital website and my doctor does do implants, Coclear I think.  I am just wondering why he hasn't mentioned that a bone conductor hearing device might be an option for me. I guesss I'll ask him at surgery time. I had the balance testing today and my balance nerve is pretty well dead. The warm water in the AN ear didn't bother me at all but when they did the good ear my goodness was I dizzy. They said that would actually be better for me after surgery adjusting to the nerve being cut because the opposite side has already taken over. Surgery is one week today.

Carrol

[GramaSuby]

Carrol,
Good luck on your surgery! I just had mineon 9/30. My Dr never mentioned the BAHA either though I think he does the surgery, It is something I need to look into since the SSD is really bugging me. Especially since I can no longer enjoy stereo sound anymore/  Again I hope that all goes well w/ your surgery and recovery. Let us know how it goes
Sue

[opp2]

Thanks Jan and Nikki for the info. I checked the hospital website and my doctor does do implants, Coclear I think.  I am just wondering why he hasn't mentioned that a bone conductor hearing device might be an option for me. I guesss I'll ask him at surgery time. I had the balance testing today and my balance nerve is pretty well dead. The warm water in the AN ear didn't bother me at all but when they did the good ear my goodness was I dizzy. They said that would actually be better for me after surgery adjusting to the nerve being cut because the opposite side has already taken over. Surgery is one week today.

Carrol

Hopefully so Carrol. I had zero response on the an side as well, and suffered no balance issues after surgery (well nothing that couldn't have been put down to the morphine and tylenol I was getting every couple of hours :-))

I know it kind of sucks to say you have an 'advantage' by having a non functioning vestibular nerve but that's how I chose to look at it.

[nftwoed]

Best wishes, Carrol;

   I trust you'll do fine. My translab was 8 1/2 hours. I've read from 6 hours to 18+ hours depending upon tumor size and position.
   Re, BAHA, of course not all are candidates. An audiologist can tell you whether your air bone conduction gap is in suitable range to whether you will have good enough bone conduction for the device.
   I preferred to get used to SSD rather than burden myself with any extracurricular device which does not restore binaural hearing even if working properly. I think in time, for most people, the hearing ear compensates very well. Others may differ in opinion and I guess that's one of the reasons for a group.
   Bless you, for a good outcome of your surgery, Carroll. After the first couple days, it's all uphill usually.

   nftwoed

[CHD63]

Carrol .....

Somehow I missed the original post on this thread ..... and here it is today you are in surgery!  My thoughts and prayers are with you.

I hope someone will let us know how you are doing.  If not, when you feel up to it, let us know how you are.

Clarice

[leapyrtwins]

Re, BAHA, of course not all are candidates. An audiologist can tell you whether your air bone conduction gap is in suitable range to whether you will have good enough bone conduction for the device.
   I preferred to get used to SSD rather than burden myself with any extracurricular device which does not restore binaural hearing even if working properly. I think in time, for most people, the hearing ear compensates very well.

Generally anyone who is SSD is a BAHA candidate - and even some who aren't completely SSD but have compromised hearing on one side are candidates.  It depends on the degree of the compromised hearing.  A neurotologist can tell you, based on a hearing test, whether a BAHA would work for you.

Not sure what you mean by "an audiologist can tell you whether your air bone conduction gap is in suitable range", but a neurotologist or other doctor who implants BAHAs would be the one to decide on placement - and if you'd have good bone conduction.  Most people have enough bone density in the "usual" BAHA place - which is slightly above and behind the top of the "bad" ear.   My BAHA site is directly on top of my AN surgery site (I had the retrosigmoid approach).  There is the occasional person who has to have their BAHA located in a different spot on the skull due to bone density.

Although some adjust to being SSD, I never did - in fact, I went there "kicking and screaming" so to speak.  I was highly depressed by my hearing loss and the negative effects it had on both my personal and my professional life.  I've loved the BAHA since the day I tried the demo and I've never felt "burdened" by it.  On the contrary, I can't imagine life without it. 

But to each his own 

Jan