"NEW" Baha club member with questions for all you Baha Guru's

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

  Ok all you numb skulls   with the loose screws   (aka the BAHA club),

Today I became one of YOU!  .... Yup got the funky white bandage around my head… Yet to see the new abutment, though, as it is under wraps...  

Questions Questions Questions of all you Baha Guru’s (Jan? Moe? … are you there? ... others with Baha experience out there? Anyone? ... I need a buddy. )

1) How long did you keep the bandage you got from the hospital -on?

2) Did you re- bandage it up again with new gauze and for how long did you have to do this?

3) What day do I get to NOT have the bandage on?

4) Did you need to put anything on it, such as polysporin, or does it just heal on its own. (If you are going to fill me with gross infection stories please don’t as I am not there … but hey if you have prevention ideas I am all ears… ok ok one ear and one abutment   )

5) When was the 1st time you could wash you hair in the shower?

6) What week did you get to actually wear the super duper pooper transmitter?

7) Have any of you been able to wear your Baha with a bike helmet?


Daisy Head Mazy

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

PS

Numbness?
How long DOES the numbness in the skull actually stay around after the abutment is put in?

Loose Screws?
I was reading Moe's story about the loose screw in her abutment coming out... How often does that happen? Has it happened to anyone else besides Moe?

Ok I admit I was lurking all the Baha posts here for awhile (ok ok ok more than a while…almost 3 years)    before trying to push forward with the Baha. Truth is I was absolutely terrified this morning going back to a surgery room, for the 1st time in 3 years, being that the last visit I had to a surgical room was so life changing   … and all.

This Baha implant was such an easy and quick procedure... However I am just in day #1 of the healing process around the abutment …. as my body (touch wood) hopefully molds to it and not rejects it.)

DHM

[Jackie]

Hello 4,

Just want to congratulate you on your new Baha Bling! You conquered your fear and did the deed! Good for you!!
Can't answer any questions but I am sure many will, in the mean time heal fast and enjoy! I'll be anxious to know
how it works for you! Good luck!! Your Oregon Buddy,
Jackie

[dalern]

Hi there,
I will try to answer your questions from my experience....it may differ from others.
1. I had a dome shaped cup on my head with gauze under it packed up against the abutment.  I had to wear that for 24 hours. No rebandaging
2. I could not take a shower until I saw the doctor a week later.  Some folks were able to shower sooner....depends on your doc
3. I used neosporin, around the abutment.  After the first few days I switched to Bactroban (but over the counter Bacitracin will work in the absence of infection)
4. I had to wait a full three months to get my processor attached.  It is very important for the abutment to oseointegrate (adhere to the bone solidly).  My doctor said that even with new guidelines that it can be done sooner, he is not willing to do that.
5. I haven't tried to wear the BAHA with a bike helmet.  I have left my BAHA off when bike riding.  Besides, I get so sweaty, I don't want the BAHA to get wet.  I would think it would be very easy to knock the processor off the abutment with a helmet, which is not loose.

Hope this helps.
~Dale

[grega]

Congrats Daisy H. Mazy, for venturing forth!  I'm sure as time passes, you'll get plenty of answers to your questions from many enthusiastic baha wearers. 

I took the turban off after a couple days, and started washing my hair with a nice plastic cup covering the abutment cap .... cup was a gift from a couple sweet, well-known forumites herein  .  Since the cap looked pretty yucky for a couple weeks, as well as the surgery site after the cap came off, I taped some nice gauze over the abutment site so I wouldn't gross-out co-workers.  I used triple-antibiotic several times, but not a lot.

I don't wear my baha when a hat is needed .... golfing or beach or cold-weather .... cause I'll knock it off.  I'd get feedback anyway .... you probably will too. 

Enjoy the experience, so you can then discuss with those curious enuf to ask about it ..... that's fun for me!

Keep smiling!

Greg

[Goldie]

Hi, DHM.  I'm still in healing mode (implant 10/8) and am happy to report no troubles.  I'm surprised they didn't give you more instructions on after-care.  I was told to wear the head-wrap for 24 hours and then I was able to shower (yay!).  No re-bandaging.  My doctor has had problems with patients reacting to antibiotic ointment, so he advised just Vaseline which I'm still using.  That's been working fine for me - no infection.  I do still have some numbness and suspect that's going to take a while to go away.

Welcome to the club!  My follow-up is 3 months + 1 week post surgery (yes, I'm counting!) and I'm assuming I'll get the processor then.  Keeping my fingers crossed!

Denise

[leapyrtwins]

Congratulations - a VERY wise decision (in my humble opinion) 

I wish Lori and I would have known you were getting the implant so we could have send you one of our famous (or is that infamous?) Official BAHA Recovery Kits.  At this point in time it wouldn't be much use to you, they are most valuable immediately post op, so unfortunately you missed the boat.

All docs have different rules - yes, even when it comes to BAHAs - so I won't answer questions #1-6. 

As you know, I'm not a doctor, and these questions are best left to yours.

As for the bike helmet, at this time it is impossible to wear a bicycle helmet properly with a BAHA attached to your head.  It wouldn't fit correctly.

Cochlear is supposedly workiing on some helmet concepts (for biking, skiing, etc) but I have no idea if or when they will become a reality.

Hope your healing goes fast 

Jan

[Debbi]

Hey DHM,

Congrats on the BAHA abutment!  I also finally "bit the abutment" and had the surgery on Nov 18.  i am scheduled to get the processor on Feb 17 and am getting really excited.  In the meantime, I am following Jan's and Lori's advice about rubbing my finger over the abutment just so I can hear the noise it makes!  SOOOOO cool!

Good luck.

Debbi

[leapyrtwins]

In the meantime, I am following Jan's and Lori's advice about rubbing my finger over the abutment just so I can hear the noise it makes!  SOOOOO cool!

The things some of us will do for entertainment    

Congrats on the Gotcha Date, Debbi.

Jan

[james e]

Numbness...I had mine done in March 2010, and I still have numbness around the post. They really hollow out the flesh around the post so there is a depression there, and the nerves have some growing/reconnecting to do. I'm sure all of us heal differently, but don't worry if it takes a while.

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

Update ...

I get the super duper de pooper BAHA BP 100 on Valentines Day 2011 ... I will let you all know if I fall in love with the new gizmo or not.

Abutment healed up very nicely (I put on the Polysporin "cream"- not the "ointment" and it just worked like a charm!)...

However know it IS true I will always be permanent numbskull  ....

DHM

[Jackie]

Well, DMH, Aren't you special!!! Good for you, hope it's everything you dreamed and more! I'll be anxious to see you at the next meeting!!!
Happy hearing Valentines Day!
Your neighbor,
Jackie

[moe]

Numbskull ) )
What a lovely Valentine's gift for you, I hope you enjoy your "new" hearing.
I have the Oticon Ponto which is similar and enjoy the fact that I can "hear" without having to say "huh?" so much.
Not perfect but definitely worth it!
Maureen

[leapyrtwins]

Congrats on the Gotcha Day, DHM.

I hope you love your BAHA as much as I love mine 

Jan

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

OK the BP100 IS pretty nifty! I must say... Very cool to hear out that side.  After 6 hours though I needed to turn it off.  Did you-all take some time to get used to it. I also wanted to take it off as the skin area around it seemed sensitive.

So I got to tell tell you all that was all excited to plug it into my daughter's I-pod to try that mode out... and NO telecoil or audio adapter cord      was in my new funky box.

Did you all have the telecoil and audio adapter for MP3's TV I-pod etc- in your kits?

Because it is pictured in the manual I assumed it was suppose to be there. I see the FM receiver are available (reading the manual) but I am assuming that was an optional divice you order separately. From what am I gathering, from the manual  (gasp I am actually reading a manual   ) the telecoil and the audio adapter Am I missing something here... or did you-all have to order that separately? If you did have to order it separately what was the cost?

Can you Baha Gurus enlighten me?

So YES the Baha IS amazing... I just want to SO try out the I-pod part today too...

Happy Valentines Day! My gift of being able to hear form my deaf side was very special today.

DHM