Baha Complications

[daniboy20]

Hi!

My names Daniella I have had my Baha for about a year now well it will be a year in August. I guess I am doing this because I don't really live near anyone who understands what I am going through. Last year I thought was going to change my life through getting the Baha implant, I knew that I would be in pain after I mean its surgery after all I have had so many this was nothing but the last step to getting my hearing back. I never had any issues with my doctors I think they are all amazing and very informative I just wish I lived back in the states so I could follow up with them, but living in a military family you always have those unexpected moves. That's not the point the point is for the past year I have felt nothing but pain since the surgery. At night I spend hours trying to sleep, but it is very difficult to sleep on my right side (where the post is located) Before I arrived here in Germany my post seemed infected the skin around it has always been a bright red color and has always been tender to the touch. Recently I saw an ENT located here in Germany and he was very helpful I suppose. He was able to remove the extra skin growing around the implant its been a week since he has done this and I still feel like I am in pain, I still cant lay on that side and it has even become very itchy and aggravating I am not sure what to do next should I make another appointment? Should I give it more time to try and let it heal? Will it every get better? I can't be doing this everyday I have a lot on my plate and its very difficult to keep up with my Baha I know I need to care for the area and treat it daily and I do try my best, but I was promised this was going to be simple and easy to manage. Can some one give me some words of wisdom here?

[moe]

Hi Daniella,
Welcome to the forum, and so sorry you are having those problems with the BAHA. It is NOT normal to have all that pain, and it sounds like it is chronically infected. You SHOULD be able sleep on the BAHA side.
I had problems with my first BAHA with skin irritation and the device wasn't working correctly, and we decided to simply unscrew the abutment, let it heal up, and then couple years later, I had a new post implanted and it has been fine. Other than cleaning the abutment in the shower, I don't have any problems..
So see what your doc says, but one of the options is to have the abutment removed and just let it heal up that way (ENT doctor). I'm a military spouse, so understand about how erratic the  health care can be.
Hope that helps 
Maureen

[leapyrtwins]

Hi, Danielle.

I had my BAHA implant a little over 3 years ago and the issues you are describing (bright red skin and pain) aren't normal.  Neither is tenderness once the site has healed.

I'm not a doctor, but it sounds like you have one heck of an infection.

I'd definitely return to the doctor - or find a different doctor if you have to - and ask for antiobiotics in some form (either oral or a cream you can put on your site).  This is not the kind of thing you should have to live with.

As Moe said, you should be able to sleep on your BAHA side.  I sleep on mine every night.

Good luck and please keep us posted,

Jan

[daniboy20]

Thank you both I just was not exactly sure what to do. Tomorrow I plan on making a call to the doctor and schedule an appointment. As for cleaning it and taking care of it today I had my husband look at it and clean it a bit he said the the skin the doctor cut off looks like its trying to heal over again so thats not exactly what I want to hear its not even been exactly 10 days since he cut the last patch off. I really appreciate the support and help I want this to work out I really do its frustrating not being able to hear whats going on around me, but I know you all feel the same kind of frustration I have had and that helps. I will keep you all posted on my next appointment and if anything new comes up

[Sefra22]

Hi Daniboy,

I've had my implant for just over 2 years. I have had a couple of infections as well as ingrown hairs around the site. The doctor who performed my implant has me check in with him every six months. The infections are painful, but yours sound much worse than any I've had.

 I've since learned to keep the site really clean, and when I wash my hair now, I run a cotton swab around the site while the shampoo is still in my hair, then I just rinse as normal. I have not had any problems since I started doing this.

Hope you get some relief soon 

Lisa

[deheisel11]

I was going to write saying that I was experiencing the same thing.  I had my abutment placed a few months ago and the surrounding tissue keeps seeping.  When I try to clean the area, the seepage gets worse.  I have been back to my surgeon a few times.  I finally put kleenex in my eye patch and turned it around to cover my abutment at night.  If not, my pillow case looks like a satanic sacrific in the morning.  It is uncomfortable to sleep on the patch.  I am going to try Lisa's suggestion to use the q-tip when I shower.  Hopefully it helps and it helps you too.

[daniboy20]

I went to my doctor the other day he cut out more skin around the site and informed me if the pain continued that I should go to the clinic (hospital) and see the ENT surgeons there. I honestly wish I lived back in the states where my original surgeon is but that isn't happening any time soon. Since he cut more skin away on Thursday it hasn't been too bad still very painful to sleep on I have my husband tweeze the hairs around the site away and I do use the Q-tips to clean the area I have to clean it with alcohol tho its still healing and he told me to continue with the steroid cream around the area. The skin around abutment is still very red. I will continue with the cleaning and try out the Q-tip in the shower. Has anyone ever had any itching with their abutment? I don't know why but it just gets so itchy its painful i want to scratch so bad and my husband is always on my case about it and I try my hardest not to scratch, but my goodness its driving me up the wall! My doctor doesn't really think much of the itching I am going to try and see another ENT, but its difficult finding one that accepts my insurance.

[CHD63]

Hi Daniella .....

So sorry you are having such a time with infection around your abutment.  Not normal, I don't think.  ..... and then to think you do not have good medical care readily available.   

My abutment was put in on May 11, 2011 and I guess I must be one of the fortunate ones because it is completely healed and I hardly know it is there.  Dr. Friedman told me not to shampoo my hair for a week.  I have been shampooing it and that's all ever since.  I am convinced that some people just heal up differently than others.  Also, apparently different otolaryngologists use different techniques when placing the abutment.  That might make some difference.

Did the doctor say it was all right to put Neosporin around it?  I would ask if you could use something besides just a steroid cream.  If this keeps up much longer, ask for a referral to a wound clinic.

Many prayers for relief soon.

Clarice

[leapyrtwins]

I had a lot of itching while my site was healing.  I wasn't told to use alcohol and I'm wondering if it's causing your skin to dry out and itch even more.  Look for bacitracin with zinc.  The bacitracin will help with healing; the zinc will help with the itching. 

I'm puzzled as to why your husband needs to remove hairs from around your site.  Most docs scrape away the hair follicles from the BAHA site so that hair doesn't grow there. 

I'm with Clarice; I think you should see a wound specialist.

Please keep us posted,

Jan

[jaylogs]

Daniboy, I am sorry you have been having so many issues.  I can totally relate, as after I had  mine put in, the site never healed, and I ended up having to take the abutment out and then going through plastic surgery to get things healed.  It's been several months now (2 or so) and I am still in pain but at least I don't have a gaping hole in my scalp now.  Tomorrow I go in and see if I can get it put back in.  Anyways, I agree that you need to probably see a wound specialist, they're the ones that helped me!
Jay

[daniboy20]

Well so far so good, It doesn't hurt to sleep on anymore, but its still tender. Still itches, but so far no skin has grown over it and its been about a week. SO I am thinking I am going to put in my Baha and see if everything works out if not then I will just see my doctor again. Thank you all for sharing your experiences with me I really needed the boost I will keep on posting

[CHD63]

Whew!  At least you are going the right direction now!

Continuing thoughts and prayers.

Clarice