My turn for BAHA!

[ddaybrat]

I saw an ENT for the first time today since my retromastoid surgery almost 17 months ago.  I also had my hearing tested and of course, I'm totally deaf in my left ear.  The good news is that I have perfect hearing in my right ear.  I have an appointment Sept. 1 for a BAHA consult.  I'm told I'm a perfect candidate for one, but now all the panic is setting in.  I've been reading everyone's posts about the surgery and the insurance problems.  I believe I'm blessed again as my insurance documentation says it will cover a BAHA (surgery and device) as long as I can't be helped with an in-ear hearing aid.  I'm definitely going to do general...if the doctor allows it.  I'm not sure there's enough Xanax to keep me calm through the whole procedure.

Keep posting everyone...I feel as if I only post when I need your support, but thank God you are here.  You've helped me through a lot of tough times in the last year and a half.  I may not be posting sometimes, but I am reading.  My next MRI is scheduled is less than a month.  Hopefully, I'll find out then if the 'enhancement' is scar tissue or new tumor growth.

God bless...
Pat

[leapyrtwins]

Pat -

the BAHA continues to be a great solution to my SSD and I think it will be a great solution to yours also.  I thought the demo was fantastic - and the real thing IMO is even better.

I'm glad your insurance covers both the surgery and the doc - thankfully mine did, too.

Good luck with the consult and the MRI; keeping my fingers crossed for scar tissue.

Best,

Jan

[dalern]

If you are worried about "calming your nerves" consider conscious sedation instead of a general.  It's safer, shorter acting and you won't remember a thing!  It's a good way to go. 
~Dale

[CHD63]

Pat .....

So glad you are going for the BAHA consult.  I am so glad I went ahead with mine.  No problems whatsoever and having sound input from my "deaf" side is wonderful!  Would not change a thing!

My abutment was put in during my translab surgery so it was under general anesthetic.  If I had done it later, I would have asked for the conscious sedation.

Best thoughts.  Clarice

[ddaybrat]

I had my eye surgery under local, but had no choice.  I had to be awake so they could ask me to open and close my eye while they were adjusting the ligament.  Was pretty uncomfortable and scary.

Conscious sedation....is that the same as twilight sleep?

[CHD63]

Hi Pat .....

Not quite sure, but I think twilight sleep may be something different.  Conscious sedation, to me at least, is like what most people have for minor procedures that you do not want to remember ..... like colonoscopies, etc.  My doctor uses Versed for such procedures and you do not remember a thing, but you quickly wake up after the procedure and usually have none of the general anesthesia aftereffects.

Remember, I am not a medically trained person so I could be "all wet" on this.   

Clarice

[dalern]

Conscious sedation is given IV.  The medications they use are the same things they use for colonoscopies and endoscopies and angiograms and things like that.  You will think you are sleeping and you won't remember anything.  You will be arousable so that you can talk to them or they can talk to you.  You just won't remember much.  They gave me a very small amount of medication and I knew what was going on, but totally did not care!  I went out to lunch on my way home from the procedure.
~Dale

[dalern]

Conscious sedation is given IV.  The medications they use are the same things they use for colonoscopies and endoscopies and angiograms and things like that.  You will think you are sleeping and you won't remember anything.  You will be arousable so that you can talk to them or they can talk to you.  You just won't remember much.  They gave me a very small amount of medication and I knew what was going on, but totally did not care!  I went out to lunch on my way home from the procedure.
~Dale

[2puttchuck]

I have partial hearing in one ear due to my AN, and use Phonak Bicros hearing aids solve my single sided hearing issues.  They work great for me.  But I was wondering if being totally deaf in the bad ear prevents the Bicros device from being a possible solution to single sided deafness?  The Bicros is reasonably priced and I think less intrusive than BAHA.  Just curious, in case I ultimately lose all hearing in my bad ear.

[Paul F]

Hi,
I am 100 percent deaf in my SSD ear and use the new Phonak Cros which is just a microphone that transmits the sound from the deaf side to the better side.  I then have the Phonak Audeo hearing aid in the better ear  to complete the BiCros set up.  They are programed to work together and they work great.  No feedback, no annoying background noise.  I am not sure of the cost on this system since the VA has supplied it for me.
Hope this helps,
Paul

[2puttchuck]

That is exactly the system I have.  Cost me about $2900, but mine wasn't covered by insurance.  As I understand it, a BAHA may have been covered under my Medicare Advantage Plan, even though hearing aids are not (I think the BAHA is considered an implant and is therefore covered).  Even with the out of pocket cost, I think I would prefer the Phonak Cros over the BAHA, but that is just my personal choice - it is good to have choices. I thought maybe the Cros device worked for me because I still have partial hearing in my bad ear.  Glad to hear it will work if lose more hearing in my bad ear.  Thanks for your input.

Chuck

[leapyrtwins]

(I think the BAHA is considered an implant and is therefore covered).

The BAHA is indeed an implant - or a prothesis - not technically a hearing aid, which is why lots of insurance companies cover it.

I'm 100% SSD in my "bad" ear and my BAHA works wonders.

Jan