I can't remember!!! (BAHA)

[danijake]

i can't remember if I let all of you know how the BAHA surgery went. I do remember telling ya'll I had a female anesthesiologist. That was depressing. I have a quick question...did anyone have pain at the grafting site? It's been 8 days and I still have a stinging pain. The Dr said there was nothing to worry about, but I just wanted to ask those with experience.

[lori67]

Don't feel bad, there are days I can't even remember my own name!!   

I had tenderness around the abuttment - not real harsh pain, but I had my surgery in November and it's still a little tender to the touch right around it.  If you can have someone take a look at it every now and then and make sure it looks like it's healing okay - not red, swollen, gross looking - it's helpful.  I know I can't really see mine very well, so I had my husband taking pictures with the digital camera so I could see how it was healing.  My doctor said he wouldn't be too surprised if it got infected at some point in the healing process, because that just happens - and if it did he said to just call the office and they'd call something in for me.  It helps that I'm a nurse and he knows I know what signs to look for as far as infection.  Fortunately, I haven't gotten one.

Just keep doing what he tells you and you should be good  Oh, and he also said to put a little bacitracin ointment on it too - but make sure you check before you do that because I know all doctors seem to want things done a certain way.

Lori

[danijake]

I took amoxicillin for 7 days, and am putting neosporin around the white thingy. Looks like a button, but kinda big to be the abutment-I would think

[leapyrtwins]

Dani -

from what I hear there is supposed to be a "cap" that goes on the abutment during the healing process.  Could that be the "white thingy"?

Also, did you have to take the amoxicillin because you developed an infection? or is that just something your doc normally has patients do so they don't get infections?

Jan

[trhoads]

Dani,

Mine was pretty sore for 2-3 weeks.  Then I was slowly able to start sleeping on that side again.  (Don't get me wrong, it was still quite tender for 1-2 months, and that slowly went away.  Now, every once in a while, it almost feels like a pulling sensation when I tilt my head back to use the eye drops, but no more pain.)

3 months after the insertion, just when I was going to get the processor turned on... I developed an infected sebaceous cyst in the incision, which had to be opened, and I was started on antibiotics.  That delayed the processor by 10 days.  But now I have the processor, and everything is fine.

As for that 'white button,' I think my surgeon took that off during the 1-week post-op check. 

Tonya

[leapyrtwins]

Tonya -

sounds like the white thingy/white button is the cap that my doctor told me about.

What did you take for the pain?  Was something like Tylenol strong enough?  I'm planning on returning to work after I get the pressure bandage off and I want to know what I can reasonably expect.

Now that you have the processor on, can you tell me how you like the BAHA?

Thanks,

Jan

[lori67]

Dani - the white thingy is the healing cap.  It looks like a styrofoam washer with clear plastic in the middle.  It snaps right onto the abuttment.  Once they take that off, it'll be easier to clean it really well and get the bacitracin in there.  I clean it at night with a washcloth and then put the bacitracin on, then in the morning I wash it with Dawn dishwashing detergent (takes grease out of your way - and out of your hair!) and scrub it with a soft toothbrush.  Sounds weird, but - knock on wood - I haven't had the dreaded infection that happens so frequently.

Jan, I used tylenol as needed after my surgery and it did the trick.  I actually felt well enough the day after my surgery to go to a barbeque (well, maybe I was just trying to avoid cooking...).  I t hink you should be able to manage okay - just take it a little at a time and see how you feel.

Lori

[leapyrtwins]

Lori -

thanks for the tips and the explanation of the cap.  I've heard of it, but didn't really know much about it.

I'll make sure I keep my bottle of Dawn in the shower - wish I had known about it post op when the bacitracin in my hair was so disgusting.

My doctor said I could go back to work the day after surgery if I wanted to, but to keep in mind that I'll have that lovely mastoid bandage on for 24 hours.  I may wait until that wonderful fashion accessory comes off LOL

Jan

[trhoads]

Dani,

For the pain, I pretty much just stuck with the Ibuprofen that I was using for the headaches, which was 600 mg 4 times per day.  But now I am using Indocin for the headaches, which seems to be working much better than the Ibuprofen.

Tonya

[trhoads]

Oops, it is late for me...

I forgot to mention how I felt about the BAHA.  I was a little disappointed, because I thought that the sound would overpower the horrible ringing sound in my head, and it really doesn't.  My first response to the audiologist was that it was not working, but when I plugged my good ear, then I could tell that it was working.  As I have continued to use it, I really notice a difference, that I do not ask people to repeat themselves as much.  I also listen to the television and radio at much lower volumes.  I definitely prefer it to not hearing on that side at all.

I am not sure if other people felt the same way when theirs was first hooked up. 

Hope this helps!

Tonya

[leapyrtwins]

Tonya -

thanks for your feedback on the BAHA.  I'm sorry to hear that your tinnitus interferes with it.  I, thankfully, don't have tinnitus, so it never crossed my mind that it could be an issue.

Despite that problem, it sounds like you are noticing some positive things about it.  Hopefully as time goes on you will discover more positive things.

Jan

[lori67]

From what I understand, some doctors don't use the healing cap at all.  They keep a bandage on the site that you have to keep dry for up to 3 weeks!  AAAHHHH!  I never would have lasted!  You might as well have just shaved my head totally at that point.  At least with the healing cap, I was able to wash my hair the night after the surgery.

And Jan, I think that bandage would make a lovely fashion statement.  Maybe you could wear big ear muffs to work and tell everyone your ears are just really cold.  Or better yet - take the day off.  People hear you're getting a screw put in your head and they think you'll be out of commission for a long time.  Little do they know, it doesn't hurt.  Shhhhh... don't tell anyone...   

Lori

[Joef]

People hear you're getting a screw put in your head and they think you'll be out of commission for a long time.  Little do they know, it doesn't hurt.  Shhhhh... don't tell anyone...   

Lori

Gives a whole new meaning to "I have a screw loose" 

from what I understand .. this actually can happen.. the Dr. have a special socket wench to tighten it... 

[leapyrtwins]

hmmmm, Lori,
now that you mention it - another hole in my head does seem like a big thing to an "outsider".  I might be able to get an entire week off of work for this surgery 

Seriously though, I actually thought about going into work before the bandage is off but decided against it.  I forgot how truly large it is until someone at the doc's office pointed it out to me.  I asked her if I could go to my son's volleyball game the afternoon of my surgery and just wear a hat over the bandage.  After she was finished laughing, she asked me if I recalled the bandage I sported in the hospital and I realized how silly my question was.  Then she told me that once they had a patient who just "couldn't" cancel her weekly manicure appointment which happen to fall on the day of her BAHA surgery.  The patient actually wrapped a large colorful cloth around her head (like a turban) and went to her appointment.  I wish someone had taken a picture of that.

From what I hear I will be getting the cap and I can wash my hair a lot sooner than 3 weeks (I can't even imagine waiting that long; it would definitely kill me).  The doc mentioned something about putting a "cup" over the abutment site when I shampoo so I won't get it wet.

Joef -

are you pulling my leg?  A special socket wrench to tighten loose screws??!!  Drill, socket wrench, I feel like I have an appointment with a mechanic, not my neurotologist.  Wonder which one of them charges more per hour? LOL

Jan

[sgerrard]

I clean it at night with a washcloth and then put the bacitracin on, then in the morning I wash it with Dawn dish washing detergent (takes grease out of your way - and out of your hair!) and scrub it with a soft toothbrush.  Sounds weird, but - knock on wood - I haven't had the dreaded infection that happens so frequently.

Golly, Lori, why should anyone think that sounds weird? Maybe because it sounds like Frankenstein cleaning his neck bolts? 

I have clearly been missing out on all the really good tips. I've got to start hanging out in this hearing issues forum more often. 

Steve