Hearing Aid

[josnik]

I have not had my surgery yet--it is scheduled for Feb 17-translab. But I was curious as to when to check into hearing aids? I know for sure I'll be losing all of my hearing in the AN ear-right now I have partial hearing w/a lot of tinnitus. I don't even know if I'll be needing one?? I'm sure it would help. I can't imagine what it is going to be like. Even w/the the partial hearing in the AN & my good ear--I find myself saying "what did you say" a lot more. If anyone could give me insight from their experience.

[Jeff]

Hello,
If the translab approach is used, part of your inner is is removed, causing total hearing loss. A hearing aid would not help at all because sound can no longer be conducted to the brain. Here is a link that you may find helpful: http://uscneurosurgery.com/infonet/surgery/procedures/acoustic_resection.htm
Best wishes,
Jeff

[Joef]

the BAHA is the only hearing "device" that will work ..

[Kathleen_Mc]

josnik: there is indeed a hearing aid that will help and I have the devise. What is involved is actually two "hearing aids" that work together. On the non-functioning one goes an aid that picks up sound and sends it to the working ear which has another aid in it that recieves and ampulfies....therefor you hear what comes to both ears through the one. The one that goes on the non-functioning ear just sits on the outside of the ear, the other is an "in the ear" style. I got these sometime after my sugery but I don't think you have to wait long, I waited because of the $ side of things (I didn't know the government would help pay for them and they cost me something like $5,000 here in Canada) as well as when I first looked into them they worked with a wire joining them and I couldn't wear that at work, I got the wireless one when I finally got them.
Adjustment period takes some time and at times they can be frustrating, sometimes I can hear the guy accross the room better then the guy beside me.
Best of luck, Kathleen

[josnik]

I have heard of one that goes in your good ear and acts as a "amplifier" and another type of hearing aid that acts as a "transmitter" which goes in both ears & transmits sound from the bad ear over to the good ear. I'm not sure what the "BAHA" is-I'll have to research it out--but I was just wondering if the doctor goes over that with me after the surgery or if that's something I have to do on my own. Since I know I will be losing all of the hearing in the AN ear--will I even need a hearing aid?? Thanks for your input.

[Kathleen_Mc]

I have heard of one that goes in your good ear and acts as a "amplifier" and another type of hearing aid that acts as a "transmitter" which goes in both ears & transmits sound from the bad ear over to the good ear. I'm not sure what the "BAHA" is-I'll have to research it out--but I was just wondering if the doctor goes over that with me after the surgery or if that's something I have to do on my own. Since I know I will be losing all of the hearing in the AN ear--will I even need a hearing aid?? Thanks for your input.

read my post above for how hearing aids work when one ear is completely non-functioning from the neruological perspective. Kathleen

[Boppie]

Hi, I had translab Dec 15.  It sounds as if you have losses in your AN ear similar to mine before the surgery. 

I used to stroke my earlobes on both sides to test how much I could hear.  The sound pick up was soft (skin to skin), always less on the AN side, and of course I expected that.  Well after the translab procedure, you can stroke your ear lobe on the operated side and hear absolutely nothing.  That is "no hearing".

BAHA transmits sound from the deaf side to the good side through the skull bone wirelessly.  After surgery you will be able to tap your skull or neck bones on the AN side and hear that sound.  The bone conducts sound.

I have a friend who had a BAHA pin implanted 5 months ago at the same time as surgery.  She is wearing the whole BAHA unit now and loves it.  She works as main person in charge of office operations for a large company. 

No one but you can estimate how this will affect your own lifestyle.  I think a working person might feel his/her life impacted a lot by one sided hearing loss.

I am a retired person with a decent social life.  But, I am not decided whether I need a BAHA at this time.  I find eating out in restaurants and finding a seat that suits me difficult.  Also, I find it a challenge to remind people that, "I didn't hear that, I am on the wrong side".   Unless I am only surrounded by family and good friends who know about my deafness, I could not cope so well.  Lip reading and a lot of head swiveling    will have to become priorities or I am going to need an aid.

[Kathleen_Mc]

I can understand how some would "have to have" the hearing devices, that's how I felt when I first had my resection 15 years ago, that's what got me to try the hearing aids, since they didn't work well for long I have just gotten used to they way I hear now and I function very well on a busy psych. floor as R.N. There are times when I wish I did have my hearing back but in these situations the hearing aids weren't helpful anyway (at a dance, very crowed places) because I found I could hear the guy across the room but not the guy beside me when I had the hearing aids.
Kathleen

[Bob Partak]

I had Cyberknife treatment 15 mo.s ago and lost what little hearing I had on my left side. My good ear has high frequency loss so I did need an aid. I tried several "in the ear" models and hated them. Eating was noisey and surrounding noise was bothersome.
My audiologist had me try a new Siemens Acuris Life model. It came out about a year ago and is computer adjusted to your present hearing. Blocks out disturbing noises while amplifying the high frequncy sounds I can't hear well. The aid fits behind my ear with a narrow clear tube that runs in front of my ear into the external ear canal - almost invisible. Because it is a small tube you don't have the " finger in the ear" feeling or noises when chewing food. It makes life so much more barrable for me at least. The best part of this aid is it has a small pocket remote that allows me to turn the volume up or down as I need to without anyone knowing it. It costs about $2400, but worth it in my opinion. Most states have laws that allows you to try aids for 30 days before purchasing. There is no ear molds made with this and those audiologists that are knowledgeable regarding the computer programing of this can fit you in short time. I think this is worth looking into for folks having problems and may not want to go the BAHA route (surgery).
I have a friend who was born with one functional ear. He does not wear an aid and is a dentist today. He told me he thought in time folks who lose an ear would adapt as he did from birth not knowing what he was missing. He admitted to having some difficulty with folks talking on his bad ear side. Any way knowing this gave me hope to beat this condition and the Acuris has helped me a great deal. I wish you all well. Bob

[DeniseSmith]

Josnik,
I had not heard of BAHA before my surgery. When I went to my surgeon for my six month check up, he gave me information on it.   I have chosen not to get one at this time.  I don't think I want to go through the whole procedure. Anyway, thats just my own personal preference.  It is an interesting concept, and some people on this site swear by it.  It is definitely worth some research. 

You might want to scroll through ANA Discussion Forum, General Discussion.  I know in the past someone has posted an website, where you can get additional information.  Good Luck in your research.

Denise

[wanderer]

I am scheduled to get the baha on the 22nd of February.   

When I tried the test strip it sounded like I was talking on a cell phone and they say that once you actually have the implant the sound quality is 90% better.

I decided against the CROS hearing aid system because I have perfect hearing on the other side and didn't want to have anything in my ear to interfere with the hearing on the other side.

[josnik]

Thank you for your posts. It's good to know that people do function a "normal" life with hearing in just one ear. When you go through half your life hearing in "stereo" I just find it hard to imagine enjoying life with "one broken speaker!". I guess I'll just have to see what it is like after the surgery then talk to my doctor about my options. Going through another surgery after the one to remove the AN would be difficult (for the BAHA). If it was something I would want--It would be nice to have them done at the same time (if it's possible) to avoid having two surgeries. That is why I was inquiring.

[Joef]

I did have the AN removed and the BAHA surgery at the same time !

[Bob Partak]

josnik,
My audiologist used the term "binural summation" when I complained about losing hearing volume when I lost my laft ear. Maybe it's the same as stereo but from what I understand the loss of Binural Summation is losing that extra advantage having 2 ears. If each ear worked 100% total summation would make it sound like 240%(example only). Lossing one ear would be the loss of 100% PLUS the binural summation of 40%.
For me losing one ear makes the normal volume of our T.V. for my wife sound low to me. Also, hearing all sounds with my one ear makes it difficult for me to hear numerous sounds at once and keep them seperated (like several folks talking at the same time). I had a  hard time going out in public (wal-mart, etc.) at first, but I'm getting use to it. The brain has remarkable adaptive qualities, it just takes a lot of time. I use a hearing aid in my good ear (see my earlier note) and it helps me. The BAHA has great reviews and I don't blame you for trying to get both surgeries done at once. Your insurance might buy into it as well vs. 2 surgeries. I wish you well and I'll be following your post here to see how you are doing. You may convince me to look into it as well, but I hate surgery.  Bob

[josnik]

I just had translab surgery on 2/17 and it was successful. I did lose all of my hearing in my AN ear just as I knew I would. I just met w/my Dr. to get the stitches out and asked him about hearing aids. The 2 he mentioned were Cros Aid & Transcranial Aid. The cros aid would require a hearing aid in both ears which I don't think I would like. The tanscranial Aid would only be in my bad AN ear and would tranmit sound through my bone to my good ear. We will be discussing it furthur on my next appt (1 mo from surgery) but it sounds interesting. I know I don't want to got thru another surgery right now & it sounds like it works like the BAHA but without the surgery.  I will find out more but just thought I would mention it to you.