BAHA Implant Problems

[robinstwo]

I had the screw implanted on Dec 16, 2008 and wanted to know if anyone has had problems with the skin trying to swell up and over the the abutment.  Is there any way to keep this from happening without steroid injections?  Thhis just started 2 weeks ago. 
Also is mild pain around the screw a common problem?  The doc says there is no infection and doesn't know why the pain. I get to hear the rest of what I'm missing on March 27th if we can keep the skin around the screw under control.

[lori67]

Well, it seems like you and I are the rare few that have problems with our abuttments! 

I have a problem with the skin growing up around the abuttment too - I've had mine for about a year and a half now.  I have a steroid cream called clobetasol that works great.  If I notice it swelling, I put it on at night and usually by the next morning, it's back to normal.  I guess some of us have skin that just wants to heal over what it thinks is a wound.  Apparently, our skin has no idea how much we paid for that "wound" or how much we want it there!

Ask your doctor about that cream, it works great - as long as there's no infection, then he'd probably suggest bacitracin or bactroban.

Good luck and happy BAHA day!

Lori

[wendysig]

I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems with your skin trying to overgrow the abutment and I know the fact that this is unusual, especially for a woman (my doc told me this tend to happen more often in large men because their scalps are thicker) is no comfort to you.  Lori's steroid cream sounds like a better solution than steroid injections, if it works for you.  I am just at the two month post-op mark too and am watching my BAHA site very carefullly for any sign of things going wrong.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that your doc will think the clobetasol will work for you.

Best wishes,
Wendy

[robinstwo]

Thanks  Lori!  My docotor is supposed to call me Monday.  I'll ask him about the cream.   
Is the swelling/skin growth a constant problem?  Is there anything else I should be concerned about?  My doc said there was nothing to worry about and did not provide any care instructions other than wash with finger tips and not nails.  I knew I had thick skin but not on my scalp!  Wendy, may your screw continue to cause no problems.
Robin

[leapyrtwins]

Robin -

sorry to hear about your BAHA problems.  IMO what you are experiencing is more the exception than the norm.

I had my implant surgery 1 year and 4 days ago.  The site healed without any issues and I've never experienced any infections or irritations.  I haven't experienced any swelling or skin growth either. 

I hope the doctor has a good solution for you on Monday.

Keep us posted.

Jan

[lori67]

Robin,

I really think that there are a rare few (me) that just have to deal with the skin growing around the abuttment.  I don't often hear of other people having this problem.  I even checked on the BAHA wearer forum and read through all the old posts there to see if there was any mention, and only found one person who had this problem and she was told by her doctor to wear the healing cap at night to keep the skin under control.  Sounds like a good idea to me....now if I could only remember where I put that healing cap my doctor told me to hang onto....

It's not like this is a constant problem for me - maybe once every few months or so.  I haven't quite figured out the trigger and it hasn't made me want my BAHA any less.  It is frustrating, but once you get it under control and figure out how to deal with the occasional flare-ups, it's not really any problem.

Lori

[robinstwo]

Hi Guys,

Sorry for the late reply.  I went back to work this week (7 months from surgery date) and by the time I get home I'm totally pooped.  The doctor said I would be tired and he wasn't kidding.  It's nice to be back at work but, what a challenge routine things have become. Hoping next week will get easier as my body adjusts to real work again.

My doctor called monday or should I say the doctor's nurse did and said I need to be seen by someone where I'm living.  Unfortunately I live in the middle of nowhere, FL and the nearest BAHA doctor is 4 hours away, my doctor is 7 hours from here, and since I just started back to work.....  Anyway, the swelling has gone down on its own and I immediately started back wearing the plastic snap on cap to keep the skin at bay.  It hurt for a day while the skin asjusted but it seems to be working.   My hair is really short, would be nice if the cap came in some color other than white.

[leapyrtwins]

Robin -

when you get your processor (Divino or Intenso) the cap that comes with it won't be white.  It will be whatever color the processor is (in my case brown). 

So if it's any consolation, at some point you should get a cap that isn't white and won't show through your hair.

Jan

[lori67]

I think Robin was referring to the healing cap... at least that's what I thought.  But Jan is right, the one that comes with the processor will match whatever color you chose.

Does anyone wear that little plastic thing that come with the processor?  I wore it when I was at the shore over the summer, just to keep sand out of the abuttment, but that was the only time I used it.  That little tiny thing is hard to put on when you can't see what you're doing!

Lori

[JerseyGirl2]

Does anyone wear that little plastic thing that come with the processor? 

I've never worn that little plastic thing, but I've very carefully stored it next to the little clip thing with the string!

Something I've noticed just within the last few weeks --- all the numbness around my BAHA implant has disappeared! My head really feels absolutely normal again. I realized it first when I went for my most recent haircut/highlight session. I had gotten so used to the numbness (it never particularly bothered me) that I didn't even think about it. Has this happened to anyone else? I should add that the titanium abutment was "installed" in January 2008.

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)

[kmancini]

I had my implant 10-24-08 my head is still very numb.  I wish it would go back to normal.  Also I wear the two different caps only when I get my hair colored.  It helps keeping that color out of it and so the girl can locate the area when she is cutting. 

Karen

[leapyrtwins]

Lori -

you are right.  I wasn't thinking healing cap - as in the semi-large white one they put on post op.  Sadly, I don't have my healing cap    The day my neurotologist removed it for good it shot across the exam room and end up under a chair.  He picked it up and tossed it in the trash.  So much for surgical mementos    LOL

I haven't worn my Divino cap at all; wasn't sure on what occasion I would want to.  The audiologist suggested maybe putting it on when I styled my hair if I used gel, mousse, or spray to keep the "gunk" out.  But she also said I could just gunk up the hair without the cap and then clean the abutment off before attaching the Divino.  Never thought to use it when going for a haircut - great idea, Karen.

Catherine -

I can't believe you haven't worn that little clip thing with the fishing line!  I am aghast!!     (Actually I haven't worn mine either - can't believe it would really do anything to keep me from "losing" my processor)

Strangely enough, now that you mention it, my BAHA site is no longer numb now either (my surgery was 3/4/08).  Wonder when that happened?? 

Jan

[robinstwo]

Nice to know that I get another cap.  Don't know if I can handle one that is smaller than the white one.  Can  hardly get that one on.  Guess I need more practice   That'll come very soon, starting 3/27.  I'm glad to hear the device comes with a leash.  I can see me knocking it off.  I do dumb things like walk into tree limbs or bump my head on the frig.  You'd think after 50+ years you'd learn.  Nice to know that the numbness around the abutment eventually goes away.  I was wondering if it would become permanent like my non-working face.

[leapyrtwins]

Robin -

the cap that comes with the processor is about 1/3 the size of the white healing cap.  Not easy for large fingers to grip 

As for knocking the processor off your head, you'll get used to it.  When I first got mine I knocked it off a couple of times, but then I got past that.

I also originally thought I'd never get the hang of putting it on the abutment.  I started off using both hands - one to hold the processor and one to feel my head to "see" where the abutment was.  But thankfully with time, I got much better at attaching it - you will too.  You have to kind of "rock" it onto the abutment - not snap it on directly.  Taking it off is much easier - you just "pop" it off with your thumb or forefinger.

Good luck on the 27th.  My BAHA gotcha day (Lori's phrase) was one of the best days of my post-AN life 

Enjoy!

Jan

[JerseyGirl2]

I also originally thought I'd never get the hang of putting it on the abutment.  I started off using both hands - one to hold the processor and one to feel my head to "see" where the abutment was.  But thankfully with time, I got much better at attaching it - you will too

I totally agree with Jan -- it takes a few times to feel comfortable attaching and detaching the processor. I felt as though I were playing "Pin the Tail on the Donkey," but you'll get the hang of it before long. I like to compare it to my contact lenses. When I first began wearing them years and years ago, I didn't think I'd ever learn to stick something in my eye, but it soon becomes second nature and you don't even give it a second thought -- same with the BAHA. You do need to treat it carefully though -- handle it gently and always store it in the "jar of beads" which accompanies it.

Hope you'll enjoy it!

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)