Re: how long betwqeen deafness and implant?

[Guest guest]

This is something I would like to know, too!

I am a new member of this group, and this is my first post. I do not have a CI;

I am just starting to think about getting one.

From age 2 to age 6, I had numerous ear infections, always in my right ear. Then

at age 6, I had measles with a very high fever. That was when my parents

realized that I had a hearing loss. An audiogram showed that I had essentially

no hearing in my right ear. My hearing in my left ear was normal, though.

However, at age 40, I began losing my hearing in my left ear, and it is now a

profound loss. I wear an Oticon Supero digital aid on my left ear, but it no

longer helps me very much. If I am implanted, it will be my left ear, of course.

An ear (my right ear) that has not heard anything for 53 years (I'm 59 years

old) is not going to benefit from a CI.

Has anyone had an implant in an ear that has been essentially " dead " for that

long?????

in Louisville KY

how long betwqeen deafness and implant?

Hi all,

I'd like to ask what is the longest period of non-hearing anyone has

had before being implanted?

I started to go deaf at about 9 years of age, stapedectomies in both

ears at age 11 and 12 seemed to help, but within a few years I was

pretty dependant on a HA in my right ear, which was the better of the

two.

Some time between late teens and 30's I lost all hearing in the left

ear, and the right got worse as well.

Now at age 51 I'm totally dependednt on a high power Senco aid, and

was notified this week that my CI will take place mid November. The

CI is going to be in the right ear, the surgeon says that after

having no hearing input from the left side for such a long time,

implanting the left side would have more chance of failure.

Has anyone had a successful CI into an ear that has been out of

action for 20 odd years?

Thanks

New Zealand (Middle Earth)

[Guest guest]

For both of you - my left hear was implanted in 1999. I do not remember when I

heard anything usable in that ear. I can only remember that I would always

sleep on my right side so that I didn't hear my parents snore. I've just

rounded it off to being 40 years but it could be more than that. Saying any

more than this would tell you exactly how old I am now. <g>

We have some members of CI Hear who are hearing after being deaf all their lives

so if the doctor says you are medically sound for the implant, I would not worry

about the length of time the ear has been without usable sound. These devices

are amazing. Your doctor is the best person to give you information like this

but many doctors are very conservative with expectations.

Lee might post the link to her survey which was an excellent example of the

number of years some ci users on this list had gone without sound before they

had their implants.

Good luck to both of you. I'm glad you are here and know you will learn a great

deal from the members. This is wonderful and supportive group that will help you

all the way thru this venture you are learning about and probably considering.

Alice

This is something I would like to know, too!

I am a new member of this group, and this is my first post. I do not have a

CI; I am just starting to think about getting one.

From age 2 to age 6, I had numerous ear infections, always in my right ear.

Then at age 6, I had measles with a very high fever. That was when my parents

realized that I had a hearing loss. An audiogram showed that I had essentially

no hearing in my right ear. My hearing in my left ear was normal, though.

However, at age 40, I began losing my hearing in my left ear, and it is now a

profound loss. I wear an Oticon Supero digital aid on my left ear, but it no

longer helps me very much. If I am implanted, it will be my left ear, of course.

An ear (my right ear) that has not heard anything for 53 years (I'm 59 years

old) is not going to benefit from a CI.

Has anyone had an implant in an ear that has been essentially " dead " for that

long????? in Louisville KY

Hi all,

I'd like to ask what is the longest period of non-hearing anyone has

had before being implanted?

Thanks

New Zealand (Middle Earth)

[Guest guest]

> Hi all,

> I'd like to ask what is the longest period of non-hearing anyone

has

> had before being implanted?

I'm curious about this as well. I lost my hearing at age 4 as a

result of spinal meningitis, and had my right ear implanted with a 3M

single-channel device a couple of months before my 20th birthday. I

haven't used it too much as it doesn't really provide a great deal of

benefit, although I'm currently trying out a new AllHear processor on

it until Sept. 14. Now I'm 39 and in the process of getting insurance

approval for a new implant in my left ear. The doctor and audies seem

to think that I likely won't get much more benefit from a new implant

than my current one provides due to the length of time (35 years) I've

been deaf in that ear, but I'm still willing to give it a shot and see

what happens.

[Guest guest]

,

You could say that I've been successful with my CI despite profound deafness

since age 5 (still had some hearing after meningitis at 18 months but the bone

growth was still going on until age 5). Hearing aids did not help at all.

To my surprise, hearing with the CI is like hearing different notes from the

piano instead of flat noise (one sound that repeats perpetually) with my

analog hearing aids.

Liesl

In a message dated 8/31/04 2:27:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

pljones@... writes:

<<

Has anyone had a successful CI into an ear that has been out of

action for 20 odd years? >>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

My sister was totally deaf for over 30 years. Her hearing loss began

in early childhood so by the time she was out of high school, her

hearing was gone. She was implanted at 48 yrs old and does

wonderfully with her implant, even talking on the phone. It did take

her a while to sort all the sounds, but being implanted in a totally

useless ear after 30 yrs of deafness, she does just great. I don't

think having a dead ear for so many years is a big factor.. If I was

in your situation, I'd definitely give it a shot.

Wishing you all the best.

Regards,

Silly MI

In , " Showalter " <bshowalter@s...>

wrote:

>

> I'm curious about this as well. I lost my hearing at age 4 as a

> result of spinal meningitis, and had my right ear implanted with a

3M

> single-channel device a couple of months before my 20th birthday.