Would I benefit from a CI?

October 2, 2006

Dear All

Could any kind person advise me on this? The question I would like

to ask is, will my hearing performance be better if I implant a CI

in my bad ear?

I am 46, teach in a polytechnic in Singapore, and became hoh 8 yrs

ago because of Meniere's, with 50dB and a 2kHz ski-slope on one side

and profound on the other. Speech Discrimination Test Score 67%.

I use a Phonak Claro BTE. After being stable all these 8 yrs, I

recently lost another 10dB on my good ear and I am feeling my

horizons closing in although I know many people cope with less.

Searching this list, I see that the candidacy criteria have been

relaxed in some places to 70dB in the better ear and maximum score

of 60% in speech test. As Meniere's is progressive, I honestly

don't see the point of waiting long years for my good ear to decline

further before finally fitting a CI if I am headed down that path

anyway.

I don't perform very well with my hearing compared to some other hoh

I know, and people I read on the lists. I do practice the usual

coping strategies. But group discussions of more than 4 are

difficult for me to follow. I hear very little at big meetings and

briefings. In my classes, I walk up to a student with a question and

they will have to repeat, sometimes twice. I would leave this job if

any students feedback on the evaluations that I am losing

effectiveness. That has not happened but I do lose some of the

pleasure of teaching. I cannot use a Microlink FM system because of

radio interference. We do not have reserved bands for ALDs.

At a minimum, I expect to hear better in noise and have localisation

with a CI.

I have raised this to my regular ENT and they will discuss it at

their doctors meeting and get back to me. They have my hearing

history and scans. The CI evaluation is quite informally done here

compared to what I read on the lists. I will pass on to my doctor

any precedents, and experiences you can give me so they can make a

good decision on my candidacy.

Thanks a million.

Gerard Francis

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