Readers Respond: Advice for Adults Considering Cochlear Implants

Read more about cochlear implants.

Hats Knock Them Off

Please consider asking you surgeon to implant the device further up on the head so that you can wear hats successfully; otherwise, your cochlear device may be easily knocked off by the hat. This applies to either male or female hat lovers. (Guide comment: I don't know if it is possible to make this kind of request, but I'll vouch for the difficulty of keeping an implant on when wearing a hat!)

—Guest Mary Y

Hear With Your Heart

I suddenly went deaf from a 2 week sinus infection while on antibiotics in August 2007. I went to bed hearing and awoke, DEAF. This was the start of my Life Journey, one that I had not dreamed or even prayed about. People ask me if I could have a " do over ", would I pray for me not to be deaf or have bilateral Cochlear Implants. My answer is a surprise to most. It is " NO ". I was in a totally deaf world for 10 months before my surgery to restore my hearing. In those 10 months I learned to " HEAR with my HEART, rather than my EARS ". During those 10 months I saw the world in a totally different and new perspective. My thoughts and feelings became a very fragile thing. I could not hear what people were saying, but I could FEEL what they were saying. I could not go to work. I was a RN and no one wants a DEAF nurse. I could not hear the words I LOVE YOU, so I felt totally unloved. I could not speak on the phone, so I was isolated. So deaf or not, LIVE, LOVE and HEAR with your HEART. (Guide comment: Deaf people can be nurses.)

—HopeHappens

Advice From a Kid

I'm a kid. I have a C.I. But I feel that I have something important to say. I feel that if a person is stuck between the hearing and deaf worlds and is late-deaf he/she should try the C.I. of he/she is a possible candidate. I can only tell you that it has enriched my world. I feel connected with the deaf world still while I am feeling re-connected with the hearing world and all its opportunities. My other advice is don't ever jump into the pool with your receiver. If you thought a replacement H.A. was expensive....WOW!

—Guest Austin Packard

Get Two at The Same Time

I had one cochlear implant surgery in Dec 2007 after going deaf in two weeks. I was told a second one would only help 1 percent, Wrong I got another implant and my world opened up again I could hear 50 or more percent better clarity, music, everything. If you plan to get one get two at the same time. Thats my advice.

—Guest Bripple

Big decision

I understand how hard of a decision this is for someone. I can understand how someone could want to improve there hearing. I can also understand how some people could be against it. My 3 1/2 year old is disabled and although certain changes could improve his outlook on life, I wouldn't want him any other way. The way he is has made him very special and individual. What ever choice you make about getting cochlear implants, let it come from your heart and and make sure your doing it for yourself and not for someone else.

—Guest Cassie

Bilateral cochlear implants

I went deaf in Jan 2007 and had a Medel cochlear implant. I was told that another would not help much more. The doctors decided to do another implant after 8 mo. After two weeks of having my second implant I was tuneing my guitar by harmonics. I could hear what felt to be 50% better. I had 89% in my leaft ear but the day I was hooked up to my second implant my world went back to hearing and understanding human voice, much better. Music was rich and whole again. The hard part is human voice. I have been bilateral for 9 mo. now and have had some great hearing. I recommend it to anyone with profound hearing loss Like myself. Mapping is the biggest problem it is important to get mapped every mo. I moved right when things were getting good and was re mapped from scrach. This messed up my entire hearing, background noise is way off and crouded places are dificult. When I am in a quiet place my hearing is full and good. I know it is only a matter of mapping. I will hear well again soon.

—bripple

Advice for Adults Considering CIs

Make sure your insurance carrier will pay for bi-lateral and on-going maintenance. Some insurance providers, such as mine, paid for the first implant but denied the request for the second one because it "has not been medically proven to improve hearing". I dropped the CI last week and damaged the processor beyond repair, that is an expensive cost to cover when doing so out-of-pocket. Going Deaf at 45 years old is frightening enough, but to think I have to decide to self-insure for my lifetime, or forget about allowing technology [to] improve my quality of life is even more frightening. It can also become quite complicated when one is forced to make a choice between a CI repair for an old man or textbooks for a college freshman student. It would have been nice to have been better informed. Of course, the end responsibility was mine and I should have read the fine print about one CI improving hearing but two not.......

—lesfritz

Adult with Bilateral Cochlear Implants

If you're considering getting a cochlear implant, be sure to do careful research. Your expectations for what you want from a cochlear implant must be reasonable and appropriate. Ask to meet and talk with cochlear implant recipients who have similar hearing history to you. Join online cochlear support groups, especially http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CIHear/, an unbiased cochlear implant forum. Research your surgeon and the cochlear implant center and audiologists. Don't pick one based solely on convenience. Your relationship with your center and its staff is important to your hearing success. Be committed to auditory rehabilitation. You must make time daily for listening practice either formally with a therapist or informally with a friend or family member. A cochlear implant (or two) can be a dramatic change in the quality of your life. It has made mine and my daughter's less stressful and more enjoyable every single day. Good luck!

—HearingExchange