From the article: Cochlear Implants
Are you a deaf adult who received a cochlear implant? What advice would you give another deaf adult considering getting a cochlear implant? Give Advice
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
