Am I a CI candidate?

Cochlear Implants
#1

Today , I got my hearing test but my wish to get new hearing aids was denied by the ENT specialist doctor. He said to me that hearing aids are useless for me. I was shocked. I don’t hear excellent with hearing aids but I can get by with proper programming. I don’t want to have a surgery. I’m adding my new test. My speech perception are around 30 percent.

I should add that my aided testing is a bit deceiving since my right hearing aid broke and I’m using my 11 year old backup SP aid. I guess I might get slightly better results with UP aids.

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#2

You need to see an audiologist. ENT doctors are not audiologists. Your hearing loss is better than mine and l am still am using Phonak P70 UP aids. You need to get a second opinion.

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#3

I’m not an AuD, but it certainly does look like you are ready for a CI. Get you AuD to give you a referral to a CI clinic near you for an evaluation.

Just because you go for an evaluation doesn’t mean you have to have surgery. Good luck to you on your hearing journey.

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#4

In the US 30% speech recognition does qualify for CI from a hearing loss standpoint. Not sure where you are?

The red and blue squiggly lines pointing down, are they no response indication? If they are you are doing well to get 30% understanding.

Second opinions are always good if feasible.

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#5

Pretty sure that’s her bone conduction levels which can only go to around 80 dB.

#6

Yes. Little down arrow appended to any audiometric symbol means no response.

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#7

@Neville

Would that be BC levels as there’s symbols underneath for her AC levels?

Realise I’m no expert tho.

The X and O are the same on her last audiogram.

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#8

Yup! Triangle brackets, or carrots, or whatever symbol name you prefer, are unmasked bone thresholds and you are correct that they don’t go higher because of the limits of the audiometer.

But you’ll frequently see the X’s and O’s (air conduction) with little downwards arrows too, and it also means no response.

A’s are aided thresholds in soundfield.

Definitely CI candidate, but the ENT was wrong to say that hearing aids are useless for them. 30% word recognition at a loud conversational level is better than 0% speech recognition, which it what it would be without hearing aids.

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#9

I thought they were bone conduction levels and it’s pretty close gap between air and bone conduction.
The ENT was wrong to say that hearing aids won’t help.

#10

There’s likely no gap at all.

#11

Thanks.
I did see an audiology expert. I’m aware that there people who have worse hearing than I do and still use hearing aids. I’m thinking of getting a UP hearing aid trial and see if my condition gets better.
I should add that my aided testing is a bit deceiving since my right hearing aid broke and I’m using my 11 year old backup SP aid. I guess I might get slightly better results with UP aids.

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#12

Thanks. I’ve decided to go through a CI evaluation. My audiologist said that that may take 1-2 years since there are already a lot of people waiting CI.

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#13

Thanks. I must add that I get tinnitus while I get hearing test and that’s a problem and may cause slightly lower results. Sometime I cannot decide if I hear a tone or tinnitus .

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#14

Thank you all.
I should add that I got a ABR test done in the sleep in the past and the result was that there was response at 80 decibels and my hearing test was around 95 decibels.
I suspect my tinnitus cause a little lower hearing test result.

#15

I’m him, btw. A 47 year old man

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#16

Tinnitus and stress go hand in hand. High blood pressure can also worsen tinnitus. Too much salt or alcohol is known to affect tinnitus.

Many of us on this forum deal with tinnitus. It can be nerve racking.

Hearing tests and tinnitus can be stressful. Try to relax and be confident you are actually hearing the tones for your hearing test.

You are sharing great information to the members.
Thanks

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#17

What couuntry is this in that an ent can deny you getting new aids regardless of what your audiogram shows. Your audiogram isn’t worse than mine and I’m wearing phonak paradise aids

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#18

Try to cut back on eating processed meats, sugared drinks, too much coffee, sweeteners, candies. Too much sodium and sugar will spike your T. Stress feeds on T so try to keep your stress low as possible. Many people reported changing their diet helped made their T less bothersome.

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#19

Usually doctors approve of hearing aids. Unfortunately in my case, I got denied.

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#20

I contacted my audiologist today via whatsapp since she is not working weekends. She said she would see what she could do on Monday and would inform me. She understands and approves of new hearing aids but she emphasized that a CI would be better for me.

Worst case scenario, I will go to another hospital and hopefully get the approval