Evaluation Process for CIs - Your experience?

Cochlear Implants
#61

Thank you so much.

The second AUD tested both ears. All testing was done with aids. No testing without at least one aid on. He did use some data from the first fitting. He did not test me in noise. I asked him to but he said he didn’t need to. Both ears are implant candidates. He could not understand how the first AUD got the hearing % she did. He studied it it wondering how.

He initially wanted to test me with aids he programmed but changed his mind, not sure why.
This AUD asked a lot of questions about life and hearing situations. We talked a lot. He seemed to understand everything better than the first AUD.

The second AUD does have 2 CI’s, Kanso’s. He got his implants 9 years ago. He doesn’t need any Bluetooth devices to hear TV, phone or anything else. He could hear everything, didn’t miss anything.

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#62

Great news! Wishing you the best. I’m sure you will find a lot of support from everyone here.

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#63

I can tell you what the difference was: she is HOH, too :smiley:

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#64

Since getting accepted for cochlear implants it has taken 2 weeks, 3 emails and finally the help of my Cochlear representative to get a doctors appointment with the surgeon. September 1, 2020 I will talk to the doctor.

This pre-journey is something.

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#65

Yesterday I saw the cochlear implant surgeon. The visit went very well. Going in I was afraid the doctor would be looking for ways to stop me from getting the implants but that was not the case at all. He made it clear the audiologist CI evaluation does the calculations for implants. So, once you get past the CI evaluation it should move forward pending on your health and insurance.
Now I am waiting on the go ahead from insurance for the surgery. Then a pre-operation surgery physical by my family doctor, a CT scan, meningitis shot and an EKG test prior to surgery. The surgery is 2-2.5 hours as an out patient. The patient is knocked out with anesthesia for the surgery so I will need someone with me to drive me home after the surgery.
Piece of cake.
The doctor did talk me out of getting two implants at once. He said since I do have some hearing it could be very hard on me to be completely deaf from two implants at once for up to 6 months. The argument about understanding speech quickly didn’t justify getting both implants at once. And, Medicare doesn’t have a problem with patients getting the second implant later.
Quite a journey just getting to the point of having a cochlear implant.

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#66

Age 19 years or older with cerebrospinal fluid leak or cochlear implant : 1 dose PCV13 followed by 1 dose PPSV23 at least 8 weeks later; at age 65 years or older, administer another dose PPSV23 at least 5 years after PPSV23 (note: only 1 dose PPSV23 recommended at age 65 years or older)

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/hcp/dis-cochlear-gen.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/adult-conditions.html

You might as well go ahead with the pneumococcal vaccine(s) now. The above are links I found when I was doing all my research.

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#67

Agreed.
The pneumonia shot is part of the pre-surgery list, failed to mention it. I happened to get one a few months ago.
Something else I forgot was a Covid-19 test has to be done.
Thanks

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#68

On the COVID test they may have a restriction on when you can have it on the surgery timeline (given that it’s only a snapshot in time). I had mine two days prior at my pre-op.

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#69

I’m very happy for you Raudrive that your assessment and surgeons visit have gone as you had hoped. Good luck with your procedure.

I had a localized reaction to one of those injections. Golly my arm was inflamed, hard and painful for weeks after. Can’t remember which one though. The thought of having to get them all again every 5 yrs is not nice. But far better to be safe than sorry.
I had to have Covid swab 4 days pre op just recently, if I didn’t the hospital wouldn’t admit me for the procedure.

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#70

@Raudrive On the COVID test, don’t know if where you are having your surgery, I had mine through one of Northwestern’s hospitals. The pre-op nurse told me to have it 48 hours prior to surgery. The Northwestern Urgent Care Center told me 72 - 48 hours. They also told me 48 hours was cutting it close. My other doctor, my retinal surgeon who is out of the Rush Medical System told me after my surgery during my follow-up on my eyes (nothing to do with auditory) that they’ve told patients 72 hours prior. Just my experience, yours might be different.

I’ve been trying to keep up, but where are you now on this journey? Set date yet?

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#71

I have a surgery date.
October 1, 2020 I should get an implant to my right ear. September 14, 2020 I have an appointment with my family doctor for pre-op.
The CT scan is pretty open as long as I get it done before surgery.
The Covid test will be done by my family doctor a right before surgery.

Not nervous or excited about the surgery but looking forward to it.

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#72

I hope all goes well. Best wishes!

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#73

Sounds like you’re on the right track. My CT scan just happened to be the same day I had the SSHL while I was at the ER. They used that one so I didn’t have to have a second. My MRI was done about a week after the SSHL. At the time my doctor wanted to make sure I hadn’t had a stroke because of diabetes. That was convenient. I just had to go through my physical and labs twice because of the delay in surgery due to COVID.

I’m almost a month post activated. I can notice a difference if I have just the hearing aid on and not the sound processor. It’s weird how your brain “blends” the normal sound from the ear with my hearing aid with the processor on the other ear. Next appointment at three months in November. What processor did you choose?

Good luck with your surgery, will bevthinking of you on 10/01!

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#74

Thanks for this information.

Today I had the CT scan. It went smoothly, about 8-10 minutes guessing.
Monday the 14th I get the pre-op physical, shots and EKG.
3 weeks from today, October 1st, I am scheduled for the implant surgery.

Audiologist has ordered the Kanso 2 processors hopefully. My understanding the Kanso 2 will be available in October.

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#75

It sounds like everything is going very smoothly for you now Raudrive, which is fantastic news. You are very lucky to be able to have the Kanso2. I wanted the Kanso but it didn’t have Bluetooth. So I had to go with the other option to be able to have bimodal hearing.

I wish all the very best for 1/10 and a very successful hearing journey.

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#76

Thanks.
You and the others here have been a blessing for me.
The Cochlear representative who is helping me is always asking to help me or get me in touch with other CI volunteers. I have to tell her I am just fine but thanks. The forum members are all the support I need at this time.

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#77

Hope all goes well with surgery and activation.

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#78

@Raudrive Never hurts to get a second opinion from a user.

I have an appointment at the end of the month to continue the process now for my left ear. I’ve already qualified so this is just kicking off scheduling and what not. Also, had a mapping session this morning and that was fine; we created a secondary map with bumped up higher frequencies to potentially compensate for masks a little. I’m to play around with that so we’ll see how that goes. I also still have two remaining progressively louder maps just in case, since my next appointment barring my left ear appointments won’t be until mid-December.

#79

It sure sounds like you are doing well. Thanks for giving us an update.

I just got home from the doctors office getting pre-op stuff done. After the physical, EKG, blood work, CT scan, shots and Covid-19 test I am kicking myself for not standing my ground with the surgeon about getting both implants done at once. Knowing I will have to do all these things again. I wonder if it’s just to milk the system more at my expense?

#80

I admit I don’t quite understand it either. Yes, I have a job, so it would’ve been inconvenient for (at least) those three weeks prior to activation. But let’s face facts here: I’m not doing that well with hearing aids; that’s why I’m a CI candidate in the first place. So, if you do both, and one or both don’t work out, or you don’t benefit, is it really THAT big a deal? They say yes. My research though, there’s relatively few cases where they didn’t work out, or discovered something during surgery that made it a no go.

But at the same time, I know I’m a weirdo because I’m sitting here on a conference call with technical jargon streaming direct to my CI only and I’m doing pretty well with it. This is from everyone I have spoken to beyond expectation for only two months in.

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