Irene, that response certainly would make one pause at the idea of a CI. My original AuD was appalled when I first mentioned it. Said “you know they destroy all of your hearing when they put it in, I would never do that.” You don’t have your audiogram loaded in your profile, but severely profound certainly sounds like a challenge for you.
Most AuD offices sell HAs and do not do CIs. If they learn about latest CI research and start encouraging earlier implantation, they lose a hearing aid customer. It is not in their best interest to learn about CIs. My ENT was unaware of several new CI options or that they are often able to preserve residual hearing - in about 50% of cases. It was not in her wheelhouse.
I asked for a referral to Vanderbilt University, a leading CI center, and the surgeon was very honest with all the options and research. He shared that earlier implantation is showing better hearing clarity and earlier success. Nothing is guaranteed, but I figured I already couldn’t hear, so maybe take a chance at it being better. It was also far cheaper for me to have the CI through insurance than to get a new set of HA s. That really made me think.