Profound Loss Questions

Wow. Thanks everyone. I am overwhelmed by the responses and the advice from you all. It’s a lot of info and it certainly is appreciated.

Just from your replies I have so many things to check out. Like I mentioned earlier, I did go to two different ENT places and the first place just set me up to move towards a CI for my left ear and left it at that. I went to see the CI surgeon, and he basically just wanted me to go through the tests and get the thing done. I tried to ask both about alternatives and they did not seem to want to offer any.

I went to a different ‘group’ to get another opinion, and they spent most of the time trashing Costco (I had earlier Jabra’s that I got 3+ years ago) and did not seem to be helpful at all. It was not a good session and I decided not to deal with them because they did not seem to care what I did.

The only place that treated me well was Costco, so after trying the mail order Phonaks and reading about the newer Jabra 30’s, I went back to the audiologist there who did the whole test again, with the in the ear and then ‘on the head’ type of test. That’s where my posted audiogram data came from. She was the only one who seemed to actually care about what I did.

So, I have another appointment with her next week to see how that works out. In the mean time I will see if I can connect with the VA, and again, I have an honorable discharge of course, but I am not a combat veteran or a retired veteran so I don’t expect much help there. I also intend to check out the real BTE stuff and the other suggestions you all have posted.

Deaf_piper: Wow, that’s quite a lot you’ve been through. Thanks so much for taking the time to relate all of that. It’s very thoughtful of you to do that and I take it very seriously. I will see how things go. At 72, I know my remaining time is short, although I am currently in good shape, you just never know once you get into your ‘70s how long you are going to last. Could be 10 years, could be 10 days!

Again, thanks to you all. This place is awesome and honestly, I really do appreciate all of your opinions and guidance. I know more now about this stuff than I ever did.

Being a Veteran with a 70% disability due to Agent Orange related ailments (relatively minor, but they qualified me) I can tel you that the VA is quite good with their audiologists and help. I had HA’s I had originally purchased outright that were getting wonky. I decided it was time to let Uncle pay the way. I went to the VA and got a brand new set for no cost to me. When I was having problems with that set they gave me a new set a new brand and things are working nicely.

When I got back from Nam I was sure I had hearing loss but the VA tested me back in the early 70’s and decided I didn’t. However, my disability is not hearing related but Agent Orange correlated. It put me in the 70% category and that qualified me for the hearing aids. My deterioration is as much age related as anything but the VA gives the disability and doesn’t qualify what it is “good for”.

I strongly suggest you check them out. You can apply online even though you’ll need to see someone once the ball gets rolling.

In the meantime good luck.

I got VA coverage for hearing loss (50%) and tinnitus (10%) three years ago at age 77. My hearing was damaged by simulated land mines during military police training in 1968 and my hearing slowly deteriorated over the ensuing years. The VA’s audiological services have been very good. While my hearing loss ranges from severe to profound, my experience with sounds and voices is similar to your description. I rejected my first VA hearing aids because the improvement was disappointing. A new pair of Phonak Audeo hearing aids provided by the VA are very good with digital sound (tv and phone) but so so with voices and seem gradually worsening thus past year. Last month my VA audiologist retested me and my audiogram shows further loss stemming from my service related damage. It has been suggested by a few audiologists that I am eligible for a cochlear implant, but like you I rejected that option. Instead, I have submitted a claim this week to raise my disability rating to 70%.

In all truth @Neville At one time, I would have absolutely loved a cochlear implant, but times change, life happens, I retired, and I have become more accepting of my loss…On paper, I am never going to get much, by way of contextual information from my left ear, but, I notice big time, if I am unaided on my left side, for that reason alone, I have never considered a “Cros Aid”… It may well be a very subtle difference, when aided on the left, but I am acutely aware of those subtleties… Having said that, I do often wonder, if a “Cros Aid” might give me some directionality, I have no idea whatsoever were the direction of any specific sound is coming from, for me, sound doesn’t have any direction, my location of it, is absolute zero, and that has been my normal experience since SSNHL… In your professional opinion, can a “Cros Aid” slightly enhance any directionality? Cheers Kev

He may well have, but I read yours more recently, so I probably remembered it better.

Costco only sells BTE hearing aids that I’ve seen (unless I’m just ignorinng the inside the ear (yuk). His Jabra are one of 3 or 4 models which are priced well for the ones They carry.

I have the Jabra 20 from Costco. I can attest it takes months to reprogram your brain but these are for moderate loss.

I second the suggestion for poster to get connected with VA –they have HA for greater loss and I think he would be better suited for professionals there to retest, reassess and look at models they have.

@SoundsGood said:

Costco only sells BTE hearing aids that I’ve seen

They sell RIC hearing aids which look like BTE hearing aids but are very different.

I used to use a CROS aid and liked it, I had so little hearing in my right ear that adjustments that increased the volume just caused massive distortion. I was better off without an aid in that ear. The CROS allowed me to hear sounds from the bad side without distortion. Was it as good as before, when I had a HA that could actually amplify sounds without distortion? No. But it helped.

Only you can decide about something like an implant. But here’s my experience.

My audi was suggesting for years that I consider getting a CI before I had a CI implanted 2 years ago at 74. I was afraid of both the surgery and a bad outcome so refused to consider it. It was such a very scary idea! Then my better ear started to get worse. If I didn’t have the implant and my good ear tanked out, I would be totally deaf. I finally realized that my worst ear was so bad I really didn’t have anything to lose. If it didn’t help me I could go back to using my HA and CROS. I took the plunge. For me it’s made a huge difference in my life. With my CI in my right ear and a Link HA in the left ear I have about 95% word understanding. Noisy places can still be hard, but I’m very happy with my decision to get the CI implanted. Right now, I do not plan on having a second implant. If my hearing in my left ear goes, I’ll use another CROS link to my CI.

@db4art said:

Right now, I do not plan on having a second implant. If my hearing in my left ear goes, I’ll use another CROS link to my CI.

Bilateral CI has been great for me.

Like you, when my hearing wasn’t doing much, why not go for the CI, nothing to lose. Huge change in my life for the better. I get out without my wife now and do things, have a good time.

Something else that came to mind about being bilateral CI. Hearing with one CInis like listening to an AM radio. Bilateral is like listening to Quad Surround sound. Localization is another big thing about hearing with two ears.

Thought you might appreciate this information.

@JonUrban said:

I am currently in good shape, you just never know once you get into your ‘70s how long you are going to last. Could be 10 years, could be 10 days!

Actually, this is the reality for every one of us, no matter the age! I just saw a great Facebook post from an 81 year old who is feeling good about their CI soon after surgery. The woman I talked to about it when I was investigating was 89 and had her surgery two years prior. It’s never too late when it comes to communication in my mind! If I die tomorrow (I’m 63), I would be absolutely thankful that my last 3 years allowed me to feel more connected to life. Is it “normal hearing”, absolutely not, but is works so much better for me day to day. It’s not “brain surgery” and those in good health usually recover well.
As for the CI surgeons not wanting to talk to you about HAs, well, that is not what they do. They do CIs - Audiologists don’t all know tons about CIs either.
This group will get you going in solid directions either way. - Deaf_piper and Raudrive and I are happy CI club members!

I could have written the last paragraph! I was terrified that my “good” ear would tank and I would be lost for a while. So happy that pushed me toward the CI!

@joanhawsey said:

Deaf_piper and Raudrive and I are happy CI club members!

And me although haven’t been activated yet.

Yay for you @Zebras! What brand did you choose and when are activated? Join the club.