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Value in CI evaluation if you don’t want a CI?

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Edited

In reply to @joanhawsey

Glad to read that. You possiibly had no benefits from your ever low frequency hearing in your left ear before implantation, especially in word recognition score.

Which sound processor you have? Naida M90? I see you have almost identical hearing loss in right ear and left also if you lost residuals completely.

I’ve just consider Resound hearing aid to use it with my Cochlear sound processor, but I am not sure if benefits from that configuration is only when streaming bimodally.

I know about CI and Phonak Naida hearing aid wireless advanced cooperation between them such as in link below (e.g. StereoZoom) but I didn’t find anything about similar working together in Cochler and Resound case:

Advanced Bionics | cochlear implant HELP

EDIT: Oh, I’ve just noticed that you, @Deaf_piper have Cochlear and Resound, I will ask about this in this thread just for the sake of forum order:

Using the cochlear nucleus 7 with a resound hearing aid - Cochlear Implants - Hearing Aid Forum - Active Hearing Loss Community (hearingtracker.com)

In reply to @Bimodal_user

Advanced Bionics is the only brand that has the and linked and working together to provide hands free phone calls and streaming. I feel that having them work together helps each ear do better. Also easier to use one phone app to make adjustments for different listening environments. I can choose to reduce background noise when streaming which is nice - especially at the gym.

Can you understand speech in your left ear with your eyes closed?

Hm…I’m going to have to try this but I’m guessing probably not!

The thing is - I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything I care about. My husband and I have talked about me getting a periodically over the years but it’s never been something either of us felt a need for. We will be married 19 years this summer and together since we were seniors in High School so we know each other pretty well at this point. We also don’t have kids so that is probably a factor as well.

I just brought this up with him again recently when I got my new Phonaks as I had been getting by on one right for the last few years until these new HAs and his perspective was that he was glad I could be a part of conversations again when out with our friends. If I want a CI to make that better he is supportive. For him personally he doesn’t care so long as he knows whether I have my HAs in or not - he’s always been excellent at communicating with me regardless.

I am scheduled for an appointment with a new audiologist next week and will discuss this with them. It is sounding like a evaluation might be useful even if I don’t think I would go through with it.

In reply to @Heather_R

Yeah, everyone needs to make their own decision. I guess for me the difference between ever being able to hear sounds above 1 kHz and never being able to hear them seems like a big draw and if my one ear weren’t doing much anyway then it would seem like an easier choice. But I think I’m also someone who would probably pursue some new implant that allowed me to feel magnetic fields or see in ultra-colours–teaching the brain to perceive in a new way seems very cool. But if you are not running into any functional barriers, then it is a pretty big jump to take.

Food for thought: I was very borderline for qualifying as you can see in my . It wasn’t until i met with the surgeon at Vanderbilt that I had what I thought was a good reason for doing it now vs. waiting for my hearing to get worse. Surgeon said first: that at the moment, I don’t have any health issues - I am 62 next week - and that research shows people in better health overall tend to have better recovery. Second: that hearing typically gets worse as we age - it will not be getting better - so even if I lost residual, it would be just a matter of time before my ear is worse anyway. Third: earlier implantation helps because your brain still is getting input and can “learn” how to hear with the faster.

From another angle, my left year had always matched my right ear loss. Then it suddenly tanked to profound in the high ranges. I was worried that if my right ear got any worse, I would not be able to continue working, and I already had challenges in conversations in noisy areas or with more than one person. so, for me, it was worth the risk, but that threshold is different for each of us.

I saw my new audiologist today and did another hearing test plus word recognition. Hearing test was basically the same as what you see in my posted . For WR I was at 40% in both ears in my early 20’s, 30% in my early 30’s, and now at 44 I’m 20% in my right and 28% in my left (despite better hearing in my right - I blame the test a bit for that - I forgot they say “say the word X” and I missed the first few trying to figure out “say the word” :upside_down_face: ).

With that said, I already feel like I am much improved from before with my new , I am really working on actually listening and not just hearing and while it’s challenging it’s slowly getting easier. I use the Bluetooth streaming through my HAs now rather that ramped up earbuds and I notice having to relearn how to hear my coworkers on Teams and the hosts of my favorite podcasts. I plan to start reading along with audiobooks as well.

My husband just told me today he really is liking my new HAs which was a big indicator on how much improvement there has been since he’s lived with me for over 20 years now with basically the same hearing and generally doesn’t make many comments about it (out of respect, not indifference - he’s the reason I finally did get these new HAs after all!). Our close friend who has known me since I had both HAs before the pandemic and then while I was down to one throughout the pandemic noticed as well and told me it has been great to have me ‘back’. It’s also been great to finally actually have a real conversation with his girlfriend of two years who until now has only known me as the quiet wife :smile:

The new audiologist gave me a referral to the they use for ’s and I will probably go for a consultation. Apparently the ENT has two CIs of his own and I am interested to hear his perspective. I suspect this is likely in my future, just not quite yet due to my lifestyle right now.

Thanks everyone for your input and perspectives, it’s really given me a lot to think about!

@Heather_R said:

I am really working on actually listening and not just hearing and while it’s challenging it’s slowly getting easier.

This working at hearing is very tiring. Many of us here on the forum understand this all too well. Your word understanding scores are well within range.

@Heather_R said:

Our close friend who has known me since I had both HAs before the pandemic and then while I was down to one throughout the pandemic noticed as well and told me it has been great to have me ‘back’. It’s also been great to finally actually have a real conversation with his girlfriend of two years who until now has only known me as the quiet wife :smile:

I hate to say it but this is a huge reason to take CI seriously. You are young with lots of life left. Your description of your 20’s, 30’s and now 40’s hearing is the rational of moving towards CI also. The trend is not getting better.

@Heather_R said:

The new audiologist gave me a referral to the ENT they use for CI’s and I will probably go for a consultation. Apparently the ENT has two CIs of his own and I am interested to hear his perspective.

This is great news. Keep us posted please.
My audiologist is also bilateral CI.

Edited

In reply to @goldstarfun

@goldstarfun said:

Why do you feel you lost your chance?

It’s because after 30’ I have many, many less opportunities to rehab my hearing in real life. It’s less and less time to meet with acquaintances (who often are busy with little kids) and get to know anybody.

(EDITED):
With poorer hearing I have had much more unpleasant experiences with people and isolation which somewhat inhibits me to make a new experiences and “giving a try” in dealing with people even if I could have miracuously “perfect 100% hearing” from now on.

To sum up, it’s many reasons suggesting getting earlier is better (I have written about my specific situation, when I have to rely on myself. It may be different when somebody is in deeper connection with friends).

@Bimodal_user said:

With poorer hearing I have had much more unpleasant experiences with people and isolation which somewhat inhibits me to make a new experiences and “giving a try” in dealing with people.

To

These are the reasons just might be great for you.
I do know my life has changed since getting CI’s. It is a slow process but I got my confidence back to get out and do things again.

@Raudrive said:

These are the reasons CI just might be great for you.
I do know my life has changed since getting CI’s. It is a slow process but I got my confidence back to get out and do things again.

Yeah, thanks, I also think similarly.:slight_smile: I let myself to change my sentence to underline that even perfect hearing may not protect from difficulties.

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