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New CI Implanted Friday And Surgery Updates

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Edited

On day 2+ and below is my experience. Good and bad.

Day 0: Two days ago. Surgery. Arrived at hospital and they did pre-op tests and said surgery was a go for new Cochlear Nucleus N8 Nexa. Started at 10:00am and done around noon - I guess. Coming out of anesthesiology was pretty awful, then they keep you another hour observation another hour and release you. Got right outside with Mrs waiting in car to go home and the vomiting began. Four more times ( could not keep a sip of water down and had no eating or drinking in 20+ hrs) when at home and was becoming dangerously dehydrated and could not control blood sugar and off to ER. They stabilized and gave a nausea shot, IV. I slept some and drank some and cracker and no vomit and sent me home at 3:30am.

Day 1: Saturday. Way better. Cat slept in 3 hour segments and got 9-10 hours in with just aceto - no opiod. No vomiting and most pain was from the head band and ear cup. It came off and was great. Still taking aceto and started antibiotocs. Had some soup, scrambled eggs, and a yogurt. Sleep is elevated with a wedge pillow.

Day 2: Ok this morning ate breakfast and a bit of nausea but OK.

All in all, coming out of surgery was pure hell. I believe that I may have some kind of reaction to anesthesia and have had reactions to pain opiods before. Dr. spoke with Mrs post-surgery and his words were that it was absolute smooth sailing - boring. Activation date is targeted June 6 (D-Day) or June 11th depending on progress and schedules. Right now I have ordered Nexa on ear processor and a K3 and Cochlear gives three accessories PLUS a bonus right now. I have chosed streamer, mini-mic and remote - suggestions on bonus?

Will keep updates.Thnx

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Congratulations getting past the bad stuff. I am sorry you had to go through the nausea issues. I wonder if you had received the nausea shot prior to leaving if most of your issues would have ceased. Anesthesia has more side effects than expected sometimes. Everyone is different about that.

Your Nexa system is really nice. I am a little envious. The off the ear K3 and the on the ear N8 are a little smaller than the non Nexa processors. That is a big bonus IMO.

Hoping you have smooth sailing from now on.

Good luck

@smeltjr said:

I have chosed streamer, mini-mic and remote

Congratulations the hardest part is now behind you.

Can I ask what you need the remote for? IMO I have 2 here I’ve never used, still in the box. I always have my phone, which I prefer to use instead of the remote. (Just my experience with the remote)

Extra batteries would never go astray, or get the other/s put into a voucher for your use later on when you have had a chance to work out what would be helpful to you.

Good luck to you on your new hearing journey.

@Deaf_piper said:

Can I ask what you need the remote for?

I have used a remote a few times when switching processors, N7 K2. Your phone only pairs one processor. If I temporarily switch processors and don’t want to do the unpair, forget and re pairing ritual I can get by with the remote.

The only accessory I have used regularly is the TV streamer. Most of the others I received are still new in the box.

I read a lot about remote mic’s here on the forum. It’s interesting that since getting ’s I don’t need remote mic’s.

Totally agree with deafpiper, batteries are expensive and you will need new ones in 1.5 years or shortly there after for your N8 processor. Your K3 should not be a battery problem ever if worn regularly.

Nausea is an unfortunate byproduct of many surgeries but good to hear your day 1 was better.

I had surgery in Jan 2025 and lost what was left of the previous day’s supper while being driven to my son’s house. Then the next day, on the drive home I lost my breakfast.

Earlier this year, I had a 2nd CI surgery to reposition the electrode. When I saw the anesthesiologist nurse I told her about the previous problems and she promised to give me extra anti-nausea meds. Because son had a sick wife we went straight home but no nausea.

Best wishes,
Fred

In reply to @Deaf_piper

@Deaf_piper said:

Extra batteries would never go astray, or get the other/s put into a voucher for your use later on when you have had a chance to work out what would be helpful to you.

Indeed. I would only add that extra batteries should be stored charged — ideally at 80% or less, but it’s better to store them at 100% than to overlook and lefting them to 0-20%.

@Deaf_piper said:

Very interesting, thank you. I was totally unaware of this about batteries.

This is from my experience. Around 2016 I bought new battery at a lower price on sale and overlooked its charging. It was completely unusable just after ~6-9 months of NO using. Around 200 USD equivalent completely wasted :sob:I’m not proud of it

Well,

Thanks for all of the feedback. I probably have some accessory learning to do. My logic on the remote was based on a real-life experience very recently. I have spheres and lumities and M90’s and they all have a rocker switch or a phone app. I was at a funeral, in a church and needed to switch programs and volumes to get tuned-in correctly. The rockers with glasses on are clonky and I was fidgeting with holding onto my ear and having lots of trouble adjusting volume and program. I sure as heck was not going to pull out my iphone and open the app and bluetooth to be adjusting others in that situation. I rarely pull out the phone and do not have bluetooth connected anyway, so I do not use the app. I seldom use things.

Battery issues are very well taken. Not being a smart guy, but if you have a couple of molding remotes, I will get a battery (which one?) and send you a Grant or a Benjamin if you are in the States. Mrs was also thinking about a summer trip to the East Coast on the Ocean beaches and the waterproof pack may be a thought - anyone have experience with it?

Update to day 3. I am feeling much better. Last night I got some ringing. I looked up aceto and it indeed can cause or make ringing worse. I stopped it and deal with any minor pain left. I slept very well, I am up and around. I called the Audiologist who fit my spheres to make any adjustments that might make having only one hear that I can aid out of - the other is deaf from surgery to get by better.

I appreciate, so much, everyone’s contributions on this forum - especially a few regulars. You truly care about supporting others and are the ones that are few to be found. I see some that have mentioned taking breaks from the forum and I get it, but I would ask that you don’t. THANKS

Edited

@smeltjr - glad you’re making progress after a rough start. Getting a is a long journey with some bumps in the road that everyone experiences. When your CI goes live, will you go the route and have your CI tied in with another aid? Or do you plan to just keep your sphere aid working separately from CI.

In reply to @smeltjr

@smeltjr said:

Mrs was also thinking about a summer trip to the East Coast on the Ocean beaches and the waterproof pack may be a thought - anyone have experience with it?

I got the water accessory with each implant. I have been fishing in boats quite a few times since the implants, never used them. At speed I would take the processors off and put them in my pockets. Once stopped I put them back on. I have also spent some time in swimming pools. I kept my head out of the water, never an issue. It’s kind of like wearing hearing aids, you got to pay attention and everything works out.

@Raudrive said:

. I kept my head out of the water, never an issue. It’s kind of like wearing hearing aids, you got to pay attention and everything works out.

It’s worth noting that this is less risky when the N8/N7 is used with rechargeables — then it is IP68, if I recall correctly. This can be checked in the sound processor manual.

With disposables, the rating decreases to IP54 due to the need for air entrances to feed two 675 zinc-air batteries.

@Bimodal_user said:

It’s worth noting that this is less risky when the N8/N7 is used with rechargeables

Agreed, I have never used disposable batteries with the N7 processors so haven’t thought about moisture resistance with them. I believe the off the ear and on the ear processors are rated the same in moisture and dirt, ip67 with rechargeables.

I have stepped into the shower twice over the years with the K2’s. I quickly wiped them dry with a towel, never had any problems with them from moisture.

Sweating is another moisture problem. I have found the K2’s to be very much less suspectable to sweat than the N7’s. The N7’s have never failed due to sweat. The mics easily cover with sweat but also easily wipe dry.

Good stuff - Thanks. Concerns are being near saltwater and even standing by shore, a nasty wave can pull you down. If I could get that kind of protection, it would be a slam dung to be able to hear while in the water.

Looks like it is what Raudrive says, gotta use common sense.

Thnx

@smeltjr said:

Concerns are being near saltwater and even standing by shore, a nasty wave can pull you down.

Then aqua accessory is good for additional safety. There is also good to rinse, first by tap water (beware of high pressure) and then preferably with deionized water to prevent salt from settling after the seawater dries up.

In reply to @smeltjr

I use my mini mic to connect to the Williams receiver at church. i use s 3.5 cable to connect the ear phone jack on the receiver to my mini mic+. The sounds come into ears and make it easier to hear

You are doing well and recovering nicely. I knew that after my prior experience with anesthesia I usually have a lot of nausea. As a result, my surgeon had prescribed nausea pills in advance (go under the tongue) and then also at the hospital I told the anesthesiologist about the nausea concern and they put the nausea patch behind my ear prior to going under. Those two combined I didn’t have the normal challenges. Nausea is NOT fun.

I have a tv streamer for both my living room and family room; only just started using mini mic to help with some video calls. I used the remote alot initially and less often recently (using the app more).

You are doing great!!

Thanks nicmger.

Past the surgery stuff and pretty normal now. If anything, my already poor balance from a prior episode, seems a little worse. I saw the surgeon last Thursday and the Audi to get activated.

I am a little clumsy getting the N8 in place but this will take practice. Don’t have my streamer or mic yet so spending time reading an Ambrose book out loud to myself and using the Cochlear App where they say the four phrases or is the word the same or not. Level 1 stuff is pretty easy and level 2 has some challenges. Will dive into Hearoes today and see what that is all about. Haven’t streamed any Amazon Music classic rock yet for shucks and grins and guessing that will not sound very good……………..will see and keep updated.

Thnx

Edited

Congratulations you are doing so very well.

@smeltjr said:

so spending time reading an Ambrose book out loud to myself

I’m curious to know what you’re hearing when reading aloud?

@smeltjr said:

my already poor balance from a prior episode, seems a little worse.

Just be aware that when stimulation/volume is increased at your next mapping your balance may/may not get worse. This happened to me, if I hadn’t grabbed the table to hold me still I would have fallen off the chair I was sitting on. It’s an easy fix my just turned of 1 electrode and fixed another so stimulation could be increased. I’ve only got 20.5 electrodes working. This didn’t affect my end results.

@smeltjr said:

Haven’t streamed any Amazon Music classic rock yet for shucks and grins and guessing that will not sound very good

Music appreciation is a tough gig. It will sound crap to start. It takes hours of rehab.
I had the radio going all day playing music quietly, and announcers speaking as well, not streaming though. It took months upon months before music started sounding good enough that I stopped cringing at the sound.
You are off to a great start on your new hearing journey.

In reply to @smeltjr

@smeltjr said:

Level 1 stuff is pretty easy and level 2 has some challenges.

Wow. Can - without a doubt - say that you are doing LIGHT YEARS ahead of me so soon after activation. Excited for you.

I did learn too that you can highlight an article/email/etc and right click to have your computer read the text aloud. I also did that to help my training during my workdays!

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