ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => Hearing Issues => Topic started by: mellowrama on February 13, 2010, 09:29:42 pm
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I'm still waiting for BAHA success after recently getting the device... maybe my expectations were too high. So far, my head still aches (not from translab, but from Baha post) and the difference in hearing is hardly noticeable.
Maybe it takes awhile to adjust and fully heal -but I'm still waiting for my head to feel better and don't even lay on that side. And I'm frustrated with limitations of wearing hats and glasses.
Regarding hearing - I going back to my audiologist to adjust the BAHA device this coming Monday in hopes of it working better, as I still have difficulty hearing someone speaking next to my deaf side, or cannot understand them...and its turned all the way up.
I really hope to not regret getting the additional surgery and device...holding out for better results.
m
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m,
Sorry to hear that you are having problems with your Baha. I really hope that the adjustments will make it work better for you.
Lyn
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Hi
I've had my BAHA now for 12 days. And yes there was no WOW factor when it was turned on. Because I gradually lost my hearing over time and then completely with the surgery, I was/am use to being SSD. When the device was activated, (I'm demoing the divino til friday then the intenso) there was no difference in hearing. But when I plugged up my good ear, WOW, I could hear. Now I dont think the divino is for me as I'm somewhat impaired in my good ear and will most likely go with the intenso. But try plugging up your good ear and 'hear' the difference....it really does work...My ENT had me wait 4 months before giving me the unit. He was going to make me wait 6 months but seeing I'm a fast healer, we went with 4..
JO
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m -
why can't you wear glasses? I wear sunglasses and regular eye glasses daily while my Divino is on my head.
I'm still waiting on my BP100 - it's still on backorder, which is really ticking me off - so I can't relate to what you're going through. In the meantime, my Divino works well.
Hope things get better very soon.
Keep the faith. The BAHA is worth it despite the issues you are currently having.
Jan
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I can wear my glasses with my BAHA. They had to shorten the temporal frame to make it fit right. I only have partial outer ears on both side and both of my Baha abutments rests about half an inch behind both ears. Wish I could help ya but I have a pair of Intenso.
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I have no problems wearing my glasses or sunglasses...but I have yet to try a hat...which I know I wont be able to wear...no big deal really cuz I am not wearing my device while fishing or hunting. If I really need one for the sun, I suppose I can wear one lopsided on my head....
JO
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I wear glasses/sunglasses when I have on my Intenso and haven't had any problems. Hats are a different story however! I just added jackets, sweaters, and coats with hoods to my wardrobe and manage that way. If I really need to wear a hat -- when I'm shovelling snow, for example -- I just don't wear my BAHA.
Hope your audiologist can make an adjustment to your BAHA if that's indeed the problem. I don't recall whether you had suffered any hearing loss prior to your AN surgery, or whether you had "sudden-onset" single-side deafness as a result of your surgery. Usually those folks who get their BAHAs relatively soon after becoming SSD notice the most dramatic results -- their brains haven't had a chance to adapt to SSD. Those of us who experienced a very gradual hearing loss prior to AN surgery and, in many cases, were virtually SSD already, don't always have that "Wow" moment when they attach the sound processor for the first time.
At any rate, please don't give up on your BAHA -- give it time. Even a subtle improvement is still an improvement.
Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)
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I'm frustrated with limitations of wearing hats and glasses.
Just curious, what make Baha users to be unable to wear hats?. Is it painfull, discomfort, feedback? I read a lots of "I love my Baha" that I was starting to think that there are not any CONS. Does it get better with time? I am a runner six days a week, one of my inevitable things to wear is my hat. If I get the Baha device, does it mean that I can not wear it while running?.
Gloria
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Hi Mellowrama,
It took me quite a few months (and trips to the audiologist) before I was happy with my BAHA. I was the first person in my state to get the BP100, so my audiologist was doing her training on me. My best suggestion is to keep track of what kinds of issues you are having and when. (Such as when it's windy, when you are exposed to beeps/alarms, hats, etc.) This way you audiologist will be better able to program to fit your needs.
This is a great link to some of the questions you have:
http://www.cochlear.co.uk/Support/2236.asp
Lisa
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I have one pair of sunglasses that I can't wear when I have my BAHA on because the way the arm is shaped (I don't know what the technical term is for that part of the glasses ???). I have to wear glasses that curve around the back of my ear more rather than the kind that is just sortof straight. Otherwise, it's too close to the microphones and I get feedback.
As far as a hat, I haven't actually tried to wear one when I had my BAHA on. Usually if I wear a hat it's because it's snowing, in which case I wouldn't want my BAHA to get wet so I wouldn't have it on, I'm at the beach and I don't want to get sand or water in it or I'm on my way to drop the kids off at school bright and early and don't want anyone to notice how bad my hair looks. In that case, I wouldn't put myself in the position to have to talk to or hear anyone anyway! :D
M - don't get discouraged. I'm sure once the pain is gone on that side of your head and you figure out a way to deal with sunglasses, hats and other accessories like I did, you'll be glad you got your BAHA.
Lori
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Hi all,
thanks for your feedback.
I went to my audiologist doc this morning - she programmed the BAHA (BP100) so that the volume was higher and I'll be testing it now. She concurred with my thoughts - there is not much adjusting to be done (for me) other than raising the volume, however, that will cause more feeback and increase the background sounds too...hopefully my brain will adjust more so that hearing will be better.
I wore it all day today, I think my hearing was a bit better, but it was also much louder with feedback noise. One of my friends hugged me and touched upon it accidentally, which I did not notice at all (guess I'm getting used to the odd sounds) but it startled her. Later today, I took it off as I think the top of the device might be rubbing slightly on my head and irritating it. Starting to wonder if much of my soreness issues are related to the placement of the abutment, feels puffy above the post...
My hearing was almost perfect prior to translab around Sept 1....so I don't think the delay has been that long...
I cannot wear hats, or any of the glasses i currently own, without bending the stems or breaking them off short because they interfere with the BAHA or in some cases hurt my head near incision areas...I anticipate this getting somewhat better over time but will also have to keep an eye out for a new style.
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When I first got my BAHA, I was very frustrated like you, didn't notice any difference, still wore it for 3 months, then tried someone else's BAHA and realized that mine Never Worked !!! Had it replaced free from Cochlear and worked fine since. Have yours tested or try someone else's.
Good luck
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I had the BAHA inplant n Nov 2 and started wearing the device mid Jan ...I've not been wearing for the last week so that I can that if my head is still healing it has time, and to see if I notice a difference hearing with it on...it does seem to be a little better but not what it should be. :-\
I've been having problems with pain and sensitivity above the post primarily - it seems as though the post doesn't stick up above my head/hair, or maybe my head/skin is swollen above the post. The short new growth hair may be a factor -it seems that maybe the post is not located where there is now no hair due to the surgery, and that hair is growing close to and above the abutment and getting vibrations which by the end of the day makes my head very sore in that area. So sore, that I've been avoiding wearing the BAHA.
I was going to attache an image for hair but can't figure out how to do it...
I'm wondering if the surgeon placed the abutment in the wrong area...not sure what can be done, or what to do...
Ideas? thanks,melinda
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Posting pictures is easy. You need to open an account with www.photobucket.com and upload your pictures from your PC to there. Once you get established, All you really have to do is to copy and paste the link with [IMG] tags of your picture and paste it here.
On the other note, can you describe where did the doctor put the abutment on your head? Like how far from the ear and so on?
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Thanks Kencutus,
here is the picture of the abutment. The doctor intentionally placed it a little high too avoid the surgery area from recent translab...
when I compare it to other pictures, there seems to be way too much hair around the post.
(http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss86/mellowrama/melpost_zoom-1.jpg)
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I think you're right about the hair. Maybe, you might want to have your hair dresser to cut or shave more hair around that area. As for your doctor placing the abutment where it is now could be the reason why he did it that way. He didn't want to put it close to your other surgical site. Both of my abutments are placed exactly 1/2" behind my ears.
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I'm not a doctor, but the placement looks fine to me. And I'm not sure the hair is an issue. If your doc is experienced with BAHA implant surgery, I don't think he/she goofed up.
From what I can tell from the picture, it does look like your skin is a little puffy and close to the abutment. Although the abutment doesn't stick up much from the skull - about 1/8" - the area around it is usually sunken (what some of us here like to call a "divot").
Have you been back to your doctor? I'd start with that before doing anything else.
Jan
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Looks to me (in my very unprofessional opinion) to be in a good location. The doctor has to make sure the abutment is in "good" bone, so I'm sure a lot of thought goes into the actual placement and why they may appear to be randomly placed. Since everyone has a different "good" spot, the placement may vary from one person to another.
As far as hair, I have a whole lot more than that. I don't have a bald spot at all around my abutment, although I was told I probably would. It hasn't had any effect on the use of my processor though. My doctor actually has a hard time finding the abutment when I go for checkups.
As far as the puffiness though, you definitely should have your doctor take a look at it. I had a little bit of a puffiness problem after getting my processor - I would just have my husband take a picture and I would e-mail it to my doctor and get his opinion on how it looked. Once I had an infection and a course of antibiotics took care of it and now I have clobetasol cream on hand to put on if it ever gets puffy. Haven't had to use it in a long time.
Lori
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ok thanks so much for your feedback!
Meanwhile I will make another follow-up with my doc (he is in OKC 8 hours away and has done over 50 bahas).
I havn't been concerned about where the post is placed, just that it seems to have missed the intentional area that has no hair, and I think the hair is a problem...my hair is really thick and brustely* (word?) it seems to be growing under the post itself.
m
* bristly - 'consisting of or resembling bristle'.
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M - I feel your frustration. I had my BAHA surgery on October 1, 2009, and received my BAHA in January, 2010. There were some complications during surgery and my surgeon had to move my abutment slightly further behind my ear than I think was normal.
I have the same issues with hair growth and puffiness as you are experiencing. I do use a steroidal cream to keep the swelling down. I hope this is a temporary solution. I still can't sleep on the BAHA side, and even sleeping on the other side hurts sometimes.
I did not have the WOW factor that others describe. For the frist six weeks I had a lot of feedback, so I had to keep the BAHA volume turned so low that it was ineffective. The audiologist was able to correct this with the use of the new software that others on this site have mentioned. I don't notice a huge difference in my hearing, but others can tell when I'm not wearing the device so it must be having some impact. My biggest complaint right now is that I feel slight pain at the site all the time. I'm getting discouraged to the point that I am beginning to consider having the post removed and just deal with the SSD.
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I have the same issues with hair growth and puffiness as you are experiencing. I do use a steroidal cream to keep the swelling down. I hope this is a temporary solution. I still can't sleep on the BAHA side, and even sleeping on the other side I'm getting discouraged to the point that I am beginning to consider having the post removed and just deal with the SSD.
Don't give up yet. Sometimes the improvement is subtle, but it's still an improvement and may get even better over time. Check with your doctor for remedies for the puffiness/infection you may be experiencing.
Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)
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Here is what I do when I think the BAHA isnt working...plug up the good ear....and the wow factor does play a roll...I deff cant hear the difference when the good ear is not plugged...I am missing my demo BAHA that I had for a month....get my own (BP100) on April 12. Was to get the intenso end of Feb but my audiologist suggest I go for the newer one...
JO
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I saw my ent (Dr. Baker) and he confirmed that the location of it is a little different due to the translab surgery.
He also gave me a steroid cream for the post area - and mentioned the puffy sore area is the head muscle and not anything can be done about it. I also having adhesions at the bottom area.
So, it is ongoing a bit sore, I assume this will get better over time.
Yes, I have a huge divot, but just to the top of it is my head muscle...and hair. My doc thinks (and so does my mom a hairdresser) that it will be less irritating if I let the hair grow, as the vibrations of the BAHA cause friction which in turn hits the bristle-like hair and then the scalp.
Margen- I'm with you on this - when I wear the BAHA it doesn't seem to help much but I do notice it when I don't wear it. And, the incision for the BAHA,etc causes me more pain issues than the translab surgery ever did! This is what bothers me most - having the post and irritation on that side of my head. BTW - my doc has done over 50 of these. In my case - I've found the surgery/recovery very bothersome.
Now I'm sending it in for warranty repair - it is not working (no battery holds it power), the seal is damaged from my learning curve putting it on...and I've asked about the firmward update as perhaps that will make a hearing difference.