ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => Hearing Issues => Topic started by: Nickittynic on March 15, 2010, 11:44:04 am
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I'm going back to the ENT for my 6 month post-op appointment this week and intend to ask about Transear while I'm there. SSD didn't matter so much when I was at home but it can sometimes be a problem at work when I can't always control someone being on my 'good' side. BAHA is out for me because I reeeeally don't want anymore surgery or anything permanent.
My concern with the Transear is, though, that I wear glasses, and that seems like an awful lot to have on an ear.
Any experiences / tips on this?
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Ken wears his CROS aids infrequently, but I don't recall him mentioning that it was a problem with his glasses. When he gets home I will ask him about the glasses and the CROSS. He also will not consider anymore surgery and doesn't want a peg implanted in his head. He, like you, had a difficult recovery and the idea of a BAHA implant makes him shudder. I am eagerly following the reports about the Sound Bite and hope it the new trials are successful.
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I wear both Transear and glasses. No problems whatsoever.
Eve
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Ken says that he is careful when putting on his glasses, as well as when combing his hair, so that he doesn't dislodge the hearing aids.
Miranda
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I have the TransEar. While I don't wear glasses, I frequently wear sunglasses and have no problem whatsoever. The TransEar is in the ear and it also had a behind the ear part. There are technical terms, but I forget what they are. If the TransEar is fitted correctly it seems to work very well. A deep impression for making the mold is very important. I've had mine for just over three years now and have been very happy with it.
Jean
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Thanks everyone!
My ENT didn't even mention it as an option last time so I'm not sure he's too familiar with it ??? I'll let you all know what he says and if I end up getting to try it! I don't want to do CROS either because I don't want anything in my good ear. No point in possibly muffling perfectly good hearing if I don't have to I figure. :P
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That's a good option. Right now at home I don't have a problem being SSD except going to the store and talking with the cashier or last weekend eating in a restaurant with my family. My ENT booked an appt. to talk about the BAHA in June and I'm really apprehensive about having this implant permanently in my head. It concerns me. The Sound Bite by Sonnitus attracts me but it's not available and the technology is not up to speed.
I'll look forward to your experience with the Transear and what Dr. Francis has to say.
Sincerely,
Mei Mei
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Thanks everyone!
My ENT didn't even mention it as an option last time so I'm not sure he's too familiar with it ??? I'll let you all know what he says and if I end up getting to try it! I don't want to do CROS either because I don't want anything in my good ear. No point in possibly muffling perfectly good hearing if I don't have to I figure. :P
With Ken's Cross, there is a behind the ear piece for both ears and a very small piece that sits in both ears. I don't think it affects the hearing in the good ear. The audiologist couldn't get the molds for the Trans Ear due to Ken's super sensitive ear canal, so he never got to try it.
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I've been using a TransEar for 2 years and can't survive without my glasses. Never been a problem. The processor for the Transear does sit behind the ear, but it's attached via a flexible wire and doesn't interfere with the glasses.
Katie
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This is interesting to know. I wear glasses too and have been researching options.
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Can any of you tell me how comfortable is the TransEar is to wear throughout the day? Do you know it is there? Does it hurt? Is it a tight fit? How does it feel?
Mei Mei
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Can any of you tell me how comfortable is the TransEar is to wear throughout the day? Do you know it is there? Does it hurt? Is it a tight fit? How does it feel?
Mei Mei
Most of the time I forget it's there. It needs to fit snug and tight in the ear canal, but it shouldn't hurt. When I do notice it, it's like one of those foam ear plugs. At least, that's the sensation for me.
Katie
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Thanks everyone for the info!
At the doctor's today I guess my question list was too long and Transear got pushed to the bottom so it was just a quick response. I guess my headaches, nausea, and returned imbalance got the prime 'doctors time' position. :P (You all know how that goes I'm sure..)
They encouraged the BAHA and were kind of like "well let us know when you're ready to try that out" and said they don't really do the Transear or even much of the CROS. So I might check audiologists nearby and see if anyone else does it.
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Not many audiologists or docs recommend the CROS these days. The general consensus is that the TransEar and the BAHA are much better.
Just my experience,
Jan
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I wear the TransEar from when I get up in the morning until I go to bed. Unless I specifically think about it, I don't even noticed it. Mine is very comfortable.
Jean
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Thanks for your reply. I've been looking for a bone conduction non surgical alternative and been wondering about the fit and comfort. You've had a great audiologist to fit you. Did your doctor get involved or did your audiologist do all the work?
I am hopeful that this will work out. Also, it is said that the Trans Ear had a Higher frequency range than the BAHA so that is also a benefit.
Sincerely,
Mei Mei
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My thought here: might be getting used to the transear would almost be like when having to start wearing glasses. You need to get used to them. Same as like some types of shoes...they may need to be broke in.
Mei Mei,
One good thing if you go Transear is they have at least a minimum of 30 day money back (product only, not audio & offices fees). So almost seems like you have nothing to lose if trying it.
The Transear is spreading her extremely slowly in Michigan, but there is plenty in regards to the BAHA knowledge already.
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I can't speak to the comfort level (short and long term) because I don't use TransEar.. But, I can tell you that there is only a "device" on one side... It works the same way that BAHA does (bone conduction to the other side) however it achieves that through a tight inner canal "device" in your bad ear and uses that bone conduction made with the tight fit in the ear canal...
There is not a wee piece in the canal because of that tight-fit thing in the ear.. However, there is a part of that same device that is Over-The-Ear (OTE) so it rests on the back of your ear..
Make sense?
Brian
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Donna, this might help. Go here: http://www.transear.com/?BISKIT=3483619571&CONTEXT=cat&cat=22#appearance for a picture.
Sara
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I wear the TransEar from when I get up in the morning until I go to bed. Unless I specifically think about it, I don't even noticed it. Mine is very comfortable.
Jean
Hi Jean, Mei Mei pointed me in your direction.....you are from the U.P. of Michigan. Where did you go for your TransEar?
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Yup, the pictrure from Sara gives a really good idea of what it looks like. Just keep in mind, what's showing it what would go on your bad ear.. There is nothing on the good ear like you get with CROS or Bi-CROS aids. The OTE part is somewhat like a hearing aid in that it picks up the sounds and transmits them via the tube into the part in the ear.. That part gets the sounds and thru bone conduction it "sends" them over to your good side's cochlea so you can "hear" it..
Regards,
Brian
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Well Donnalynn, I think that a thick skull would just give you more bone for better conduction!
Sara
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TransEar and CROS work under entirely different principles, so I wouldn't say that one would not work for you if the other did not. I tend to think like Sara in that a thicker skull would make it work better in the bone conduction aspect. I'm not a doctor or audiologist or a mechanical engineer for that matter, so all you can do it try..
An audiologist said that she had a 90-day money-back guarantee on TransEar... If it didn't work for me in the first 90 days, then I could return it for my money back.
Regards,
Brian
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I had the Phonak brand CROS behind the ear hearing aids for several months, but there is a constant interference problem that they have not been able to fix, so I had to give them up. They worked for a month and then I sent them back for fixing. They worked for 2 months and I sent them back for fixing. They finally admitted that it has been a problem for years that they haven't figured out. Ridiculous!
I basically liked the wireless CROS system, because I could hear much better with them. I did hear momentary interference from different sources, but overall I was used to them. It is inherent in the wireless technology to pick up sound waves from other places in this age of technology. The piece of plastic/rubber that goes into the good ear is very small and pliable and has holes in it, so it did not affect hearing regular sound for the good ear. After my ears got used to having something hanging on the back of them, they were not uncomfortable. I had to buy bigger winter hats because there was added bulk behind my ears. No problem with glasses or baseball hats.