ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => Hearing Issues => Topic started by: amymeri on September 23, 2009, 05:39:05 pm
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Hi everyone
I would really appreciate insight and feedback.
I am SSD on the right. I find that most of the time it doesn't bother me but in restaurants, while driving and trying to talk to a passenger, while going on walks, etc, the jockying around is what bugs me. It's not a daily problem...more like a semi-weekly adjustment.
Went to see a terrific audiologist and tried the BAHA demonstrator and loved it. I couldn't really tell a difference in normal conversation in a quiet office (because I have perfect hearing in the good ear) but plugging my good ear really showed how well it works.
BUT he also had me try a single, normal, in ear (not Transear) amplifier hearing aid and it worked too! It wasn't quite as good, but still pretty good and good enough to hear speech clearly.
He said that he thought that a surgical implant and the lifetime care of the BAHA might be a lot to do for what I want the hearing aid for and the transear can cause a lot of discomfort and need a lot of fitting. He said he thinks the specialized bone conduction craze is overblown and that for my situation a regular aid would work fine to create bone conduction without a special aide or surgery.
And it DID work.
He was totally supportive and informative on all the different options, so I didn't feel pushed at all.
Has anyone tried this? I am really tempted to try it (especially since I can try it free for six weeks) and avoid surgery and having a screw in my head. Also it is in ear, so I can wear my riding helmet, hats etc, without a problem.
Thoughts??
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Which one is it and how much does it cost?
Eve
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I think (moderator) Steve has a normal hearing aid........... He should be able to add his $0.02 in.
Phyl
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Almost any kind would work. It doesn't have to be a bells and whistles type just loud. He said final cost about $1200 including all the audiology bills. The actual aid is about $800. Baha would be free, except surgical and office copays.
I think is was an Oticon brand...this one, I believe...the oticon Hit
http://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/pf_article_detail.asp?article_id=1629
An interesting discussion of the traditional CROS, the transcranial CROS (What I am considering) and the true bone conduction.
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Amy -
interesting that the hearing aid is by Octicon. Did your audiologist tell you that Octicon is entering the market with their first BAHA device (the Ponto) next month?
Although I'm admittedly pro-BAHA, the fact that Octicon has developed a BAHA device gives me the impression that they feel it's a step above their conventional hearing aids. But I could be wrong.
As I always say, the BAHA is not for everyone. I have one and I love it - I'm anxiously awaiting an upgrade from the Cochlear Divino to the BP100 in the next few months - but in all fairness I've never worn a conventional aid so I really can't compare it to the BAHA.
I didn't mind the surgery (easy, fast, outpatient procedure), I don't mind the hole in my head (no issues with pain or anything else) and I love the fact that I don't wear a hearing aid in my ear. No one knows I wear a BAHA unless I care to tell them. This is a big thing for me, but it's not a big thing for others and as you say, with a hearing aid in your ear you can wear a bike helmet.
The new BP100 (and the Octicon Ponto) have big improvements over the older BAHA devices. They are more programmable and work better in large rooms and noisy environments - in addition to amplifying sound in quiet settings. I've also found that the longer I've worn my BAHA the more directionality and localization of sound I've developed.
IMO hearing aids are like AN treatment decisions - you have to do what is best and most comfortable for you.
On a financial note - most docs include post op appts from the BAHA surgery (usually 2) in the cost of the surgery; so you'd typically have no office copays.
Just my two cents.
Jan
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As Phyl noted, I do use a normal hearing aid, but I use it in the conventional manner. I did read up on the idea of using one on a deaf ear; it is meant to transmit across to the good ear through your head. Apparently it works pretty well in some people, depending on how hard headed you are or something. :)
If it makes sense in your case, I would give it a try. You really do get to return a regular hearing aid after the first month if you don't want it, I think it is a law now.
Steve
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Will you be wearing the hearing aide in your dead ear or your good ear???? Doesn't make sense to me to wear it in your dead ear, and why would you want something in your good ear, unless the good ear is not so good ????????
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I am completely deaf in my right ear and have perfect hearing in my left. So I am totally SSD. The way it works is both through some bone conduction and through cochlear transference or something like that. So you wear the aid in your DEAF ear and the sound is transmitted through to your GOOD ear. Freaky, right? Same concept as BAHA but slightly less strong, clear and no surgery.
Okay, so here is that link http://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/pf_article_detail.asp?article_id=1629 and from that link the relevant part (and my apologies if this is again TOS, let me know if it is)
"These authors suggest placing a conventional high gain/high output air conduction hearing aid in the impaired ear to take advantage of the fact that the cochleas for each ear, which are contained within the temporal bones, are not acoustically isolated. That is, if an air conducted signal of high intensity is presented to the cochlea of an impaired ear, the signal will eventually be heard in the cochlea of the better ear because it will be intense enough to overcome the acoustic isolation (interaural attenuation [IA]) between the cochleas...
Signals picked up by the microphone of a hearing aid placed over or in the impaired ear can be amplified and eventually cross through the head and be heard by the cochlea of the normal ear via bone conduction (Miller, 1989)." (italics mine)
My thinking is... start LOW tech/LOW intervention and move up if I need it. Because I really only need an aid sometimes. I am thinking that I can get the custom aid done in a couple weeks, see what I think for a month and then if I don't like it, nothing lost and I can still schedule the BAHA. But why go for surgery if the aid works fine.
It wasn't as good. My audiologist said high pitches get dampened by the head and that it wouldn't be as quick and as clear, but it was okay for what I want, I think. I mean it just sounds a little quieter and a little tiny bit less sharp.
Amy
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So it works as a low tech, poorly adjusted transear. Why not go w/ a transear?? This thread is confusing.
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You are confused? I wonder why.
The transear can be difficult to adjust and the skin that is deep inside your ear is very sensitive. The BAHA is a surgical procedure. This might be a cheaper, easier, possibly more comfortable option to explore.
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if you don't have the hearing apparatus in your deaf ear, will it work?
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The hearing aid ONLY goes in your deaf ear and then amplifies the sound into your cochlea with tranfers to your opposite, healthy ear through bone conduction.
So one regular hearing aid in your deaf ear only. No wires, no double aids, no surgery, no fine tuning the fit.
So I think it might be worth it to try it.
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I had a 4cm tumor and a retrosigmoid removal with complete removal of the auditory nerve. I have absolutely NO hearing in my right ear. None. It has been tested 3 times since my surgery and I have nothing and I never will.
The aid still works on a bone conduction principle and I tried it myself and it worked.
I was EQUALLY shocked because I had never, ever heard that this was possible. But it worked. Not as well as the BAHA, but well enough to hear clearly.
I was completely floored which is why I posted. I was curious why I had never heard about it....but then I read up and saw it IS possible.
So, I don't know. I am going to at least TRY it. I will keep everyone updated. If it works, it might be another option for surgery-phobes like myself.
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It seem s to make sense to me. It might not work for everyone but a regular hearing aid in your deaf ear may conduct the sound through your head to your good ear. Similar to TransEar and BAHA only using loud audio instead of bone conduction vibrations. It seems worth a try and whatever works is good.
Neal
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Hey! Just made my BAHA consult appt for Nov 4 at MEEI Boston, so this is very timely. Do us tranlabys get to do this low tech thing? I mean, didn't they trash our cochleas when they went in through the ear to save our beautiful faces? ;D
And by "eventually" do you mean that we get to hear the sound on the same day or a week later?
Keep us posted, please.
Thx
N
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Following this with much interest...
K ;D
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Hi Everyone :-X
I don't know which exact aid he tried. It was just a general demonstrator that was a behind the ear type but he had it low volume. The one he recommended was the Oticon Hit because it was inexpensive but had a strong enough amplifier to work. He said it didn't have to be a fancy aid...a normal one would do, but just provide strong enough amplification to transmit the sound. The one I am choosing is in-ear and is medium sized.
I don't know if it would work if your cochlea is destroyed with a translab...that's a very interesting question. When I see my audiologist in 2 weeks I will ask.
If anyone else has information when they question their own audiologists I would really love to hear other opinions.
Thanks!!
Amy
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I too am following this thread with a ton of interest!
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:D Does that mean my head is hollow??
Let me know when you try it. It is so interesting the differing opinions on the devices.
I didn't think the sound was distorted when I tried the tester. Maybe not a clear as the BAHA (which reminded me of talking to someone on the telephone) but not distorted. Apparently I have a light-n-hollow head!
I await your experience with bated breath!
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Thanks, that's interesting.
Interestingly. my audiologist (and the research I have done) are very down on the CROS system! Which just goes to show you.
The BAHA was superior, but I really hate the idea of the daily care, the surgery, all that...so I am going to try the aid and see what happens since I had good speech recognition with the tester.
VERY interesting.
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Amy - I am very interested what you experience with the hearing aid. I am one that was denied BAHA insurance coverage, so I am always looking for options. Please update us after you use the aid for awhile!
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I sent all that information to my audiologist to get his take on the explanation you got at HEI.
This is such an interesting topic! ;)
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My audiologist just emailed back (in 15 minutes!) and gave a good explanation. I will post the entire, more complex, explanation if he gives me permission.
Meanwhile the upshot is...
The ability of your ears to pick up on sound coming into the other side is well known. For instance, when they tested my hearing after the surgery I thought I could hear the tones in my deaf ear. But in fact, I was actually hearing them in my good ear! They had to use very loud white noise in my good ear to mask it so that testing in my deaf ear was accurate. So I could hear those tiny tones going from deaf to good ear unless they blocked the 'inter-aural attenuation'.
His suggestion is to use that natural ability to my advantage and simply amplify the sound to make it easier and clearer. He said the aid does have to fit well to prevent acoustic feedback but that since I am completely deaf in my right ear, louder sounds in that ear aren't painful or dangerous.
About the cochlea overdrive theory...he said that it would overdrive the bad cochlea but that didn't matter...I have nothing savable there. They won't overdrive my good cochlea because it is set just so I can hear clearly, not loudly which doesn't overtax the hearing cochlea.
Whew.
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Amy ~
I'm SSD and don't use a BAHA or any type of hearing aid - I just cope. However, I'm well aware of my hearing deficit. Like many others, I've been following this thread but didn't have much to add. I still don't, except to mention that I look forward to learning how your new 'regular' hearing aid actually performs. I hope it works well for you.
Jim
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Okay, so here is my audiologists more complete reply (I got his permission to post) and a copy to a link he sent me. This is from three conversations so it's chunked up a bit.
Amy
This concept isn't new as we in Audiology have had to deal with this effect as a 'complication' of hearing testing since the very beginning. Every Audiologist knows that at a certain level sound will travel from one side of the head to the other. The amount of sound that is absorbed on the way over is referred to as the 'inter-aural attenuation'. When performing diagnostic hearing testing on people with SSD we deal with this in a couple of ways - by using masking noise in the non-test (better-hearing) ear or by using insert earphones rather than traditional headphones as they have more inter-aural attenuation. If you don't account for this cross-over-effect it will appear as though the individual has a flat moderate hearing loss (when using traditional headphones) or a flat severe hearing loss (when using insert earphones) when in fact they have NO hearing at all in that ear.
My suggestion was to simply use this cross-over-effect to your advantage by providing stimulation from sounds on your poor-hearing side to your normal-hearing side. Yes, the fit of the instrument needs to be good, but not because of bone-conduction but rather to prevent excessive acoustic feedback. People with SSD tend to be good candidates for this approach because they receive no discomfort from the loud sound in their 'dead' ear. Others who have some useable hearing in the bad ear will often report negative sensations from the amplified sound. As we discussed previously, the BAHA/Trans-ear/CROS approach can offer slightly better high-frequency fidelity but the trans-cranial-CROS approach is much simpler and less invasive/unattractive....
Hope this helps.
(Name)
No, it won't overdrive/tax your good cochlea or VIIIth nerve because we set the hearing aid to provide only enough amplification to make the sounds just audible on the good side, not loud. Are we overdriving the bad cochlea? You bet, but it doesn't matter as that ear is 'off line' anyway.
No problem. Again, there are several CROS options each with its strengths/limitations. The trans-cranial CROS is not for everyone but it is definitely a viable option.
Here is a brief article written by one of our profession's experts (Dr. Gus):
http://www.audiologyonline.com/askexpert/display_question.asp?question_id=118
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Amy~
You mentioned "daily care" of a BAHA - how is the care of a BAHA different than a regular hearing aid? They both are put on & taken off daily and both require batteries...what else do the BAHA require?
K ???
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I meant the skin care. I know it's not a big deal, but I am a worrier, so it would be a constant, tiny, worry...infection, irritation, etc.
Since I ride horses, I get hot, sweaty and dirty wearing a tight fitting helmet on a daily basis...it just seems like it would be easy to get infected under those circumstances.
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I meant the skin care.
I think this must vary a great deal from person to person. I'm always surprised to read about people having any sort of infection, "redness," etc. at the site of their BAHA abutment -- I've never had a bit of trouble and find that I can maintain the area with nothing more complicated than my daily shampoo regimen. I think that even most of those folks who have an occasional issue find that any problems are easily taken care of with a bit of Neosporin or something similar.
I've worn my BAHA Intenso for almost a year and a half and I think of it as a "third contact lens" -- in my opinion, it's totally second nature and no big deal whatsoever!
Catherine (JerseyGirl2)
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Amy,
Your audiologist is, of course, correct about highly amplified sound on one side being able to be "picked up" on the other side. When I had my original hearing test after losing 100% hearing on my left side, my audiologist had to do considerable masking in the right (good) ear while the highest volumes were being fed to the left ear - otherwise I'd hear what was going into my left ear on the right side. So I can say from personal experience it works. Second, over the course of the past 3 years, my ability to pick up bone-conducted sound in my good ear has improved remarkably. I can lightly rub my hand across the hair on my "bad" side and actually hear that through bone conduction if there is no other sound or if I've got my good ear plugged.
If the air conduction approach works for you, great! But before you make a final decision I would suggest possible additional consideration of the TransEar, if you're not completely sure about the air conduction hearing aid. I strongly disagree that the TransEar has to be uncomfortable, let alone painful - particularly once it's properly fitted. If it hurts, it needs to be slightly sanded down in the spot corresponding to where the irritation is inside the ear. It may take a few tries at that, but once it's done, you're set from then on. My first one hurt like crazy, and my audiologist (then) told me I'd get used to it, or my ear canal would stretch out, or something like that. So I endured it about a week until I could not stand the pain. It turned out I'd worn a significant "hole" in my ear canal. She thought it had gone to the bone, but the ENT doc checked and said it was just a pretty significant ulcer. I went without the TransEar for another week. The audiologist did an absolute no-no (especially for one not well experienced with the TransEar) and put it on her grinder. That instantly took off too much, and I had feedback problems forever after, and could never run it at the volume level it is designed to run at. It was eventually remade by the TransEar folks, better fitted, and was passable until I got the new model earlier this year (from a different, patient, highly competent audiologist). It fit too tight, and was immediately sanded down a little at a time (VERY fine sand paper that TransEar supplies with the device), and I went home. The next day I returned and some more needed to be taken off. A little more sanding at a time and I was in great shape! (Haven't been back to the audiologist now in 4 months.) A good audiologist can get you the same results if they do it right. And it isn't really all that much work. As you see here, there are a number of very satisfied TransEar users who were able to get a good fit in one or more additional visits in the first few days or weeks - that's all. And since there's a free trial period with the TransEar also, it might be worth a try.
As for it being hard to program? Not if the audiologist can follow instructions and is willing to work with (i.e. talk to) the TransEar folks - even while they're doing programming adjustments. The TransEar people have been really good about working with the audiologists about programming and fitting (when needed)
Yes, I have a behind-the-ear (BTE) portion (the electronic "brains" of the TransEar), as well as the in-the-ear portion. But I've long since lost any uncomfortability or sensitivity to it. I don't notice it at all during the day unless I specifically think about it, or if I bend way over and it moves out of place or something else unusual happens. And the newest model TransEar is visible in the ear, but VERY unobtrusive in my opinion. I had the original "dinosaur" model only a year or so after it was first approved. It was a full shell and was flush with the outside edge of the ear. This new one sits a bit more in, and is only a half-shell. Would I LIKE to go without a BTE piece? Of course. But do I mind what I've got? Not at all anymore.
I also want to stress what someone else said above. The frequency response of the new model is far better than the original, and comprehension of the tough consonants is far better than before as a result. If I remember correctly, it peaks around 2000 or 2100 hz, whereas the old model was around 700-800 hz if I remember correctly. They really did a great job on the research and engineering of this new model, in my opinion. I could hear and experience the difference within the first minutes of trying it out in a previously rough environment.
Oh - one other thing. I had some vibration with my first TransEar, but don't feel ANY with my newest generation model. The TransEar doesn't use sound - it uses vibration. I suspect you could run into a problem with that if you're blasting high-volume sound into the bad ear.
Whatever you decide to do, it's got to be comfortable for you. The air conduction device may be just fine - I can't compare the two. I just wanted to let you know that perhaps the TransEar might be worth re-considering. It's certainly not for everyone, but with 100% deafness in your bad ear and good hearing on your good side, you may be a great candidate for trying it.
Best of luck!
Chris
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You are confused? I wonder why.
The transear can be difficult to adjust and the skin that is deep inside your ear is very sensitive. The BAHA is a surgical procedure. This might be a cheaper, easier, possibly more comfortable option to explore.
Amy -
Sam Rush certainly knows what a BAHA is and what it entails. In addition to being a doctor, Sam has had his BAHA longer than I've had mine :)
The more I read this thread, the more confused I become - even after reading your doc's explanation. I guess I just can't phathom why you'd want to try something that doesn't work well - from your own description of it.
As for the cleaning of the skin for a BAHA - I'm confused by this too. There really is nothing to caring for your BAHA site - I don't do anything special (just shampoo in the shower daily). I have had no irritation or infection. I can understanding not wanting to have something drilled into your skull, as I said the BAHA isn't for everyone - the surgery, however, truly is a piece of cake.
Jan
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I actually tried the regular hearing approach as a transcranial aid several years ago. It really did nothing for me and I wound up giving it back after the trial period. I had the audiologist (who was at the House Ear Clinic) put me in the booth and even she admitted that it did nothing to improve my word recognition scores.
Fast forward to the release of the Transear. I read about it in the ANA newsletter and decided to give it another try. The first generation TRansear improved my word recognition by around 70%. I got an upgraded version a few months ago, and my word recognition improved by 90%. It helps so much more.
I also did not have to have the latest version of my Transear adjusted at all. It fit perfectly from the get go. My first one needed some sanding and I did have an adjustment period, but not my new one..it just worked.
My advice is to go with the Transear. It works so much better than what you are thinking about.
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Thanks for the replies everyone.
I think it is interesting to see the reactions here. I think it is a good thing to see how many people promote and defend their method because that means it really works for them. I makes me feel more confident that something will work for me. I think both the BAHA and Transear are possibilities for me. It is entirely possible that the air conduction aid wont work at all. But it seems to be a quick and easy solution that might work for the few times I feel like I need it (mainly long car drives, etc). It is rare that I find my SSD being a big problem, so I am not sure that a surgical option is worth the benefit (for me) and there is something that just gives me the willies about having something snapped to my head.
I did try to get the transear about 1 year ago and not a single audiologist in our area has any experience with them and the awful, stonewalling audiologist I worked with before basically dropped (threw) the ball on that one. I think this new audiologist would work with me just fine if I decide to go that way. But Christi's story illustrates why I would rather start with the easiest and then work up to the more invasive. My SSD just isn't that troublesome that I want to spend weeks, multiple visits etc to get some hearing back.
I might change my mind after having a taste of hearing though. So I will keep posting my experiences so that future SSDers can have another option if it works, or read my experiences if it doesn't work.
Amy
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Cynaburst
Thanks for your first person account. It is very helpful. I am going again in two weeks and will try the demo aid again and ask my audiologist to test me in the booth. Good idea.
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and there is something that just gives me the willies about having something snapped to my head.
Amy,
I totally see your point -- the thought of both putting on and taking off the BAHA sound processor held a horrible "yuk" factor for me. I could envision pulling the abutment out along with the processor!
But you know what? It didn't take long at all to get past that feeling -- just a few times and it soon became second nature. I had the same "yuk" factor when I started wearing contact lenses in high school -- the thought of intentionally sticking something on my eyeball was gross ... but I got over that very quickly, too.
While I most certainly subscribe to the theory that the BAHA isn't for everyone, I just want to lend some reassurance to those who are considering it. I had the implant done at the same time as my AN surgery, so I can't give an opinion on the implant surgery as a stand-alone procedure. But I think I've read enough comments on this forum to be pretty convinced that it's not that big a deal in the overall scheme of things. And I know that I surprised myself at how quickly I got over my squeamishness at "having a screw in my head" and "snapping a processor on and off" the abutment.
Catherine (JerseyGirl2)
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Just now reading this thread with interest. Since I still have almost 20% of my hearing in my AN ear, I am using a traditional hearing aid, with mixed results. I know I will never have normal hearing again and some distorted hearing is not necessarily better than no hearing so I am most interested in following this thread.
I have much dryness in my ear canal so anything inside my ear is problematical.
Clarice
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I saw the doctor that did my AN surgery yesterday. He doesn't favor the BAHA. He says 1 out o 3 have troble with the skin grrowing around the screw and with infections. He prefers the cross aids. Also wondering about this he said that the insurance will pay for the surgery and the screw for the BAHA but not for the actual hearing device. Anyone else hear of that? I have Health Alliance. I am also interested in just the hearing aid. Karen
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Karen -
I have heard of insurance companies agreeing to pay for the BAHA surgery and the abutment, but not the processor. I find this very strange, though, since the surgery without the processor is pointless.
I'm very surprised that your doc said 1 out of 3 have trouble with skin growing the abutment of their BAHA - and with infections. That may be his experience, but of those I know who have a BAHA - and there are many - very few have skin that grows around the abutment and even fewer have infections. I had my BAHA surgery in March 2008 and have had neither of these issues.
Most patients really like the BAHA. My neurotologist favors the BAHA and the TransEar - doesn't favor the cros aids at all. He has done over 250 implants and he tells me that only 2 of his patients had "issues". One decided it just wasn't for her; stopped wearing the processor and let the skin grow over the abutment. The other had an issue with the site healing and decided to abandon the entire thing. Dr. Pensak, who spoke recently at the ANA Symposium about hearing options, favors the BAHA also.
Jan
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My ENT favors the BAHA, no on earound here has done a Transear (which amazes me since it is a major medical center in this part of the state) and neither the ENTs or the Audiologists recommend the Bi-Cros
There has been some trouble getting insurances around here to pay for the processor. The surgery itself is no problem. I spoke to my audiologist and the issue is who orders the processor and how it is billed. If it is ALL billed through the surgeon it will be paid for, but if it is billed also through an audiologist (who usually takes over after surgery) then insurance refuses to pay for the processor, programming, and follow up.
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I spoke to my audiologist and the issue is who orders the processor and how it is billed. If it is ALL billed through the surgeon it will be paid for, but if it is billed also through an audiologist (who usually takes over after surgery) then insurance refuses to pay for the processor, programming, and follow up.
Amy -
thanks for mentioning this. I've never heard it before, but it makes sense.
My Divino was paid 100% by my insurance company, but I can't recall whether it was billed by the hospital were I had the outpatient surgery or through my neurotologist's office - I'll have to dig out my bills and see. I never received a bill from the audiologist - she works for the neurotologist and her services were all part of my post op followup.
Jan
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I think that is how my ENT/Audiologist will swing it when they start up with BAHA's again (there were insurance problems for awhile so they have postponed the surgeries for now). They also share a practice so are just trying to figure out how to bill and then divy it up on the practice side.
Insurance makes me CRAZY! Why glasses are paid for but hearing aids, prosthetic legs, etc are not is a complete mystery.
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Hi, thanks for this post and all the feedback!
I went to the Hough Ear Institute last week for a BAHA or aid consultation. Hands down they recommend BAHA for me (SSD). I tried it out and thought it was amazing, but I am concerned about the cost, location of the post and skin irritation, as I have extremely sensitive skin. The Oto Doc recommended placing the post above my hear due to bone conductivity, and not getting it too close to the translab operating area.
I cannot imagine the hearing aid working as well, but would consider it as an option.
The audiologist Dr. did mention to me that Octavio (?) the hearing aid company would be coming out with a device that could rival the BAHA, and they might be a better (less expense/stable company/etc) company as they would change the monopoly on bone anchored hearing devices....
Melinda
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Here I sit patiently waiting for the Transear to come to Canada so I can try it and then comment.
In the mean time I just cope.
Michelle :'(
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The audiologist Dr. did mention to me that Octavio (?) the hearing aid company would be coming out with a device that could rival the BAHA, and they might be a better (less expense/stable company/etc) company as they would change the monopoly on bone anchored hearing devices....
Melinda -
I found the BAHA demo amazing also - which was a huge factor in my BAHA surgery decision. My BAHA is located about 2 inches above and a little bit behind my left ear. The site did interfere with my AN surgery hardware, so my head's a bit lumpy, but I don't mind. I have very sensitive skin also and (knock on wood) my site healed well and I haven't experienced any infections.
The hearing aid company your audiologist mentioned is Octicon (located in New Jersey). They currently make conventional hearing aids, but will be entering the BAHA market in October with their "Ponto". My neurotologist told me at the ANA Symposium that Cochlear made the new BP100 (upgrade from a Divino) in response to the pending debut of the Ponto. So perhaps, as you say, competition will be a good thing for all of us ;D
Michelle -
sorry to hear the TransEar still isn't available in Canada. I thought I read somewhere on the Forum quite a while ago that it was going to be available soon.
Anyone have an update?
Jan
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Well, Donnalynn, that truly is a bummer! :P
Perhaps some enterprising member of the Forum, who is Canadian, should look into starting a company to provide TransEars.
I know where they could find a lot of customers ;)
Jan
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Well that stinks!
Does that mean our only option is the cros?
I am going to look into why it is not being taken on by companies here asap!
I am dealing with SSD but I do miss out on things and it can become very frustrating at times!!!!!!
Michelle >:(
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Since hearing aids aren't covered in the U.S. (by insurance) couldn't anyone from Canada just come down here and get one for the same price I pay?? I think my aid is going to cost a couple thousand dollars including the audiology services. I assume the transear would be more. But those in border areas could come to the U.S. relatively easily, right?
Just wondering if that is an option for some of our Canadian neighbors.
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Ugh! What a drag! I guess if you lived in Toronto or Vancouver or somewhere like that you could make it work...but if you aren't on the border it would be a real hassle, especially in that breaking in period.
Blech to SSD and all the darn stuff we have to deal with! >:(