ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => Hearing Issues => Topic started by: Battyp on December 28, 2006, 05:28:52 pm
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Ok....so we know there are several options: transear(ask boppie), cross( ask nate), baha (ask Joef) and I did some checking on the starkey line that was mentioned in a post by chrismom. I was told that they have a system called the omni that gives you directional sound. She explained it gives you front and back sound. I don't hear cars approaching from behind to which she told me that means my right ear isn't as good as they audiograms have said. I don't that since I've had them from different places and they have come out the same. Has anyone been told the same thing? Does anyone have any information on the Starkey brand? I was also told that an audiologist only has about 5 hours in hearing aid course work to which the hearing aid specialist has 20 hours a year...anyone know if this is accurate? I'm going to go after the first for a free evaluation and will let everyone know what I find out about this model. Sounded interesting. She stated most of her customers were not happy with the cross system due to all the input going into the good ear and she was not familiar with the transear or baha since starkey does not have a system like those.
Just thought I'd share.
Hope everyone had a great Xmas and may we all have a blessed new year! I got a clean mri report yesterday to start off my new year!
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That is great. I hope that you learn what we need to do. I also have problems with behind and on left side no hearing.. So it is hard in the car.I cant hear the music as I hear the tires and wind comiing in the window I think any way. When my husband drives I dont hear him talk.. I had a cross years ago, but my left ear drained so much they couldnt let me keep it..wish you the best..Linda
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Congratulations on the clean MRI Michelle! I hope to check out the different options when I'm in Philly....still not sure if I'm even interested since I've been without hearing in one side for so long. I'd like to try one out at the vendors booth if I can and see if it sparks an interest.
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I may also be looking for a new alternative to my transEar, as my audiologist is of NO help in getting my replacement device fitted or programmed correctly. I have not been able to wear it since Dec. 21st and won't see her until the 10th. I am in total frustration right now >:( clock is ticking on my 30 day guarantee.
I will be interested in what you find out Michelle. YEAH!!!!! for a clean MRI ;D
hugs,
Cheryl
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Hi everyone! Just went today for an appointment with an audiologist for an aide. Trying to get a trial period with a CROS through the OVR. I did ask her about a transear but she never heard of it and was going to look it up. I will hear from her if the request gets approved. The ent guy wants me to go for a catscan of the sinus then have allergy testing. Not sure if I want to go through all of that :/ So anyway, I also filled out my registration form for the Philly symposium. Anyone else going???
~Karen
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BP
That is a wonderful Christmas present, your clean MRI report.
Chyeryl, I was sad for you about your not getting your replacement device fitted or programmed correctly.  Hopefully, they can extend the the thirty day guarantee but, I know how things are these days.  Darn, I'm frustraited for you.
I don't know much about hearing aids, just the little I have read from you people.  I can't hear cars from behind, either........that scares me.  I walk the dogs in the street lots as, we don't have sidewalks in the mountains going to town, etc.
Take care everyone,
Palace
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Cheryl what a bummer! I was told that if they gave me something and I didn't like it they'd start over and renew my 30 days...guess they won't do that there? Hey just wait until day 29 and tell them I changed my mind LOL That it'll make them listen!
I'll be going after new years to get evaluated at this new place and see what they have to say. At least she wasn't going to charge me and will do a new audiogram to determine if I can or can't hear in my left ear. Should at least be educational!
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Still celebrating my new hearing aid...but I am throwing this in as a reminder about hearing aids for SSD. You will not usually "know" which direction a sound is coming from with a deaf ear hearing aid.
When using an aid it is possible to hear and localize on the deaf side when I am looking at the speaker or automobile or truck, but that is because I am employing visual information. A truck in my rear view or deaf side mirror still sounds as if it is on my good side. But I do benefit from hearing it.
Don't expect to get directional hearing from your new hearing aid. You will still be "hearing" with the functioning one ear/cochlea/ nerve.
When I am in a car (I am right side deaf) I can pick up the road noise on my right and that is a comfort, just the normality of this sound seems nice. I do feel safer with the aid in my ear.
I don't want to minimize the benefits of a hearing aid, I would feel sadder without mine, but I don't want readers to get the notion that directionality is possible for me yet. Maybe the technology will improve.
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I get freaked out as I can't hear cars approching from behind in a parking lot. After almost being hit twice I get real anxious while going to the store by myself.
What do you get a ssd person for xmas for hours of entertainment? You get them a gizmo that when you whistle it lets you locate your missing keys LOL My mom bless her heart meant well but didn't realize that with the lip numbness I can no longer whistle and I can't locate sound so my keys will continue to stay lost LOL
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Batty,
I feel the same way about the CROS but will try to work with whatever I can get at this point. If it doesn't work, I guess I will just deal, as I have been, but did ask the audiologist about the transear. The girls in the office pulled up info for her so I guess I'll find out when I go back :/ I would like the idea of regaining directional hearing because I can't tell where things are coming from (especially when I can't see them). I've had a few too many close ones with cars and people through this Christmas shoppng season. BTW, congrats on your clean MRI, hope things are gettin better for ya!
~Karen
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Hi Michelle,
Congratulations to you on your clean MRI. That is the best news! I pray for the same when Chris goes for his 6 month checkup in February. You're still researching the hearing aids. The specialists at Pittsburgh Ear suggested the Starkey Destiny CIC for Chris when he decided against the BAHA. There were several types of Starkey destiny and the one she chose was a transcranial version.
Here is the website again, if you'd like to check it out.
http://www.starkey.com/
Unfortunately, we did not do very well with OVR. It seems that I will have to pay an enormous amount before OVR will click in. They didn't even consider his salary, which is unfair because he is over 21. This is a temporary setback for now.I truly believe that healthcare insurance should pay for these.
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Michelle,
Wonderful news about the MRI! :-* Onward and upward, hun! :) Good luck on the hearing aid device... and.... I do know.... a very dear friend of mine (remember my thread about NF2 and hearing implants seminar I went to with him?)..... well, he's working a device now and waiting on Mass Eye and Ear to come through on it..... so, please keep your fingers crossed for my friend.... he is SO looking out for us and keeps me constantly updated. I will also be curious to see what is at the symposium from the vendor's standpoint regarding hearing devices available.
Cheryl, you know how irked I am about your situation.. .and I'm ready to raise cane on your behalf if need be.... GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!
xo
Phyl
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I'm off to the audiologist tomorrow to see about getting a TransEar. Then I'll see if I can get the insurance to pay the full cost. The insurance wants the doctor to write a letter explaining why I need it. Apparently my telling them I'm deaf after my surgery isn't good enough. What a pain dealing with insurance!
Jean
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Jean - Good luck tomorrow ;D My doctor also wrote a letter to my insurance company and while they did not cover the total cost, they did end up paying a few hundred dollars more.
I am still waiting for my audiologist to file down my new TransEar and program it, but I am wearing the first one and even though it is not quite the right size, I'm still getting a benefit.
please let us know how it goes tomorrow.
Phyl - I may take you up on that offer, can you be here on the 10th ;)
Hugs,
Cheryl
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Jean, even though my health insurance was very sure and stated twice they would pay for my TransEar, I still had to get the letter from the ENT doctor to certify my deafness and "need". The problem is, according to my audiologist, she had NEVER, EVER, heard of insurance pay off on any hearing aid. Well, she had never sold a TransEar, nor a hearing aid for SSD due to surgery on an AN either. The coding is so obscure, nobody knows how the write it up. The code must include words like "deafness due to accident of surgery, or due to necessary surgery on the hearing nerve". Yes, this is a big pain! My aid was fitted in November 2005 and the billing went to the insurance company in December. At our last check on the web site the bill still has not been paid to the ENT.ÂÂ
But I'll just hang in there and wait for everybody to get their stuff together. One thing for sure, our employee relations contact said it is covered. All of this quibbling seems so silly. My neurologist told me last year that a BAHA would have been covered at surgery time.
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I wonder if a letter would help for me. When I called my pers choice, they told me flat out that it's not covered, period.
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Hi Static:
Try the letter. It can't hurt.ÂÂ
I had talked to my ins. co. about the BAHA a year ago. The said no way but in the next breath he told me to appeal their decision. My dr. also told me that once I get the denial he would write a letter and try to get it approved due to the deafness being the result of brain surgery. Not a sure thing but he said he has had very good luck and many have been approved after one or two appeals.ÂÂ
I still have the BAHA on the back burner.....want it, don't want it etc.....the TransEar sounds so much easier that I hope to try one out this spring.
Good luck, Kathy
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My visit to the audiologist went well today. This is her first TransEar and she's very excited about it. The other audiologist in her office is going to show another patient the TransEar brochure. Today I had my hearing tested. I have perfect hearing on the right side and none of course on the left. When I was being tested the audiologist put some sort of device on the bone behind my bad and then played some beeping sounds. I could hear the beeping sounds. Then she did two ear impressions. TransEar wanted two of them. My ear is big enough inside. She did one of the impressions with me biting on something. She also measured the outside of my ear. It is small, but not very small. lol Although I don't know what my insurance is going to do I decided to go ahead and order the TransEar. I'm going to try and get it in pink. I went to the office that is two hours from my house instead of the local one. The local one didn't seem as helpful. Turns out it was a good idea anyway. The office I went to is charging me $2400 and the other one was chargine $2995!! The audiologist is going to help me work my insurance. She is my sister's neice. My sister is also a CPT, which means she does the coding for insurance billing at a hospital. I told my audiologist to call my sister if she needs help with the billing parts. Hope that helps. I hope to get it January 22, just a week before I leave for another big meeting.
Jean
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Jean,
I have been anxiously awaiting your post, I am so glad you decided to order the TransEar. I also had two impressions taken, but my audiologist did not ask me to bite down. Makes sense that your audiologist did that. My transfer unit is pink to match my skin tones, and my processor is brown to match my hair. There is a few day delay if you order anything other than tan, as transEar only manufactures the tan and has to order out for colors. Ask your audiologist to order you an extra wire connector, as they are nice to have on hand. My original got bent inside the prongs and luckily I had one available.
I am so disapointed with my audiogist as she has no enthusiasm and support working with my transEar. I am thrilled to hear that you and Boppie have audiologist that are excited to be working with a new product that will bring back some normalcy to SSD patients. I am trying to find another audiologist in my area who is passionate about what he/she does, as that makes all the difference in the world to me. I am waiting to hear back from transEar on how I go about switching to someone new.
Congrats Jean!!!!
hugs,
cheryl
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I had wondered where this thread was! lol Congrats Jean! Cheryl, hope you find someone that will work more with you, it makes a big difference!
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I got a message from my audiologist today. My TransEar won't be in for another 3 weeks. Apparently they have to do something special because my ear canal is small. I'm really learning to be patient!! Hope to get it just before Valentine's Day.
Jean
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Jean - I'm sorry :( I know you were hoping to get it before the end of the month. I'm wating for my remake and it should arrive in 4 weeks.
We are very patient girls ;)
Cheryl
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Hey Matti...we get to whispher sweet nothings in jean's new ear for vday :o) Oh Boy!!!