Calling all BAHA users!!!!

[spgreenfield]

I'm finally "hooked up" to my processor....but I have a bunch of questions!  First, did any of you who were SSD for longer than just the 2 months post op AN surgery have any issues with volume levels?  I FEEL as though the volume isn't high enough....but I've been encouraged to wait and allow my brain to get accustomed to it as well.  I've had my bumps in the road with this whole process...getting "fired" by my first ENT because I didn't want to guarantee a $500 payment to his non-existent audiology department (his entire department had walked out on him that week....) so I had to drive an hour and a half to get the next closest surgeon that did Oticon BAHAs.....that said, the hospital that I had my surgery in is the one responsible for ordering the BAHA and they ordered the one that has amplification capabilities...not just regular.  My hearing is excellent, I'm only 57 and don't expect to need amplification in the next decade or two....so I'm torn as to whether or not keep it.  I can switch it out for a standard no amp one, but not sure if that's a good thing or not.  Would like to get everyone's 2 cents worth on this....at least in the next week or so since that's when we'd have to switch it out.  My hair will cover it so size isn't an issue.....

[dalern]

I have the Cochlear, but the issue is the same.  I was SSD for 12 years prior to getting my BAHA. I did have volume issues, among other things, and after a year I switched from the BP100 to the BP110 (which is the power model). Both models have the ability to increase the volume, but the power model starts higher and can go higher.  I know the same is true of the Ponto Pro and Ponto Pro Power from Oticon. Hope that helps.
~Dale

[james e]

I did not have to wait like you did, but I also had "volume" issues...I thought. It is so "natural" to hear with a BAHA, that it is hard to believe that it really helps. This might help you. Get in a conversation, and block your good ear, so you can only hear using the BAHA. You should be able to easily hear. Later on, while in a conversation, turn the BAHA off, and it might suprise you how much you were really hearing through the BAHA. My largest problem is directionability. That just drives me crazy. I turn my BAHA off when I walk my dog. The wind nose is bad. I have to have my wife on my good side so I can hear her. When I have my BAHA on, her position is not critical, and I can hear her perfectly. All of the BAHAs have amplification ability. I have a BP100, and it is turned all the way up because my good ear is not so good. I will be going to a BP110 pretty soon. You have controls on your BAHA for volume. Read the instructions.

James

[CHD63]

Pam .....

We've already talked ..... just wanted to say I looooooooove your Avatar picture!!  Adorable.

Clarice

[spgreenfield]

James -

I have the Oticon Ponto pro power.....not Cochlear.   I believe the Ponto Pro (without power) is just that, without any amplification.  Thank you for your suggestions of cupping my good ear - currently I can't distinguish clear words in just the SSD ear with the processor.  I probably was mistaken when I had it adjusted last - that it needs to be AS loud as my good ear - or close.  I have an appointment tomorrow and will have the volume adjusted.  It seems I'm hearing fairly well in a quiet environment, just adding noise to the mix I have trouble because the volume is low?

Thanks all!  Plus I got a great explanation from the Oticon Rep and I'm hoping to get her permission to share it here.  Makes a lot of sense....will post once she gives me the ok to do so...

Pam

[PamJ]

Hi Pam I've just read your signature that says you've had acupuncture for your facial weakness did you find it really helped as I'm thinking of trying it.

Pam

[spgreenfield]

Hi Pam.  Yes and no.  First, I waited until I had DEFINITE small movements in my face - to tell me that the nerves were finally on the mend and not still disconnected.  There would be no use to acupuncture if the nerve medians weren't functioning because of still being disconnected.  IF you have movement, then you want to find a QUALIFIED person to do the acupuncture.  Make sure they have studied the complete science and not just "enough" to give limited treatments.  Also that they have experience too.  My treatments are nearly $70 each time I go, but my gal is well trained and experienced.  It's not just a chiropractor that has it as a side line to add to his offerings.  I wouldn't go to anyone that does anything else than acupuncture.  If they're not good enough to support just that, then you shouldn't go to them.  I think I found an acupuncture site or something that listed them locally for me.

Hope that helps!  I also recently had facial massage that released the knots in my cheeks from seldom used muscles that were always pulling and never relaxing.  It was rather amazing actually!

Pam

[PamJ]

Hi Pam thanks for your reply I think I'll try a face massage first as you described it as quite amazing After I had my AN out my face started to 'come back to life' but when I had the BAHA abutment fitted it's made my cheek and eye go tight again so I'm a bit worried about needles.  I'm still having physio at our local hospital so will ask if they know of any acupuncture lcinics.  Thanks again.
Pam

[spgreenfield]

As promised here's what my Oticon rep. said about why I have the "power" unit                  :

>
It is common practice for audiologists to select a Power processor for patients with Single Sided Deafness, especially if they have any high frequency hearing loss in their better ear.  With SSD more high frequency gain is needed as the skull dampens the transmission of high frequency sounds across the skull.  If you have even a mild high frequency loss in the good ear, then it is desirable to have a bit more high frequency gain to compensate for that loss.  If the high frequency gain is all the way to the limits of the instrument, it may cause some distortion of sound.  So even if the Ponto Pro technically has the amount of gain needed to compensate for the “transcranial attenutation” and the mild HF loss, it may be suboptimal.  Anecdotally, many SSD patients who are fit with the Ponto Pro, have shown a preference for the Ponto Pro Power even if they have completely normal high frequency hearing in the better ear.
>

After talking to my audiologist I've also come to the hopeful conclusion that even though my abutment HEALING is done, it may not be fully osseointegrated yet....(slaughtered THAT spelling!) and that my hearing should improve over time.  I only just had surgery early in August, and my ENT had a policy of giving the processor as quickly as possible without damage to the abutment.  What I CAN hear now is extremely similar to what I heard while wearing the test unit with the headband.  My audiologist tested me to make sure it wasn't my processor that was being bad - so she clipped her demo unit to my abutment and it sounded the same.  Then she put the headband on the demo and clamped THAT to my head - and as I said it was very close to what I am already hearing.  They did increase my volume a bit, but we're hoping that it's only temporary.  Actually, we went golfing today (hubby and me) and the golf cart was the old gas-style at this course which is quite noisy and I was actually able to hear him over the noise!!!  I also went to a class today where there were only about 10 of us in a room and each person would speak....of course one gal had a particularly soft voice (of course sitting on my deaf side - one person away) but I could hear her fine!  I had to focus and concentrate on listening well, but fortunately there wasn't a lot of background noise either.  So all in all things are looking up! 

Oh - and I've created a new safety cord that I'm going to submit to Oticon - where the cord is actually attached to my abutment and not clothing that I'm wearing.  After emailing my idea to Clarice I changed it to be only the 6# fishing line touching the abutment screw....but showed my audiologist my other creation using a rubber "O" ring to attach to the abutment and she thought they both looked great.  She didn't see any issue with things touching the abutment as long as I wasn't getting feedback or vibrations from them.  So I'll keep everyone posted.  So far I've had 3 REAL times this safety cord has saved my processor from a fall.....SO glad I have it!

Pam

[PamJ]

Hi Pam I had my Ponto Pro fitted yesterday and am really pleased with it although I did find it all a bit overwhelming hearing all the sound again.  I've just where you stated the safety wire has saved your processor from a fall, is this something that caused the processor to fall off or did it just fall, it's worried me a bit as I did lose my healing cap.

[leapyrtwins]

I wear a Cochlear BP100 and prior to that I wore a Cochlear Divino.

I was SSD from my AN surgery 9 months before my implant.

Have never had any issues with volume.  Both my processors have worked incredibly well for me. 

Jan

[spgreenfield]

Jan - you also waited longer than I did to get your processor.  My audiologist thinks that my abutment isn't fully integrated into my bone yet and that's why I'm having volume issues.....

Pam

[leapyrtwins]

I didn't intent to wait longer - that was my insurance company's fault 

I demo'd the BAHA 4 months post op; as soon as my head was considered healed "enough".

A request that should have only taken them 4-6 weeks to approve, took almost 6 months.  My insurance company ignored my request, they lost my request, etc., etc., etc., even had the nerve to ask if I was really SSD - when they had paid for my AN surgery and read in my operative report that I clearly was.

This was in the days prior to Cochlear (and now Oticon, I'm told) having their own insurance divisions that help BAHA candidates get insurance approval.

Jan

[spgreenfield]

I'm sorry - I meant you waited longer to HEAL from the ABUTMENT surgery than I did....I waited only 6 weeks (per my ENT) and not the 2 months that many here have waited to have their processor activated.  That is (I'm hoping) my problem.  If so, my "hearing" should improve with time.  Currently having her "tweak" the volume has helped but in noisy environments I still FEEL as though I'm not getting much until I cover (thanks for the suggestion James - I tried it last night and it was AMAZING how much it helped!) my good ear so I can hear only what's coming in to my deaf side.  (which is funny - didn't we do that when we could hear from both sides?)

Onward and upward!  To NYC this week!  Great test of the device!!!

Pam

[leapyrtwins]

I had to wait 90 days between my implant surgery and wearing my processor.

Are you saying that not waiting as long to wear the processor affects the volume?   I'm not sure I understand this right.

The waiting period is simply to make sure the "equipment" has calcified into your skull; has nothing to do with the way the processor works.

Jan