appointment to consult for Phonak Cros or TransEar Friday 10/6

[Boppie]

TransEar sent their particulars and specs to my audiologist.  She tested me two weeks ago and we found my good ear has deficiencies in the upper pitches, certain dbs. So, although I'd enjoy the convenience of the single unit TransEar, I'll have to give it a test to see if it suits me.  I'll be reporting in here as soon as I get fitted with the canal inserts.  I'd love to be able to hear table conversation on my bad side.  If this doesn't work I am sure the Phonak BiCros will work for me. 

[Jeanlea]

I'll be eagerly waiting to hear how it works out for you.  We are in the process of changing our health insurance and my new policy will cover hearing aids.  Did you talk to your audiologist about the Starkey hearing aid that is similar to transear?

Jean

[nannettesea]

My doctor is pushing  BAHA.  But I DON"T want another surgery, esp with my outcome.  I'm going to relent and demo it, along with CROS.

Keep us posted.
NN

[Boppie]

For some reason she felt the Starkey wouldn't help me.  She had nothing negative to say about the Starkey, just that my upper range deficit on the good side wouldn't respond well to Starkey's features.  She prefers the Phonak over the Starkey for Cros.

[Patti UT]

Boppie,

  Can't wait for your report. I have been wanting to look into the Transear since the Transear expert was posting here a few weeks back. Sounds like a possible alternative to the BAHA. I really wouldnd't want to do another surgery for that.

Patti UT

[matti]

Boppie - I have a consult with my audiologist on the 26th, so I am anxious for your report.

[Boppie]

I'll sure report in Friday night.  I can say this so far.  TransEar sent some specifics to my audiologist, but they sent me a one column two sided glossy Ad for their product.  There wasn't one word I didn't already find on the web site.  I am really going to have to trust the good judgment of my audiologist to go with a trial period for this thing.  But I am so curious to know if I can hear anything useful in group settings with this bone conduction instrument. 

I won't know anything until she sends in the ear canal impressions and they send back my earphone mold and unit.  I will probably have another month to wait for that part to happen.  The head office is in Tennessee.

[Boppie]

Update: Ear canal impressions for the TransEar were done this morning.  The audiologist and I are planning to do the fitting on 10/24. I will be sure to report on my impressions of the product after the morning fitting time.  I sure hope to do some good bragging on their product.

Update:  The impressions are made and TransEar is working with my audiologist to deliver an ear oscillator insert and unit.  Thank you, TransEar, for listening.

[Battyp]

I anxiously await your results!  I'm still waiting for my VR counsellor to get her act together!  Hoping by Nov to be where I want to be 

[TransEarXpert]

I received a phone call today from a member who reported recent chatter about TransEar, encouraging me to get back online. There are a couple of things in this string than I can clarify. First, setting up an account with us is easy for an established business, and I know of no case where that process has slowed our ability to respond. Next, after we receive the needed ear impressions and audiology data, we normally ship within 48 hours. Finally, the Starkey Destiny and TransEar are completely different products. The Starkey product is a conventional air conduction hearing aid with an innovative feedback control algorithm. This allows the hearing aid to be "cranked up" to high gain without feedback. In turn, the high sound pressure level generated by the speaker creates the vibrations that can pass through the skull to the other side, where the working cohclea is located. Usually called a transcranial CROS, air conduction instruments have been used for this for a long time. The thing that is new with the Destiny is the improved feedback control circuit.

TransEar uses direct bone conduction with an electro-mechanical oscillator mounted in the dead ear, and the oscillations are carried directly to the boney portion of the ear canal. So, one could say that a high-powered hearing aid such as the Destiny vibrates the air, which in turn vibrates the bone. TransEar directly vibrates the bone, and the only thing in the way is about 0.2 mm of skin with a properly fit transfer unit (the part that goes in the ear). Hope this helps.

Boppie, if you would like to call me at the number listed on our web site, I'll look out for your order once I know who you are. I can also give you an idea of what to expect.

[Obita]

Boppie, TransEarXpert and everyone:

My appt. to go see if I am a candidate for the BAHA or any other device (TransEar or Starkey) is 11/6.  Boppie, I am so glad you will have tried your TransEar by then.  Can't wait to hear about it.

TransEarXpert:

My appt. is at the University of Minnesota Audiology with Catherine Jons.  Do they have an account set up with you?

Kathy

[Jeanlea]

TransEarExpert,

Can you tell me if anyone in my area (the upper penninsula of Michigan) deals with the trans ear?  My new insurance pays for hearing aids and I am interested in the trans ear.

Jean

[Boppie]

I made my appointment with my approved network ENT knowing that he could get me a Phonak Cros.  I dragged along my TransEar printout and said, "This is what I really want". 

As far as I have learned few ENTs in South Texas know about TransEar, aside from knowing what their website says.  My insurer will cover an aid for surgical hearing loss (BAHA) but TransEar doesn't have the recognition to open the door as quickly.  After a lot of phone tag we worked things out with the ENT and the insurer this afternoon to get the ear mold made. 

I think I'd start with the ENT near you who also dispenses hearing aids and get them to make the contacts and set up credit account with TransEar so an aid can be purchased.

If you, Jean, go to the TransEar.com site you could email them for a contact name in your area.  Maybe there are many dispensers in the north and perhaps one or two near you. 

[Boppie]

So nice to see a helpful response on hearing aids for us.

TransEar, so glad to hear  from you.  My audiologist is in Victoria Texas with Victoria ENT  Dr. Sage is the ENT.  Peggy Aguirre is my audiologist.  I believe my order went into the mail this am.  I sincerely hope the bone conduction gives me some volume from the deaf side.  If I didn't have to swivel my head all the way around when sitting next to a speaker on my bad side I will be impressed.  I especially like the idea of wearing one instrument.  I hope I can use this type of instrument for some time...at least for as long as my good side ranges and volumes stay level.

[TransEarXpert]

To Kathy: Yes, Minnesota has an account, set up some years ago for our other product line. One of their audiologists visited us at the American Academy of Audiology conference last April, but our records are unclear about which of our two exhibits she visited. Hopefully she visited TransEar! We will send Ms. Jons a courtesy package, and I'll include a note that "Kathy" will be asking about this.

To Jean: Portage in Hancock has an account with us, but I can't find any inquiry from them about TransEar. In this case, you might need to be the educator, but as I have said previously any competent hearing professional can fit TransEar. All they need to do is contact us on our toll free number (888-382-9327) and we will send a fitting package. We also provide pre-visit support and advice, because since TransEar is relatively new it is not unusual to run into people who need a helping hand the first time.

To All: do not be discouraged if your provider has not heard of TransEar. We have sent out thousands of mailings over the last year, but sadly, most never get into the hands of the professional. (Many practices have "gatekeepers" who open the mail and decide what gets trashed and what doesn't.) Finally, the act of setting up an account is easy on our end. What can become cumbersome is the provider's internal process - especially within a hospital or clinic setting where bureaucracy is the rule, not the exception.