Got my TransEar...I can hear you now!!!

[Captain Deb]

I'm so interested in the progress of you folks with this gizmo! I just wanna hear me Buffett in stereo again. Oh and Dr Love, I'd like to actually hear some of what he says for a change without the "whaaaaaaaatttt?"
Capt Deb

[Jeanlea]

Sure wish I already had my TransEar.  I'm attending a training session for teachers today and tomorrow.  I'm having some difficulty hearing the people on my left side.  Hard to take part in the small group discussions.  I probably seem anti-social or just plain dumb.  lol 

Jean

[robinm]

Hey Matti,
Glad to hear that transear is working for you. I am only 23 yr old and I don't want to put any hearing aid in haste. Please keep us informed about its progress so that I can consider options for treating my SSD
Robin

[Palace]

Matti,


The dogs are back home safe.  I hope you can hear me well, the next time we talk on the phone.  Call me again and we can test you latest gadgets and hope all is excellent.  In the mean-time, I'm feeling really deaf.  "What this and what that!"  I hope Santa brought you good hearing!

We have DVD's to listen to.  (music DVD's)  I will post the dogs on the forum, soon.

I'm kind-of wasted from all that champagne.  IT GOT ME, thank goodness.  The cheek pain is less and the ear got bad from the elevation, today.



MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR BABY DOG,



Palace

[matti]

My transear update  - I got my  replacement TransEar last week, as the first one was not seated properly in the canal to transfer adequate sound to the good ear. My new one is slightly larger and fits very tight in the canal, but I think it needs to be filed down as it a little uncomfortable. Sound wise, I am still getting too much feedback on the high volume setting, which I need to be on to get any benefit. Because this one is larger, I can feel it vibrate in the canal, but that should go away once it is filed down. I have not given up hope, I just think we need to get this thing programmed right and my 30 days is dwindling down quickly

My audiolgist has fit 6 patients with TransEar and for some reason it works great for some and not so for others. I posed this question to her and she passed it along to TransEar. Could the fat pack that was placed in my head have any effect on the TransEar not being able to properly transfer sound?  She has 3 patients that have SSD, but not due to any surgery, AN or otherwise. All 3 have had great experiences with TransEar and only have to use volume 1 setting, as opposed to 2 of us that are AN (fat pack) and have to use Volume 4.

Cheryl

[Obita]

Hi Cheryl:

Darn it......I guess the Transear is no different than anything else ANwise......some this, some that.  Did you ask Boppie what setting she uses?  She had translab too so I know she has the "fat pack".

Good luck and maybe they will grant you an extension if necessary?  I would think they would as they want all of our business.  Don't you Transear??

Kathy

[Boppie]

Cheryl, I can just give details and maybe help a little...

I use settings 2½ and 3 for enough benefit.  When I turn up to 4 I get some squirrely sounds, I guess that is too much sound. 

I did need some fine grinding on mine two times, where the skinny part was.  Each time we filed a teensy bit.  I recall the skinny part was too high on the top edge.  How would one ever guess what that opening looks like in shape?  The audiolost would ask me if it hurt on the front, the back, the top?  One time I felt the area in the front near the jaw bone was hurting because I could feel it hurt a little when I moved my jaw to talk.  She ground that part a little. 

Don't let the sore spots get too bad before you get it filed.  I took mine out for a few days to let the sore spots go away before I got the second grinding session.  Also, check out the ear shell for red spots where the ear unit pushes up against the cartilage.  When this got sore, I couldn't tell the difference where the discomfort is coming from.

As time goes by my transear gets easier to slip inside.  I had the fat pack put in my translab incision too.  But my biggest problem was the fit in the second curve that has a unique size and curvature.  Possibly, we are each unique in the skull 

Rick Gilbert (TransEarGuy) told me they'd keep fitting my unit until we got it to work.  Let me know how it is going.

[matti]

Rick has been wonderful and extremely helpful throughout this whole process and as busy as he is, he always responds quickly, even while overseas. I am feeling a little frustrated with my audiologist because when I received the new transEar, I told her immediately that it was very uncomfortable and I could pin point the spots that bothered me. That was on the 21st and I don't see her until the first week in January, so for this length of time, I can't really wear it without experiencing alot of discomfort, especially eating and talking and I believe it is the skinny part that is too high on mine as well. My first TransEar was sooo comfortable that I would forget I had it in.

Like I said, I am not giving up, I am determined and so is Rick that we will get this right yet. I have been affectionately referred to as a "black cloud" by my audiologist and TransEar

Thanks again for all of your help Boppie!!!

hugs,
Cheryl

[Boppie]

Cheryl, I remember a comment that my audiologist made the first time she inserted my TransEar.  She said something like this, "This ear piece was made a little large so we can customize it".   She added, "(It) was better to err on the side of not taking too much off the insert surface at one time".  The ear piece was somewhat uncomfortable on the first day even though I managed to reinsert it three more days and wear it as long as I could.  It bothered me especially when I talked and ate, although I could hear with it. 

I made two additional visits to get it smoothed more.  Now it feels fine and works as well. 

[Jean G]

I haven't check out the ANA site for quite a while.  I like this new format.  I had translab. surgery at Mich. Ear in Sept. 2001.  I am still completely frustrated with the SSD.   I need to find out more info on the TransEar.  I want more than anything to hear again, I still don't like the bucket on the head hearing I experience.  I am on Medicare,  does that cover it?  Cost is a huge factor right now. Husband takes so many meds for diabeties and new heart stents, we hit the donut hole in June in 2006.  I live in Greenville, SC and wonder if there is a qualified audiologist here, will have to check.   I wear glasses.  Does the earpiece interfer with the hearing device. 

This should be in another topic but I developed blepharospasm about 9 mos. after AN surgery.  So I have eyes spasms and meige syndrome, mostly on left side, same side as AN surgery, I have to get Botox about every 4 mos. to help control spasms.  So compond this with the SSD I get pretty down in the dumps sometimes.

Jean G

[Boppie]

Jean,  The TransEar fits over the top and on the outside of the glasses earpice.  I have no trouble with wearing my glasses with my aid.  I have to put my glasses on before I insert the hearing aid.   

I turned 65 in the month after my TransEar came in.  Whew!  My insurance paid for the aid for my SSD.  I was told Medicare would pay nothing for the same hearing aid.  Having read my new Medicare coverage rules, I see that this is true.  Also, my audiologist said Medicare never has paid for hearing aids.

[Boppie]

Kathy, I read your post referring to the fat pack from Translab surgery.  I don't believe this would interfere with the bone conduction element of the TransEar.

[ixta]

hey what the heck is this trans ear, i just got my nerve chopped and want to learn about this.
is the sound just transferring to your good ear?

send me a link to this Miracle ear!

ahh nevermind, found one

TransEar is an elegant, affordable, and effective answer to SSD. It looks like a conventional BTE (Behind-the Ear) hearing aid, but instead of simply amplifying sound, it relies on bone conduction to transmit the sound to the better ear."""

http://www.transear.com/

I'll have to talk to my insurance!

[chrissmom]

Hey Cheryl,

Keep updating us on your new ear !  I'm following your story along with Boppie and Batty    I'm surprised insurance paid anything.  I'd like to get Chris a hearing aid sometime down the road.  Unfortunately, OVR isn't going to be any help as they expect me to pay the first $5000. 

[Battyp]

Cheryl Can you hear me now?   
How's it working for you now?
I'm still waiting for my vr approval and still looking at all my options.
Will see the Starkey people tomorrow for eval they mentioned an OMNI model for ssd that is suppose to provide some directional sound from front to back.

Have you or boppie noticed any directional sound? 

Tim mentioned a phonak system that I'm trying to get  more info on too.  My goal for this year, get retrained for work and get hearing on my left side!