Joining the Transear Club

[Dantheman]

I saw my Otologist, Dr. Meiteles and he said my healing and recovery are going extremely well.
So, I'm taking the plunge and joining the Transear club.
I made an appointment with his Audiologist to be fitted with a Transear this Monday. Hopefully I'll get it a week or two after Easter. I think he said it takes 3 weeks or so.
It would be nice to get some sound from my right side again.

Dan

[matti]

Congratulations Dan and welcome to the club . Has the audiologist ever worked with a TransEar?  Make sure he/she does two impressions, one with a bite block and one without. Some only do one impression, without a bite block, TransEar likes to have both.

Cheryl

[Dantheman]

No he hasn't worked with Transear yet. He did already mention the two impressions though. he had never heard of Transear until I told him about it. He sent for the info and spoke to me about it yesterday.
He did all of my hearing testing prior to the surgery and seems like he's on top of his game.

[Obita]

Me too!!  I have an appt. on 3/29 with my audiologist.  She knows zero about the Transear but will research before
my appt.  I told her I want to be her guniea pig.  She is all for it.

The appt. on the 29th will actually be for a fitting for a musicians earplug.  After three years of staying away from concerts etc.... I am anxious to get one.  Thank you matti/Cheryl!!

Good luck Dan!!

Kathy

[Crystal]

Hi there,  I just got back from the audiologist and am wearing my new transear as we speak.  I too, am his first patient.   It is a little wierd as it vibrates and tickles my ear with certain sounds.

I am trying to get used to the programs.  Program 2 sounds very clear when I pluck my daughter's harp strings.  Program 1 sounds a little more like a "rough recording".

I just had my older daughter whisper in my aided ear with my good ear plugged.  I could hear her but I could not make out the speech.  I could make out the speech with a soft tone of voice although it sounds a little distorted.

I have 30 days to decide if the augmented sound is worth the $3300.00 - 1600 which my insurance pays.  I am anxious to try it out when I am driving to see if I can hear my daughter in the car without turning my head -- my right side is deaf. 

The audioligist had trouble adjusting me into the "gray/good" hearing area for higher pitched tones during testing but the lower ones are fine.  It was obvious to me he was tinkering with the software and not super familiar with it so I am wondering if he knows how to set that.  Does anybody know if they get a tutorial?  I am thinking about asking transear tech support for the technition guide on it so I can watch him at my follow up....

What is super cool is before I had AN surger and became deaf, with my good ear plugged music sounded totally off key an weird.  Now it is perfectly in tune from that side.  It might be worth it just for that.

Any tips when in crouds?  do most of you turn it off when in a noisy place?  How often do you change your battery?

Best wishes,

Crystal

[matti]

Hi Crystal and welcome to the club!!

The audiologist do a get tutorial and it's very easy to understand. From my experiences, I have found that I needed to have it reprogrammed several times in the beginning. When you push in on the ear piece does the vibration stop or lessen? I would have your audiologist check with Transear about the vibration if it continues.

I get the most benefit while in quieter settings, I generally turn it off in really noisy environments.

have you put the phone up to the microphone or lay on your good ear and watch TV?  I have found that I do not have to turn my head or say "what" as often as I used to and that's a good thing

As far as battery life, it depends on how often you wear the device, If I wear mine every day for 6 hours, then I have to change the battery every 4 to 5 days.

Have fun with it! Your good ear will probably be sore from continually plugging it with your finger

Cheryl

[Crystal]

Hi Cheryl,

I just visited another thread on transear and read about how much you and others went through to get a good fit.  I will definately call my audiologist if it keeps vibrating.

THe ride home with my daughter was very thrilling.  Not only could I hear her but I could hear her friend she was talking loudly to on the cell phone.  I turned it down which got rid of most of the vibrations, then I could only hear my daughter and not her friend.  Really loud sounds like a lawn mower or vaccume seems to vibrate it.  I am wondering if I am turning it up too loud but I like hearing the extra stuff.

Thanks for the info.  My good ear is already getting sore from plugging it up to test the new toy! 

Best wishes,

Crystal

[Jeanlea]

  I also have vibrations with my TransEar, but they are very soft and only when there is very loud noise.  Nothing that is bothersome. 
I had two impressions taken for my TransEar, one with a mouth-bite and one without.  I went for my initial fitting and had the TransEar set and haven't had to go back yet.  It fits perfectly.  My audiologist had the other audiologist in her office take the second fitting because she is really good at taking deep impressions.  That probably helped. 
As for battery life, I am trying the Radio Shack batteries.  I put my current battery in last Friday around noon.  So it's been 5 1/2 days.  I typically wear it from 7:30 am until 9:30 p.m.  Maybe take it out for an hour or so for exercising.
The other day I tried listening to the phone with the TransEar.  If I blocked my good ear, I could hear it. 

Jean

[matti]

Since I have been having some problems with my Transear, by the way, I am now on remake #6, it was decided that I should get new impressions taken and did so today. My surgeon did the impressions because the audiologist was not comfortable going in the canal that far. Well, as soon as the first impression was pulled from my ear, we were all quite stunned as this one was twice the length of the original done last October.  I've been telling my audiologist since remake #2 that perhaps we need to redo the impression.  Very curious to see if this solves the problem, I have a good feeling it will

Cheryl

[Boppie]

Matti, How different we are!  My ear canal takes a fairly sharp and narrow turn in the second bend.  I have seen photos of other TransEar molds and haven't seen one like mine in shape.  TransEar must have a lab tech onboard who feels like Columbus in uncharted waters. 

Will your new piece sit upright in the Dry N' Store box?

[okiesandy]

After looking at the photos of the inner workings of the Transear I find mine may not be deep enough. I am waiting on Cheryl to see if her re-molds work better before I push for that again. Number two is not back from Transear people. Mine vibrated ike crazy. Rick says they are not supposed to. At# 2 I heard nothing and it vibrated. At #3 I could hear a tiny bit and  then the vibration was so bad I just wanted it out of my ear.

I figure sooner or later it will be worked out. Think it will be later since I started this quest in November

Congratulations and happy hearing.

Sandy

[matti]

Hi Boppie,

Good point, they may have to supersize my dry and store    I was stunned by the difference between the first set of impressions and then new ones. I would hope the lab cuts the length down some, as the impression material was right against the ear drum. Can't imagine that would be too comfy. All of my other Transear's felt so loose, I always worried they would fall out.

Cheryl

[Dantheman]

Hey everybody,

I had the impressions for the TransEar yesterday. YOW...were they deep. When he pushed the foam tipped wire in it was OUCH!!! Then he did it again for another OUCH!!! The second impression with the bite block was more of the same but didn't hurt as much.
I guess I was used to it by then.
The material that he made the impressions out of felt soothing when he squeezed it in.   
My Audiologist said he'll probably call me in a couple of weeks when the TransEar comes in. I can't wait...

Dan

[Jeanlea]

Dan,

Good luck with your TransEar.  I think my inner ear is also fairly numb like the rest of that side of my face so the impressions didn't hurt me.  The audiologist said they would be uncomfortable. 

Yesterday I was thinking that my TransEar was not working very well.  I couldn't hear the usual digital sound when I blocked my good ear.  I took it out to check the volume.  That's when I discovered that I'd left the battery door open!!  Guess it really does make a difference.  lol

My Radio Shack battery lasted nine days.

Jean

[Dantheman]

Jeanlea,

have you found the RadioShack batteries to be superior to others you've tried? This is a whol new world for me...and it's progressing quickly.

Dan