How'd the BAHA implant surgery go, Tamara?

[lori67]

I use a regular soft toothbrush to clean my abuttment in the shower.  The one that came with it is too soft and I don't feel like I'm doing anything.  I use that one to just brush off the part that snaps onto the abuttment.  I have a little "flare up" every now and then and need to use the steroid cream on the abuttment site and sometimes some of it gets on the device itself, so I just brush it off.

I don't think my head gets too dusty.  Inside of my head, probably, but outside it pretty dust and cobweb free!

Lacey, good luck with your wrestling match next week. I'd tune in but I don't think I get the mud-wrestling channel!   

Lori

[leapyrtwins]

You know, I've always thought the Cochlear toothbrush was too soft and didn't feel like it was "cleaning" anything, but was afraid to use anything tougher.  I figured Cochlear must know what they were doing, but maybe I'm wrong here.  My head is still majorly numb on the AN/BAHA side so I didn't want to do any "damage".

Perhaps I should start a thread to take a poll of BAHA users to get their thoughts on their toothbrush.

Sorry for the hijack Lacey - and Tamara.

Jan

[JerseyGirl2]

To briefly continue the hijack -- I was told by one of my surgeons not to use the Cochlear toothbrush -- said they had discovered it caused more problems than it was worth, and that shampooing should take care of things. Being obedient, I followed that advice and haven't had any problems. I think I put a little Neosporin on the abutment area once (very early on in the process), but that's been it. From time to time I've had a little "stuff" around the abutment (I think this oozing of crud, for lack of a better description, and with apologies to non-BAHA users, is normal and can be expected to continue for a year or more), but it comes off with shampooing. I haven't had anything get on the processor itself, so I've never had to brush it off.

And, Jan, the AN side of my head is also still numb -- I would describe the affected area as about a palm's width out from the abutment (i.e., if I cover the abutment with the center of my hand, the entire area under my hand is still numb). The numb area has slowly decreased over time -- at first it was literally the whole AN side of my head, from the top down to and including my ear. The ear itself is no longer numb, which is nice.

Catherine (JerseyGirl2)

[Joef]

-- I was told by one of my surgeons not to use the Cochlear toothbrush -- said they had discovered it caused more problems than it was worth, and that shampooing should take care of things. Being obedient, I followed that advice and haven't had any problems.

really ?? I dont brush mine very much .... mainly when I've had a long day fishing or working in the yard and I'm very dirty... I dont want any dirt to get jamed in next to the abutment...

I dont think they give users the stickers anymore.. and they were for kids (LOL) anyway .... that picture was just a few weeks after I first got the BAHA .. the hair has filled in a little better... I will take another picture...

[JerseyGirl2]

I'm guessing that the surgeon felt that people tended to brush the area too vigorously and that skin irritation resulted. But my comment was intended to explain why I personally don't use the brush -- I'm definitely not trying to influence others to change their practice if things they're doing are going well!

Catherine (JerseyGirl2)

[leapyrtwins]

My neurotologist never mentioned the toothbrush to me prior to my BAHA surgery - or after it, come to think of it.  He always told me I could just clean the "screw" in my skull with a washcloth when I showered. 

Lori initially told me about the toothbrush (and the Dawn) and I purchased a baby toothbrush that worked quite nicely after my implant.  When I got my device I received the Cochlear toothbrush in my "gift package" and started to use it.  I've always found it very soft and I've never been sure it was actually cleaning anything, but I thought perhaps my baby toothbrush was too abrasive, so I never went back to it.

I haven't had any "crust" or iinfection so I guess I'm doing something right.

My numbness sounds like it's in the same exact area as yours, Catherine.  Thankfully I've been able to feel my ear for a while now; I used to find the numbness so freaky    The skull numbness doesn't bother me as much, but I'm surprised it's lasted as long as it has.  Maybe because it wasn't fully recovered from the AN surgery, and then I had BAHA surgery on top of that 

Joef, even though the stickers were made for kids, I'd still like some 

Jan - just a big kid at heart

[lacey7]

Jan,
Of course I will buy you some drinks.     You were the first to mention it to me.....so if I don't have to pay the $500, I might have to buy you a case of drinks!  ha.
The one thing the doctor told me when I talked to him about the BAHA, is that the area they place the BAHA will be forever numb.   
Sorry we hijacked this.......but it was very interesting, and I'm sure alot of people who read it learned alot.....about insurance.....and cleaning.....and crud!!!  ha.
Lacey

[wendysig]

Hi Lacey, Jan, Lori and Josef,!
I haven't visited this thread in a while and can see I've been missing all the fun!  I have to say I'm finding all this information about caring for your abutment and BAHA very interesting.  Thanks to my daughters, I am literally doing a countdown to the day of my BAHA surgery (they remind me almost every day ; -- 27 days and counting   )

Lori -- I just had the same thought about homeowner's insurance covering the BAHA yesterday and asked my doc about it.  He thought that would work and sounded like a great idea.  Now that I know you've already done it, I really have to look into it.  Did they charge you extra for a rider or just put the BAHA on your policy?  Also, does it just cover loss or also repairs?  I just wanted to get an idea so that when I approach my insurance company, I have some information to back me up.

Josef -- Love the racing stripes!!

Best wishes,
Wendy

[JerseyGirl2]

Lacey,

If your doctor is correct in saying that the area around the BAHA implant will always be numb -- and that certainly seems reasonable -- I don't think it's that big a deal. I've gotten used to the numbness over time and don't really think about it that much. The advantages of the BAHA greatly outweigh any of the side effects!!!

Catherine (JerseyGirl2)

[wendysig]

HI Lacey,
My doc told me the same thing about the area around the abutment remaining numb.  I have to agree with Catherine that the benefits of having a BAHA far outway the numbness issue. 

Catherine -- Sorry I missed sayng "Hi" to you too in my last post.

If I make it to the symposium, and I'm hoping that will happen, it should be very interesting and a lot of fun too.

Wendy

[lori67]

Wendy,

I haven't added mine onto my homeowners yet since my one year warranty doesn't run out until the end of January, but I'll definitely let everyone know what I find out and about how much extra it will cost.  I'm sure it will be pretty inexpensive.

When I went back to my surgeon for my post op BAHA check up and to have the healing cap taken off, he said to go ahead and scrub it good.  My husband suggested that I use the wire brush he uses to clean the gas grill in the back yard.  My doctor said "Well, actually...a toothbrush is a good idea".  Which was a relief, because I thought he was going to agree with James about the wire brush!     I guess I'm thick-skinned as well as thick-headed because I haven't done any damage to myself yet.  I just think it's funny that each doctor has a different opinion about these things.  I guess that makes those of us who actually have the BAHA the real experts because somehow we figure out what works for us.

Lori