Bilaterals? Differences in success on each side?

[Raymond Veith]

Considering bilateral implants. Just implanted right side....Deaf 3 months. Left side has been deaf 10 years. Would like your opinions.......If you think activation will be more difficult on left (10 yr) side? Thank you.

[Mary Beth]

Hi Raymond and welcome.  If you read the studies, they show that a shorter length of deafness in an ear is better.  However, I am here to tell you that sometimes your personal experience differs from the studies.

 

My right ear had not processed any speech for 24 years when it was implanted at age 51.  It did amazing.  I trained it a lot!  But it made gains every day.  My left ear had always been aided and was implanted 8 months later.  It actually started off slower than my right but once it caught on, it flew and was scoring the same as my right very quickly.  Now they are both balanced.  Each side can perform on its own on the phone, listening to audiobooks, etc.  Together they are amazing.

 

Everyone's experience is unique.  Be willing to train your second side- both alone and together with your first side.  Wishing you the best.

[Adam]

The brain is a funny thing. Each person is different and it is really hard to predict the outcome. My dead ear for years longer did just about the same as the one that had a borderline severe loss for years then sudden loss. 

Each activation was different but I think that progress I think was pretty consistent with each other. I had the "better" ear implanted first.