Day Two: extra high pitches accompany every sound

[KevinO]

Hi everyone, I was activated yesterday, Dec. 22. I know I need to keep my expectations low! I have a Sonnet 2 and Rondo 3. Both produce high pitches, one at 880 and the other at 3520, for every sound I hear. I think I have to learn to ignore these extraneous sounds and focus on the underlying real sound like keyboard taps, someone talking, crow, etc.

I'll see my my audiologist after the new year. Anyone else have this experience?

[Tim]

Odd that the frequency is different for the Sonnet 2 and the Rondo 3.  I don't remember anything as precise as that but there is huge variation in people's experiences at activation.  Interesting that you characterized it as a frequency for each.  Sounds like you must be either a musician or an engineer.  

I remember it took me several days before I heard sounds that were at all recognizable.  I think the first thing that I could recognize was a few signature notes from a radio station.  That was back in January and now I'm doing pretty well. 

So many variables that might affect initial activation experience, especially how long it has been since you had been able to hear normally on that ear.  (In my case it was around 16 years.) 

Likely to be a little different every day.  Just keep on wearing them a CI as much as you can. 

Welcome to the CI community!  Are you SSD? 

 

[Anthony Canada]

@KevinO when I put my Rondo3 on I experience a high pitch noise that eventually disappears. When I was first activated the noise lasted longer than it does now and was much more disturbing. Now it is just a minor part of my morning routine and no more bothersome than the bathroom fan. My audiologist has played with various settings to see if its an electrode setting but nothing she's done has really changed it. If the sound never goes away they might need to adjust the quiet levels on some of your electrodes. In my case I think it is my brain trying to get used to the new input and is producing a phantom sound much like when you feel your phone vibrate but it hasn't.

[KevinO]

Thank you, Tim and Anthony! Your replies were very helpful. I have been using a "Cross" hearing aid in my ear for which I just received a CI. I lost hearing in it 13 years ago, so Tim, your ability to hear after a 16 year break is encouraging. To clarify, I am hearing the same pitches at the same time, on both the Sonnet and Rondo. These tones obscure the real sounds I am wanting to hear. I just plunked a key on our piano to check out the exact pitches I was hearing.

Anthony, I see my audiologist on January 5 so we shall see what happens.  I think are right that a combination of my brain learning to ignore the extra sounds plus my audiologist's magic should help in time. 

[Tim]

@KevinO I got activated in January and was really glad that I was able to start understanding some podcasts and audiobooks streamed directly in March before a big trip to Europe. 

By the way, instead of a CROS device, I used a bone conduction device to route sounds over to my good ear.  Had it for about 6 or 7 years but never really got much benefit from it.  After a couple of months, it was working better for me than the bone conduction device ever was. 

I host a small monthly zoom for recent and/or SSD CI recipients to chat with others that are in similar stages of the CI journey.  Feel free to message me if you want to join in.  (Others are welcome too.)