Spring/Summer surgeries and activations

[pakom]

Thank you, I will check it out!

[DaveD]

Activation was today! The waiting period from surgery on May 25 until today has been interesting. As I mentioned before, I've had some tinnitus issues. Post surgery fluid in the inner ear seemed to be a big contributor to some of the pulsile tinnitus (heartbeat) and jaw movement sounds. Since the fluid has been draining off those issues are becoming less bothersome.

Anyway, I'm know hearing with the CI in the right ear and still using the HA in the left. The CI sounds are going to take some getting used to. Mapping refinements and next audiologist meeting may be helpful. Right now my own voice seems too loud and other peoples voices are too soft. I feel there is too much low frequency 'rumble'  and higher frequency sounds are kind of harsh. (Just typing on my laptop makes the CI rumble and I'm not really a key-banger!) Others have said the CI is much better than their HA but I'm not there yet. With the CI alone, I really can't understand my wife. The CI does improve what I get from just the HA so this is a step in the right direction.

My next audi appointment is in 2 weeks. The Med-El rep will be at that session so I might get additional tips from her for mapping adjustments or training tips.

Thanks for all the encouragement from this group! I'll keep posting on progress.

Dave

[Mary Beth]

Hi @DaveD

Your journey has begun.  It takes time.  This is just your starting point.  Things only sounded like static and beeps when I started.  Now I am jamming to the car radio with the windows down on the highway.  Just keep attaching meaning to all the sounds you hear.  Give your brain a chance to figure out how to hear with a CI.

I’m glad your tinnitus is a bit better.  

Enjoy your journey.

[Daniel the Stranger]

Hi @DaveD, congratulations. The interesting journey has just started. I also have CI in one ear and HA in the other. I used both for 2 weeks at work and just the CI for the rest of things. Now starting my third week, I'm just using just the CI for work.It has been now 3 days since I decided to go CI only and things have not been that bad. I still have a lot of training to do but I can say I'm at the same level than the time I used both HAs.

This is not to say your story is going to be the same but to give you hope as to what a CI can do for us. Keep us posted.

[DaveD]

11 hours ago, Mary Beth said:

Hi @DaveD

Your journey has begun.  It takes time.  This is just your starting point.  Things only sounded like static and beeps when I started.  Now I am jamming to the car radio with the windows down on the highway.  Just keep attaching meaning to all the sounds you hear.  Give your brain a chance to figure out how to hear with a CI.

I’m glad your tinnitus is a bit better.  

Enjoy your journey.

Jamming to tunes with the windows down! My Chevy pickup truck rumbles so much at idle through the CI right now I can't imagine being able to hear music at speed. I tried listening to CCR doing SuzyQ but it was all static. That was while sitting at my desk.

Thanks for the encouragement! I realize it will take some time. I'll keep listening!

[DaveD]

11 hours ago, Daniel the Stranger said:

Hi @DaveD, congratulations. The interesting journey has just started. I also have CI in one ear and HA in the other. I used both for 2 weeks at work and just the CI for the rest of things. Now starting my third week, I'm just using just the CI for work.It has been now 3 days since I decided to go CI only and things have not been that bad. I still have a lot of training to do but I can say I'm at the same level than the time I used both HAs.

This is not to say your story is going to be the same but to give you hope as to what a CI can do for us. Keep us posted.

Hi @Daniel the Stranger,

For now at least, going without the HA isn't an option ?. I'll keep practicing and maybe when I see my audiologist in 2 weeks she'll do some mapping magic.

BTW, do you know what coding strategies were tried for your mapping? Do you have problems with wind noise?

Thanks, Dave

[Mary Beth]

@DaveD

 

I will try to help regarding wind noise as Daniel doesn’t have the same processors and each brand has different options.

 

Sonnets?

First....Your audiologist selects a windblock setting (off, mild or strong) when creating your programs.  We can not change this.  Only our audiologists can change it.

 

Second....Med-El says the omni Sonnet Mic setting is best in wind.  (Setting the mic setting is also something our audiologists do when creating our programs.  We can not change this.  Mic setting options are natural, adaptive, auto-adaptive and omni.)

 

After you reach a stable MAP, you may want to ask for different versions of that MAP to see what works best for you in your real life.

 

Sonnets have more trouble with wind or any air movement for me than Opus2 or Rondo.

[Daniel the Stranger]

Hi @DaveD, as @Mary Beth said, I'm not using Medel processors, so there's no way I can give you indications on mapping.

So far I don't have problem with wind noise, the strategy of my audi is to leave all these features like windblock, etc for when I have adapted to my procesor first.

[Jewel]

@Mary Beth

When you say you're jamming to the car radio as you drive down the highway are you connecting the radio via Bluetooth or are you able to hear the regular radio straight from the Sonnets with no need for an intermediary device? 

[Mary Beth]

I am listening to the car stereo through the car speakers.

 

@Jewel

[Mary Beth]

@Mary Featherston

 

Just checking in to see how things are going for you.

[Mary Featherston]

On 6/13/2018 at 9:05 PM, Daniel the Stranger said:

Hi @DaveD, congratulations. The interesting journey has just started. I also have CI in one ear and HA in the other. I used both for 2 weeks at work and just the CI for the rest of things. Now starting my third week, I'm just using just the CI for work.It has been now 3 days since I decided to go CI only and things have not been that bad. I still have a lot of training to do but I can say I'm at the same level than the time I used both HAs.

This is not to say your story is going to be the same but to give you hope as to what a CI can do for us. Keep us posted.

@Daniel the Stranger - this is great!  I started doing that a couple of weeks ago (CI only) and wasn't really thinking about it much until a friend who also has a CI reminded me:  think how HUGE this is.  Your primary interactions with people are now filtered through a device that has you hearing in a completely new way.  This is an enormously significant step.  Congratulations!

[Mary Featherston]

14 hours ago, Mary Beth said:

@Mary Featherston

 

Just checking in to see how things are going for you.

Hi @Mary Beth - quite well, thanks!  As I noted in another post we were up at my brother's cabin this week - no electricity, wifi (or water....).  We brought water with us, used the sauna to keep clean, and we have a solar panel to recharge the devices I was using for rehab (Kindle, phone, etc).  I had my Artone 3 neckloop and listened to music (which sounds noticeably better than what I've been hearing in the car, but I'm thinking that might be because of the neckloop and not necessarily improved listening?  Maybe both.)  I also listened to an audiobook and read along with the hard copy.  I enjoyed that but will admit that the narrator was annoying to me.  He used some nonstandard pronunciations and also had some odd cadences in his reading.  When I read, the language speaks to me, it has a cadence and a pace that this particular narrator kept pulling me out of.  But I started another audiobook and that narrator was better, so it may not be the norm.

When we got in the car to come home yesterday, my processor did the three beeps thing and I changed the batteries.....five minutes later, same again.  OK, I thought, maybe dud batteries.  Changed 'em again.  Five minutes later, same again.  I got out my backup processor and that's working fine.  I've run the original one through two drying cycles - I didn't have my little dry box, thinking it would be just one more thing to charge, brought my desiccant jar from my hearing aids instead that am hoping this is all it is and it was just insufficient (because holy moly, Thursday night we had a MONSOON - there was one thunderbolt that lifted me up out of bed (without my processor, imagine!)

[Mary Beth]

@Mary Featherston how cool is it that you HEAR the annoying narrator so well!  Cool!

 

False dead battery beeps in Sonnets tend to be:

-which brand disposable batteries are being used (Power One Implant work great for me)

-loose battery door (under warranty for 1 year)

-faulty battery pack or rechargeable adapter (under warranty for 5 years)

 

Hope you figure out what is happening.  

Welcome back,

Mary Beth

[Mary Featherston]

@Mary Beth I don't think it was any of those things because they were Power One, and everything else I transferred to the other processor.  It's odd, but I have an appointment with my audiologist a week from Wednesday and until then I have a working processor.

[Mary Beth]

That is very odd.  I’ll be curious to hear what was wrong.

I am glad you went to a two processor center.  I think everyone needs a back up processor.

[Mary Beth]

Had you transferred the exact same set of batteries too?

[Mary Featherston]

7 minutes ago, Mary Beth said:

Had you transferred the exact same set of batteries too?

Yep.  Just switched the battery holder thingy from one processor to the other.

[Mary Featherston]

I just switched everything back to my first processor and it's working fine.  I'm going to guess just moisture, and that the little desiccant jar isn't as functional as the dry box.

@Mary Beth

[DaveD]

@Mary Beth, @Mary Featherston, @Daniel the Stranger

Thought I'd give an update to those that might be following my May surgery and mid-June activation.

At activation, I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't hear better. A LOT of bass rumble and every word ending in 'sh' of 'ch' was like fingernails on the chalkboard. I was dreading waiting 2 weeks for my first post-activation mapping adjustment. However, my brain sort of figured out that the high frequency sounds were 'normal' and I wasn't cringing so much with every 'sh' and 'ch'. The low frequency is still a problem. Most voices are still accompanied with a thump for each syllable uttered. In my car the rumbling starts as soon as the car starts moving. I just got back from a roadtrip from southern Ohio to the west side of Indiana with my Dad. I thought I might get used to the rumble but my brain wasn't buying it.

About a week or so after activation, I noticed that my new tinnitus issues were subsiding. My heartbeat and mouth movement sounds were fading. This may be the result of healing from the surgery and clearing of sinus drainage from the aggravated ear. As of today, the tinnitus is just the old white noise I've had for years. No longer any of the pulsile tinnitus I was experiencing before surgery!

I also find that wind noise is an issue. There is no way I could run with the processor on. The slightest breeze sounds like a gale! I haven't tried running at all but even without the processor, I hear (feel) every step. At least it's quieter than the raging wind!

I've been listening to TED talks and YouTube videos with and without captioning and with and without the HA in my off-ear. I'm actually doing pretty good understanding the dialogue without the HA and no captions. I'm doing this with the audio piped to the processor with the Artone MAX paired to my cell phone. Using this approach cuts down on a lot of the low frequency rumble. I had dinner with my wife and daughter in a noisy restaurant today and I was ready to give up understanding anything until I turned off the HA. With CI only, I could follow most our conversation even in this environment! I think there is hope!!! 

My audi had to cancel my scheduled appointment for this past Wednesday and reschedule for this coming Friday.  I'm looking forward to getting some changes and hopefully some improvement. The Med-El rep was supposed to attend my Wednesday appointment and try out the EAS on my implanted ear. She can't make the Friday appointment but I'm on my audi's schedule for Wednesday next week and the rep will be there. We'll  see how things go...

Thanks for all the encouragement and additional progress reports.

 

[DaveD]

@Mary Beth, @Mary Featherston, @Daniel the Stranger

Thought I'd give an update to those that might be following my May surgery and mid-June activation.

At activation, I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't hear better. A LOT of bass rumble and every word ending in 'sh' of 'ch' was like fingernails on the chalkboard. I was dreading waiting 2 weeks for my first post-activation mapping adjustment. However, my brain sort of figured out that the high frequency sounds were 'normal' and I wasn't cringing so much with every 'sh' and 'ch'. The low frequency is still a problem. Most voices are still accompanied with a thump for each syllable uttered. In my car the rumbling starts as soon as the car starts moving. I just got back from a roadtrip from southern Ohio to the west side of Indiana with my Dad. I thought I might get used to the rumble but my brain wasn't buying it.

About a week or so after activation, I noticed that my new tinnitus issues were subsiding. My heartbeat and mouth movement sounds were fading. This may be the result of healing from the surgery and clearing of sinus drainage from the aggravated ear. As of today, the tinnitus is just the old white noise I've had for years. No longer any of the pulsile tinnitus I was experiencing before surgery!

I also find that wind noise is an issue. There is no way I could run with the processor on. The slightest breeze sounds like a gale! I haven't tried running at all but even without the processor, I hear (feel) every step. At least it's quieter than the raging wind!

I've been listening to TED talks and YouTube videos with and without captioning and with and without the HA in my off-ear. I'm actually doing pretty good understanding the dialogue without the HA and no captions. I'm doing this with the audio piped to the processor with the Artone MAX paired to my cell phone. Using this approach cuts down on a lot of the low frequency rumble. I had dinner with my wife and daughter in a noisy restaurant today and I was ready to give up understanding anything until I turned off the HA. With CI only, I could follow most our conversation even in this environment! I think there is hope!!! 

My audi had to cancel my scheduled appointment for this past Wednesday and reschedule for this coming Friday.  I'm looking forward to getting some changes and hopefully some improvement. The Med-El rep was supposed to attend my Wednesday appointment and try out the EAS on my implanted ear. She can't make the Friday appointment but I'm on my audi's schedule for Wednesday next week and the rep will be there. We'll  see how things go...

Thanks for all the encouragement and additional progress reports.

 

[DaveD]

@Mary Beth, @Mary Featherston, @Daniel the Stranger

Thought I'd give an update to those that might be following my May surgery and mid-June activation.

At activation, I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't hear better. A LOT of bass rumble and every word ending in 'sh' of 'ch' was like fingernails on the chalkboard. I was dreading waiting 2 weeks for my first post-activation mapping adjustment. However, my brain sort of figured out that the high frequency sounds were 'normal' and I wasn't cringing so much with every 'sh' and 'ch'. The low frequency is still a problem. Most voices are still accompanied with a thump for each syllable uttered. In my car the rumbling starts as soon as the car starts moving. I just got back from a roadtrip from southern Ohio to the west side of Indiana with my Dad. I thought I might get used to the rumble but my brain wasn't buying it.

About a week or so after activation, I noticed that my new tinnitus issues were subsiding. My heartbeat and mouth movement sounds were fading. This may be the result of healing from the surgery and clearing of sinus drainage from the aggravated ear. As of today, the tinnitus is just the old white noise I've had for years. No longer any of the pulsile tinnitus I was experiencing before surgery!

I also find that wind noise is an issue. There is no way I could run with the processor on. The slightest breeze sounds like a gale! I haven't tried running at all but even without the processor, I hear (feel) every step. At least it's quieter than the raging wind!

I've been listening to TED talks and YouTube videos with and without captioning and with and without the HA in my off-ear. I'm actually doing pretty good understanding the dialogue without the HA and no captions. I'm doing this with the audio piped to the processor with the Artone MAX paired to my cell phone. Using this approach cuts down on a lot of the low frequency rumble. I had dinner with my wife and daughter in a noisy restaurant today and I was ready to give up understanding anything until I turned off the HA. With CI only, I could follow most our conversation even in this environment! I think there is hope!!! 

My audi had to cancel my scheduled appointment for this past Wednesday and reschedule for this coming Friday.  I'm looking forward to getting some changes and hopefully some improvement. The Med-El rep was supposed to attend my Wednesday appointment and try out the EAS on my implanted ear. She can't make the Friday appointment but I'm on my audi's schedule for Wednesday next week and the rep will be there. We'll  see how things go...

Thanks for all the encouragement and additional progress reports.

 

[Daniel the Stranger]

Way to go @DaveD, just need to be more patient, not everyone has the same experiences. In my case for example, I can't get speech without captions/lip reading. But I can enjoy music (not perfect, but much better than expected). 

I also have been enjoying going to restaurants much more than before, noise is not so annoying and I can follow a conversation most of the time.

With this said, I also know that it has been just a month since activation, not everything progress fast all the time. I sometimes get frustrated when doing AB Clix but then I remind myself that I'm still at the beginning phase, so don't worry too much about results right now. Enjoy.

[Daniel the Stranger]

Way to go @DaveD, just need to be more patient, not everyone has the same experiences. In my case for example, I can't get speech without captions/lip reading. But I can enjoy music (not perfect, but much better than expected). 

I also have been enjoying going to restaurants much more than before, noise is not so annoying and I can follow a conversation most of the time.

With this said, I also know that it has been just a month since activation, not everything progress fast all the time. I sometimes get frustrated when doing AB Clix but then I remind myself that I'm still at the beginning phase, so don't worry too much about results right now. Enjoy.

[Mary Beth]

@DaveD

Have you tried the Sonnet in an adaptive mic setting program in noise yet?  Your audiologist would need to create an adaptive program and put it in one of your 4 slots.  I find it works great in noise.

Wind noise issues with the Sonnet have been a problem for many people even with windblock on strong setting. (Windblock settings are set by our audiologist as either off, mild or strong).  Some people use small ear gear covers to just cover the Sonnet mic area for activities with wind.  They may be the HA mini size on the ear gear website.

For too much bass, people have reported these MAPping changes that helped them.  Different people have different MAPping changes for too much Sonnet bass.  It seems most people have found success by doing one of these.

-ease off MCL of bass electrodes  (This is what worked for me.)

-change the frequency range by setting the low frequency to begin at a slightly higher Hz (instead of 70, 90 or 100....using 110)

 

Looking forward to hearing your opinion of Sonnet EAS after you get a chance to try it.  

 

Good luck!