lou Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 To whom it may concern, I have been deaf since birth due to a mix of prematurity/lack of oxygen/low birth weight causing my hearing loss. I have been a hearing aid user for almost 25 years - with a mild to moderately-severe hearing loss when I was younger. Now a moderately-severe to profound hearing loss as I approach my mid twenties. I enclose my up to date hearing loss audiogram. My old audiologist, who had known me for 20+ years, said there was the potential for a cochlear implant for my right ear as this is my worst ear. I was tested in feb 2019 with both hearing aids in (oticon dynamo sp8) and scored 50% word recognition. I was due for a re test however with covid this hasn't happened and since moving doctors, I am having to start again with a completely new audiologist. I now have the new Oticon dynamo sp 10 hearing aids (as of January 2021) and have had them adjusted to the optimal level as my hearing had gotten worse following my previous 2019 hearing test - please see my updated 2021 audiogram attached. I am finding I am struggling even with the adjusted hearing aids. I feel I am stuck as I am struggling to hear and often I have to ask for a repeat of what was said in any situation I am in. I am unsure if I fit the criteria as I still can hear some speech sounds. I rely on my better ear which is my left ear to try and compensate as well as relying on other people's reactions to gage what is happening around me. For example - I have to ask people to take masks off when speaking to me in quiet situations as well as noisy situations it is virtually impossible with the masks on. I have to have full view of the face to be able to communicate so I can lipread. In my home situation as long as I can see my families lip patterns I am ok, but I still have to ask to repeat and they have noticed my increased frustrations even with the adjusted hearing aids. I also do struggle to hear on the phone in my job as a receptionist and struggle in one to one (without lipreading) / group situations / often get the joke too late and the conversation has moved on. Could I get some advice as to whether I would benefit from a cochlear implant? Kind Regards, Lou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 10, 2021 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 @lou Welcome to HearPeers. I am not sure where you are located but if you are in the US, I encourage you to make an appt at a large cochlear implant center for an evaluation on CI candidacy. Med-El has a EAS system (electric-acoustic) which is a combination of hearing aid for low frequencies and cochlear implant for mid and high frequencies. I remember well how frustrated I was when hearing aids no longer worked. Getting CIs was the best decision ever for me. Wishing you the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 10, 2021 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 Check out this link. It shows an audiogram for EAS candidacy https://blog.medel.pro/eas-implant-system/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou Posted May 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 Hi Mary Beth, Thank you for replying to me and I appreciate your help. I'm based in the UK and they had referred me for a cochlear implant and didn't think the EAS was applicable for me due to my low frequency being on the borderline of a cochlear implant. So they referred me for the full cochlear implant. Hopefully I'll be able to get an appointment with audiology soon and be on the way to a CI! Lou Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 10, 2021 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 @lou I hope so too! CIs are amazing! Keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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