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Huge Jump


Lauren

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Today's testing had me jumping in progress finally, had me and my audiologist celebrating/WOWing, and smiling for a change.

Overall (HA+CI): 70% last time, 83% today!

Left: A miserable 6% last time, in the 30%'s today.

Interestingly, I had better recognition and was picking up more sounds with the Sonnet 2 EAS than the Rondo 3. I was doing the click test in the booth and my AuD had me switch to the Rondo but after a minute or two asked me to switch back to the Sonnet. Over the past few weeks I've worn the Rondo more with the exception of this week so I wasn't sure. I did admit that, and said I was liking the Rondo 3 because its so simple (I can no longer condense all my stuff into one carrying case, I have to have them split between two carrying cases). Tomorrow is the next MAP appointment and I mentioned what I haven't been liking, asked about ASM 3.0 as an afterthought, and asked if there were any further ideas about the electrode sensitivity/issue I've had. On the latter, there is but there was no time to dive into that and my AuD wants to dedicate enough time tomorrow to go over everything related to that.

Overall, it gave me a boost and an even bigger boost to my AuD, if that's even possible. She said that I'm officially better off with the CI+HA than I was with HA+HA. Even broached the subject of looking into a new HA since my current is in the 5-10 years old range. 

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@Lauren

I am so happy things are starting to move along better for you.  Keep us posted.

At the conference I attended this week on CIs and music they definitely find benefit of adding in the acoustic (HA) signal with the CI if there is any residual hearing in the implanted ear.  So if your Sonnet EAS is programmed to deliver acoustic (HA) info for bass sounds and electric (CI) info for mid and high sounds, that may explain the testing difference you mention.

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Mixed results. Got another electrode turned on so things are sounding different. Next appointment isn't til January and maybe on sooner but nothing except January on the books. Of course if I have any issues I can reach out and they will get me in to address anything.

Got both processors updated with the new ASM 3.0 as well, so I'm just going to take it easy and see how this MAP works out.

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Hi lauren, gratz on progress, i am like following behind you....so when you say you got another electrode turned on, do you know which one and did the change help with word or music? Also do you have the eas or no? Im anxious for my 2nd mapping in one week.  Also hoping to have the controls turned on, as i only have volume.

Thanks for posting your progress, 

 

Di

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi lauren, im jealous your audi added asm for you. My next appoint is december. I did receive new maps to work on, and since the maps and eas addion last week alot has changed. I think it has to do with the new maximums we set plus the eas. I dont have a rondo to compare. I do like the eas..music has changed almost like some was lost. Like you i have 3 months to work and 2 more maps, but wish i had a sooner appointment lol.

Gratz on your progress!

One more question tho. I know you set up your tv, i was wondering do you watch alot? The other night i watched for two hours and it felt like the volume had slowly increased until i actually had to turn it down...have anything similar happen?

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On 9/19/2021 at 4:55 AM, Dianna said:

Hi lauren, gratz on progress, i am like following behind you....so when you say you got another electrode turned on, do you know which one and did the change help with word or music? Also do you have the eas or no? Im anxious for my 2nd mapping in one week.  Also hoping to have the controls turned on, as i only have volume.

Thanks for posting your progress, 

 

Di

I’m not sure which electrodes I have on but have been having overstimulation issues with the higher pitches. MAP isn’t working out for me so I had to cave and reach out to my AuD and I’m going back in on Thursday to re-adjust. Keeping the January appointment though. The MAP made everything worse, turned everything to static. Haven’t been able to separate the words from the environmental noises and that’s just when the processor even picks up sounds. With the Rondo 3 I was back to having to touch it to make sure it didn’t fall off, battery didn’t die, and it didn’t shut off for any reason so I’ve primarily been using my Sonnet 2 EAS (yes with EAS) as it picks up slightly more than the Rondo3. 
Also have to ask AuD about the programs as those were all shut off. Had a 1:1 with the west coast rep today and tried brainstorming and making sure what I was trying to describe in terms of hearing (and lack of same) made sense to a layperson. Rep said it did make sense so I’ll try that in 2 days. 
I do feel that I lost progress here. Didn’t help me mood hence taking a short hiatus from HearPeers. 

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On 9/29/2021 at 4:37 AM, Dianna said:

Hi lauren, im jealous your audi added asm for you. My next appoint is december. I did receive new maps to work on, and since the maps and eas addion last week alot has changed. I think it has to do with the new maximums we set plus the eas. I dont have a rondo to compare. I do like the eas..music has changed almost like some was lost. Like you i have 3 months to work and 2 more maps, but wish i had a sooner appointment lol.

Gratz on your progress!

One more question tho. I know you set up your tv, i was wondering do you watch alot? The other night i watched for two hours and it felt like the volume had slowly increased until i actually had to turn it down...have anything similar happen?

I mostly stay in and stream stuff (Netflix, HBOMax, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime). I prefer my Rondo 3 for streaming so currently that’s all I use it for. TV is hooked up to the AudioLink base and AudioLink is connected to my Rondo 3. I haven’t been having luck telling volumes apart so haven’t had things suddenly increase or decrease on me (that I am aware of).
 

I can only tell when things are far too quiet or far too loud. I don’t really have a good gauge yet between soft, medium, comfortably loud. It’s been a frustrating part of MAPs as my AuD will be sending tunes to my implant and asking me to tell her where it is on the loudness scale and I have no clue if it’s soft, medium, or loud. I also have trouble telling the difference between hearing or feeling the sounds. My AuD doesn’t want me feeling (overstimulation) sounds too…

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@Lauren

A few thoughts…..

Did your surgeon do any imaging (X-ray or CT scan) AFTER inserting the electrode array to check its position?  If not, I highly recommend it and wish ALL CI surgeons did imaging after inserting the electrode array before activation.

Med-El US has Med-El audiologists who support our clinical audiologists.  During COVID, people have mentioned having the Med-El audiologist join in an appt remotely.  This is something you can ask your audiologist about.  
 

Are you using Sonnet 2 EAS with an ear mild attached for low frequencies?  If yes, your Rondo 3 MAP will be very different since it is using the CI input for all frequencies and it may be confusing for your brain to listen to such different auditory input.  If you are not using the hearing aid function of the Sonnet 2 EAS, then both of your processors should sound pretty similar.

 

It is frustrating when we experience set backs.  It’s great that you reached out to your audiologist.  Keep in touch.  We are rooting for yiu.

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8 hours ago, Lauren said:

I mostly stay in and stream stuff (Netflix, HBOMax, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime). I prefer my Rondo 3 for streaming so currently that’s all I use it for. TV is hooked up to the AudioLink base and AudioLink is connected to my Rondo 3. I haven’t been having luck telling volumes apart so haven’t had things suddenly increase or decrease on me (that I am aware of).
 

I can only tell when things are far too quiet or far too loud. I don’t really have a good gauge yet between soft, medium, comfortably loud. It’s been a frustrating part of MAPs as my AuD will be sending tunes to my implant and asking me to tell her where it is on the loudness scale and I have no clue if it’s soft, medium, or loud. I also have trouble telling the difference between hearing or feeling the sounds. My AuD doesn’t want me feeling (overstimulation) sounds too…

Wow, im seeing this "complaint" in chat rooms too. Ifelt this a little with my second mapping, audi did the maximum test on all 9 arrays, and again told me 4 maps with each being 6 percent increase. However some things did change, most have "worn off" like a true volume adjustment and training. I would not love a change that i could not train through i would definately be moody. I do a minimum of an hour a day with angel sounds, especially the vowel and consonant....funny, i swear they cheat! Ok so any time you want to chat. Let me know, we could exchange venting and then ask the experts lol. I know its a bummer when it feels like you have no gains for a period of time. Chin up, according to folks perseverence is the key.

Di

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7 hours ago, Mary Beth said:

@Lauren

A few thoughts…..

Did your surgeon do any imaging (X-ray or CT scan) AFTER inserting the electrode array to check its position?  If not, I highly recommend it and wish ALL CI surgeons did imaging after inserting the electrode array before activation.

Med-El US has Med-El audiologists who support our clinical audiologists.  During COVID, people have mentioned having the Med-El audiologist join in an appt remotely.  This is something you can ask your audiologist about.  
 

Are you using Sonnet 2 EAS with an ear mild attached for low frequencies?  If yes, your Rondo 3 MAP will be very different since it is using the CI input for all frequencies and it may be confusing for your brain to listen to such different auditory input.  If you are not using the hearing aid function of the Sonnet 2 EAS, then both of your processors should sound pretty similar.

 

It is frustrating when we experience set backs.  It’s great that you reached out to your audiologist.  Keep in touch.  We are rooting for yiu.

Yes - there was actually someone from Med-El present at my surgery. Checked placement before I went to recovery. I went back to the doctor a month later and got an X-ray/imaging in the doctors office. That’s how we confirmed that the implant portion had slid down a little. Made sure the electrodes were good too and we could clearly see that it’s a good placement. All 12 are inside and the surgeon said it was actually a deep insertion that is covering all of the cochlea. 
 

The Rep will talk with the AuD that covers the west coast and pass on my frustration. The Med-El AuD was actually up here just last week but the timing was not good for my work and even if I’d had a heads up still wouldn’t have been able to swing it. Looking at maybe virtual if possible. I passed on the date and time of my appointment, specifying AK time for the time difference. 
 

I am using the EAS with ear mold which is why it’s picking up slightly more than the Rondo 3. Everything is just too subdued. I tested this out, went to a gas station to get a Diet Coke and left my hearing aid home. Just wanted to test it in a No-Pressure situation. On the ride over I just got static of road/car noises. Couldn’t hear music or anything, just weird soft static noises. Went into the gas station. Grabbed one drink and went to wait for a register to open. Did not hear the cashier call out at all (was maybe 10 feet away, heard ZIP) but was paying attention so saw the hand go up to wave. Had to complete the transaction using only lip reading despite being just a counter-width apart as speech was way too subdued/muffled it wouldn’t have mattered if I was wearing the processor or not. So that’s why I’m going back to my AuD so soon because the processors at the current MAP are set way too low that I can’t even do rehab because the mics aren’t picking up sounds. 
 

I use the Rondo when watching tv to stream directly because unless I have the TV volume blaring super loud I’m not hearing anything. 
 

The last MAP was much better. 

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Lauren, im glad your issues are being addressed. Ive been working a little with the angel sounds music mod. I can tell some of the actual notes are off! So im using this mod to train and identify the notes that sound wrong, funny. I think its helping instead!

Good vibes being sent to you!

I can understand feeling almost defeated when mapping changes success into more work! My boss would give me a great review every year. Maximum raise. Then say " there is always room for improvement" which would kind of take the joy out a good review, until i would rationalize it to mean ok, work just as hard try to find ways to improve. At least i got a raise, lol

Take care,

Di

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I thought about it some more and will ask my AuD to not just play a tune and then ask me how it is, like I'll probably have something on my phone for background noises so I'm not sitting in a relatively quiet CI room basically guessing how it sounds when not sitting in a quiet CI room. That was one suggestion from the Med-El rep, maybe splitting up my appointments. Anyone know of someone doing that? Something like getting a MAP then returning later same-day or next, so not like getting tested one day then MAPped the next... Just worried that the current schedule just isn't working for me and trying to brainstorm how to change it so that it does work for me.

For my volume issues I'll have her increase by 2 steps at a time as honestly I can't tell the difference when its being increased one level at a time. Usually takes 2-4 increases before I can tell a difference anyways.

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