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Thread: Say What?

  1. #41
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    My audiologist for hearing aids told me he had done everything he could for me so we discussed cochlear implants. The ENT he is associated with referred me to my surgeon. My guy happens to be an Otologist. There are six in my state so they are not common. He and his partner make up one third of them. They only handle ears. That's all they do. If you are Medicare eligible then they pay for them. They are NOT considered hearing aids but durable medical equipment so everything that comes with them is paid for including the batteries. You have to complete an FDA mandated test on comprehension and if you fall below the threshold and qualify then you are eligible for the implant. You have to be below on both ears to qualify for one implant if I understood correctly.

    The surgery was 1.5 hours outpatient and was truly a piece of cake for me. I took Tylenol for pain three times I think and that was it. From the first day I put the processor on I was hearing sounds I have not heard in decades. I do not hear them at the quality I should yet but that will come. The fact that I hear them and can hear them so soon is amazing. I am even having conversation with family members with just the implant and I understand what is being said. I had difficulty doing that with my hearing aids. Everything is helium voice right now but I'm tickled that things are where they are. Your mileage may vary but I can only tell you what my experience is.

    Once I am up and fully functional on this implant then I will have the right ear done.

    One of the reasons I'm posting here is because there are so many of us with hearing problems and I want folks to understand that there are solutions out there and Medicare does pay for them. I am not Medicare eligible yet but it does pay for them. I was fortunate enough to have great insurance. My cost to date has been $240.40. Yeah, pretty spectacular. Thanks, God.


  2. #42

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    Based on the subject title, I was expecting a post about Stevie Ray Vaughn.
    "The more complex the mind, the greater the need for the simplicity of play." Capt. James T. Kirk

  3. #43
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    That is fantastic.....had a friend that was almost deaf...His was heredity ....and tried early form of implants many years ago....
    Wasn't a good fit I guess...and after some screwing around...kinda of gave up on it....

    Congrats on your success.
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  4. #44
    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    Is this a two piece unit, with one processing the sound and them transmitting to the implant or is it all in the implant?
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

  5. #45
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    That is it exactly. The internal unit is a coil with some sort of electronics package. Then there is an external processor that is programmed with all the goodies.

    This is the exact model they implanted in me. The lead goes into the cochlea and the ground wire is threaded some place under the skin. The circular device is a magnet that matches a magnet in the external processor.

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    This is what the external processor looks like. Mine is gray to match my locks. This is the Nucleas 7, which is what I have and is compatible with my iPhone 8 plus. The round gizmo with the three hashes is a magnet that matches the magnet in the internal coil and that's what hold the processor on your head. You can change the magnet to different strengths so you get the right balance of not to strong to irritate and not too weak so that it falls off.

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  6. #46
    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    Ah, so it hooks behind your ear. Cool
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

  7. #47
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Went back for another programming update today. They did some more testing and I tested at 50% comprehension, which is a 2.5 month benchmark. Not bad for less than 1 month in use. Yeah me! I will not go back now for 3 months. The program I am on will be the one I learn on for a while. If I have any problems I can contact them, of course, but otherwise this is the program I will have for the next three months. There are actually two programs uploaded into this gizmo. One has filters that monitor the environment I'm in and adjust that environment so that I hear it the best. In other words, if I walk into a noisy restaurant it will attempt to filter out the extraneous background noise so those voices close to me are better understood. The second program has no filters at all. I wanted that so when I'm out in the woods I can hear true sounds of nature without any filtering being done.

    I have talked on the phone twice and both times were with women. One call was great and worked just fine. I really had to concentrate but made it through the call okay. Again, I'm tickled that I can do that and I've been on the thing less than one month. The other call was a dismal failure. I think it was just the difference in voice frequencies. For those of you that wear hearing aids you probably understand what I mean. Some folks you can understand on the phone and some you can't. That's what this was I think.

    Anyway, that the latest. Super tuned and the oil changed. I'm on the road again.

  8. #48
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Awesome. Thanks for the update. Now I can give out your phone number for prank calls. I did it a couple of years ago, but everybody told me they got no reaction from you.......it was like you ignored them.
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  9. #49
    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    Hmmm....sounds like you're having fun. Better stop that or the gov'ment will find out.
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

  10. #50
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    When I found out they had this voice mail to text thingy I was like YES!

  11. #51

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    That's awesome Rick. How well does the magnet hold the device in place?
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  12. #52
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    About like this.


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  13. #53
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    There are various strength magnets that can be used in the external coil. Mine is a 3, which probably mean about as much to you as it does to me, but I'm told that is a medium strength magnet. It does a great job. I've had no problems to date. If the magnet is too strong is can abrade the skin and cause problems. If it is too weak then the coil falls off. So the strength of the magnet is a balance between the two.

    That picture is pretty funny because I have no idea how many folks that, once they found out this thing had a magnet, said, "don't walk too close to the fridge!"

  14. #54

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    I remember several years back seeing similar devices being attached using implants. The implants were placed in the bone and had a small snap that protruded above the skin. The external device would have the opposing snaps. I wonder why they went to the magnets? They had to know pressure sores would be a problem. Like a pair of heavy glasses putting pressure on the nose.

    I see most of the weight is on the ear hook part so hopefully you won't have any problems. good luck bud
    Last edited by chiggersngrits; 02-14-2018 at 08:49 PM.
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  15. #55
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    The whole thing is light as a feather. I told them I did NOT want the snap and they said the companies they used did not have them. All used the magnets. I just weighed it and the whole thing, processor and coil, weighs .5 ounces.

  16. #56
    Senior Member Antonyraison's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Went back for another programming update today. They did some more testing and I tested at 50% comprehension, which is a 2.5 month benchmark. Not bad for less than 1 month in use. Yeah me! I will not go back now for 3 months. The program I am on will be the one I learn on for a while. If I have any problems I can contact them, of course, but otherwise this is the program I will have for the next three months. There are actually two programs uploaded into this gizmo. One has filters that monitor the environment I'm in and adjust that environment so that I hear it the best. In other words, if I walk into a noisy restaurant it will attempt to filter out the extraneous background noise so those voices close to me are better understood. The second program has no filters at all. I wanted that so when I'm out in the woods I can hear true sounds of nature without any filtering being done.

    I have talked on the phone twice and both times were with women. One call was great and worked just fine. I really had to concentrate but made it through the call okay. Again, I'm tickled that I can do that and I've been on the thing less than one month. The other call was a dismal failure. I think it was just the difference in voice frequencies. For those of you that wear hearing aids you probably understand what I mean. Some folks you can understand on the phone and some you can't. That's what this was I think.

    Anyway, that the latest. Super tuned and the oil changed. I'm on the road again.
    Remarkable Progress Glad it's going so well, soon you can watch my videos and hear my south African accent and laugh and laugh.
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  17. #57
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    I'm so excited to hear that Rick. Good luck processing and have fun.
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  18. #58
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    I see what you did there.....

  19. #59
    Senior Member 2dumb2kwit's Avatar
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    THAT'S GREAT, RICK. I LOVE HEARING ABOUT OLD DOGS LEARNING NEW TRICKS!!!!

    (I really am happy for you.) LOL
    Writer of wrongs.
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  20. #60
    Senior Member 2dumb2kwit's Avatar
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    Now, about that comprehension percentage..........What if they get your hearing fixed, but it turns out that you're just not very bright?

    (Well.....somebody had to ask.) Hahahaha.....
    Writer of wrongs.
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