In most cases the AuD can see your facial expressions and can tell if you are guessing. I always tried at my hearing tests, pre and post CI. That said, the hearing tests to evaluate you for CI candidacy are the only ones you likely will be glad you failed.
Hi! Instead of retyping my story, I'll just copy and paste my introduction post. 🙂
Hi! My name is Gerid. I am bi-modal. I've been severe/profound deaf since I was 2 years old from pneumonia. I am currenlt 39 years old. Either the high fever ruined my hearing or the antibiotics did it. Doctors aren't sure but they are leaning towards antibiotics probably being the cause. I have worn HAs all my life up until about 3 years ago when I got my first Cochlear Implant. My word recognition was 24% combined with both hearing aids in. 0% in my right ear. 24% in my left. 6 months after getting an implant, my right ear went from 0% to 66% percent. I am now at a combined 96% word recognition! I am getting my 2nd implant done in July 2019. I wish I had gotten my implants done 5 years sooner but unfortunately I was sucked into a vortex of nasty and untrue rumors/perceptions about Cochlear Implants. I am now a Cochlear Implant volunteer. I am also President of Hearing Loss Association of America, OAK Chapter in Grand Rapids, MI. I work for CaptionCall as well, talking with providers about captioning telephone services. My life is an open book and I love to talk with others about my experiences and connect them with resources to help them seek answers to their own questions.
As for guessing. The test I was doing, they actually marked right/from wrong based on syllables/sounds and not the entire word. So repeating back what I thought was being said, and I try REALLY hard to be right, they could see what sounds I was actually getting right.
Hi! Instead of retyping my story, I'll just copy and paste my introduction post. 🙂
Hi! My name is Gerid. I am bi-modal. I've been severe/profound deaf since I was 2 years old from pneumonia. I am currenlt 39 years old. Either the high fever ruined my hearing or the antibiotics did it. Doctors aren't sure but they are leaning towards antibiotics probably being the cause. I have worn HAs all my life up until about 3 years ago when I got my first Cochlear Implant. My word recognition was 24% combined with both hearing aids in. 0% in my right ear. 24% in my left. 6 months after getting an implant, my right ear went from 0% to 66% percent. I am now at a combined 96% word recognition! I am getting my 2nd implant done in July 2019. I wish I had gotten my implants done 5 years sooner but unfortunately I was sucked into a vortex of nasty and untrue rumors/perceptions about Cochlear Implants. I am now a Cochlear Implant volunteer. I am also President of Hearing Loss Association of America, OAK Chapter in Grand Rapids, MI. I work for CaptionCall as well, talking with providers about captioning telephone services. My life is an open book and I love to talk with others about my experiences and connect them with resources to help them seek answers to their own questions.
@wired4sound, This is a great story! Congratulations. The vortex of nasty and untrue rumors is so damaging to so many people. Will you be in Rochester for HLAA Convention?
@wired4sound
Wow – what an encouraging story. I'm older – 70 with a progressive moderate/severe hearing loss in both ears, and HA's. I've been thinking of cochlear implants as last gasp, only maybe beneficial, technology to help me in my eighties. But maybe I should be looking forward to getting them!
@wired4sound
Wow – what an encouraging story. I'm older – 70 with a progressive moderate/severe hearing loss in both ears, and HA's. I've been thinking of cochlear implants as last gasp, only maybe beneficial, technology to help me in my eighties. But maybe I should be looking forward to getting them!
@wiredforsound
Thanks for the information. Right now I think I'll have to wait for Medicare to cover, but I'm definitely checking out the situation in case I can speed things up.
@wiredforsound
Thanks for the information. Right now I think I'll have to wait for Medicare to cover, but I'm definitely checking out the situation in case I can speed things up.
Medicare does cover in most cases. I think their requirements is under 40% discrimination with hearing aids and severe/profound hearing loss. Good luck! 🙂
Your cochlear implant center can make sure you qualify under Medicare. Although I love my cochlear implant – I’ve had it for just under ten years – I agree with the experts who say you should continue with a hearing aid as long as you are benefiting from it. I qualify for a second c.i. but I am hearing very well with my hearing aid plus the first c.i. I won’t hesitate when it’s time but for now I think my hearing is as good as it can be. The newer hybrid cochlear implants are also great, in that they preserve high frequency hearing. If that’s your audiogram pattern you should look into that option.
I agree that age is not a factor.
@tulip, @asklar02492, I'd like to hear from an audiologist on this. I think guessing at the words is actually encouraged — but not because it means you'll do better on the test and thus not be eligible for insurance coverage. The test shows the sounds you can and cannot hear — the various vowel and consonant sounds — and helps the audiologist make a more accurate assessment of your needs. As for the tone test, the tones are repeated and if you miss a tone one time but get it another it doesn't really mean anything because the audiologist can go back and test that same tone again — I think! Are there any audiologists reading this who can confirm or clarify?
Guessing on the CI qualification tests is not encouraged, at least not the way it is done in the US. These tests are to find out what you actually understand, not how well you have learned to cope with your hearing loss. If a sentence is "The river was high because of the rain" and you heard "river, high, rain" that is 38% of the words. If you add in "The, because, of, the", that is now 89%, even though you just guessed at what those words were and did not really understand them. The tone test is not part of the actual CI qualifications in the US but it is used as a baseline to see if it is worth testing for CI's. The CI testing is different then the HA testing.
@tulip@katherinebouton
Thanks for all the information. I have a lot to learn about how, why and when cochlear implants are considered necessary. This is probably because audiologists and physicians figure I'm at least a decade away from being a candidate, and because I don't ask enough questions. But It's really reassuring to catch a glimpse of my long term hearing prospects. It was sad and discouraging to see my father and grandmother age into complete deafness. I'm so grateful that the the technology has progressed so that I can imagine and hope that my situation will be better.
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In most cases the AuD can see your facial expressions and can tell if you are guessing. I always tried at my hearing tests, pre and post CI. That said, the hearing tests to evaluate you for CI candidacy are the only ones you likely will be glad you failed.
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1 ReactionHi! Instead of retyping my story, I'll just copy and paste my introduction post. 🙂
Hi! My name is Gerid. I am bi-modal. I've been severe/profound deaf since I was 2 years old from pneumonia. I am currenlt 39 years old. Either the high fever ruined my hearing or the antibiotics did it. Doctors aren't sure but they are leaning towards antibiotics probably being the cause. I have worn HAs all my life up until about 3 years ago when I got my first Cochlear Implant. My word recognition was 24% combined with both hearing aids in. 0% in my right ear. 24% in my left. 6 months after getting an implant, my right ear went from 0% to 66% percent. I am now at a combined 96% word recognition! I am getting my 2nd implant done in July 2019. I wish I had gotten my implants done 5 years sooner but unfortunately I was sucked into a vortex of nasty and untrue rumors/perceptions about Cochlear Implants. I am now a Cochlear Implant volunteer. I am also President of Hearing Loss Association of America, OAK Chapter in Grand Rapids, MI. I work for CaptionCall as well, talking with providers about captioning telephone services. My life is an open book and I love to talk with others about my experiences and connect them with resources to help them seek answers to their own questions.
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Helpful -
Hug
5 ReactionsAs for guessing. The test I was doing, they actually marked right/from wrong based on syllables/sounds and not the entire word. So repeating back what I thought was being said, and I try REALLY hard to be right, they could see what sounds I was actually getting right.
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1 Reaction@wired4sound, This is a great story! Congratulations. The vortex of nasty and untrue rumors is so damaging to so many people. Will you be in Rochester for HLAA Convention?
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1 ReactionI will! Can't wait!
@wired4sound
Wow – what an encouraging story. I'm older – 70 with a progressive moderate/severe hearing loss in both ears, and HA's. I've been thinking of cochlear implants as last gasp, only maybe beneficial, technology to help me in my eighties. But maybe I should be looking forward to getting them!
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Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI've seen 90+ year olds get them and say it was totally worth it. Don't wait. Don't think you are too old. Go get an evaluation.
@wiredforsound
Thanks for the information. Right now I think I'll have to wait for Medicare to cover, but I'm definitely checking out the situation in case I can speed things up.
Medicare does cover in most cases. I think their requirements is under 40% discrimination with hearing aids and severe/profound hearing loss. Good luck! 🙂
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionYour cochlear implant center can make sure you qualify under Medicare. Although I love my cochlear implant – I’ve had it for just under ten years – I agree with the experts who say you should continue with a hearing aid as long as you are benefiting from it. I qualify for a second c.i. but I am hearing very well with my hearing aid plus the first c.i. I won’t hesitate when it’s time but for now I think my hearing is as good as it can be. The newer hybrid cochlear implants are also great, in that they preserve high frequency hearing. If that’s your audiogram pattern you should look into that option.
I agree that age is not a factor.
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2 ReactionsGuessing on the CI qualification tests is not encouraged, at least not the way it is done in the US. These tests are to find out what you actually understand, not how well you have learned to cope with your hearing loss. If a sentence is "The river was high because of the rain" and you heard "river, high, rain" that is 38% of the words. If you add in "The, because, of, the", that is now 89%, even though you just guessed at what those words were and did not really understand them. The tone test is not part of the actual CI qualifications in the US but it is used as a baseline to see if it is worth testing for CI's. The CI testing is different then the HA testing.
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Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@tulip @katherinebouton
Thanks for all the information. I have a lot to learn about how, why and when cochlear implants are considered necessary. This is probably because audiologists and physicians figure I'm at least a decade away from being a candidate, and because I don't ask enough questions. But It's really reassuring to catch a glimpse of my long term hearing prospects. It was sad and discouraging to see my father and grandmother age into complete deafness. I'm so grateful that the the technology has progressed so that I can imagine and hope that my situation will be better.
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Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 Reactions