Sudden Hearing Loss

Posted by arlys @arlys, Apr 21, 2017

I am totally deaf in my left ear from a virus in 2015. Is there anybody else that experienced single sided deafness? I am considering a cochlear implant & have met with the cochlear team at Mayo.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Hearing Loss Support Group.

Hello joechauhan777@joechauhan777

I was totally deaf in right ear since 1990 after they surgically removed the whole hearing and balance system.
The source of the problem was radiation therapy in 1973 from cancer treatments.
At that time, the rules for cochlear implant qualification were then they are today.
So I had to wear the bi-cross system until 2016.
This is a good solution to give you directional hearing,which is very important.
Let's get this straight before I go on and that there is nothing that is going to give a person there natural hearing back once it is lost.
So one has to settle for what is the best instruments to use.

But before I get to the cochlear implants, I think it is necessary to determine what caused your hearing loss in the left ear back in your youth.
Do you have any of t hat documentation, and if not can you obtain that information.
Was it a middle ear problem, were the bones damaged and etc?
If you have that information, then i suggest you go to a good ENT.
If you need a reference to one, let me know.

So the records you have now about your hearing , I assume is for your right ear, or the only ear you are able to hear out of today.

My left ear was the only ear I could hear with since 1990, even with the hearing loss I had over the years and used the bi-cross systems to hear in 1990.
I became a dancer in 1987, and with the hearing loss in 1990, I had no choice but use bi-cross system.
I was able to return to my dancing career.
Then in 2012 I had to go through radiation therapy on the left side and of course it caused more hearing loss in the left ear.
I dance up to March 2017.
My hearing was so bad and I had to had a similar surgery as I did in 1990 and I was totally deaf until the cochlear implant surgery in September 2017 and it was turned on in November 2017.
I was surprised and very fortunate that the implant gave me all natural sounds of peoples voices and music.

I'm not saying that you should get the cochlear implants.
First you must see and determine if the left ear can be used for the implant or can it be repaired with surgery.
Only the doctors can determine that.
If it can't be fixed, does it qualify for t he cochlear implant?
And does you right ear qualify you for cochlear implant now, or will it in the future?
These are the questions you need to be concerned about today when you see a good ENT.
I have seen many people in today world that have 2 cochlear implants, so obviously the rules have changed over the years.

I am very please with both the doctor and the implants.
I am looking forward to getting back to dancing soon, but in January I had to have major jaw reconstruction surgery, in which they used bone, muscles, blood vessels and skin from my leg. Once the leg heals I'm going back to dancing.

I hope this has helped you.
Also, I am on my 3rd journey with cancer cancer, the 2 I mention, 1973, 2012 and then basil cell on my nose in 2002/2003.

Take care for now.

GOD BLESS,
Tim

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@aryls
What was your decision on cochlear implant.
I didn't your post back in 2017.
But I was just answering a post to joechauhan777@joechauhan777 and your post showewd up.
Please read what I was explaining to him.

GOD BLESS,
TIm

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@jimhd

Hi Tim @squaredancer - you're dealing with enough issues for several people! I'll think of you when I'm tempted to complain.

11/7 isn't very far away. It's so amazing to think about all of the miraculous things doctors can do!

I'm often asking questions when I get a new prescription. I see so many doctors that I know they can't possibly know what all of the others are prescribing me.

Jim

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Hello Jim.

It's been a long time since I have been online and just saw your mail.
Its's been a really busy time since March 2017 when I went through the initial surgery in getting the cochlear implant.
March was first one, when the mastoid had to be removed to prevent complications from occurring after the implant.
The implant surgery was in September and they turned it on in November.
Those were both major surgeries and both were very successful.
After all the adjustment appointments I can hear bettern now then I have been able in 6 or 7 years.

During all this time inn 2017, it was finally determined that I had osteomyelites in the mandibles.
This is what has been causing all the pain in the left jaw bone.sice 2014.
Of course the source of this disease was all the radiation I have been through.
So the doctors decided to do major jaw reconstruction surgery and only gave me 50/50 survival.
It was completed in January this year.
They use bone, blood vessels, muscle, and skin from the lower leg ( left) to replace the section that had to come out.
I was in ICU for 12 days, then 2 weeks in hospital rehab, and then another 5 days to complete skin graft on the leg.
They ran out of time on the initial surgery, which was 8 hours.
I am still recovering from it today.

So that is why I haven't been online since last year.

Hope you're doing well.

GOD BLESS,

Tim

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@hopeful33250

Welcome to Mayo Connect @arlys! We hope that your discussions with others will be helpful to you! Teresa

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@argos. I wish you luck pray it works well for you I wear hearing aids but can still hear when I forget to put them in.

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