cochlear implant

[WorryBear]

Hi all,

My best friend is getting a cochlear implant at the end of the month. She has had hearing aids for the past 30 years but unfortunately her hearing has been decorating and this is her only option now.

She is really worried about it and so am I after watching an reading about it.

Can anyone share personal experience with this device, please?

Also, I want to cheer her up as she is really worried and anxious. What can I get her to make her feel more comfortable after the surgery? Some special pillow or some oils to help with headache etc?

Any advice or shared experiences will be helpful!

Thank you!

For Those of us who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Part 2 has messages on cochlear implants. I was offered one but decided against it. If I remember correctly there were various useful videos of people describing their experiences of them when I googled - I think they were produced by St Thomas' hospital. Good luck to your friend!

Its understandable that she is worried - it is a big change to undergo. I talked to a lovely woman on the bus who had chosen to have one - she was thrilled that could hear things behind her. She had gone deaf in adult life whereas I've always been deaf so its my normal!

Thank you! I think this is why she is worried. She was born with normal hearing but was given some strong antibiotics as a child that damaged her hearing. Obviously with time there were advancements in hearing aids so for a while she was hearing better and better. Now, seems the implants are her best option.

So, you can't hear at all and don't wear hearing aids? It's interesting you decided against the implants. That's a very brave and confident choice in my opinion. :)

My parents both have them. Dad has one, mum has 2. Both deaf since birth but only had implants within the last 10 years.

It's a huge change but they're really happy they had it done. Tbh, the first bit is worst, recovering from surgery. It's painful and you can't lie on the affected side. It will be sensitive for quite a while. A V pillow or something will help there.
Once they're switched on be prepared to answer a lot of "what's that noise?" Questions, my mum was shocked how noisy the toilet was!

Not brave - I'm profoundly deaf but wear hearing aids. If I had an implant, I was told I still wouldnt be able to use a telephone or understand more in crowded conversation areas - which are the two things that are frustrating . But I'm nearly 70 and the thought of having to learn to interpret the different sounds provided by the implant (apparently rather like Donald Duck!) and losing any residual hearing on the implant side made me decide not for me! Do hope all goes well for your friend - its great that you are being so thoughtful

My relative had one about twenty years ago, so when he was 40 ish.
he’s so pleased with it, delighted to hear bird song!
he has a great app on his phone, you can hold it like a little microphone (doesn’t have to be held up to the face, on the table is fine) and it connects to the implant so he can have 121 conversations in crowded places.

I got a cochlear implant end of last year after antibiotics destroyed my hearing completely in both ears. I was already hard of hearing and wore hearing aids. After the op I couldn’t lie on the affected side for a few weeks as it was tender.

The implant has made such a big difference that i reckon i hear more now than i could with my hearing aids. By the time 3 months had passed I was able to take phone calls again and even listen to music which I wasn’t sure I’d be able to.

It is a big adjustment and it isn’t right for everyone but for me I have no regrets.