It's been a while since I last updated this blog and just wanted to let you know where I am with my hearing. I had an adjustment by Envoy (Esteem) a few months ago. There were essentially no changes made, so I am thinking I am at the best hearing in that ear that I can achieve. As I have said before, I was hoping for was a miracle, but got a hearing result that is as good as or a little bit better than what the hearing aid could achieve. In noisy situations I think I hear a little bit better, but not as well as other people in the room. When I am at my exercise class, I notice that others in the room can hear what the instructor is saying and I am not able to hear.
My biggest disappointment is not being able to hear my 2 young grandsons. If we are in a quiet situation, I can hear and understand them, but anywhere else it is very difficult.
Please feel free to leave any comment you wish, or email me at kay.green169@gmail.com
Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to share your experience with the Esteem implant. I know many people want to hear from implantees who are not on the official company website. I am disappointed that your hearing did not improve more, but your honesty and detailed experience is very valuable for others considering this path. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteKay
DeleteI read your blog because I felt that I was not getting all the imformation that I needed to make an informed decision on what to do with my implant. I had the procedure in January 2012. After many adjustments on the device with no real improvement in the hearing accuity, I was told that I have three choices.
1. Have the device removed.
2. Have an other procedure to remove scar tissue if any.
3. Leave it as is and go with my (hearing aids as I do now) to achieve the about the level of hearing before the implant.
I heard about the glue issue, but it was not brought up during my last talk with the surgeon. I will mention it in my next conversation with him.
I have elected to keep the implant for one year, at which time I'll decide what to do with it.
Let me know if you have improved since your last posting. My email is jimmyro@suddenlink.net Thanks Jimmy
This is in response to your post to my blog Esteem Hearing Implant, my experience
DeleteHi Jimmy
Thanks for posting to my blog.
I would say that you should not have the device removed. The few people that I have heard from that had the device removed ended up with worst hearing than they had before the Esteem implant. Having said that, when I talked to my doctor a month ago, he indicated that is not usually the case.
I think some people have benefited from the procedure to remove scar tissue. When I visited my doctor recently because of low benefit from the Esteem he said I should wait before having the procedure to see if there is scar tissue because the just don't know enough about how beneficial that procedure is.
I also have hearing that is not much better than before the Esteem so kind of a waste of $30000. I felt I had to try it. Now I appreciate how invasive the procedure is and advise people against it if they are doing OK with hearing aids.
Are you aware of the Facebook group for Esteem patients. You can get a lot of information of what others are experiencing from there. Put out a question and everyone is very responsive.
Good luck on whatever you decide to do
Kay,
ReplyDeleteWe are looking into this for my husband. Can you tell me the % of hearing loss in both your ears. Also, was your hearing loss due nerve ending hair cells or audio nerve damage? We are so excited about this, but not 100% sure this is going to work for him. Thank you. Vickie
This is an answer to the post by Anonymous on Jan 9, 2012.
ReplyDeleteMy right ear is 68% (db)loss and left ear is 78% (db) loss. I am assuming it is nerve ending hair cell loss.
I had my left ear implanted and the results are hearing that is as good as my hearing was in that ear with a hearing aid. I still need to wear a hearing aid in my right ear to hear adequately. My biggest disappointment is that I am not able to hear in noisy restaurants any better than before.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions
This is an update as of Feb 8, 2012. I had another appointment with the Esteem engineer. She found that my hearing in the Esteem ear at low frequencies had dropped by 25db. That is why speech was so distorted. She said that the drop was probably due to lack of adequate glue on the transducers or tissue in the middle ear. This would take a minor surgery (Tympanotomy) to investigate and fix. So I will need to go back to the Doctors office to have this procedure done. I was told there was no charge for this procedure. They go through the ear drum to fix the problem.
ReplyDeleteI will say this that they do take very good care of the patients after the Esteem implant has been done. I am hopeful that this will bring my hearing in that ear to a much better level. I was told that patients with my hearing loss usually do quite well with the Esteem
I just wanted to let you know that I did have the Tympanotomy done on March 15. What the doctor found was that I did not have any growth in my middle but I did need some more "glue" on the transducer. After the procedure they turn the Esteem off. I turned it on about a week later. What I noticed is that the sound had more base in it. When they do the Tympanotomy they put gel in the ear canal so that will lesson hearing until it dissolves. I still have some gel in my ear so it is hard to tell how much better it will be when all gel is gone.
ReplyDeleteI did get a new hearing aid for my other ear. It is now turned up pretty high since I know I would not be hearing with my Esteem ear at all for a while. Right now when I turn the Esteem off and listen to the TV with only my non Esteem ear with hearing aid, I hear better than if I only had the Esteem ear aided. To be fair the Esteem ear has a much worse hearing loss than the other ear. You can only expect so much improvement with either a hearing aid or Esteem.
I was told that patients with my level of hearing loss do better than what I am doing, so maybe I am not such a good example of what one can expect from the Esteem. I will see if there is any improvement after the Tympanotomy after a couple of weeks. Here's hoping so.
And thanks for viewing my blog
Monday July 9, 2012 I had my umpteenth adjustment. It showed a drop in the low frequency ranges just like before I had the Tympanotomy, so what is going on. I will say this that the Envoy Engineers do take care of me and are so patient. I know they want to get it just right, but I think I am going to be one of the patients that does not get great benefit from the Esteem. So disappointed. I think this is the best that I will be able to hear weather I use hearing aids or Esteem.
ReplyDelete