BAHA hearing aid questions

[Va-bear]

I am having surgery for a Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (Baha) next month and besides feeling fear I am suddenly coming up w/ some questions I didnt think of when I was talking to the docs. Most, I've found on-line but the others are more about our upcoming Disney trip, so was hoping to find someone familiar w/ using one.

1.Is there any problem at all at airport security? Will I have to remove the hearing aid aspect?

2. It is not supposed to get wet, I know that for sure, so I assume I will need some sort of GOOD pouch for it, to put it away for rides/rain/etc. Is there a good source for this sort of thing? Will it be "good enough" or should I get a waterproof day bag too?

Those are the two biggies right now.....also, if anyone just has general suggestions for a newbie to hearing aids I would really, really appreciate it.
Thanks so much.

 

[bex271]

Va-bear,
My son had the surgery back in march and it helped him a lot, we're going to disney in november. Here is a website that i found for people with BAHA and they are nice people and can answer any question you may have
http://www.baha-users-support.com

I don't think going through the airport will be a problem. We haven't done it yet but i read a similar question on the support board and it is suppose to be a problem.
As for it keeping it dry we are going to take the container the hearing came in and put it in there if it rains and then at night put it in the hearing aid drier at night.

 

[Va-bear]

Thanks so much.

So glad to hear your son is doing well with it and I hope you guys have a great trip!

 

[swimlib]

Va-bear,

It takes a while for your body to get used to the hearing aids, be they regular or BAHA. When my mom went in december with semi new aids (about 4 months) the overabudance of hearing stimulation made things like batteries wear out faster as well as you get overstimulated a lot faster. I don't remember the specifics about BAHA but thought I'd give you a heads up for things like that.

 

[DisneyWheeler]

Hi....Just wanted to say that I'm having the BAHA surgery too next month (July 2nd). I'm excited and nervous. Excited because I'll have another hearing aid to use in case one or the other fails, and nervous because it'll be a major surgery, even though I'll only be in the hospital for the day. Unless something goes wrong with the surgery to which I'd have to be admitted to the hospital.

I can answer your first question: When my family and I were going home to Oregon via Orlando airport, the security screener made me remove my headband-style Starkey bone conduction hearing aid, and send it through the x-ray machine. My mom told the woman that I was profoundly deaf in my left ear, and she'd have to be on my right side to talk to me. She and I both tried a couple times to explain that I needed to have my hearing aid on to be able to hear instructions, but the woman screener refused to let me go through the screening machine with my hearing aid on. I haven't had a problem with it at other airports. Just the one in Orlando.

I don't know what they'll do if I have the BAHA. I'll be using the BAHA as my primary hearing aid, and using my Starkey headband hearing aid as a backup. I plan on not telling them that I have a hearing aid when I have my BAHA, unless it gets set off by the walk-through screener. Most airport TSA screeners are understanding about hearing aids. But, then there are some who might still make you take it off to send through the x-ray machine, no matter what you tell them.

Samantha

 

[Va-bear]

Va-bear,

It takes a while for your body to get used to the hearing aids, be they regular or BAHA. When my mom went in december with semi new aids (about 4 months) the overabudance of hearing stimulation made things like batteries wear out faster as well as you get overstimulated a lot faster. I don't remember the specifics about BAHA but thought I'd give you a heads up for things like that.

Thanks for the info - I can see where getting over-stiulated could be a problem for me. I already have problems at places like Chuck E. Cheese - all the lights, sounds, etc - so I can see where it'd be worse when I can hear w/ both ears. THis is a good reminder to be ready for it.

As for it keeping it dry we are going to take the container the hearing came in and put it in there if it rains and then at night put it in the hearing aid drier at night.

I forgot to aks about this before. What is a hearign aid dryer? I've never heard of one before....no one at the doctors office mentioned it.... I wonder if I will need to purchase this - or do they come with the aid when you get it? Thanks.

Hi....Just wanted to say that I'm having the BAHA surgery too next month (July 2nd). I'm excited and nervous. Excited because I'll have another hearing aid to use in case one or the other fails, and nervous because it'll be a major surgery, even though I'll only be in the hospital for the day. Unless something goes wrong with the surgery to which I'd have to be admitted to the hospital.

I can answer your first question: When my family and I were going home to Oregon via Orlando airport, the security screener made me remove my headband-style Starkey bone conduction hearing aid, and send it through the x-ray machine. My mom told the woman that I was profoundly deaf in my left ear, and she'd have to be on my right side to talk to me. She and I both tried a couple times to explain that I needed to have my hearing aid on to be able to hear instructions, but the woman screener refused to let me go through the screening machine with my hearing aid on. I haven't had a problem with it at other airports. Just the one in Orlando.

I don't know what they'll do if I have the BAHA. I'll be using the BAHA as my primary hearing aid, and using my Starkey headband hearing aid as a backup. I plan on not telling them that I have a hearing aid when I have my BAHA, unless it gets set off by the walk-through screener. Most airport TSA screeners are understanding about hearing aids. But, then there are some who might still make you take it off to send through the x-ray machine, no matter what you tell them.

Samantha

Thanks so much for telling me about your experiences. I sure hope you enjoy your BAHA. I a supposed to have y surgery one day before you! (I still havent gotten the final from my insurance company...so I suppose it ight be delayed.) I think the idea of not mentoining it at the airport in the correct approah, if they stop me then fine, I"ll take it off. I know I worried that the metal in my back would set it off - but it never has, the metal is inert. SO maybe the BAHA will bet the same?) Thanks again.

 

[bex271]

I forgot to aks about this before. What is a hearign aid dryer? I've never heard of one before....no one at the doctors office mentioned it.... I wonder if I will need to purchase this - or do they come with the aid when you get it? Thanks.

We got ours from the audiologist. It came with the hearing aid. Our first one was a little bag that you put the hearing aid with a disk that little beads that took the moisture out. Our new one is a little jar with a piece of foam and beads under the foam and you just put the hearing in there and it takes moisture and it's suppose to keep the hearing aid functioning better. I'll post a picture later, probably be tomorrow. We live a very humid area (near the beach) and it helps keeps the hearing aid functioning and our son popped it off one day and landed in a puddle and we put in the jar and by the morning it was working again.

becca

 

[DisneyWheeler]

Thanks so much for telling me about your experiences. I sure hope you enjoy your BAHA. I a supposed to have y surgery one day before you! (I still havent gotten the final from my insurance company...so I suppose it ight be delayed.) I think the idea of not mentoining it at the airport in the correct approah, if they stop me then fine, I"ll take it off. I know I worried that the metal in my back would set it off - but it never has, the metal is inert. SO maybe the BAHA will bet the same?) Thanks again.

You're welcome. Is your insurance paying for the hearing aid also, besides the surgery? This is what I was worried about. Hearing aids are expensive nonetheless (especially for repair costs), so I was just wondering if the insurance does cover it as a needed item. They didn't with my Starkey one, so it has me worried that they won't cover for the actual BAHA. I know they probably would for the surgery itself.

I will enjoy my new BAHA though. My audiologist said it was "the top of the line" in hearing aids, today. She also said that the sound quality will be a lot better than my Starkey headband-style bone conduction hearing aid.

Samantha

 

[Va-bear]

We got ours from the audiologist. It came with the hearing aid. Our first one was a little bag that you put the hearing aid with a disk that little beads that took the moisture out. Our new one is a little jar with a piece of foam and beads under the foam and you just put the hearing in there and it takes moisture and it's suppose to keep the hearing aid functioning better. I'll post a picture later, probably be tomorrow. We live a very humid area (near the beach) and it helps keeps the hearing aid functioning and our son popped it off one day and landed in a puddle and we put in the jar and by the morning it was working again.

becca

Wow, glad it came thru the puddle ok!

You're welcome. Is your insurance paying for the hearing aid also, besides the surgery? This is what I was worried about. Hearing aids are expensive nonetheless (especially for repair costs), so I was just wondering if the insurance does cover it as a needed item. They didn't with my Starkey one, so it has me worried that they won't cover for the actual BAHA. I know they probably would for the surgery itself.

I will enjoy my new BAHA though. My audiologist said it was "the top of the line" in hearing aids, today. She also said that the sound quality will be a lot better than my Starkey headband-style bone conduction hearing aid.

Samantha

Well, my insurance doesnt cover "hearing aids" but, appearantly will cover the Baha (surgery and the apperatus.) Since a traditional hearing aid (that amplifies sound) wouldnt work for me, they will consider it. I am waiting to hear officially - as I wont be doing it w/out the insurance. Sounds like you will do it iether way? I hope it goes well for you!

 

[bex271]

as far as insurance, fight for them to cover it. They first denied jonah's surgery and the hearing aid, but our billing department gave them more info and it was ended up being approved. Are you getting your hearing aid through cochlear america (i think that's the company)? if you are call them and they have someone there that can give you ideas of how to appeal to the insurance company to get it approved.

becca

 

[bex271]

this is hearing aid dryer we're using. just take the battery out put the aid in and the next morning it's ready to go. It works well too after my son has rolled over and gotten slobber on the aid too.

sorry not the best pictures but i hope you can see what i'm talking about
becca

 

[Val]

We use the dry and store global http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=49&products_id=17278&hcCsid=5b6a233857c129834131b58a75c3633d for our DD10's hearing aids. It has an ultraviolet light and uses a dessicant brick...it runs through a disinfecting cycle each night. It saved her hearing aids when she jumped in the pool with out taking her 'ears' out, and has saved a few cell phones, too! It is expensive ($99) and you have to buy bricks, but given the price of her aids ($3K each) it well worth it!

 

[DisneyWheeler]

Wow, glad it came thru the puddle ok!

Well, my insurance doesnt cover "hearing aids" but, appearantly will cover the Baha (surgery and the apperatus.) Since a traditional hearing aid (that amplifies sound) wouldnt work for me, they will consider it. I am waiting to hear officially - as I wont be doing it w/out the insurance. Sounds like you will do it iether way? I hope it goes well for you!

Apparently my insurance will be covering for the surgery also. I wasn't sure about the hearing aid itself. But, I just found out that there's a possibility they may cover for the hearing aid also. I'm excited about that.

Samantha

 

[zoeyh2000]

My niece wears a bone conducting hearing aid which we keep tucked inside a headband she wears. We have never had a problem with airport security, but she has other disabilities as well and most screeners just want to get her through. I can say from experience that the aid dryers are a life saver, especially on vacation when you don't want to have to search out an audiologists office or are traveling to a humid area (Orlando). Hope this helps.

 

[DisneyWheeler]

Hi Virginia; I just wanted to let you know that I found out something interesting about the BAHA hearing aid today when I was at my pre-op appointment: You can plug headphones into it, and listen to your music. I didn't get a real close look at it to see where you can plug the headphones into the hearing aid when the audiologist was showing it to me today. But, I thought it was such a unique and neat feature. It also has multiple program settings that you can adjust the noise level to where it's comfortable for you.

Now I'm anxious and excited. My surgery is in just a few days, and I can't hardly wait. The BAHA is a whole lot better than any other hearing out there today, according to the audiologist I saw today, and my regular audiologist (who is very excited about me getting the BAHA). Even the one I'm currently using.

Good luck with your surgery,

Samantha

 

[Va-bear]

Hi Samantha!

Thanks for the note. I have my pre-op visit on Monday and surgery on Tuesday. It has FINALLYall been approved by my insurance company - all covered!!!! I am pretty nervous, but dealing....espcially, like you said, because it should really be a mjor improvement. Traditional hearing aids dont work for me so this is really my only hope -gald it seems to be such a success for people. The attachement for listening to headphones is very cool - wonder how much that will cost?! I'd love that at my gym (though, I can imagine that will get me a few looks!)

To all who had advise opinions and espcially the info on the driers, thanks!!!

 

[Va-bear]

Well, wanted to update you all that I had the implant surgery yesterday. It went pretty smoothly - save for the anestisiologist (LOL!!! Cant spell THAT on percocet!) He spent a long time trying to convince me to have general when the doc and I had decided local was fine (which was good, since I ONLY wanted local and it is quite common w/ this surgery.) I ended up so upset that I was crying and so angry - only after that did he decide the local would be fine (nice.) And it was fine, the local provided plenty of comfort - no pain during the procedure.

THe night was long, since you cant really lie straight back on it - no position was really good.... Today they remove the dressing and I wont look like a mummmy-head anymore!

Thanks for all the help and info - will keep you guys posted on the healing and how it goes when they give me the processor to hear.

ps - good luck today on your surgery Samantha!

 

[DisneyWheeler]

I had my surgery as well. It went fairly quick. I was put under general anesthesia, and it felt like I was only asleep for twenty minutes before the recovery room nurse woke me up from the surgery. I was in the recovery room for about half an hour before I got moved back into the day surgery center. I had no pre-surgery nausea as I did with previous surgeries. Or, post-surgery nausea. I guess that only happens with the major ones for me.

There was another lady who was the same age as my mom that got out of the operating room not long after I did, and she went through the BAHA surgery too.

I had one major bleeding episode at the surgery site. It scared both my mom and me a lot. I was cleaning my power chair in a standing position when my back decided to give out on me. I fell losing my balance and hitting my head where the screw was, on my joystick controller. It bled a lot into the abundment cover (the little pink cover that you have to keep on for two weeks after the surgery), and sent me panicking. We were relieved however at my post-op checkup yesterday when the doctor took a look at where it had bled. He said that while it healed in the other areas around the site, it should heal where it bled as well.

I'm due to see him again next month, and hopefully if all goes well I'll be able to get the hearing aid itself then. If not, the planned time is sometime in October when I'll be able to get it. My audiologist, my mom, the doctor who did the surgery, and I are all very excited to see how it'll work out for me. After having two previous cochlear ear surgeries to make my hearing better fail, and cause profound deafness in my left ear. The BAHA surgery was a success.

I wasn't able to wash my hair during those two weeks. But, the doctor took the pink abutment healing cap off at my post-op visit, and said I can start washing my hair normally again. He did put an abutment cover in place, to which I'll wear until I get the actual hearing aid itself. I have to have it on when I don't have the hearing aid snapped on.

The neatest thing about the BAHA is you can plug an iPod into the hearing aid itself, and listen to your tunes. I don't have an iPod yet, but it's on my birthday wish list for this year.

Oh, the other thing is. I got an information card with the BAHA packet at my doctor visit yesterday. On one side it has information about what to do if you're going to have an MRI. On the other side, it has information for security screeners at airports explaining what the BAHA is, what the abutment is, and what it does.

I'd highly recommend the BAHA surgery for anyone with deafness in one/both ears. It's truly a miracle surgery. Even though you'll have to wait a while for the actual hearing aid. But, once you get it, it'll completely change the way you hear totally.

Samantha

 

[Gearforears]

I have some tips about how to use Hearing Aid Accessories:
1. Learn the Features
Take some time while you are still with the audiologist who sold you the hearing aid to learn everything you can about it. Practice replacing the batteries, cleaning the hearing aid and telling the left hearing aid from the right.
2. Learn to Adjust
Learn how to adjust your hearing aid for different situations like a loud room. You may even ask to walk outside where there is traffic and have someone talk to you before leaving with your new hearing aid.
3. Do Not Overdo It
Some people find hearing aids uncomfortable at first. Ask how long you should wear your hearing aid each day while you are adjusting. Depending on the type of hearing aid you have, it may take a few days or more to become used to wearing a hearing aid.

 

[Gearforears]

Ear gear provides hearing aid device, hearing instruments armor for child and adult with hearing aid safety to prevent hearing loss.