Still Positive After All These Years

[Freebird_UK]

Hi I’m Phil. I have total loss of hearing in right ear with tinnitus in that ear (constant white noise). I do have a good left ear though. This happened in 1990 (aged 43) because I insisted on continuing to work when I had an extremely bad cold (may have been flu it was so bad). I worked as a long distance HGV driver and slept in the bunk all week. My own fault, I tell everyone now never go to work if you have a cold.

I had a series of tests at the Royal London Ear Nose and Throat Hospital but the hairs had all died so there was no cure. I wanted my hearing related medical records at the time in case there would be help in the future. I had to fight to get them even though they were no good to the hospital.

Due to all that I lost my job and had some trouble adapting. But my brain reconfigured itself to all sounds coming from the left and I learned to be dismissive about the tinnitus and not let it get me down. I retrained as a system engineer and worked on network servers.

The tinnitus is the same but now moving towards my left ear also which is a bit of a worry. I read of recent stem cell (?) research into re-growing the small hairs to restore hearing but that seems to have come to nothing.

Worst thing was that I loved music and had a high end quadraphonic system back then, but now I just hear in mono. I am not gentle with people who see deaf people as someone who is stupid, hopefully times have changed now.

I’m 70 this year and would love to hear stereo again. I have an old (1990) hearing aid but it was no good to me at all, have they improved now?

[Mrshanson]

Hi freebird, I think you should definitely give hearing aids another go, I've recently been fitted with them, after developing a severe hearing loss in one ear last year, in similar circumstances to you I think, and they're wonderful!

I have an earmould type in the really bad ear and a dome type fitting in the better ear and I couldn't live without them.

I also have tinnitus in the worse ear and the hearing aid helps massively. Definitely go for it-Bev x

[Freebird_UK in reply to Mrshanson]

Thanks very much for the advice Bev. I will now see my GP and discuss it. Many Thanks. Phil

[jayfer]

Hi, I agree with mrshanson, they have definitely changed and worth another try. When I was 1st diagnosed with profound high frequency loss I was not offered a hearing aid as it would not help. When digital aids came in I was offered one. It makes a big difference and does help with tinnitus too . hope it all goes well for you

[Freebird_UK in reply to jayfer]

Hi Jayfer, thanks very much for your advice. Its very encouraging. I will see my GP and let you know how I get on. Look after yourself. Phil

[GRboyRiches]

Hello, you must consider CROS AIDS it will help in hearing sounds coming from your deaf side, although you hear in your good side, it's worth a go, and like many you may find it helpful for your tinnitus.

[Freebird_UK in reply to GRboyRiches]

Thanks very much for that information. Every now and again I ask my GP if there have been any advances in hearing research and he also says no and dismisses it. Is this common with GPs?

[GRboyRiches]

Sadly with doctors today it's all about MONEY, and to re-send you back to the Audiology will cost them, so they dismiss you, as it is not a matter of Life or Death, I don't know your hearing loss, but you will have to insist, but then again you are fighting the Audiology department over there cost, because they are not cheap, it is estimated that today the supply of a (one) Hearing Aid from the NHS is around £500 taking in all costs, A Bone Anchored Hearing Aid, up to £5000, and an Implant is in the £14000 mark, a GP to send you to Hospital is around £70 depending on you area... LOT OF MONEY.

[Freebird_UK]

Well I paid on and worked all my life, but on the other hand I would not want to take resources away from others needing it more. I can cope for now, but it may be if i ask later they will then tell me I'm too old. At 70 I am already coping with a dismissive attitude from GPs

[Tabby-Cat in reply to Freebird_UK]

If you have total loss in one ear you should be looking at a Cross aid, or a BAHA (bone anchored hearing aid), or possibly a cochlear implant. I have total loss and tinnitus in my left ear, and I have a Bonebridge bone conduction implant. Like a BAHA it takes sound from my deaf side and sends it through the bone of my skull to my hearing ear. I don't hear in stereo, but I hear a lot more with the implant than I did without it.

[Freebird_UK]

Thanks very much, I wasnt aware of these options.

[Didgeydo]

HI, I hope you have seen your GP about new hearing aids, I had to have stronger ones as the older ones I could not hear very well, cannot hear what anyone says on a mobile phone and sometimes not always on the landline, but can hear to manage to speak to people and these are my new ones. My deafness is getting worse but can still see albeit with glasses. Used to love music but that is a no no now, tried sign language but no one in the family wanted to know so gave it up in the end. I now wear a Lanyard around my neck informing people that I am deaf, especially in shops as they wear masks and always carry a pencil and notepad. Without my hearing aids it is a very silent world. I wish you luck and hope all goes well for you.👍