reducing pred after an operation

[Suetum]

I had my second Cochlear implant two days ago. Taking painkillers so not aware of any PMR increase in pain. I did not start reducing to 10mg before the op and wondered when would people suggest I start reducing the pred again.

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi Sutum, the time to consider your next reduction will be when you feel you have completely recovered from the ear op....of course at the same time providing your PMR symptoms have also remained under control. So glad the op is over and done with now, and I do hope it will prove very successful for you.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Absolutely in agreement with Celtic - not until you feel fully recovered. Is the first implant already "switched on" or is this a replacement?

My husband has just got very fancy (and VERY expensive) ordinary hearing aids - for me the difference is wonderful! Don't have to say things 3 times any more. He, on the other hand, is still having to learn to live with background noise after 20 years of deafness and refusing to wear the NHS ones...

[Suetum in reply to PMRpro]

Had my first implant last January and it is fantastic but lost all useful hearing In the other ear in May. I really missed it so have had the second one done privately (can't have two on NHS unless a child ) which is also very expensive. Your husband needs to practice using different programmes. I used to turn one ear off in noisy restaurants and there are lots of gadgets that can help , trouble is I need new gadgets for the Cochlears!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Suetum]

On no - this is an all singing all dancing one that does it all digitally! Nothing to play with. Even tells them how long he wore it and what sort of noise background it was.

The technologist told him he'd have to get used to hearing again - he really NEVER wore his old ones so the brain part went on holiday! It adjusts the level each day, creeping up gradually but even so at the beginning he suddenly heard all these new sounds that just hadn't been there for so long. Commented the other day that the central heating thermostat ticks...

We were in there yesterday to pay with the Tesco credit card (to get the points) - there were other customers there without their hearing aids - the noise was awful for ME never mind him! Had we still been in the UK I think he said it would have been £800 per ear less for the same device - I assume that is what the basic subsidy is from the NHS. Could have bought a second hand car - but it is such a relief to have the TV at a normal level. He was all iffy about spending so much, whether it was worth it - was it worth it to me to spend so much out of our capital? Absolutely! He got the wrong end of the stick so often because he hadn't heard properly and hadn't asked - and sometimes it was embarrassing.

We had friends here just a week or two after he got them - they noticed he was more talkative and joined in the conversations.

How different is the quality of sound you get with the implants? I gather it is different but of course deaf children usually haven't heard much to know. I'll never forget the video that was doing the rounds of a baby getting it switched on - the expression on her face was so moving.

[Suetum in reply to PMRpro]

Cochlear sound is very different and you have to work at it but I can hear timers on cookers , bird song and credit card machines beep when you press the numbers which I did not know happened. Have to get used to being totally deaf now CI off but can't wait for switch on. deafness is frustrating for others and my poor husband has to now learn about PMR as well as learning to fingers spell!