HearPeers Heroes Cara Mia Posted April 6, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 6, 2016 I read about all three brands devices. I’d say performed comparative analysis using online info provided by manufacturers, customers, and third parties. Also I studied all printed materials I got from my audiologist for each brand. I chose Med El for several reasons: 1) Technical characteristics that define the performance of device, and facilitate some medical interventions including surgery options and MRI. Of course, the unique atraumatic electrode array with all choices provided for cochlea coverage needs to be mentioned here separately. 2) Reliability - see recall and issues statistics and complication rate. 3) Aesthetics: I like smooth and sleek look of the processor. Don’t feel any discomfort wearing it with my glasses Not like it is with my HA. A D-coil is also smaller and flatter compare to other brands. 4) Customer service: It is easy for CI users to get help from Med El promptly. It seems Med El is ready tp go the extra mile to please their customers. My CI team tries to be neutral about that three companies, but when we discussed Med El’s customer service my audi was very direct, that there is no any hassle to deal with Med EL not like it can be with two other companies. 5) Marketing/advertising: Med El markets their product describing how it is built and works, not just declaring how it is exceptional and better. I sense it as a more respectful way to treat your (prospective) customers. Their booklets have very good quality with artsy and smart design. Of course, I’d prefer to have all Med El accessories and technology available now, but we are just several months apart from getting it for our use (pending FDA approval). And last, I just like the name of my processor – Sonnet, reminds me Shakespeare… his Sonnet #29 if to be more specific J I will write about my achievements for almost two months after activation a little bit later. Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Cara Mia Posted April 7, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 My now implanted ear didn’t work for at least 10 years. My another ear is bad enough to be approved for CI, too. But I decided to keep it as is with the help of HA till I can use it somehow. After activation I could hear not so much with only my CI (my good ear was plugged) but I HEARD at the same day after 10 years of nothing. I could distinguish male/female voices and to whom it belongs. And I could hear a lot of environmental sounds I had no idea about before. What amazed me that with two ears I could hear much better than before even without HA for my good ear. Actually, I didn’t use my HA since my activation and I communicate with people much easier without any tension I had before. Now, I can communicate in noise places, I understand clearly GPS directions and can keep conversation while driving (before activation it was not an option for me). Each day I got more and more sounds that become louder and more colorful. Speech recognition just for my implanted ear is still a thing to work on (I believe it is mostly due to not well balanced mapping) but I can understand conversation with some concentration if people talking not very fast and not at the same time (without lip reading). Listening to audio books and watching movies without close captions are easier for me, too. Of course, I am ready for better result, but I believe it is not about performance of Med El Implant, it is another story J Ivana Marinac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pw!! Posted April 7, 2016 Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 I currently have a Phonak hearing aid in my right ear. I use a Phonak com Pilot induction loop to hear on the phone via bluetooth. Does anyone know if the compilot will work with the MedEl Rondo? I'm getting the MedEl Rondo implant in a few weeks and was wondering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted April 7, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 Hi pw So you will have a Phonak HA on your right side and a Rondo on your left side? Does your Phonak HA have a telecoil? Is it turned on? If yes, you can use a Bluetooth neckloop, like the Quattro4, and be able to pick up the sound in your Rondo (as long as you set it to either MT or T setting) and your HA (as long as you set it for MT or T). You can also use music T hooks instead of the Bluetooth neckloop. If your HA has a telecoil, check out Hands On Hearing website and look under technology. Also check out YouTube channel called LifeWithMyMedEl for great videos about using tech devices with our CIs. Congratulations about getting a CI. Welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted April 7, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 Welcome PW!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Sandy Posted April 7, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 Hi PW, welcome to Hearpeers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted April 8, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 a little late to this discussion but I'm not really sure where they came up with the number 170 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted April 9, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 Glad you found hearpeers Chris. Great group of folks in various stages of their hearing journey. Looking forward to getting to know you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted April 9, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 a little late to this discussion but I'm not really sure where they came up with the number 170 In Croatia - there are more users of Med-EL's CIs than this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted April 9, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 I believe it Pretty sure the number is much higher here. The 170 referenced was Patents not Patients Ivana Marinac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted April 9, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 I believe it Pretty sure the number is much higher here. The 170 referenced was Patents not Patients Yeah... quite a tipfeler though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted April 9, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 Tipfeler = typo My new word for the day! Cara Mia and Ivana Marinac 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted April 10, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Tipfeler = typo My new word for the day! It was ringing to me that something is not quite 100% right in this sentence but I couldn't find it...- Just kiddin' - I put it intentionally.. :P It's a word of German origin "Tipfehler" while Croatia was part of Austria long time ago - northwestern part of Croatia, especially the capital city of Zagreb kept certain words from Austrian and German languages even today... Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Cara Mia Posted April 10, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Now, after this word was published here, it is a part of modern English. Or, at least, it should be added to our forum slang dictionary. Ivana Marinac and Mary Beth 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted April 10, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Well alrighty then!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted April 10, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Now, after this word was published here, it is a part of modern English. Or, at least, it should be added to our forum slang dictionary. I couldn't agree more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristopherGClick Posted April 22, 2016 Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 My brief replies since my 06 Apr 2016 post. Yes, Mary Beth, choosing CI brand like buying a car except you can't test drive after all the research by brand. Rather must rely on "driver" experiences & virtual Starbucks will have to do. I'm grateful to you all & accept that results are dependent on unpredictable variables. Yes, Kara of canada, had some email dialog with Adam Fitzgerald. Too the point of planning to attend the Raleigh NC 07 May 2016 event. That plan immediately derailed by two other family member health events, so back to virtual Starbucks. Yes, Cara Mia, excellent reasons for choice and then your helpful comments post activation most welcome. pw!!, add my HearPeers welcome. Hi, Sandy Coull. Yes, Adam, number is higher, 170 was patents not patients and for Kara of canada believe Cara Mia's 05 Apr 2016 post numbers good world wide for one year. I was trying to determine how many Med-El CI users I could expect to find in northern California & surrounding areas. 12 Apr 2016 contact with UCSF staff hasn't yielded any reply thus far. Yes, Ivana Marinac, see comment to Adam and quite a tipfeler/Tipfeler/Tipfehler. Or was/is that Tippfehler? I know, picky picky. Cara Mia 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted April 22, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 I have understood you ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted April 22, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 Chris, I'm sorry the May 7 Hands On Hearing workshop won't work out for you. I would've liked to meet you for a coffee in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted April 22, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 Chris, you might not be getting specific numbers of implantees from the hospitals maybe due to the HIPPA laws or patient Doctor confidentiality. Or something like that. I realize you are looking for numbers and not names which wouldn't affect any privacy. Just a thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDOYLE Posted April 22, 2016 Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 i love MED EL i will tell all that need to hear more about MED EL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Cara Mia Posted April 23, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 Chris. you are so good at information processing, sure you will make a right choice for your implant. By the way, I am surprise not to see much people with CI in my area. I know there are many people here with hearing loss and CI implant. But I have never met anybody in person (OK, saw some folks in my clinic and around a stand with HA batteries, but not in a real life). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Sandy Posted April 23, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 I wonder if, when they get an implant, they are told about this forum. Maybe it should be brought to our audiologists' attention or maybe it should be a part of the package we get at the beginning or information from the ENT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted April 24, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 I wasn't told about it. I was told about the AB site. Then Hadron was on it and he told me about this one. The same thing for the Facebook group. Mary Beth told me about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted April 24, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 I wonder if, when they get an implant, they are told about this forum. Maybe it should be brought to our audiologists' attention or maybe it should be a part of the package we get at the beginning or information from the ENT. I mentioned something like that some times ago... I have been working earlier with non-governmental organizations related to sort of conditions and seen in the practice what is the impact of psychosocial support between people with same issues... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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