Greetings From India

[Jimit]

Hi Everyone,

This is Jimit from India. I am about to start the new journey with cochlear implant. I was researching to find the right device and ended up here. Have read plenty of topics already and feeling amazing to see such a nice community you all have built here. 

Short Background

I was a normal hearing person till age 23, it all started when I felt dropping of hearing in my left ear in 2008 when I was in Japan. Have consulted many doctors in Japan and India over next couple of years and finally concluded it could be a Meniere's disease as there was no other symptoms (except having regular hearing attacks) and all reports were normal (Few doctors are still not convince if its Meniere's though as there is no vertigo so far). I was using hearing aids in both ears since 2008 and have replaced it couple of years back due to gradual hearing loss.

Fast forward to 2022, I have lost most of the hearing in my both ears now and recently announced as a candidate for cochlear implant by the docs. So here I am!! 😊

Present Day

I was checking on Kanso 2 and Rondo 3 and found this amazing discussion here https://forum.hearpeers.com/topic/6287-rondò-3-or-kanso-2/. Till now I am more inclined to kanso 2 but looking at the feedback from the people on this post I am checking more on Rondo 3 now.

Would love to hear back from the community which I will soon be a part of (Hopefully!!) 

Regards,

Jimit

[Mary Beth]

@Jimit

Welcome to HearPeers and wishing you the best on your CI journey.  HearPeers is hosted by Med-El so most members here have Med-El CIs.

When I was deciding CI brands, I focused on the internal CI components which have the most impact on how we hear and are the parts of the CI that stay with us as we change external processors over time.  I chose Med-El for their electrode array options to best fit my cochleas.

I have been implanted for 7 years and have used three different processors so far.  The options for streaming and connectivity change even faster.  
 

Med-El has videos describing their internal CI design.  Have you seen them yet?

[Jimit]

Thanks for the reply @Mary Beth, I was exploring AB and Cochlear only so far and have gone through their videos but starting my research for Med-El now. It would be really helpful if you can share some video links you are referring to in your last comment.

Looking forward to explore more on Med-El over this weekend.

Thanks again.

[Mary Beth]

@Jimit

Sure.  Here are a few.

My CI story 

 

 

Med-El professional video 

 

Med-El electrode arrays

 

 

Med-El natural hearing

 

 

[Jimit]

Thanks a ton @Mary Beth. I am all set to watch them now.

One more thing,

The reason I have dropped the Med-El earlier from my research is because I was comparing brands using this link https://cochlearimplanthelp.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/cochlearimplantcomparisonchart_v6-0e.pdf which makes the Med-El looks inferior than the other two.

I would request the Med-El moderator to look into this and get it updated if outdated. It is really crucial because most of the CI candidate which start their research end up on this comparison page which seems like the only online resource which gives quick overview.

Thanks again for the links.

[Enegra]

8 minutes ago, Jimit said:

The reason I have dropped the Med-El earlier from my research is because I was comparing brands using this link https://cochlearimplanthelp.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/cochlearimplantcomparisonchart_v6-0e.pdf which makes the Med-El looks inferior than the other two.

The link you included is ancient, the latest version is https://cochlearimplanthelp.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/cochlearimplantcomparisonchart_v11.3b.pdf It includes the latest processors from all the companies. It still doesn't make Med-El appear have fancy numbers in there. Unfortunately most of the people looking at the chart will get guided by the numbers, not realising that it's comparing apples to oranges. All the internals have their own algorithms and different operating ways, thus e.g. the number of channels doesn't exactly say much. Sure, I've seen a lot of comments that "a certain brand is best, cause they have 22 channels", but they also only have those physical channels and can't cross them over, unlike the two other brands. Stuff like maximum stimulation per second is highly subjective, because it depends on the individual's body - having too high can be actually detrimental to performance.

I'd just throw that chart out of the window. It's just a bunch of technical data without the context behind it, making it misleading and muddling the picture. Better way would be talking to some professionals about the brands or gathering user feedback. Every brand has their pros and cons. Your best bet is getting as much info as you can and weighing it out.

[Jimit]

Thanks a lot to point it out @Enegra.

I have talked to the executives of the AB and Cochlear but ofcourse it can't be considered given they always takes side of the company they belongs. The doctors are keeping themselves away from suggesting any brand and refers to the audiologist only and I found the audiologist just mentioning the stuff listed in the booklet only.

The technical stuff doesn't make any sense to normal people like us so we end up relying on a simple comparison based on numbers. But I understand what you are saying, and really grateful that I found you guys.

[Mary Beth]

@Jimit

I remember feeling very overwhelmed sorting through the three brands when choosing too.  In my opinion, there is no completely objective research based comparison between the brands.  The research is either funded by the brands or conducted at research clinics affiliated with the brands or by staff with connections to the brands.  I know of no completely objective research based comparison between the brands.  Maybe someone else has seen something.

 

I suggest you also look into the recall histories of the brands as well as how fast they introduce new processors that work with LONG STANDING internal components.  Med-El has a great track record on recalls and when they introduce a new processor, it works with older internal components from day 1.  Some brands take years to offer their new processors for older internals.

 

But in the end, the MOST important thing is to choose what you feel is right for your life.  

[Mary Beth]

@Jimit

One last video link.

I found connecting with CI users and hearing their experiences helped me.

I made this captioned video about my CI and music experience for the CI & Music conference.

If you love music, you may find it helpful.

 

[Jimit]

Awesome, thanks for helping with the research @Mary Beth

I am not sure about the technologies of the different brands yet but no doubt the online community of Med-El is the best. 😊

Feel free to share any other information which helps me in any way. 

[Mary Beth]

@Jimit

You are welcome.

Follow this link by clicking on the arrow.  All my online CI info is linked in this post.

Feel free to ask questions and if you wish to join in our July 10 monthly GoogleMeet of Med-El CI users follow this link.  It is a group of HearPeers members who organize this ourselves to support and connect with each other.  Automatic captions in English.  A friendly group.

 

[Roy]

I was also given a choice of implants by three different manufacturers, and quickly found that comparative data were thin on the ground. There are no Consumer Reports test results for these things!

I was concerned that MED-EL implants had only 12 electrodes while others had many more. But two things led me to choose MED-EL. 

First, there is the length of the probe - MED-EL's goes all the way to the cochlear apex, where the ganglia that produce low-frequencies are. And after 40 years of hearing aid use I really wanted to hear low frequencies again.

And second, superficial as it may seem, was the MED-EL advertising literature. It was notably less glossy, hyped-up and breathless than the competition. I concluded the company was putting its resources into hardware and software engineering rather than advertising. Having since gotten to know a number of their researchers, I think I was right about that.

There's no way to know what my experience would have been like with one of the other companies. But I would make the same decision again.

[Jimit]

Thanks @Roy Louis Smith, I agree on your assessment and I feel the same. The only thing I am worried is Med-El support around here. Med-El moderators themselves accepted their support network is still not that established in India like other western countries. 

I hardly find people to connect who are Med-El recipients around here and have no idea what kind of after sales service and support will be there. Have applied to speak to mentor yesterday and I haven't got any reply yet. Have talked to few other brand's recipients and they are saying the same things about lack of network and support issues for Med-El.

So, I am afraid I might need to switch to other brand, just trying to connect to some local representative if they can help me to see positive side of it.

[Jimit]

Hey @Mary Beth and others on this thread, Just wanted to update you all that I finally selected Rondo 3 audio processor and Sychrony implant (since Sychrony 2 is not available in India). The surgery date is fixed on 30th July. So just getting myself ready for the big day. 

Thanks you all for helping me out on this journey,  It sounds odd but you are also one of the reason why I am choosing Med-El over other brand. 😛 If not the moderator, I will surely get my queries answered from you 😂. Will keep you posted.

[Mary Beth]

@Jimit

I am so happy for you!  Please keep us posted.  We are always happy to help.

[Dianna]

1 hour ago, Jimit said:

Hey @Mary Beth and others on this thread, Just wanted to update you all that I finally selected Rondo 3 audio processor and Sychrony implant (since Sychrony 2 is not available in India). The surgery date is fixed on 30th July. So just getting myself ready for the big day. 

Thanks you all for helping me out on this journey,  It sounds odd but you are also one of the reason why I am choosing Med-El over other brand. 😛 If not the moderator, I will surely get my queries answered from you 😂. Will keep you posted.

Congrats on your decision jimit! I too did tremendous research, i thought i was receiving cochlear america but since i requested music, i was implanted with medel and received sonnet 2, i couldnt be happier! My center is a university with very long history of ci so i researced their papers. I too found a lot of historical data that was factually founded. If you can research university of iowa, dr bruce gantz, you will find more on the surgeries and ci history. Of course there are many more such as university of san francisco. Personally i would reccomend med el! Im excited to follow your progress!

[Jimit]

Thanks @Dianna Will surely take a look on the research you mentioned. It's feels amazing to go through the research in details and discuss it with like minded people. 

I found myself talking to colleague the other day in excitement explaining all the pros and cons of the different brands even I explained him how the electrodes works and the concept of virtual electrodes, it was just mind-boggling.

It's time to experience all these techs and see how it works. 😊

[Dianna]

23 minutes ago, Jimit said:

Thanks @Dianna Will surely take a look on the research you mentioned. It's feels amazing to go through the research in details and discuss it with like minded people. 

I found myself talking to colleague the other day in excitement explaining all the pros and cons of the different brands even I explained him how the electrodes works and the concept of virtual electrodes, it was just mind-boggling.

It's time to experience all these techs and see how it works. 😊

Yes it is fascinating. I researched and made my own appointment, no referral!