Hi Im Les

[Les new Jersey]

I had hearing loss on the left side for the past 6 years..... 3 months afo.. the hearing aid I was using became totally useless I could get no sound.. I thought something went wrong  with it...went to get a new hearing aid.... and was tested.. I was profoundly deaf in that ear....... I have been tested and approved for a cochlear implant .. I have been given two options cochlear and med el.... and I am looking for input..... to help me make the right decision.. Has anytone had the MRI situation....

thank you all so much..

Les  from New Jersey

[Mary Beth]

Hi Les and welcome,

 

I have bilateral Med-El CIs and they are terrific!  I have not needed an MRI since being implanted but I have several friends who have had MRIs with their Med-El implants and all have done just fine.  

 

Best of luck on your CI journey,

Mart Beth

[Megan L.]

Hi Les!

Welcome! What part of Jersey you from? I grew up in South Jersey by Cape May ? I was recently implanted in October and one of the reasons I chose Med El was because it had the highest MRI rating - 3.0 Tesla. I haven't needed an MRI but it's a great comfort knowing that I can get one without problems should the occasion arise. 

I almost went with Cochlear and they have a 1.5 Tesla rating and you need a splint set before going into the MRI machine. The splint set needs to be ordered as well from Cochlear, so you have to wait to get the MRI. For me this was a negative and what pushed me to Med El. I have no complaints about the Med El brand, implant, and processor. I'm very happy with the performance of the implant and what it's enabled me to hear.

This is a great forum for information and asking questions - ask away until you feel you have all the information you need!

Best of luck!

*Megan

[Les new Jersey]

Megan did your dr recommend the med el 

where did you have it done 

[Les new Jersey]

3 hours ago, Mary Beth said:

Hi Les and welcome,

 

I have bilateral Med-El CIs and they are terrific!  I have not needed an MRI since being implanted but I have several friends who have had MRIs with their Med-El implants and all have done just fine.  

 

Best of luck on your CI journey,

Mart Beth

Mary Beth  did you have yours in nyc  who was your dr did  he recommend the med el

my surgeon is dr Cohan 

my dr sort of recommended the med el. Cochlear seemed more comfy he liked the med el because if the MRI thing 

[Mary Beth]

Hi Les,

 

Both of my surgeries were performed at NYEE by two different surgeons.  Is Dr. Kohan associated with NYEE?  Will you be using NYEE for your CI audiologist?  It's a terrific CI center.

 

Due to the condition of my right cochlea, we needed to have a split electrode array as an option in case the regular electrode array could not be inserted.  That eliminated AB since they did not have a split array option.  Med-El has a terrific track record (check out recall histories on the different brands), a wide range of electrode arrays, super customer service, more options for MRI testing, and electrodes that are spaced further apart to avoid cross stimulation.  Med-El also has longer electrode arrays to reach deeper into the cochlea to stimulate bass sounds.

 

My surgeon strongly recommended Med-El but choosing the brand was ultimately my decision.

 

I have no regrets.  Med-El has been terrific and I love the waterwear option for swimming.

 

I work as a Teacher of the Deaf, so I am very familiar with the processors of all three brands.  Med-El was the correct decision for me. 

 

Good luck choosing.  I remember how strange it felt to be told that it was my choice.  Smile.

[Megan L.]

1 hour ago, Les new Jersey said:

Megan did your dr recommend the med el 

where did you have it done 

Hi Les,

I got my surgery done at John Hopkins in Baltimore and have a CI audiologist there.

Neither my surgeon or audiologist would recommend any implant brand. I eliminated AB because I did not do well with Phonak hearing aids. I heavily researched Cochlear and Med El on their implant designs, tech specs, recalls, and capabilities. I love music and it was extremely important that I have the best running shot at hearing it and enjoying it with a CI. So I read several research studies as well as talked to several CI recipients to get their feedback on music and how it sounds with Cochlear vs. Med El. I am very happy with my decision and feel it was the right choice for me. Music sounds the best it ever has ?? 

Best of luck! As Mary Beth says, smile ?

 

[Cara Mia]

i Les,

There is a lot of rationales we discussed on this forum why we went with MedEl.

MRI, the size of internal part of implant, a flexible and atraumatic electrode with the several length options, the features of the external part as well as the great hassle-free customer service. Yesterday when I was at my clinic, I noticed a new display with Cochler and MeDel CIs presented (external and internal parts).

After I saw it my thought was that it is should be enough and simple just to look at both of that devices to see which is better. I have deep respect to all three brands that available on the market for their dedication and thoughtfulness, but despite that all three products are represent very advanced technology, they do it so differently.... If you can, ask your audiologist to look at that devices to feel them, to "play" with them.... When I was at the stage of deciding with which device to go, my audi gave me all of these to me so I got my practical impression witch of them I want to use each day for the rest of my life.

Good luck with your choice!

[Les new Jersey]

Thank you all so very much I have to decide by tomorrow and each of you have been a big help  yes I am doing it in New York EE hospital 

surgery is dec 16 

[Mary Beth]

Best of luck Les!

[Les new Jersey]

I'm not sure why I am making this so difficult I guess because cochlear has 300,000 sold and the others no numbers out there  the MRI well there r other dugnistic tools CT scan etc.   did you find it thus difficult or am i making too much out Of the selection 

Edited December 5, 2016 by Les new Jersey

[Les new Jersey]

am I making too much. Forgive spelling ugh these smart phones keep correcting 

[Mary Beth]

Les,

 

It is a difficult decision.  We are choosing the implant company that we plan on working with and relying on for life.  The internal component is very important.  Hopefully it lasts our lifetime.  The external processor will change as new processors are released.

 

Here is one more thing to consider.  Med-El has made all of their external processors compatible with all previous models of their internal processors.  This means that friends of mine who were implanted with Med-El 15 years before me, are able to benefit from the newest processor (Sonnet).  Not all CI brands do this.  Research it a bit.

 

I want to be able to benefit from future processors so I am thankful that Med-El makes them backward compatible.

 

I have learned a lot about Med-El since being implanted.  Everything I have learned just makes me even happier that I chose Med-El.  The owners of Med-El invest a lot back into research, since it's a private company.  They recently earned yet another prestigious international award.  Google their names.  

 

Whichever brand you choose, I wish you the absolute best.  And after you choose, you can direct your energy into learning about aural rehab.  Smile.  It helps so much.

[Megan L.]

Let's be honest - it's a big decision and we can't return it if we don't like it. So no you are not making this difficult, it is a difficult decision. I researched for weeks and made a pro and con list. Generally speaking they are similar with differences here and there. For me, music and the MRI were very important. In researching, most Med El recipients thought the sound of music was pleasant whereas the Cochlear recipients did not like music or could not hear it (all static and noise). Everybody is different, so go with what you are comfortable with. Go with what is most important to you. Have you joined the Cochlear forum to talk to them and get their feedback? It might help you make a decision. 

Best wishes ?  

[Les new Jersey]

Thank you so much  for your help

[Kara of Canada]

Welcome to the group! I love my implant and it has changed my life. I have a concerto implant and a sonnet processor. I chose sonnet for the next best thing out there!! I'm in Canada as you can see and love the dual mics and wind reduction. As well as the different programs like omni and adaptive. Best of luck on your journey!! 

[Les new Jersey]

mary beth   do you still trek into NEW YORK NYEE for audiology or have you found local audiologist to assist if you need...

[Mary Beth]

Hi Les,

I've been thinking about you.  I still come into NYC for my CI audiologist.  Which audiologist are you working with at NYEE?

 

[Les new Jersey]

Sabrina Vitulana....   I just found out there are no real audiologists in New jersey that work with MED EL.... is that true.. more pediatric than adult

[Les new Jersey]

not sure if that should concern me... guess I thought after a year or so I could find a local audiologist

[Mary Beth]

You can choose to work with an audiologist closer to you.  It's my choice to commute 5 hours each way because I love working with my audiologist!  Which processors did you choose?

[Adam]

Les

welcome to hearpeers ( I'm a little late  )

my audiologist primarily does pediatric but also handles adult patients. 

One thing you can do to help, is make a list of what exactly matters most to you and what you don't really care about as far as what you are looking at getting out of your implant. This might help you narrow your decision. 

Are looks of the processor important? 

Backwards compatability

being able to really enjoy music? 

Reliability?

Once you make your list of what is important and what isn't, contact each company for info. 

What I found was that pretty much each company said they had studies that proved that they were say, the most reliable with fewest problems. 

What I did was go to the FDA website and look for myself. Any problems with CIs have to be reported to the FDA. 

Talk to implantees. Remember that each person you talk to will be VERY passionate about the implant that they have, and they should. If somebody puts down a other CI company, that kind of turned me off so I talked to somebody else. It is an extremely important and personal decision. Don't let anybody tell you what you need to do. 

If you decide to go with Medel after doing your research that is awesome. If you decide to go with another company, that is ok too. The bottom line is that you hear. We on this forum will be the first ones in line to congratulate you regardless of which way you go. 

Please keep us updated on how things go and don't hesitate to ask questions.

as far as the MRI goes, the new synchrony is MRI safe up to 3.0 tesla I believe. That really shouldn't be a concern. That said, I have had 39 surgeries in my lifetime. The doctors wanted an MRI but went with a CT scan instead. Mainly the MRI can give a more detailed picture than a CT. In most cases a CT is fine. This would be something to decide with your medical team as they know your medical history and the need to the MRI the best.

im from upstate NY about 90 miles north of the city

adam

[Ms_D]

Hi Les and welcome to the community.

For me, my doctor or audiologist would not lead me in either directions - they did not want to influence me and wanted it to be totally up to me.  As I read through all the materials, I believed Med-El is more advanced and promising.  I also liked the MRI compatibility - even though I do not have any conditions requiring MRIs, you never know about the future.

 

[Adam]

MS_D

they did the same with me. I had just 2 of the companies at the time but they totally refused to give any opinion one way or the other. I was going to have to decide for myself. Kinda glad they did that as I did very extensive research. Not sure I would have looked as hard as I did, if I had let them influence me. 

[Mary Beth]

Les,

 

This is a terrific workshop given by Med-El CI user and employee, Jeff Campagna and it is coming to NYC on April 1st.  Morning or afternoon session.  Free but you have to register because space is limited.  I attended it last year in NC.  Terrific.

 

http://www.handsonhearing.com/index.php/features/workshop-locations/92-new-york-ny