Is there anyone who still has same residual hearing before CIIs there anyone who still has same residual hearing before CI

[stream2525]

Is there anyone who still has same residual hearing before CI ? What implant and electrode did you have ? 

[Megan L.]

My residual hearing didn’t change much since I was implanted with the Synchrony last year. There was minimal loss and I was prepared to lose the rest of it. Imagine my surprise in the testing booth!

[Kara of Canada]

Mine went away because of swelling but returned. Surprised my Audi. It is very minimal and wouldn’t work for EAS. 

[stream2525]

16 hours ago, Megan L. said:

My residual hearing didn’t change much since I was implanted with the Synchrony last year. There was minimal loss and I was prepared to lose the rest of it. Imagine my surprise in the testing booth!

Which electrode was that? 

[stream2525]

37 minutes ago, Kara of Canada said:

Mine went away because of swelling but returned. Surprised my Audi. It is very minimal and wouldn’t work for EAS. 

Which  electrode ? 

[Megan L.]

@stream2525 I couldn’t tell you. Whichever one it is, it works great!

[Cara Mia]

According to my post-surgery audiogram I keep almost all my residual hearing I had before the surgery with Flex 28. 

[stream2525]

1 hour ago, Cara Mia said:

According to my post-surgery audiogram I keep almost all my residual hearing I had before the surgery with Flex 28. 

I thought that you had EAS electrode. 

[Cara Mia]

No, I have Flex 28 for both sides. I thought about the shorter version, but my surgeon convinced me to go with Flex28. And I am glad I followed his advice.

[stream2525]

23 hours ago, Cara Mia said:

No, I have Flex 28 for both sides. I thought about the shorter version, but my surgeon convinced me to go with Flex28. And I am glad I followed his advice.

I read medel documents. They use Flex20 or Flex24 for EAS. Your answer is really encouraging me. I want to go with Flex28 to cover more areas of Cochlea and also try EAS. Keeping my residual hearing is a priority to me. 

[Hicksy]

And once again, if you want to go for the longest electrode and try for EAS then you would request the Flexsoft. But I think the decision of which length to use pretty much rests with the surgeon...

[Cara Mia]

@stream2525, I understand you very well. Preserving my residual hearing was very important for me, too.

@Hicksy, do you have any statistics on FelxSoft hearing preservation in comparison with Flex 24 and Flex 28?

Sure FlexSoft is a good option, but I would like to know more about this electrode performance in such a crucial area as hearing preservation.

And just for a curiosity, I'd like to read about the differences in hearing experience between FlexSoft and Flex 28. If you have such info, please, can you share.

[Hicksy]

Sorry Cara Mia, I have no info on the Flexsoft other than that is what I was implanted with in an EAS attempt and what can be found on the chart. ?

[Cara Mia]

Ok. Will need to challenge myself and surf the net for this. It should be interesting info. But perhaps, not so much is available as FlexSoft is a new story.

[Mary Beth]

@Cara Mia

Do you know when the flexsoft received FDA approval?

[Cara Mia]

No. I don't know, Mary Beth. The first time I heard about this electrode at the beginning of this year - in February or March. But I believe, even before FDA approval it should be some clinical trials done and published.

[Hicksy]

First of all, I’m Canadian so I did consider that it may not be approved elsewhere but since it’s in the literature....

I think we  could use a new thread devoted to EAS experience - expectations vs results so to say. 

It’s easy for me to say, having been through the journey, but I feel I made way too big a deal regarding the residual hearing. I’m happy the attempt led me to Med El, I’m happy the attempt was made, I’m happy I was able to be inserted with the Flexsoft and I was disappointed that the residual hearing was lost for maybe 20 seconds maximum. There really is no describing what I gained to what I lost which was lousy and surely still failing hearing.

But easy for me to say having been through it. But I’m sure I’m not alone in this thinking.

[Mary Beth]

@leighf

Is the flexsoft array FDA approved and in use in the US?

[stream2525]

9 hours ago, Hicksy said:

First of all, I’m Canadian so I did consider that it may not be approved elsewhere but since it’s in the literature....

I think we  could use a new thread devoted to EAS experience - expectations vs results so to say. 

It’s easy for me to say, having been through the journey, but I feel I made way too big a deal regarding the residual hearing. I’m happy the attempt led me to Med El, I’m happy the attempt was made, I’m happy I was able to be inserted with the Flexsoft and I was disappointed that the residual hearing was lost for maybe 20 seconds maximum. There really is no describing what I gained to what I lost which was lousy and surely still failing hearing.

But easy for me to say having been through it. But I’m sure I’m not alone in this thinking.

What processor do you have now? Have you tried CI in big meetings and very noisy places? 

[MED-EL Moderator]

Hi  Mary Beth, hi Hicksy, 

The flexsoft array is not yet approved in the USA. I can connect you with your local MED-EL representative if you would like to get updates on its availability?

Kind regards, 

Leigh

 

[Mary Beth]

Thanks for clarifying that for us @leighf

[Hicksy]

Stream2525, I chose the Sonnet for a few reasons, one being I tend to be a very active person and figured the bte would be more secure than a Rondo. For instance, I’ve since discovered I dare not play ping pong without a headband.

I am now activated 11 months and while I would like to tell you it’s perfect, it’s a long way from perfect. I still need closed captioning for most tv, music can sound great or strange, can’t talk on the telephone yet, actually my spouse is the hardest to understand amongst my friends (selective hearing perhaps?)?

Those are the negatives, far outweighed by the benefits. I could type all day about the benefits. I just came back from having a nice conversation with a couple at a noisy coffee shop. I had to ask them to repeat themselves a few times but even starting this conversation was unthinkable a year ago. I used to have zero word recognition without lip reading, now I can understand most of what I hear on the radio, audiobooks 80-90% depending on the voice...

music is so much better now, even if some of it sounds weird, I was missing so much.

When I found out I lost the residual hearing, it was only a month or so in, still baffled at most of what I was hearing but still so so so in awe at what I could hear and the possibilities it represented that the loss really bothered me for at most 20 seconds, probably more like 5. Really. I really consider this life changing what I can hear now compared to before, that’s how little the loss affected me then and since.

and as everyone keeps saying, it gets better all the time. I’m still noticing improvements and the phone is still my next goal and actually looks attainable which is something I lost completely a good 20-25 years ago.

Good luck on your decision and wish you a successful EAS activation!

 

 

[Jewel]

@Hicksy

Thanks for sharing your experience. Balanced perspective. 

So many unknowns when doing the CI. Just have to hope for the best. 

I hope by the time my surgery is scheduled Rondo2 and the flex soft will be available in the US. My low frequency hearing is normal so I hope I retain it. I don't understand how it takes so long to roll out new Med-El products in the USA. Do they require clinical trials in the US before the FDA approves them? 

[stream2525]

14 hours ago, Hicksy said:

Stream2525, I chose the Sonnet for a few reasons, one being I tend to be a very active person and figured the bte would be more secure than a Rondo. For instance, I’ve since discovered I dare not play ping pong without a headband.

I am now activated 11 months and while I would like to tell you it’s perfect, it’s a long way from perfect. I still need closed captioning for most tv, music can sound great or strange, can’t talk on the telephone yet, actually my spouse is the hardest to understand amongst my friends (selective hearing perhaps?)?

Those are the negatives, far outweighed by the benefits. I could type all day about the benefits. I just came back from having a nice conversation with a couple at a noisy coffee shop. I had to ask them to repeat themselves a few times but even starting this conversation was unthinkable a year ago. I used to have zero word recognition without lip reading, now I can understand most of what I hear on the radio, audiobooks 80-90% depending on the voice...

music is so much better now, even if some of it sounds weird, I was missing so much.

When I found out I lost the residual hearing, it was only a month or so in, still baffled at most of what I was hearing but still so so so in awe at what I could hear and the possibilities it represented that the loss really bothered me for at most 20 seconds, probably more like 5. Really. I really consider this life changing what I can hear now compared to before, that’s how little the loss affected me then and since.

and as everyone keeps saying, it gets better all the time. I’m still noticing improvements and the phone is still my next goal and actually looks attainable which is something I lost completely a good 20-25 years ago.

Good luck on your decision and wish you a successful EAS activation!

 

 

What was your audiogram looking like before surgery? Do you expect to do better in those challenging situations? 

[stream2525]

9 hours ago, Jewel said:

@Hicksy

Thanks for sharing your experience. Balanced perspective. 

So many unknowns when doing the CI. Just have to hope for the best. 

I hope by the time my surgery is scheduled Rondo2 and the flex soft will be available in the US. My low frequency hearing is normal so I hope I retain it. I don't understand how it takes so long to roll out new Med-El products in the USA. Do they require clinical trials in the US before the FDA approves them? 

Has your surgeon told you that flexsoft is good for preserving hearing?