EvaD Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 I am meeting with a surgeon next week to discuss a possible CI bimodal. I understand that the choice of device from 3 manufacturers may be mine. I am not an engineer or ENT and not qualified to choose an implant based on specifications, success, and reliability. I have looked at the comparison chart but without much knowledge. I am assuming if the choice is mine there cannot be much difference in performance or the surgeon would certainly recommend one. So I'm assuming that the choice is based more on features of the processor. Would you folks agree with that? I realize this is a Med-El forum but I will ask this question on the AB forum as well. I have not been able to find a Cochlear forum. Based on features alone I do like the AB features. I am a 5 year user of the Roger Pen which has helped me in some situations. My current hearing aids are Phonak Brio (Costco) PuP. They are powerful but I am maxed out on them. I have Roger receivers on each HA. I have worn hearing aids for 25 years, a number of different brands. The 2 sets of Phonaks I have had have been the best. The only ones I returned as being unacceptable after many adjustments were Resound. Cochlear pairs with Resound which is a point against Cochlear for me. However, that was 5 years ago and Resound may be better now. Med-El does not pair with a HA so I could choose a new Phonak HA for a bimodal system. So am I thinking that features are the reason for choosing one brand over another if the surgeon asks for my choice? This active forum is another good feature. Thanks, Eva Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 27, 2020 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 @EvaD Its an exciting time for you! Wishing you the very best! I looked at electrode arrays. Long arrays to stimulate more of my cochleas to deliver better pitches for music. Music is important to me. Med-El works with the Roger System too. Choose what is right for you. It is an amazing journey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Jewel Posted January 28, 2020 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 28, 2020 Hi @EvaD Exciting times ahead! Personally I think it's best to choose the CI that fits your lifestyle best and has the features you value most. It's a very big decision so take your time. Wishing you the very best on your journey. Please keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdk Posted January 30, 2020 Report Share Posted January 30, 2020 I went for the best support that was available. I made the right choice. EvaD you will make the right decision . Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnL Posted February 1, 2020 Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 I agree with everything that has already been said. Remember, the internal device stays with you forever. The external devices change and can be upgraded. I also suggest you listen closely to what your surgeon says. While my surgeon didn’t give me a recommendation per se he did say “in my hands, the MedEl electrode array gives me the best chance for keeping some residual hearing”. That tipped the scale for me. Good luck. Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdk Posted February 1, 2020 Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 4 hours ago, JohnL said: I agree with everything that has already been said. Remember, the internal device stays with you forever. The external devices change and can be upgraded. I also suggest you listen closely to what your surgeon says. While my surgeon didn’t give me a recommendation per se he did say “in my hands, the MedEl electrode array gives me the best chance for keeping some residual hearing”. That tipped the scale for me. Good luck. Hi johnl I had a hearing aid ready to go for my residual hearing. I have zero residual hearing. What do you hear? I can hear vibration if I rub my ear and sometimes wind noise on my bike, but using headphones volume high, nothing. Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnL Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 On 2/1/2020 at 1:28 AM, pdk said: Hi johnl I had a hearing aid ready to go for my residual hearing. I have zero residual hearing. What do you hear? I can hear vibration if I rub my ear and sometimes wind noise on my bike, but using headphones volume high, nothing. Peter Peter unfortunately I don’t have much residual hearing. With the EAS on I can detect some low frequency sounds and I think it helps a little with speech understanding but all in all there isn’t much left. Without the processor on I’m practically dead I the implanted ear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvaD Posted February 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2020 I started this post before I met with the surgeon. I told him my first choice was AB. He doesn't do AB implants so that put me back to square one. I am currently wearing a pair of Resound Enzo 3D HA loaners and experimenting with their mini mic2+. My first experience with Resound was poor but 5 years have gone by and these are working as well or better than my Phonak Brio PuP HAs. I have used the mini mic2+ placed near an instructor and it transmits to both HAs. I'm still considering MedEl and looking for all the information I can find on the Sonnet processor and available accessories. Since MedEl does not partner with a hearing aid I have a question about the Audiolink accessory. If it is used as a microphone it sends audio to the processor. I don't see any information on sending audio to the HA in the other ear. I'm somewhat averse to carrying too many accessories and would prefer not to add yet another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnL Posted February 18, 2020 Report Share Posted February 18, 2020 One guys opinion - I would not make a decision based on what’s going to be in your non implanted ear. I would make the decision based on what you think is the best implant for you and what your surgeon said. If he doesn’t do AB did he suggest either MedEl or Cochlear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvaD Posted February 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2020 The surgeon does both Cochlear and MedEl. I have to make the choice and it's not easy 😟 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy C Posted February 19, 2020 Report Share Posted February 19, 2020 I agree with JohnL, I would make the decision based on what I thought would be better for the implanted side. I had only 12% of my hearing left. The right side was just slightly better than my left, so my left got the implant. I too worried about how the hearing aid on the right was going to work with the implant on the left. Now, five months after the activation, I very seldom even put the hearing aid on because I can not tell that my hearing is any better with it. I am happy with just the implant. May want a second implant down the road but for now I am happy as it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdk Posted February 19, 2020 Report Share Posted February 19, 2020 5 hours ago, Tommy C said: I agree with JohnL, I would make the decision based on what I thought would be better for the implanted side. I had only 12% of my hearing left. The right side was just slightly better than my left, so my left got the implant. I too worried about how the hearing aid on the right was going to work with the implant on the left. Now, five months after the activation, I very seldom even put the hearing aid on because I can not tell that my hearing is any better with it. I am happy with just the implant. May want a second implant down the road but for now I am happy as it is. Keep wearing your hearing aid, I think it's very important. I manage with my CI when the hearing aid battery packs up, but when I put on my headphones that hearing aid is working and keeping my brain receiving sounds. Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnL Posted February 19, 2020 Report Share Posted February 19, 2020 I agree with Peter - keep wearing your hearing aid even if you don’t think it helps. My daughter is a physician and told me I should keep wearing the hearing aid. Her comment was “use it or lose it” meaning if you don’t continue to stimulate your “bad” ear, it will stop working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted February 22, 2020 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 @EvaD My favorite device, which is small light and worn under my shirt, is the Artone neckloop. Streams all audio to HAs with active telecoil and all Med-El CI processors. Very easy to use. http://www.handsonhearing.com/user-review-on-artone-3-max-bluetooth-neckloop/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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