Actual CI users in here please ...

Heath said:
What are the most powerful and next generation of BTE hearing aids out there ?
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Two very good models for profound hearing losses are phonak naida or oticon sumo. These really good hearing aids and they are digit.
 
AliciaM said:
Cochlear offers online listening programs to help with speech. It's online you just have to join the Cochlear community. Right now the more powerful ha's that a lot of severe profound losses are the phonak naidas. I just got these and so far they are good...they are transpositional hearing aids so they are a bit diff then traditional hearing aids
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How do you like your new naida, what kind of hearing aids did you have before. I have done some research on the naida, I hear good from them.
 
I had phonak versatas before. These aids are a lot better than the versatas...a lot more power just getting used to the sound still cuz these are different since it uses transposition which can be disabled if you just need the more power from the aids but mine have the transposition on. Music with the music program sounds a bit better than having it on the auto program
 
Tried to find scientific information on which one is of better & superior quality for Phonak and Oticon.

Not the company representatives, naturally they are going to say their product is the best of the best but would like to see an independent study done that shows which one is actually the best of the best when it comes to BTE hearing aids and cochlear implants.

Please point me in the direction of independent scientific studies done on these two products BTE's and cochlear implants. Thank you. :)
 
Got a p.m. and need to explain more clear ...

An independent study on which one is better Oticon v.s. Phonak BTE hearing aids, other BTE hearing aids can be included in the independent study.

then a separate study with cochlear implants. Cochlear Americas v.s. Adanced Bionics and other cochlear implants one more ? There are three cochlear implant companies ? Which one is clearly the best CI in an independent study.

Not BTE hearing aids v.s. cochlear implants.

Thank you. :)
 
I use Oticon Sumo DM.

Three years ago, I was using an analog hearing aid, and it was at the max I could get. I was in Oregon at the time, and was given a Oticon Sumo DM.

Having not heard for 3 or so months, maybe a little more, it took three days of dealing with the overwhelming sounds and getting used to them again before I could hear the differences. Previously, I could not hear others well with my analog, and now... with my Oticon Sumo DM...

it was a world of difference. I could hear things I could not before. I could distinctly hear the rain pattering on the roof, and can hear the cars going by where previously I could not with the analog.

To say the least, I was floored by the difference. Absolutely floored.

Though, sad to say, my warranty on the Oticon Sumo DM expired last year in Nov and I've not had a chance to renew it. :( (Funds insufficient. Dunno if Medicaid/Medicare'd help in this field.)

I was recommended for a CI, but I chose not to take it at the time because I didn't really feel the desire to have my head cracked open to have a CI implanted.

... But now, I'm considering a CI. I'll need to be reevaluated before making my decision, though.

Edit: At the time of evaluation when I got my Oticon, I was shown the audiogram. I had just... JUST 10% hearing left. 90% hearing loss.

But with the Oticon? 80% hearing. 20% hearing loss.

That's amazing.
 
"head cracked open"


Really? That is super offensive and untrue. I assume you were just speaking off the cuff, but as a parent of a child with an implant the idea that I allowed someone to "crack her head open" is rather offensive.
 
From my understanding, a portion of the skull will be removed then one or two cochlear implants will be put in place.

The surgery and aftercare will be quite painful. Recovery takes about a year or more for a complete healing of the skull where the new cochlear implants are in place where the previous fragments of the skull was.
 
faire_jour said:
"head cracked open"


Really? That is super offensive and untrue. I assume you were just speaking off the cuff, but as a parent of a child with an implant the idea that I allowed someone to "crack her head open" is rather offensive.
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It wasn't meant to be offensive.

But that was how I felt, at the time. I apologize for the way it sounds, but again, it wasn't intended to be offensive.

However, that's my view of the operation. It involves removing a small portion of the skull. To me, that means cracking your head open. Surgically or otherwise. -shrug- And you know it's true, technically, at least. :/
 
Keiro said:
It wasn't meant to be offensive.

But that was how I felt, at the time. I apologize for the way it sounds, but again, it wasn't intended to be offensive.

However, that's my view of the operation. It involves removing a small portion of the skull. To me, that means cracking your head open. Surgically or otherwise. -shrug- And you know it's true, technically, at least. :/
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You aren't "removing a piece of the skull" either. *Sometimes*, depending on the surgeon, a small well (or indentation) is drilled or filed down on the bone. They are trying to make a flat spot so the implant will sit lower and not protude. Nothing is "cracked open", nothing is "removed".
 
Heath said:
From my understanding, a portion of the skull will be removed then one or two cochlear implants will be put in place.

The surgery and aftercare will be quite painful. Recovery takes about a year or more for a complete healing of the skull where the new cochlear implants are in place where the previous fragments of the skull was.
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1st of all, you would never regenerate skull. But that doesn't matter because a chunk of skull is not removed.

2nd, no, recovery does NOT take a year. It took my daughter 5 goldfish crackers and a nap and she was nearly at 100%. She was slightly uncomfortable for the first day but done with pain meds (and jumping on the bed and begging to go to school) the next morning.
 
faire_jour said:
1st of all, you would never regenerate skull. But that doesn't matter because a chunk of skull is not removed.

2nd, no, recovery does NOT take a year. It took my daughter 5 goldfish crackers and a nap and she was nearly at 100%. She was slightly uncomfortable for the first day but done with pain meds (and jumping on the bed and begging to go to school) the next morning.
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any surgery is easier for children. adults naturally take longer to recover. That being said, ive heard that CI surgery is quite a fast recovery, not like a hip replacement or anything!
*EQL*
 
flair_jour your right I found live surgeries on UTube in two parts they are very graphic and not for everyone I hope this clears things up with CI surgery.

part one [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7ltzA0B2X8]YouTube - Cochlear Implant Surgery Part 1 (without sound)[/ame]

part two [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0Z3eKNw2vc]YouTube - Cochlear Implant Surgery Part 2 (without sound)[/ame]
 
I don't mind watching the video clips of cochlear implant surgery. Just not right after dinner.

Are there any better up to date information on cochlear implants ?

For adults, how long was your recovery, what were your pain management medications like ?

Were there issues along the healing journey of having cochlear implants for the very first time ?
 
Heath said:
Are there any better up to date information on cochlear implants ?
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I am curious about this too. I've recently heard some things that I want to research. I will research information from the database at my college. If you'd like I will share some of my findings with you. It will take me a few days.
 
Heath said:
I don't mind watching the video clips of cochlear implant surgery. Just not right after dinner.

Are there any better up to date information on cochlear implants ?

For adults, how long was your recovery, what were your pain management medications like ?

Were there issues along the healing journey of having cochlear implants for the very first time ?
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What kinds of questions do you? I know *enough* to answer the basics. I did all my research for implanting my girl just last year.
 
Heath said:
For adults, how long was your recovery, what were your pain management medications like ? Were there issues along the healing journey of having cochlear implants for the very first time ?
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Heath:

I had CI surgery in November 2009 and was out and about like normal within a day or two. It was a day procedure where I was in the actual OR for about 3.5 hours. I stayed overnight in hospital and went home the following morning. I had some minor balance problems for a few days afterward ( a totally normal and expected after-effect), where I felt a bit unsteady on my feet, especially when getting up from a chair or going out for a walk.

I stayed home from work for almost 2 weeks while my incision healed, but would have been ready to go back after one week had it been necessary. There was some dull pain around the side of my head that did linger for a couple of weeks, but it was nothing that interfered with my regular activities. I was given a prescription for pain killers (Tylenol 3 with Codeine) which I took for the first few days of my recovery, primarily at night just before going to bed. I stopped taking them within a week as I found the pain was not that bad and I didn't really need them.

Probably the biggest inconvenience of the surgery itself was not being able to wash my hair for about week. I know photos and videos of the procedure aren't too pretty. Maybe I was a bit lucky in that my healing went very well and I didn't develop any infections or one of the other complications that apparently can develop.

Here it is 3 months later, and so far so good. Aside from the bump on my head, physically I'm feeling the same as before. Hey - I had a bypass surgery just about 2 years ago and believe me when I say that compared to that, the CI surgery was like a walk in the park.
 
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