Esteem - Hearing Implant?

It's been a while since I posted on here. I wanted update on the Esteem testing I went through. I went to the VA to see if I qualify. My hearing range was low enough, however my speech recognition is 0 (o out of 10). So, I faxed Esteem my hearing results thinking that I maybe will qualify and I'll consider this operation and new technology etc.. Well, the company responded to me and said your hearing range is low enough but your speech recognition needs to be at 40%. Meaning, I needed to be able to recognize at least 4 words out of the 10. They suggested I go back and be retested but this time with my hearing aides on and if I can get 40% correct with the speech recognition I would qualify.

I quickly came to my senses and thought, what good is this Esteem if I can hear words good at 40% with my hearing aides, why would I want surgery for something that does what my hearing aides does. Of course they tried to explain that it is the highest most sophisticated hearing aide implant now etc.

In conclusion, this may be the answer for some that want hearing aides implanted inside them for the ease of not taking them off, going swimming, showering and the cosmetic aspect of not having visible hearing aides (which for me, I don't care if my hearing aides are seen or not). Yes, that would be good for them and if they qualify for this device. For me, personally it will not work (I don't qualify anyways) and now I'm glad I didn't qualify because I was really scared of having surgery for this device.

Interesting enough, my Audiologist, recommended that I get tested for cochlear implants. I said no thank you I am not interested. I am a hard of hearing person and I accept that and I'm happy. I use total communication and teach others along my life's path how to communicate with me if they don't know how.

By the way, why I became interested in the Esteem because my husband heard about it on the radio and it said it helps people with sensorineural hearing loss. myself. As a HOH Advocate ( I work at CODIE), and because I have sensorineural hearing loss, I decided to look into to it. I wanted to see if I would qualify and also share information with others and maybe it would be something I'd consider.
 
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bbaseballboy123 said:
lol?

Look into the Harmony from AB. They have the mic within the same spot as normal "sound" Vibration goes into.

Idk why you care if people see it on the outside. Plus my implants always has a thing that breaks every year like a wire connectivity and such.
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:hmm:


Honestly, I never cared if the hearing aides are shown or not and I didn't write that I did care. I just said in my description that it is implanted. If my hearing aides worked well with my sensorineural hearing loss, I would proudly wear them all the time, no problem. There's only several situations when they will work (inside my office when the consumer speaks too low for me to understand him and it's very quiet in the room), then I will put them in to understand him a little louder. :lol:
 
I don't get it.





Cochlear wrote this article almost a year ago




Cochlear's sound outlook dampened by debate over rival

by: Richard Gluyas
From:The Australian
August 15, 2011 12:00AM



By continually investing heavily in research and development (expenditure in this area was up 15 per cent to $109m, or almost 14 per cent of sales), Cochlear minimises the risk of disadvantage from a technological breakthrough by a rival.


UBS's Goodsall discounts the view that Cochlear lags its rivals in the search for this "gold-standard" implant.

"We believe it is now only a matter of time before (the company) has a totally implantable cochlear implant hearing system. It may well be targeting launch within two years," he says.

Cochlear, he says, is moving towards trials, with key hurdles, such as a battery that is recharged through the skin and a problematic implanted microphone, already overcome.





The Implantable Battery/implanted microphone is all good now, according to Cochlear. They said that last year in August. Where are the clinical trials, then?


I don't get it.

Move it, Cochlear!


I'm demanding official clinical trials of a Totally Implantable CI in less than a month... and commercial availability in less than a year. Hire more scientists and researchers.

Thank you.
 
I have a CI. I would not want the frequent surgeries because every time it gets opened up, there's more and more scarring. Scarring can ruin the device and cause surgical complications. I don't want to ever replace my internal component unless it somehow breaks. The outer processor is getting smaller and smaller these days. Hell, it used to come as a body processor! So be grateful. It's much easier to recharge the battery from the outer processor every night. Besides, if it's all inside, how do you turn the thing off to go to sleep?! That's my one advantage to being deaf!
 
khrixmrozh said:
I have a CI. I would not want the frequent surgeries because every time it gets opened up, there's more and more scarring. Scarring can ruin the device and cause surgical complications. I don't want to ever replace my internal component unless it somehow breaks. The outer processor is getting smaller and smaller these days. Hell, it used to come as a body processor! So be grateful. It's much easier to recharge the battery from the outer processor every night. Besides, if it's all inside, how do you turn the thing off to go to sleep?! That's my one advantage to being deaf!
Click to expand...


Good points made.


The Esteem patients have a remote that turns off the Totally Implantable Envoy when they go to sleep (in complete silence). The Totally Implantable CI also will have a remote that can turn it on and off/adjust volume/change programs etc. I'm definetely turning the Totally Implantable CI off with a remote when I go to sleep.


Also, I had to suffer a cochlear implant body processor for the first 13 years of my life.

I expect them to make a Totally Implantable CI ASAP.


Sources:

I'm part-machine.
 
Cyborg said:
Good points made.


The Esteem patients have a remote that turns off the Totally Implantable Envoy when they go to sleep (in complete silence). The Totally Implantable CI also will have a remote that can turn it on and off/adjust volume/change programs etc. I'm definetely turning the Totally Implantable CI off with a remote when I go to sleep.


Also, I had to suffer a cochlear implant body processor for the first 13 years of my life.

I expect them to make a Totally Implantable CI ASAP.


Sources:

I'm part-machine.
Click to expand...

WHY are you SO OBESSED with the totally implantable CI?
 
deafdyke said:
WHY are you SO OBESSED with the totally implantable CI?
Click to expand...


I dunno.


I guess it's because I had to listen to the public school teachers ALL DAY with the FM system. :Ohno:


The public school teachers, speech therapists, and school counselors are so annoying. Why do they think that I want a FM system 24/7/365?


If I had a Totally Implantable CI (all inside my head), they can't hook up the FM stuff to me.
 
Cyborg said:
I dunno.


I guess it's because I had to listen to the public school teachers ALL DAY with the FM system. :Ohno:


The public school teachers, speech therapists, and school counselors are so annoying. Why do they think that I want a FM system 24/7/365?


If I had a Totally Implantable CI (all inside my head), they can't hook up the FM stuff to me.
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Fine. Just wait until technology catches up. It will sooner or later. No sense in ranting about it. Ranting won't speed up the process.
 
Yes, sit down and calmly think about it. And be patient. Remember, it was like all of sudden we get this Esteem implant miracle. Who knows what is being worked on next?
 
time flies so fast.


funny-animal-gifs-they-grow-up-so-fast.gif
 
Cyborg said:
I dunno.


I guess it's because I had to listen to the public school teachers ALL DAY with the FM system. :Ohno:


The public school teachers, speech therapists, and school counselors are so annoying. Why do they think that I want a FM system 24/7/365?


If I had a Totally Implantable CI (all inside my head), they can't hook up the FM stuff to me.
Click to expand...

Um, I had to use an FM and I'm HA.....and you're an adult. You don't have to use an FM if you don't want to.
A totally implantable CI is 100% cosmetic.
 
deafdyke said:
Um, I had to use an FM and I'm HA.....and you're an adult. You don't have to use an FM if you don't want to.
A totally implantable CI is 100% cosmetic.
Click to expand...


If there was a stem cell treatment that could cure my hearing loss 100 percent right now- I would reject it. I'd opt for the Totally Implantable CI, with a remote that can turn it on/off/adjust volume/change programs etc.
 
Cyborg said:
If there was a stem cell treatment that could cure my hearing loss 100 percent right now- I would reject it. I'd opt for the Totally Implantable CI, with a remote that can turn it on/off/adjust volume/change programs etc.
Click to expand...

WHY?!?!?! Why are you SO freaking OBESSED with the idea of a totally implantable CI? It is NOT going to affect performance. It's never going to be offered in the first place. Just ACCEPT the fact that it is visable and get on with your life! You just don't like it being visable b/c of what it represents...you being HOH. Just accept being HOH, and soon you won't want an implantable device.
 
As I understand the matter: Esteem as a small HEARING AID in your ear canal while my Advanced Bionics-Harmony is Implanted in my Cochlea-operation almost 5 years ago.
They are not the same at all.
One's actual condition does/should determine which is suitable to one's actual condition
Aside I became bilateral DEAF -December 20, 2006
 
drphil said:
As I understand the matter: Esteem as a small HEARING AID in your ear canal while my Advanced Bionics-Harmony is Implanted in my Cochlea-operation almost 5 years ago.
They are not the same at all.
One's actual condition does/should determine which is suitable to one's actual condition
Aside I became bilateral DEAF -December 20, 2006
Click to expand...

I think you're getting the Esteem and the Lyric mixed up. The Lyric is a HA that stays in the ear canal 24/7. The Esteem is a middle ear IMPLANT.
 
Although I don't have a CI or Esteem (possibly in the near future). The benefit of the Esteem to me is 24hr hearing or at least from from what I recall reading on their site.

I currently wear a BTE as a backup and had a Lyric as my primary. Having hearing 24/7 especially with young kids is a huge benefit. I have LVAS and just sustained an injury to where my BTE and lyric maybe insufficient. I don't think the Esteem will help with my hearing loss so it'll most likely be a CI.
 
deafdyke said:
You know, I will never understand the type of people who opt for invisable aids over BTEs. It's not like a BTE is one of those 1930's body worn aids or an ear horn.
And I love (sarcasm) how they're all " you can swim and all that sort of stuff"
So? That is part of being hoh......Why the heck would you want to hear all the time?
Seriously, I think this is going to receive some interest,but then sink like a stone.
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I tried to buy an ear horn when I was younger , I thought it would funny to have one when people asked me if I was deaf or something! I can't wear the inner HA , they're not powerful enough for me.
 
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