How do I pick the correct cochlear implant company?

thanks everyone for your responses. think I am leaning more towards advanced bionics but am also considering cochlear company. going on Wednesday to the doctor to look at the different ones. see what happens. AB seems to have better technology but am drawn to Cochlear's streaming options.
 
definitely play with the demos in the office if you can, that way you get a feel for them and figure out how to put the processors together (take battery on/off, cables, etc.).

It's hard to tell you which company to go for, each company have their pros/cons; it's a matter of what you want to get out of the implant set up (bluetooth wireless streaming vs. having to use a neckloop streamer; different waterproof options; on-ear or off-ear options, etc). I'm pleased with my AB CIs. You can't go wrong with any of them, they all will help you hear.
 
floridadude said:
Apparently there are Mel ed, Advanced Bionics and Cochlear. People have said to pick whichever one goes with my lifestyle. But I don't know what that means. How do I know I am picking the best one for myself? I feel aggravated and overwhelmed by all this.
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Cochlear has the most advanced technology, the compatibility with iPhone is priceless, I wouldn't know what to do without the iPhone compatibility it just makes the experience so very much better and relieves much of the hassle dealing with add-on equipment. Being able to quickly and easily stream audiobooks where ever I am also helped me learn to hear and speak. My doctors were blown away with how fast I gained comprehension and speech. It was all in the audiobooks.
 
floridadude said:
thanks everyone for your responses. think I am leaning more towards advanced bionics but am also considering cochlear company. going on Wednesday to the doctor to look at the different ones. see what happens. AB seems to have better technology but am drawn to Cochlear's streaming options.
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AB is awaiting FDA approval for their streaming technology which will allow streaming from most phones, not just the iPhone. The parent company already has this ability in one of their hearing aids (Phonak Audeo). When approved, those of us with the latest AB processor will just need to have our audiologist "turn it on".
 
LoveBlue said:
AB is awaiting FDA approval for their streaming technology which will allow streaming from most phones, not just the iPhone. The parent company already has this ability in one of their hearing aids (Phonak Audeo). When approved, those of us with the latest AB processor will just need to have our audiologist "turn it on".
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So AB will have streaming like Cochlear does?
 
floridadude said:
So AB will have streaming like Cochlear does?
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Not having either, of course, I cannot give you exact information. But, my understanding is yes and without having to have an iPhone (which seems to be one of the most expensive phones you can buy) because it will work with cell phones that use Android!
 
Jane B. said:
Not having either, of course, I cannot give you exact information. But, my understanding is yes and without having to have an iPhone (which seems to be one of the most expensive phones you can buy) because it will work with cell phones that use Android!
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But only if that manufacture included the hardware necessary for the connection to happen, the problem with affordable phones, while they look nifty enough on the outside, the inside is strip model and the cheapest possible hardware available, hence the low price, I think if you pay the 2nd mortgage for the CI implants, you might as well get the better device to use it with. Even Cochlears accessories pricing meet and exceed an iPhone's
 
I like AB because they apparently have the widest IDR and highest PPS. Also their hires 3-d ultra is MRI friendly.
 
Everlucent said:
But only if that manufacture included the hardware necessary for the connection to happen, the problem with affordable phones, while they look nifty enough on the outside, the inside is strip model and the cheapest possible hardware available, hence the low price, I think if you pay the 2nd mortgage for the CI implants, you might as well get the better device to use it with. Even Cochlears accessories pricing meet and exceed an iPhone's
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What hardware? Don't most phones have bluetooth?
 
floridadude said:
I like AB because they apparently have the widest IDR and highest PPS. Also their hires 3-d ultra is MRI friendly.
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Since the internal will be with you for most, if not all, of you life, I'd go with one that has the best internal now and has lots of growth with the internal. All 3 brands will keep coming out with more bells & whistles for the externals so you may not be satisfied with the brand you pick today based on the externals only when one or both of the other brands come out with something similar or better.
 
LoveBlue said:
What hardware? Don't most phones have bluetooth?
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It's not just about the Bluetooth @LoveBlue there is dual connectivity happening when you connect a CI processor to your iPhone, the reduced radio-frequency interference to enable acoustic coupling with hearing aids & CI processors that don’t operate in telecoil mode. As well as the inductive coupling with hearing aids & CI processors operating in telecoil mode.
The coupling isn't one size fits all like Bluetooth, the dual connectivity is required to make the coupling possible and mee the new FCC regulations for HAC(hearing aid compatibility)

The good news is that the FCC has adopted the HAC that is requiring all phone manufacturers to eventually offer devices that are configured for one type of connectivity to a specific brand of hearing aid or cochlear processor.
 
LoveBlue said:
What hardware? Don't most phones have bluetooth?
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I thought so also! I am currently using an LG Escape 3 purchased on special from Cricket at the end of August in 2016. Even after paying for an unlock code and getting a case I only have $60.00+ odd dollars in it. It has the Marshmallow version of Andriod I am using bluetooth to connect to a watch for alerts. I also use InnoCaption+ on it for phone calls. I do most of my email and surfing the internet from my computer because of the larger screen being soooo much easier to read than the 5" one on the phone.
 
Decided to go with Advanced bionics due to their mri compatibility. Don't want to have to have surgery to remove magnet should I ever need to have an MRI done. Getting Naida q 90. I considered med el but they have the shortest battery life. If Cochlear was mri friendly, I would have chosen them.
 
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Can anyone who has Medel Implants and receiver tell me how well they can hear music as to how they remembered it? My audiologists recommends Cochlear Americas because that's what he specializes in, but when I looked online to many people who had Cochlear Americas, they said that music sounds like noise and they can't recognize it. I know hearing will be new, but at least I hope Medel doesn't sounds unbearable and unrecognizable. I have listened to music my entire life, and anytime I'm doing something alone, which is most of the time, I prefer to have music running through my headphones. Now that I've been deaf for the last 7 months, it's becoming unbearable. Has anyone had surgury in Medel in the last half decade tell me how music sounds to them compared to how you were able to hear it previously?
 
rosecottage said:
As LoveBlue says, the cochlear implant manufacturer is your decision, not ours. We are sharing what we know, and what works for us, so hopefully, some of this information will help you. I've heard and read great things about all of the implant companies. Some of the reasons I chose Cochlear:

Cochlear has some good accessories to check out:

1. The Nucleus 7 has made for iPhone connectivity. Phone calls stream directly into my sound processor from my iPhone. So you can enjoy phone conversations, audio books, music, etc., that stream from an iPhone into your sound processor. Also, all of my sound processor controls are on the iPhone....no need to carry a separate remote around. I really like all of this.

2. A wireless TV streamer.......TV streams into my sound processor. This has been a good auditory training tool for me. I read the closed captions on the TV screen while the voices and sounds stream into my sound processor at the same time.

3. A wireless phone clip (in case you don't have an iPhone).....another tool for streaming phone calls into your sound processor.

4. A mini-microphone.....again, this streams conversations and sound into your processor. For use in restaurants, etc. When my brother died a few months ago, I used mine when there were many people in the noisy viewing room. I was able to hold the microphone up to people when I spoke to them, so their voices streamed directly into my processor when they talked to me. If you are in a restaurant, it will clip to your companion's shirt.

All of these things were given to me on activation day, I didn't have to purchase them. As I recall, I ordered them when I ordered my cochlear implant.

Lastly, I did much research on cochlear implants. So, when I say, in a previous post to you above, I chose Cochlear because all of the implant recipients I know have Cochlear, and my long-time audiologist told me to choose Cochlear...........those people highly influenced my final decision. My surgeon only used two companies....Cochlear and Med-El, and I read all of the information given to me from both companies regarding electrodes, performance, statistics, etc.
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This is good to know! I am getting Nucleus 6. I had the surgery in 1992. The magnet I have is not compatible with Nucleus 7 yet. I haven't worn my implant for a very long time.
 
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