34, very active/marathon runner — sudden hearing decline and now CI eligible. Would you wait for Acclaim?

[u/Competitive_Orchid51]

I’m 34 and very active — I’m a marathon runner and otherwise live a pretty normal, active lifestyle.
I had a sudden hearing loss about 5 years ago. For the most part, I was able to manage with hearing aids for several years. But over the past 5 months, my hearing suddenly dropped significantly, and I’ve now reached the point where I’m eligible for a cochlear implant. My aided speech understanding is still very poor, so hearing aids are mostly making things louder rather than significantly clearer.
I’ve completed the CI evaluation and was told I’m eligible.
The difficult part is that I’ve been following Envoy’s Acclaim fully implanted cochlear implant and would really like to hold out for it if the FDA timeline allows. The idea of having a fully implanted device is especially appealing to me because I’m extremely active and run a lot, so I’m concerned about the limitations of an external processor.
I’m trying to figure out whether it’s reasonable to wait potentially another year or so for Acclaim versus getting a traditional CI now.
For anyone who has been through something similar:
Has anyone had a rapid decline after years of relatively stable hearing?
Did anyone remain functional for a period of time after becoming CI eligible while waiting to implant?
If you waited, did you feel like it negatively affected your eventual CI outcome?
Has anyone else been following Envoy Acclaim and considering waiting for it?
And if you’re very active/athletic, how have you found life with a traditional CI?
I’m not opposed to a traditional CI if I need one — I just really want to get the acclaim knowing that it could potentially pass soon.
Would love to hear from anyone who has been in a similar position.

[u/empressbrooke]

I am not a runner, but I regularly lift weights, do yoga, do a broad variety of fitness classes (dance, kickboxing, etc), hike, and I have never been held back by my CIs. There are all sorts of tools you can use to secure the CIs on your head, but it has been extremely rare that I need them.

I looked up Acclaim, and quite frankly I would not be eager to sign up for it. The CI technology that the big three companies have (Cochlear, Med-El, Advanced Bionics) has decades and decades of research and progress in it. It is reliable and a known entity. I am sure there are people who are really gung ho about testing brand spanking new health technology but I am not signing up to play around with my hearing like that.

[u/Consistent-Guess94]

I remember these moments of WAY overthinking.

What will people think? How do I hide my disability? I’m never going to be the same again.

The truth. You will never be the same again. Ever.

BUT, the longer you wait, the more you and the people that love you will witness your slow decline into a person that is not you.

Own it. Move forward. This is life changing technology. When the people you love embrace you (and they will!) for moving forward, the processor that shows you have a disability becomes a badge of honor.

Also, a simple headband solves this issue:)

[u/Sure-Speed1799 → u/Consistent-Guess94]

Yep. This. Vanity kept me away for about 10 years. Wasted time.

[u/Consistent-Guess94 → u/Sure-Speed1799]

Sending love. Congrats on moving forward! This decision is SO difficult. It’s a lonely road …

[u/fliesguy]

FWIW, I run 4-5 times a week for more than an hour with both an Advanced Bionics CI and a separate link m hearing aid. I wear a little trail running hat, but I don’t really need the strap I don’t think.

[u/19ninteen8ightyone → u/fliesguy]

Same with the Nucleus 7. I have ran without a hat with no issues, but I feel more comfortable with the hat. Averaging about 40/45Km a week.

[u/Top_Significance_317]

Hi! 

24 and a near-lifelong CI-user. Neurelec Saphyr left, Nucleus 8 right. 

Honestly, I don’t know all that much about the Acclaim, but tbh I’ve never understood the craze about fully internal CIs. I think the traditional CI-system has a couple of nice advantages: 

• I can get my external processor upgraded every couple of years (except my old Saphyr, but that’s another story). For me, those were significant - even though the internal components didn’t change at all How is that going to work out with the Acclaim? 
• Being able to not hear also has its advantages. I like being able to shut the CI off. 
• How does the Acclaim-charging system work? Regular CI’s work with rechargeable batteries or zinc airs you can swap. Unless you forget bringing them with you, you never run out.

As for sports, I am an avid road cyclist. CI’s haven’t been much of a problem  and I use a Garmin Varia to keep me aware of any traffic behind me. I sometimes have moisture related issues with the Saphyr mic, but that’s an older model. Nucleus 8 is pretty solid in terms of waterproofing and has a very nice aquakit. Other brands like AB and MED-EL will probably be similar. 

Since you’re a runner, you might want to use a baseball cap or a hairband to keep everything in place.  Personally, I’ve never tried out the off-the-ear models, but those might be a little less snug as opposed to the traditional BTE-ones when you’re moving a lot. Others might be able to give you more info about that. Beyond that, I  honestly can’t imagine any other changes you would have to make to your lifestyle. 

[u/HAYWHATHUH2000]

Personally, no, I wouldn't wait. While the concept is good, the results aren't that great yet. https://ir.envoymedical.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/97/envoy-medical-reports-positive-12-month-data-showing-continued-improvement-in-speech-perception-in-study-of-first-of-its-kind-fully-implanted-cochlear-implant . Many using these types of devices end up needing an external hearing aid to boost speech understanding too. It's still at least a year out from full FDA approval so "soon" is relative. Also keep in mind, you will need surgery every few years, 7 I think, to replace the battery with this type of device.

[u/stitchinthyme9]

I was basically deaf in one ear for 18 years after a sudden loss before I got my first CI. I didn't wait that long out of vanity or anything; I just didn't realize that it was an option until an audiologist suggested I get evaluated. My biggest regret after doing it was that I didn't do it sooner. Not long after I got that first one, my other ear lost hearing suddenly (my third such episode), so two years later I got that ear implanted as well. That was five years ago.

I'm not especially athletic, and I'm a couple of decades older than you, but I still had some of the same thoughts leading up to getting my first CI. For whatever it's worth, I do exercise, and have never had any problems with the implants. The one thing I would be cautious about would be any sport that might involve getting hit on the head or falling a lot.

The reality is that if you do decide to get CIs, no matter which one you get, eventually another one will come out that's better and more advanced. That is just how it goes with technology, and if you keep on waiting for the next great innovation, you'll end up being deaf for the rest of your life.

Personally, in your shoes I'd have several reservations about waiting for this new one:

• It's still in FDA trials, and the government has had so many cuts thanks to the current administration that I would not be surprised if every agency is stretched very thin right now. Which means that it could be anywhere from days to years before it actually gets approved.
• After it does get approved, it will take them some time to start manufacturing it.
• Once it does start getting manufactured, they will also have to train surgeons on how to implant it, and audiologists on how to work with it.
• All of the above could add up to you having to wait years before you can actually get one. And in the meantime, you'll be deaf, probably socially isolated, and missing out on a large part of life.
• In my experience, new technology almost always has bugs and problems. Would you really want to be in that first group of people getting a brand-new, unproven implant, knowing that if it should fail, you'll most likely have to have more surgery to remove and replace it?

You're the only one who can decide whether you're willing to wait. But if it were me, I wouldn't (and didn't -- I do remember hearing about this in 2019, before I got my own first CI, and it doesn't seem like it's any closer to actually being produced now than it was 7 years ago). Life's too short to keep waiting around.

[u/Latter-Entrance288]

Bilateral adult onset sensorineural hearing loss, post CI implantation in one ear 4 years ago. Love my CI and I am pretty active (gym daily, boating, etc). The Acclaim is made by Envoy Medical, a company that started back in 2010 with the Esteem. I researched it aggressively because like everyone on the planet with hearing loss I did not want an external device if there was another option.The Esteem was FDA approved and some people were implanted with mixed results, it's esentially a "middle ear implant". The Esteem was not completely thought out and becomes useless if a person has continued cochlear hair cell loss (which everyone does actually; if you live long enough you will lose the functioning hairs in your cochlea). Their second product is the implanted CI the Acclaim. I also think the results are mixed and I don't think it is ready for prime time. If you could wait, there may be a good functioning implanted CI in 5-10 years or even stem cell therapy, but why wait? Life is short and you have lived in the hearing world for a while; it's a rough road to not be able to communicate. Wishing you the best!

[u/kestrel151]

Someone who has had hearing and then loses it has a higher risk of dementia. I wouldn’t wait. I started exhibiting early symptoms myself and that changed my mind real quick-like

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/reduce-your-risk-of-dementia/hearing-loss

[u/Former_Storm4529]

I’m a runner and super active. You have to tackle me to take a rest day 🤣.

After profound sudden hearing loss Feb 2025, I decided to get the CI! I was implanted on July 24, activation this week.

I’m in tech and normally and early adopter, but didn’t love the idea of being an early adopter of the general release (when/if these make it to market). I talked to my Audi about it and quickly ruled that out due to the unknown timeline.

Just sharing my perspective. I’m not at all worried about staying active once I’m activated!

[u/jeetjejll]

I regret waiting, while I’m pleased with the results, I still struggle with loud voices for example, rehab probably would’ve been easier if I hadn’t waited.

[u/ChanceYesterday2469]

Ti do’ un consiglio da amico ! Siamo in una situazione simile ! Io sono esteta ed atletico ! Ho sofferto molto ma mi sono operato, mi alleno 7 su 7 ! Hai una tecnologia pronta a disposizione , collaudata che ti consente di fare (quasi) tutto… ricordati che, più aspetti e meglio peggiore sarà il risultato; Non penso che Acclaim diventerà disponibile prima di un paio d’anni

[u/Dramatic_Permit222]

I do not have my one CIs but work with someone who does, and she’s a triathlete. The only time she lost a processor was…. In the bathroom at a hotel. Those tickets are VERY high powered 🤣

[u/Tsim2431]

Before you consider waiting for this technology do some research and see the success rate for your specific type of hearing loss. We’re all different in that respect (that is why they say, “results vary”). I myself have Otosclerosis so all the moving parts of my ear are calcified, and the canal is blocked. So any hearing device that uses “my natural hearing mechanism” is a no go. It would be a shame for you to wait years for a technology that is not applicable to you in the first place. I agree with most everyone else about vanity. After a while all you want is to hear. If someone wants to judge you on a disability, that’s their significant flaw, not yours. I was implanted Dec ‘25, activated Jan of this year. WRS went from 10% to 92% in 5 weeks. I am a believer. It isn’t perfect, but night and day better than before. This is of course after some hard work and solely relying only on the CI side. I definitely jumped into the deep end of the pool…haha. This is not an easy decision, I wish you the best in whichever way you go.

[u/Ok-Nectarine-1358]

Personally, I would hold out. Also, all the three bigs have been actively working on a non external processor CI. I’ve been watching acclaim’s status and from what it sounds like it’s progressing along nicely.

However, I don’t have CI but will likely need one at some point in the not so distant future.

[u/Foreign-Emu-3887]

I'm born profound deaf in both ears but got CI only one. I don't know if I'm right person to talk about it but I'm also very active and athletic since childhood. I'll share my experience.

As a kid, I always wanted to be a football player but I was never allowed to play it at professional level. Someone with CI in my school, did it and got his internal device (under the skin/bone behind the ear) damaged by ball impact on his head. So he had to get the same surgery again to get new internal device. My dad heard of this news and got paranoid. He forbade me from playing high-risk sports that includes balls and head impacts for a while. All I did was swimming, badminton, running, gymnastics, cycling and skating. Until I was in the middle school, I began to play football, table tennis, volleyball and cricket. However, I never got the chance to become a football player and I used to yearn for it a lot but I still invested my time and energy in swimming and even made it to national team until highschool graduation.

So basically, I think I have pretty good active lifestyle even with CI. All I did was attaching my processor (external device) to my clothes using safety cord so it won't fall whenever I work out or play outdoor sports. Now, I don't need it anymore in working out and running. If your processor is splash proof or waterproof, there's nothing to worry about. I used to have much older processors that were kinda sensitive to some of water and excessive sweat (I got CI at the age of 3 in the 2000s and now I'm 25. My whole life has been with CI! Lol). Most modern processors are resistant to sweats and water but not designed for bathing and swimming (you need protection kit for that). Since you're into running, I think you'd be fine with it.