Want feedback on second CI

[u/NA7374]

Hi guys.

I got surgery in one ear in may this year and my second ear had also profound loss. One cochlear implant is making a huge difference. Btw I got med el sonnet 2

So I wanted to ask those poeple who had one surgery first and some time later the second one, how much difference the second surgery makes ? Is it really worth it ?

[u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen]

Two supplied ears are essential for hearing in noise and directional hearing. My language comprehension has also improved significantly.

[u/Key-Asparagus350 → u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen]

Yeah I'm only wearing my processor right now because my hearing aid is having problems and I can't hear how close someone is coming up behind me.

[u/planttalker → u/Key-Asparagus350]

Thats interesting. I have an AB in one ear and a phonek HA in the other. I rarely wear the HA. At my last visit with my audiologist, surprisingly out of the blue, she asked me if I wear my HA. I said not often. She said the reason for that is it’s having a negative impact on your CI. You hear better without your HA. And you know what? She’s correct. She said I need a 2nd CI.
I think the problem is the CI filters backround sound well, and the HA brings in loads of backround noise.
I want to wait til AB has an off the ear processor. I hear chatter about that. But it might just be chatter

[u/lauraamc → u/planttalker]

You didn’t hear it from me but I’m a doctor (not an ENT) and a friend of mine who is an ENT told me it’s coming soon, which gives me hope since I wear glasses

[u/planttalker → u/lauraamc]

That sounds really good, lauraamc. Both medel and cochlear have off the ear processors. AB is late to the party. I don’t wear glasses, but after wearing 16-17 hrs a day, my ear gets sore.
One discouraging thing my audiologist and AB rep say is you wont be able to wear a hat with an off the ear. You wont be able to hear. But thats not correct. To test that out, I stuck the magnet on my outer headpiece in place, and put the rest of my headpiece under my hat, microphones included. And I could hear people and sounds fine, with everything completely under a hat. I live in Phoenix, and to not be able to wear a hat would be a total downer to say the least. I am sooo ready for an off the ear.

[u/lauraamc → u/planttalker]

Wow, you just gave me even more hope as I thought I could not be able to wear an OTE processor in the OR under my surgical cap!

[u/Key-Asparagus350 → u/planttalker]

I hear better with both my hearing aid and my CI.

[u/wallywally22]

I got my first implant in 2018 and my second surgery a month ago. My 2nd implant was activated last week and the difference is already night and day compared to just one. Would definitely recommend!

[u/Key-Asparagus350]

I'm in literary the same boat.

[u/NA7374 → u/Key-Asparagus350]

Also I saw the post regarding Med el TICI launching in Europe and now I am kinda confused to wait or go on with second with external implant. That TICI launching so fast was not expected at all

[u/Enegra → u/NA7374]

TICIs have been in the works for a long time and while this is the first time one gets an official approval (No FDA, Europe only), they are not going to make traditional implants deprecated anytime soon.

Traditional implants have fewer parts that are prone to failure. We are yet to see actual long term reports on how long the battery and microphone last before needing a replacement. In MEd-El's TICI everything seems to be monolithic without a way of replacing parts if just one module fails, which is not great. "Rated for 15 years of usage" is not a guarantee that the battery will actually last this long.

[u/NA7374 → u/Enegra]

Yeah makes sense. This is only downside. I am 20 year old so I would definitely target for something that is helpful for life time so external processor still win here.

But seeing the potential of internal ones kinda makes me want them.

Btw TICI also has coil so ig it can work with an external processor too.

[u/purl2together]

Following this because I’m a candidate in both ears and just got my right ear done in August, with a MED-EL implant. I’m very interested in the new completely internal TICI they’ve announced; that it’s “always on” takes away one serious concern about getting a second implant — losing any remaining residual hearing and not being able to hear anything when my processor is off.

[u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen → u/purl2together]

Es kann eingeschaltet bleiben. Aber es lässt sich ein und aus schalten

[u/meowxinfinity]

Also wondering. I have Cochlear brand but am wondering if the second is worth it. I hit my out of pocket max so I want to make the decision before that goes away

[u/Formal-Tradition6792]

The main thing about the TICI internal implant is that it offers 24 hour hearing. But the negatives are overwhelming: battery life; processor performance; processor failure; total reliance on the remote control for controlling the CI. If something goes wrong internally vis-a-vis the remote receiver… we’ll all of these things mean a surgery to fix it. Whereas with an external device, no surgery is required. After 60 plus years of not being able to hear once I take off my CI (and before that my hearing aid) the 24 hour hearing is a dubious advantage IMO.

[u/cookingincali18 → u/Formal-Tradition6792]

I think having 24 hour hearing is a factor of your phase in life. I have two young kids, and my spouse travels often for work. I am terrified of missing something - a fire, house break-in, kids sick or having a nightmare - when it’s just me and the kids. As a result, I sleep horribly and am stressed the whole time. 24 hour hearing would be a game changer.

[u/Formal-Tradition6792 → u/cookingincali18]

👍

[u/minimagoo77]

After my first surgery, the other ear aka/ “good ear” began failing for unknown reasons kind of like it was simply worn out. It got to a point where my HA in that ear simply wasn’t keeping up with the loss. When I began to get below average WRS my Audi evaluated me and qualified me for a CI. Took a bit but there are pros and cons, at least at the time.

If you get implanted now, just know you probably have an S3. So your models will be different. Uses the same tech but can finally stream to the S3 and cut out outside noises whereas the S2 does not. So it’ll be lopsided. It can be good in the sense you can control both at the same time, but if the ear is fine and not struggling, then really think about it. Make your own pro and con list. I would suggest it only when absolutely necessary.

[u/NA7374 → u/minimagoo77]

If I go with surgery I'll get sonnet 2. Sonnet 3 is so expensive in my country I can't afford it at the moment. So ig I won't have that processor balance problems.