Tomorrow is activation day.
I would like to know how that goes.
Just some added info to the discussion. I have a Phonac Naida in my left ear and a Medel Sonnet CI in my right. Just had my one year since activation test. My word recognition now using both devices in quiet is now 91%. Using the CI alone is 74%. A year ago with 2 HA’s I was like 30% with both aids and less with the right ear.
A device in both ears is definitely a help. The HA seems to fill in what the CI doesn’t do so well. The CI has lower low sounds and definitely picks up high sounds the HA cant handle. I ran a test with a sound generator to confirm what I could hear in both devices.
I have found that listening to podcasts is helpful in “training” your brain to understand different male and female voices. You can always back up a time or two if necessary to hear that word again if you need to. And both the Roger pen or Artone 3 devices with their ability to use the sound signal work better than any of your device or laptop speakers. The word recognition is better.
The CI definitely does not cure all the ills that come with deteriorated natural hearing. Speech in noise is still a problem - as in restaurants and group gatherings and land-line phones are still a problem As a retires guy I can use an iPhone on speaker phone around the house ok.
So here is where the assistive equipment comes in The Roger equipment I used with my Phonaks I carried on with on my new setup. I now have a receiver add-on on both ears. These help with sound in noise and distance and make meetings workable. A Roger table mic set on the podium works better than a loud speaker sound system for me. The Roger helps with TV listening. Either hook up to the sound signal or place the pen or table mic under the TV speaker. An Artone 3 Max which paires with the bluetooth on your phone works well with it’s loop “necklace” and the Tcoil on the CI and the HA. An advantage of the Tcoil setup is that the ambient noise in the room is cut off from your device mics so your word recognition is better.
I have no regrets hearing-wise with the switch to a CI in my case. And as you can see I am dealing in some way with some of the shortfalls that remain.
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@Raudrive I will let you all know how activation goes later today.
@rsinclair123 Im greatly encouraged by your story on activation day. I got a Cochlear N7 I will be getting a Resound HA for my L ear in a few weeks. I need to wait until all the swelling and serous ooze has resolved first. Then the accessories will follow as needed I know I will need a phone clip and a TV streamer.
That’s right, you are about 12 hours ahead of us in the states.
Good luck.
I copy and pasted and CI thread from 2015 onto a recent post named Would you Go for It?
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WOW! what a morning it’s been! Activation day… All 22 electrodes have been turned on. My Aud did her thing with a mapping for me. Who sang “Wired for Sound” Cliff Richard I think. So I’m now up and running. My residual in my R) ear pre op was 30db at the moment it’s 42db. So far I haven’t lost very much at all. But this could change anytime, and go any way, up, down or stay the same. The “hybrid” acoustic attachment will be fitted soon, within the next couple of weeks when a bit more of the serous ooze has resolved.
Then the implant was fully activated, and the aud just started talking. Explains all the bits and pieces that I need to know about. At first it was just scratchy sounds, but the more she talked the more I could distinguish words with a lot of concentration. I know have a very robotic “popeye the sailor” talking to me…
To say I’m totally overwhelmed by this mornings events is a complete understatement. No way did I expect voices within 10 mins of activation. I hoped for some scratchy noises, but my results have blown me away… An to hear high frequencies for the first time in many years my poor brain is struggling to come to terms with these pitches.
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This is great news.
I can feel your excitement.
Congratulations
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Am so glad all went well - and even better than you had expected. May each day be better than the last.
I’ve been following your story, and am very happy for you.
Congratulations : Keep updating on your story. Following you, happy for you.
Activation day… All 22 electrodes have been turned on you quoted.
All 22 electrodes is not being used. 4 to 6 electrodes are active, depending on the angle of the electrodes inserted in the cochlear.
@Terost just wish I had a picture of my map to prove to you that all 22 electrodes are turned on and are all tuned in and working. Electrodes are different to HA channels.
Word recognitions of 22 and 26: is this with or without HAs?
My score with HA is 55%
Since your residual hearing is post-op still at 42dB will you use EAS (electro acoustic stimulation)? Cochlear is supporting this. How long is the electrode of 522 slim straight?
@Dani those word recognition scores were with HA’s.
Yes the acoustic EAS will be fitted as soon as I have got comfortable wearing the processor. It’s a heck of a lot different to wearing a HA.
The active part of CI522 when straight is 19.1mm long. I’m assuming by “active part” they mean the actual stimulating part of electrodes. The full length of the 522 when straight is 25mm.
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Thank you for the info. Then I wonder why my ENT suggested me for a CI. Meanwhile I hope I can get a CI asap. Within the next months I’ll be with you 
So much to learn. You are handling this very well.
Does everyone still sound like Popeye?
I just had a hearing test at Costco yesterday. My word recognition without aids was 12% in each ear. I could hear the words but they just were not clear enough to understand.
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@Raudrive it still a very robotic popeye. I’m told it takes a 2-4 months for the brain to balance it out and normalise and the sound more.
My hearing test was the same. I was guessing at words and missing more than I was getting correct.
Guessing is a great response. I got 3 words right in each ear.
Did you see that post from 2015 I mentioned? She was absolutely wonderful to share her story.
@Terost for your information I had 22 electrodes all turned on at the start of today’s mapping at the E&E here in Melb. Electrode 1 had to be turned off today as I could feel it tingling inside my Cochlear and it was what was causing me to feel slightly dizzy… So I now have 21 active and working electrodes.
CI Electrodes are a totally different ball game to that of hearing aid channels.
Interesting that you can feel tingling in your cochlear from a bad electrode. I am getting the Phonak B90 UP aids and see how it works out. For CI, l would rather wait until the speech processor and skull interface get smaller within 10 years for my left ear.
Not necessarily a bad electrode, it’s possibly due to all the swelling post op still, is what my aud explained, she will try again in a months time when all the swelling, serous Ouse and inflammation will have all been resolved by then.
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Congrats Piper! Wonderful news. Sounds like everything is going well.
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