Phonak sphere UP Version.?

Hi all - newby here - I currently use phonak paradise 90 UP hearing aids. (With Skeleton moulds and non rechargeable) As you can see from my audiogram I have bilateral profound loss across all but lowest frequencies. I also use Roger On, and captions. I am very interested in the new sphere aids but my audiologist has said there isn’t one for my level of hearing loss ( ie 90UP) yet. He was expecting some sort of launch event some time soon.
I’m confused as the one I’ve seen says it covers profound loss.
Anyone else with similar loss using them ?
Thanks !

Do you have audeo (RIC) or Naida (BTE) hearing aids? (Wire into ear or tube?) The ones out (audeo) could go to profound, but many with that level of loss prefer the sound of BTEs and are waiting for the infinio Naidas to be released. No one knows when that will happen.

(UP receiver is available.)

WH

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Yes I have behind the ear aids. That makes sense thank you. I had RIC many years ago but once it got worse they weren’t powerful enough.

@SandraN You mean you have the Phonak Naida Paradise 90 UP, like the picture below:

Naida is for severe to profound hearing loss, I am surprised you didn’t go for cochlear through the NHS!
Paradise is the technology platform, like Marvel, Lumity and the new one Sphere.

90 is the technology level, like 30 50 70 and 90 is top of the line.

UP stands for Ultra Power.

No news yet on the Naida Sphere, but I hope it is going to be by September October this year !

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Hi yes that’s right. I was offered CI some years ago but I wasn’t convinced about the potential outcome. I spoke to people who had them and still needed a captioner for work etc. I also have useful hearing at lower frequencies which I wanted to keep and just didn’t fancy the robotic sounds I was told about or the long recovery period. I’m 64 now and still working part time freelance from home and cope with my aids and Teams captions. But I’ve had my aids 4 years now and as the tech progresses I want to keep up to date. I can hang on for the UP BTE version.

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Not as bad as your hearing, but I have 2 sets of the Naida P90’s. I too like the 675 battery and the performance of BTE. I use custom skeleton molds.

I am 83 and may make it with the aids, but like you, I keep watching to see what is next.

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Hi there. If I were you, I would be practical and follow my mom’s advice when she raised me: don’t look for three legs on a cat; be realistic and see where your feet are.

Some here have suggested getting a cochlear implant. Stop thinking or waiting; get all the information you need for the next steps, and do it. Your life will be better.

I have seen some people with cochlear implants having a lot of fun.

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Cochlear implant is NOT panacea.

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Hearing aids, neither, and glasses, neither. It all depends on how we look at an issue and how we receive the solution to the problem; some of us (as my mother used to say) make a storm out of a glass of water, while others celebrate every little benefit we receive in a difficult decision.

In this case, it’s the next step, so any small benefit this decision brings should be welcomed.

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I am going to bring some additional information taking advantage of all the users here who have brought us to Chatgtp:

Copy am pasted

Good question — and it really depends on your situation.

A cochlear implant can be a very good decision for some people, but not for everyone. It’s a different kind of device compared to hearing aids, and here’s a basic way to think about it:

Hearing Aids vs. Cochlear Implants
• Hearing aids amplify sound. They work well if your inner ear (cochlea) can still process sound, even if it needs help.
• Cochlear implants bypass damaged parts of the inner ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. They are for people whose hearing loss is so severe that hearing aids no longer provide enough benefit.

Pros
• Can restore the ability to understand speech much better than hearing aids in severe cases.
• Can improve quality of life.
• Modern implants can provide sound perception across a wide range of frequencies.

Cons
• It involves surgery, with small risks.
• Sound with a cochlear implant is different — not “natural” at first.
• There is a learning curve and rehab required.
• It does not restore “normal” hearing — but can greatly improve speech understanding.

Rule of Thumb
• If you’re getting good benefit from hearing aids, a cochlear implant is not needed.
• If hearing aids don’t help enough anymore, or you cannot understand speech well even with good hearing aids, a cochlear implant evaluation is worth exploring.

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Very rarely the problem is only the cochlea. More often it is joined by problems with the cochlear nerve and auditory memory. The cochlear implant does not bypass these parts. But many people cannot understand this moment :man_facepalming:t2:.

I can see SandraN have a heavy point in the “caption”, here Chatgtp about it:

Excellent and very practical question.

In short: possibly at first, but not necessarily long-term — it depends.

Here’s why:

:one: Right after getting a cochlear implant

• At the beginning, after implantation and activation, most people do still need captions when watching TV, using the phone, or in group conversations.

• This is because the brain needs time to adjust and “learn” the new way sound is delivered by the implant.

• Early on, sound with a cochlear implant can feel mechanical or unclear. Over time, the brain improves its ability to interpret it.

:two: Over time (after rehabilitation)

• Many people find that after weeks to months of practice, their speech understanding improves dramatically, sometimes to the point where they don’t need captions anymore for some activities (like watching TV or in 1-on-1 conversation).

• But some situations (group conversations, noisy places, certain accents) may always benefit from captions, even with a cochlear implant.

• Some users choose to always use captions as an extra help — and that’s perfectly fine.

:three: Compared to hearing aids

• If you currently rely heavily on captions because hearing aids alone don’t give you enough clarity, then a cochlear implant might reduce this need, but rarely eliminates it overnight.

• On the other hand, if your caption use is more for convenience, you might find yourself using captions much less as your brain adapts to the implant.

Bottom line

:point_right: Expect to need captions in the beginning with a cochlear implant.

:point_right: With practice and rehab, your need for captions will likely decrease, but it depends on your specific hearing profile, implant performance, and personal preference.

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I’ve done my considering and have made my decision. Thanks but I’m sticking with aids.

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It is quite the opposite. The most problem is with the cochlea, nerve damage is less often and difficult to prove if magnetic resonance imaging isn’t reveal any pathology.

If cochlear nerve problems were so common, then there wouldn’t be as many successes with cochlear implants, and no healthcare system could provide them due to inefficiency in relation to costs.

Regarding auditory memory, that group of patients indeed exists. With prelingual deafness, that group has more difficulties with rehabilitation, but that does not mean CI is useless in those cases.

There are also far too many situations in which a doctor tells a patient that he has a damaged nerve without supporting it with any evidence. I suppose that this is rather due to the desire to simplify explanations to patients, who often do not know what a cochlea is, but they know what a nerve is.

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Hold on! Now you will be attacked by cochlear implant adherents! I have known this for a long time from my own experience.

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As an CI user - I confirm.

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I’ve had it many times before as well. Why people can’t just accept that I have a different point of view with something so very personal, is very strange.

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@SandraN On another note, it is this time of the year to best visite the Yorkshire Dales and enjoy the pudding?

Do you use the TV connector?
It’s been a while I didn’t watch Emmerdale :joy:

Ta

To answer your original question, I’m wearing i90 sphere UP RICs right now. I am borderline severe / profound.

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No I don’t have tv connector but only because I have a table mic that I use instead. My mum has one and it’s great for her though.

And any time of year is great to visit Yorkshire !

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