Cochlear Reviews

I am politely extremely upset with this company and their very below par heading aids that they have claimed to be high tech and the best one the market. Yet, It squeals if anything comes near it. I could wear my Starkey all day and to bed and not squeal the whole time, I could lay on the mic and still hear. Now I have to constantly move the device to prevent squealing, in order to lay down and watch tv. I can never get the volume right, never had that problem before. The sound is either too loud or not loud enough. They put the BAHA post implant to far back and high on the skull, making the sound unbearable and incoherent. The BAHA is either constantly popping off the post implant or what I've switched to the sound bar band, which again un-functional, I have modify it to go over my head instead of behind, because it won't stay in place or provide enough pressure on the bone to get a good conduction, behind the head.

The rubber on the band disintegrated in only a few weeks due to constant readjusting the BAHA tabs on the band. Also, they forgot to consider those without ears that are blind w/out glasses and unable to wear contacts. It's been a year and I'm still trying to DIY a way to keep my glasses on correctly. Didn't have that problem for 45 years until now. I mistakingly allowed myself to be convinced into getting the Osia implant in 2020. Can't wear it, won't a on at all, and the sound is worse. The device as a whole is 1,000 times worse, They're are too many dysfunctional details to write a lot of which are similar to the BAHA.

I'm a very saddened client who just wants her sturdy non complicated holds her glasses and has been around since 1974, if not longer heading aid back. If isn't broken don't fix it. I know I'm not alone, everyone who had the old but good hearing aids have posted everywhere to find more. I was able to snag one more 7 yrs ago, before they all vanished.

After 2nd CI, I am now deaf in that “good” ear, can no longer hear music, & ALL sounds are horribly distorted - permanently. I can no longer lipread like I used to either. Surgeon failed to warn me before 2nd CI, as he did with 1st CI, or he should have simply refuse to do 2nd CI. I lost a huge part of my quality of life. “Bilateral CIs was better hearing” & MRI on both ears was only good for 6 months (can no longer have MRIs if you have CIs) was emphasis in convincing me to decide on CIs for both ears. Huge, huge, huge mistake.

There are other options to try before drastic CI in a “good” ear. Additional post-surgical issues include losing balance for an entire year, relearning took hear again thru practicing many hours on various apps, & finding any comfort levels to tolerate distorted hearing on my iPhone’s Cochlear app. Changed audiologists several times & some improvement, but my cochlear hearing now is worse than when I had good, normal, low-tones only hearing in good ear. I filed complaint with Florida Health Dept with obvious proof of deceptions & malpractices by both audiologist & surgeon, but they decided in favor of medical professionals.

Cochlear implants are definitely a buyer’s beware issue, especially if you have Medicare & another insurance carrier to pick up difference. This was a death sentence to me - l lost music that I enjoyed so much & all quality hearing compared to my current cochlear hearing. I had hoped to hear my grandchildren better, but they now sound like little men or robots. There is much money for cochlear implants to be made for the audiology & surgeon professionals - don’t sign their surgical waivers either.

First time I heard my dog walking around in my house, I never knew his paws does make a noise (clicking noise from his nails), heard various birds singing and calling, (crows are terrible lol), listening the music awesome, I could sing 4 songs (sing alone or only to my kids), I never imagined that I can do that, amazing. I was lucky to pick a right processor, Nucleus 7, because it paired with my Iphone Apple. I could listen the music by Youtube on my mobile in my pocket while I’m working, my boss don’t know that, cos I’m only one can hear (by Bluetooth on my Mobile). Thank you to Beaumont Hospital for making my dream come true..

So what about Cochlear the make implants. I was given a choice and I chose Cochlear as they seemed to be built for mishandling, not that I mishandle but I didn't want delicate! The latest ones come with a whole set of things, rechargeable batteries - mine have lasted that 6 years. A bluetooth hub which you can use for linking to phones with bluetooth, a remote microphone that you can use to listen to someone a bit away or perhaps the driver of a car if you are in the back seat. A TV 'streamer' that provides continuous audio stream from the TV. And a clever remote control that saves having to learn the button presses on the processors. Of course what you also get is a set of little user guides that are written by someone who knows how the stuff works so misses steps and who reads them anyway right?

I note a comment above about not being able to turn down/off ambient sound - well you can do that but you need the remote control and you can balance external sound volume against streaming sound for both TV and telephone. If you turn external sound right _off_ then you stop hearing yourself - a little disconcerting. SO - after 6 years I would not be without these implants. There are some times when I hear better than people with no hearing problems. I have had one processor fail in the 6 years but I can get a refresh to the new Nucleus 7 processor now. Yes there are design issues I would have liked different. They should have used native bluetooth for their radio equipment. I don't know why they can't use the processor microphones for phone calls rather than wear a phone clip/microphone. And there are more Android devices than Apple so why initially only support iPhones?

But overall this has been a really good journey. All the people – audiologists, surgeons and Cochlear staff I have met – have been very friendly and helpful. If you are thinking of a cochlear implant - go to a surgeon that does a lot and then whatever brand of implant you use you will wish you had done it earlier. I have no regrets having chosen Cochlear. 3 months and I move to the Nucleus 7.