Hearing Aid Advice.

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Shut Up Legs

Down Under Member
What the others said. ;) I've been in hearing aid denial for much of my life, but I have to wear them at work (or at least, during most meetings). I was born with congenital hearing loss. The loss is just like the OP's: moderate to severe loss in the high frequencies. I got bullied mercilessly during school for wearing the hearing aids, which certainly didn't help me one bit. I recently bought a new pair. I won't say how much they cost (that still makes me cringe), but they certainly work well enough.
 
OP
OP
kingrollo

kingrollo

Guru
What the others said. ;) I've been in hearing aid denial for much of my life, but I have to wear them at work (or at least, during most meetings). I was born with congenital hearing loss. The loss is just like the OP's: moderate to severe loss in the high frequencies. I got bullied mercilessly during school for wearing the hearing aids, which certainly didn't help me one bit. I recently bought a new pair. I won't say how much they cost (that still makes me cringe), but they certainly work well enough.

Can you get ANT+ hearing aids ?
 

glasgowcyclist

Charming but somewhat feckless
Location
Scotland
Well he said its the same in both ears - so presumably 2

Okay.

When I started out on them I said I didn't want two and took only the left one (my bonkers logic was that it would only feel half as embarrassing - twit). That messes with the sound being processed so that there was the tiniest offset in time between what I heard in each ear. The doctor told me this was normal and my brain would quickly adjust to synchronise them. Sure enough, this only took a couple of hours from first wearing it and didn't create any problem. Just thought I'd mention it in case you were getting one or were thinking about wearing just one of them.
 
OP
OP
kingrollo

kingrollo

Guru
Okay.

When I started out on them I said I didn't want two and took only the left one (my bonkers logic was that it would only feel half as embarrassing - twit). That messes with the sound being processed so that there was the tiniest offset in time between what I heard in each ear. The doctor told me this was normal and my brain would quickly adjust to synchronise them. Sure enough, this only took a couple of hours from first wearing it and didn't create any problem. Just thought I'd mention it in case you were getting one or were thinking about wearing just one of them.

Cheers - you have the same logic as me, I was thinking of doing the very same thing. !!!!
 

byegad

Legendary Member
Location
NE England
I was fitted with a single NHS one some 7 years ago. When it packed in I chose to buy a pair from a well advertised opticians.

The single one was brilliant, and after 10 years of thinking all of the skylarks had gone on my usual routes I heard then again. I was in tears the day that happened.

When I paid for the pair the difference was amazing, they are bluetooth connected, giving me normal, clear speech music and outdoor modes. I got to chose the modes from a long list. Suddenly being able to hear in most situations made my life so much better. The only time they fail me is where there's a lot of background noise and even in clear speech mode I lose the ability to make out what's being aid to me. Given this was the case 100% of the time before I got the aids, I live with this small disadvantage! I used to have the TV blasting out and still missed half of the dialogue, now it's set to normal levels.

To anyone with hearing loss, mine is age related higher frequency loss and pretty much anything above 4000Hz is lost to me, I'd say go for it. I've been wearing glasses all of the time for 30-odd years and my morning routine used to be, get up, put on my glasses, start the day. Now it's get up, put on my glasses and fit my hearing aids, and start the day.

My aids are behind the ear with a clear tube leading over my ear and into the ear canal. Controls are on the right volume up and down, on the left mode selection. I wear my hair short and many people cannot see the aids until they're pointed out. I really don't care anyway, and while they're a discreet grey, I'd wear them if they were a vivid day-glo orange!
 
OP
OP
kingrollo

kingrollo

Guru
Update.
Went with the single aid option. 10 days in - not good so far. The aid seems to do exactly the opposite of what the audiologist said. It seems to amplify everything. What I could already hear - is now louder - but I still struggle with speech.
Audiologist said she will see me again - but wants to give it a few weeks for my brain to adjust.
I also find the thing pretty uncomfortable (mould type)
 

glasgowcyclist

Charming but somewhat feckless
Location
Scotland
Update.
Went with the single aid option. 10 days in - not good so far. The aid seems to do exactly the opposite of what the audiologist said. It seems to amplify everything. What I could already hear - is now louder - but I still struggle with speech.
Audiologist said she will see me again - but wants to give it a few weeks for my brain to adjust.
I also find the thing pretty uncomfortable (mould type)

I know exactly what you mean.

Stick with it though, it will get better!

For me they haven't returned me to being able to hear all dialogue in a conversation but it is much, much worse without them. If it's a face to face conversation with a single person, I can get by without them, but in a social setting such as a group in a restaurant I definitely need them and even then they don't let me hear everything. I can easily miss out when there's a lot of cross-talk, or if there's background music (yuk) or we're near the kitchen.
 
OP
OP
kingrollo

kingrollo

Guru
Update.
Went with the single aid option. 10 days in - not good so far. The aid seems to do exactly the opposite of what the audiologist said. It seems to amplify everything. What I could already hear - is now louder - but I still struggle with speech.
Audiologist said she will see me again - but wants to give it a few weeks for my brain to adjust.
I also find the thing pretty uncomfortable (
I know exactly what you mean.

Stick with it though, it will get better!

For me they haven't returned me to being able to hear all dialogue in a conversation but it is much, much worse without them. If it's a face to face conversation with a single person, I can get by without them, but in a social setting such as a group in a restaurant I definitely need them and even then they don't let me hear everything. I can easily miss out when there's a lot of cross-talk, or if there's background music (yuk) or we're near the kitchen.

Thing is I cope pretty well without hearing aids - main reason I went for the hearing test was tinitus which has since subsided - some times I think my hearing (in terms of speech) is worse with the aids in - at moment it seems like a lot pain for almost zero gain.
 
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