Hearing Aids - how goes it?

[TheJimi]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

MYOB said:

Re the cochlear implants, does this kill off any natural hearing one has?

Yes, it does, in the ear you have the implant fitted.

It's a bit a dilemma, because if you have hearing loss in both ears, they encourage you to have the implant in the good ear, as that gives the best results. But if it doesn't work, you lose the good ear forever and are left with the bad ear!

My wife had no hearing in one ear and 25% in the other. She ignored the advice and had the implant in the totally dead ear, so maybe a worse outcome but literally nothing to lose. Worked out brilliantly, got a great result from her dead ear and still has the 25% in her good ear (which post implant is now her bad ear, if that makes sense)

and that was a huge risk your wife took.

I understand why she took the risk, but it was still a big one, and not a risk I'd advocate. (edit: forgotten we'd previously had that conversation!)

For anyone curious -

There's a very good reason why it is recommended that the implant is done on the "good" ear. That is, the longer the auditory nerve has been stimulated prior to implantation, the higher the probability of a good outcome. It's worth pointing out that the spectrum of benefit from an implant ranges from being merely a supplement to lip-reading all the way through to being a complete game-changer.

I received a cochlear implant in 2020, and I also have two friends with implants - all three of us have varying results, and it's almost all down to the level of auditory nerve stimulation prior to implant - again, hence the advice being given to use the best ear.

Admittedly that's somewhat of an oversimplification, since there are other elements involved, such as cerebral association of sounds etc.

However, to put it bluntly: if one's hearing is st enough to be below the threshold for cochlear implant, the risks of losing the remaining hearing ability is almost certainly outweighed by what could be gained by the implant.


Edit: On reflection, I'm probably making this sound less nuanced than it is, twig's wife's dilemma being a good example, even if I'd probably have done it differently.

Edited by TheJimi on Thursday 21st April 15:18

[WinstonWolf]

Alex, glad you're getting on well.

I'm now completely HA free I had a TORP fitted as my loss was conductive and my hearing is "good enough" now. I can chat perfectly well in a noisy pub, better than a lot of my friends TBH.

It's not perfect but it was worth the effort. 23 hours of surgery in total and I can hear again

[QuartzDad]

sam greenock said:

QuartzDad said:

Getting old is a pain.

Like I imagine the majority of PHers considering a big purchase, I do weeks of analysis, knock up a spreadsheet or three and analyse all the options.

Or in this case, book a hearing test at Boots and walk out having spent hfm?

Have gone for the in-ear ones because as an old, grey, balding bloke I'm still vain and the audiologist said I can swap to the over-ear ones within the first two weeks without additional cost, plus she gets to say 'I told you so...' as apparently the in-ear can sound a little muffled?

So PH, what do I need to know about wearing hearing aids?

Same here, I didn't like behind ear ones as I wear glasses so I went for these, I've had them for nearly 5 years now

https://www.phonak.com/uk/en/hearing-aids/phonak-v...

They are in ear ones, I actually wanted the Phonak Lyric ones, which you only need to change around every 3 months and can withstand wearing in a shower etc but my ear canal wasn't big enough

Anyways the virtues are amazing, the only things they cant fix is that 25% of my hearing loss is due to a build up of pressure within ear, if I pop my ears like relieving pressure whilst flying its all fine

Had to go privately obviously but service from my supplier - Hearing Clinic Uk - in Glasgow has been tremendous

I've got the same ones, Virto M90 Titaniums. Collected them from Boots yesterday, didn't tell the family I was picking them up and no one noticed until I told them which was good.

Performance is stunning, now I just need to work on learning to type more quietly and getting birds to stop tweeting so loudly, it's a racket

Batteries are 20p each from Amazon and apparently last 3-5 days so pretty cheap to run.

[sam greenock]

QuartzDad said:

I've got the same ones, Virto M90 Titaniums. Collected them from Boots yesterday, didn't tell the family I was picking them up and no one noticed until I told them which was good.

Performance is stunning, now I just need to work on learning to type more quietly and getting birds to stop tweeting so loudly, it's a racket

Batteries are 20p each from Amazon and apparently last 3-5 days so pretty cheap to run.

Good stuff - a whole new level of background noise appears, when I picked mine up for first time I went back to office and was amazed at the general racket going on - always seemed library quiet previously

I get about 7 days usually from my batteries, I wear them 06:30 - 23:00 ish most days

I'm fast approaching the end of my 5 year warranty and mine are back at phonic for a service currently - I've got a loaner set of behind ears ones - quite tinny and not as comfortable as the M90s

[QuartzDad]

sam greenock said:

Good stuff - a whole new level of background noise appears, when I picked mine up for first time I went back to office and was amazed at the general racket going on - always seemed library quiet previously

I get about 7 days usually from my batteries, I wear them 06:30 - 23:00 ish most days

I'm fast approaching the end of my 5 year warranty and mine are back at phonic for a service currently - I've got a loaner set of behind ears ones - quite tinny and not as comfortable as the M90s

Got in the shower earlier and wondered why it sounded so loud…oops.

Hopefully realised quickly enough, they seemed pretty dry. Will leave them in the case with a drying capsule overnight.

[ayedubya]

My mum is 76, got tinnitus and has spent a good few k over the years with Hidden Hearing. She did try NHS ones years and years ago but said they didn't work for her.

Have any of you experience with Hidden Hearing or would recommend revisiting the NHS ones as no doubt tech will have improved... or try another company entirely.

My parents are not well off and so cannot buy the rolls royce of hearing aids unfortunately.

Her current ones are bluetooth controlled so she can turn them up and down and take phone calls through them.

Would be keen to hear any experiences of other types. Thanks in advance.

[TheJimi]

NHS in the first instance, without a doubt. Exhaust that option first.

[TheJimi]

WinstonWolf said:

Alex, glad you're getting on well.

I'm now completely HA free I had a TORP fitted as my loss was conductive and my hearing is "good enough" now. I can chat perfectly well in a noisy pub, better than a lot of my friends TBH.

It's not perfect but it was worth the effort. 23 hours of surgery in total and I can hear again

I replied to this in my head! Sorry

That's brilliant man, what a difference from the conversations we were having a few years back, eh?

Very pleased for you.

[Hill92]

ayedubya said:

My mum is 76, got tinnitus and has spent a good few k over the years with Hidden Hearing. She did try NHS ones years and years ago but said they didn't work for her.

Have any of you experience with Hidden Hearing or would recommend revisiting the NHS ones as no doubt tech will have improved... or try another company entirely.

My parents are not well off and so cannot buy the rolls royce of hearing aids unfortunately.

Her current ones are bluetooth controlled so she can turn them up and down and take phone calls through them.

Would be keen to hear any experiences of other types. Thanks in advance.

Has she considered sticking with the one she currently has? If it's not broke etc.

[ayedubya]

Hill92 said:

Has she considered sticking with the one she currently has? If it's not broke etc.

its about 3 years old and she doesn't think they are helping much.

[Lifeisalemon]

ayedubya said:

its about 3 years old and she doesn't think they are helping much.

3 years old will still be a good tech unless she is in the most challenging listening environments. Ask HH for a full hearing review and programming session to ensure they are set to the correct and current prescription. Depending on how you get on with that, then consider the NHS or a good independent audiologist who has access to all available hearing aids rather than a limited few and who doesn't work on commission, unlike the high street big names

Edited by Lifeisalemon on Tuesday 3rd May 18:13

[ayedubya]

Lifeisalemon said:

3 years old will still be a good tech unless she is in the most challenging listening environments. Ask HH for a full hearing review and programming session to ensure they are set to the correct and current prescription. Depending on how you get on with that, then consider the NHS or a good independent audiologist who has access to all available hearing aids rather than a limited few and who doesn't work on commission, unlike the high street big names

Edited by Lifeisalemon on Tuesday 3rd May 18:13

Thank you this is sage advice

[TheJimi]

Lifeisalemon said:

ayedubya said:

its about 3 years old and she doesn't think they are helping much.

3 years old will still be a good tech unless she is in the most challenging listening environments. Ask HH for a full hearing review and programming session to ensure they are set to the correct and current prescription. Depending on how you get on with that, then consider the NHS or a good independent audiologist who has access to all available hearing aids rather than a limited few and who doesn't work on commission, unlike the high street big names

Edited by Lifeisalemon on Tuesday 3rd May 18:13

Good advice here

[beambeam1]

Take them in to get fully cleaned out and dried out, quite often this is the source of the issue when anyone in my family thinks something is up with their hearing aid. Build up of wax and sweat, especially in the filters, causes it.

[ayedubya]

Lifeisalemon said:

3 years old will still be a good tech unless she is in the most challenging listening environments. Ask HH for a full hearing review and programming session to ensure they are set to the correct and current prescription. Depending on how you get on with that, then consider the NHS or a good independent audiologist who has access to all available hearing aids rather than a limited few and who doesn't work on commission, unlike the high street big names

Edited by Lifeisalemon on Tuesday 3rd May 18:13

HH are with my folks now... I have tried to express to them not to sign up to anything yet. I am 200 miles away so can't be there myself today.

The battery cover on one of them keeps falling off and they have said the model is too old to fix it which i smell that might be bs.

I googled for 'independent audiologist highlands' and have found one in inverness... gave them a call. ensured me they are cheaper than HH, which isn't specifically want i want to hear, but they do use Lyric, Widex, Phonak and Unitron hearing aids which I am guessing is more choice than HH.

They offer 30 no quibble trial which could be really great for my mum. Hopefully they don't sign up to HH today, she gets a trial and should they not match up to her current ones- fine stay with HH, otherwise she could have a better more 'local' experience with the independent.

It will be interesting to see if the newer modern ones can help with her Tinnitus.

Appreciate the wisdom in this thread, thank you.

[MesoForm]

beambeam1 said:

Take them in to get fully cleaned out and dried out, quite often this is the source of the issue when anyone in my family thinks something is up with their hearing aid. Build up of wax and sweat, especially in the filters, causes it.

Something I didn't get a proper answer to when I spoke to the audiologist when I got mine - are hearing aids OK to exercise in or will the sweat break them? I get quite sweaty when I run so haven't been wearing them but I would prefer to wear them running if I can. Hearing loss isn't enough to not hear cars, etc. it's more talking to people as I'm running I struggle a bit with. They are NHS Phonak Nathos auto micro over the ear aids.

[Bill]

AIUI you get more condensation in the tubes so the filters in the horns (think that's what they're called - the bit the tubes slide over...) don't last as long. I just got some spares and swap them when they clog.

[Lifeisalemon]

ayedubya said:

HH are with my folks now... I have tried to express to them not to sign up to anything yet. I am 200 miles away so can't be there myself today.

The battery cover on one of them keeps falling off and they have said the model is too old to fix it which i smell that might be bs.

I googled for 'independent audiologist highlands' and have found one in inverness... gave them a call. ensured me they are cheaper than HH, which isn't specifically want i want to hear, but they do use Lyric, Widex, Phonak and Unitron hearing aids which I am guessing is more choice than HH.

They offer 30 no quibble trial which could be really great for my mum. Hopefully they don't sign up to HH today, she gets a trial and should they not match up to her current ones- fine stay with HH, otherwise she could have a better more 'local' experience with the independent.

It will be interesting to see if the newer modern ones can help with her Tinnitus.

Appreciate the wisdom in this thread, thank you.

Battery covers are easily replaceable, especially if only 3 years old. 30-year-old hearing aid would be a challenge, but 3 years old? Not an issue to get fixed, so don't let that be used as a reason by HH for new hearing aids.

Lyric is made by Phonak and is a specialised deep fitted hearing aid - costly, and an annual subscription is required. Limited suitable market. Phonak and Unitron are two brands within one company (Sonova) and are generally well regarded. Typically found recommended by Boots Hearing as they are owned by Sonova. Widex again is well regarded and usually recommended by Bloom Hearing, their retail trading operation in the UK.

Cheaper than HH? It's hard not to be Transparency is key - see if you can find any of HH prices available online! HH are owned by William Demont who make Oticon and Bernafon hearing aids and will be the options available from HH.

A 30+ day trial or money back is pretty standard within the industry - the complexity of hearing loss and lifestyle requirements should be the core considerations when looking at the level of technology required. And, as previously mentioned, do not discount the NHS as an option as well. If going for a trial, set areas of necessary improvement to measure against when assessing if the trial has been successful - your audiologist should instigate this but if not it's worth asking.

Edited by Lifeisalemon on Thursday 19th May 15:28

[solo2]

I’m after experiences with hearing aids as my dad has an NHS one and he’s not getting along with it

He says he hears background noise but not those speaking to him as clearly as back ground.

He’s thinking of going to purchase one but is worried he’d be just sold something that’s still no better and it’s not your everyday item that he can ask friends their experiences of. Especially seeing as these things cost several thousand pounds.

Any advice or experience with any particular company and we’re you given the hard sell or not please?

[Cliftonite]

I would suggest he seeks an appointment with an NHS hearing practitioner to ensure he has hearing aids that will meet his requirements. If his needs cannot be met by an NHS supplied product, the practitioner may well be able to give a clear indication as to what is needed and how / where it can be obtained privately.

I have recently been provided with Oticon branded aids by NHS (free at point of delivery!) that I am delighted with.