Hearing aid- first days and weeks
Discussion
Interested to hear from others’ experience. I’ve just received my first hearing aids: both ears.
At present it’s a very odd sensation- I can hear may more noises. It’s not louder. Just more. The only analogy I can give is the first time you wear glasses and suddenly the world has definition.
Other than that, I can hear my breath/sniffs and my own and other voices sound a bit…tinny…but the audiologist said this will pass as my brain adjusts to the aids.
So just interested in any else’s memories of their first days and weeks with hearing aids and any tips or things you’d highlight.
Also, the one question I forgot to ask the audiologist: I spend a great deal of my working day on Teams. Fine when I’m at home if I’m in the office I use a headset- how does that work with hearing aids…?
TY
At present it’s a very odd sensation- I can hear may more noises. It’s not louder. Just more. The only analogy I can give is the first time you wear glasses and suddenly the world has definition.
Other than that, I can hear my breath/sniffs and my own and other voices sound a bit…tinny…but the audiologist said this will pass as my brain adjusts to the aids.
So just interested in any else’s memories of their first days and weeks with hearing aids and any tips or things you’d highlight.
Also, the one question I forgot to ask the audiologist: I spend a great deal of my working day on Teams. Fine when I’m at home if I’m in the office I use a headset- how does that work with hearing aids…?
TY
I tried using mine with Teams, but the problem was that the mic on the hearing aid picks up too much background noise and it was annoying other people on the call. I usually just wear my Plantronics headphones over the hearing aids now. One thing you’ll also notice in the first days (or you will now!) is the sound of your jacket collar rubbing against your neck. It seems to pick that sound up for some reason.
Dog Biscuit said:
'Heating' aid?
You might need glasses too
You might need glasses too
When I first got mine I suddenly realised how much noise someone opening/eating a bag of crisps could make! The world was a lot to take in for a while, but your brain does a good job at finding a balance. I get told off by the wife for talking too loudly when I don't wear mine. My hearing is lop-sided as the 'other' thread explains. Worn hearing aids since I was in my 40s - never bothered me from an appearance point of view and no one has ever passed comment (6'3" with a resting b
h face might help). At a conversational level my hearing aids really help - I'm also a massive lip-reader, Covid mask-wearing made me realise how much. As soon as there's road noise or background music I've had it, hearing aids or not.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Do your aids have bluetooth. My wife streams stuff to her aid and cochlear implant as opposed to a headset.
They do but it’s some weird made for iPhone Bluetooth so I can’t connect directly to my laptop, even though I can use it as a wireless headset for taking calls (with what efficiency we’re yet to see). A little bit of digging this afternoon suggests there’s a clip on mic that integrates with the system and allows laptop pairing so I’m going to investigate that. quote=alangla]I tried using mine with Teams, but the problem was that the mic on the hearing aid picks up too much background noise and it was annoying other people on the call. I usually just wear my Plantronics headphones over the hearing aids now. One thing you ll also notice in the first days (or you will now!) is the sound of your jacket collar rubbing against your neck. It seems to pick that sound up for some reason.
[/quote]
[quote=22]
When I first got mine I suddenly realised how much noise someone opening/eating a bag of crisps could make! The world was a lot to take in for a while, but your brain does a good job at finding a balance. I get told off by the wife for talking too loudly when I don't wear mine. My hearing is lop-sided as the 'other' thread explains. Worn hearing aids since I was in my 40s - never bothered me from an appearance point of view and no one has ever passed comment (6'3" with a resting bh face might help).
At a conversational level my hearing aids really help - I'm also a massive lip-reader, Covid mask-wearing made me realise how much. As soon as there's road noise or background music I've had it, hearing aids or not.
[/quote]
I’ve been very surprised by how life sounds today. Small things, like the indicator noise in the car sounds suddenly sounds like it did when I was a child…which was not a change I’d noticed until now.
Anything “crinkly” is heading towards, but not quite at, uncomfortable. I guess I’ll adjust over the coming weeks.
And yes, my bloody collar’s making a racket.
Long day out in London tomorrow including panto at the Palladium so will be interesting to see how I get on.
[/quote]
[quote=22]
When I first got mine I suddenly realised how much noise someone opening/eating a bag of crisps could make! The world was a lot to take in for a while, but your brain does a good job at finding a balance. I get told off by the wife for talking too loudly when I don't wear mine. My hearing is lop-sided as the 'other' thread explains. Worn hearing aids since I was in my 40s - never bothered me from an appearance point of view and no one has ever passed comment (6'3" with a resting b
h face might help). At a conversational level my hearing aids really help - I'm also a massive lip-reader, Covid mask-wearing made me realise how much. As soon as there's road noise or background music I've had it, hearing aids or not.
[/quote]
I’ve been very surprised by how life sounds today. Small things, like the indicator noise in the car sounds suddenly sounds like it did when I was a child…which was not a change I’d noticed until now.
Anything “crinkly” is heading towards, but not quite at, uncomfortable. I guess I’ll adjust over the coming weeks.
And yes, my bloody collar’s making a racket.
Long day out in London tomorrow including panto at the Palladium so will be interesting to see how I get on.
Assuming you’re using the Hearing Remote app or similar, turn your phone music on when there’s idiots near you on the train and then try out the Media vs Environment mixer. It’s amazing how much more pleasant public transport becomes when you’ve got an effective volume control for your fellow travellers
The lack of bass might annoy you though. I started listening to music via my hearing aids but quickly went back to using normal earphones. Speech based stuff sounds excellent, but music definitely suffers from the lack of bass in the tiny speakers.
The lack of bass might annoy you though. I started listening to music via my hearing aids but quickly went back to using normal earphones. Speech based stuff sounds excellent, but music definitely suffers from the lack of bass in the tiny speakers.
Edited by alangla on Tuesday 30th December 20:44
basherX said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Do your aids have bluetooth. My wife streams stuff to her aid and cochlear implant as opposed to a headset.
They do but it s some weird made for iPhone Bluetooth so I can t connect directly to my laptop, 
TwigtheWonderkid said:
basherX said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Do your aids have bluetooth. My wife streams stuff to her aid and cochlear implant as opposed to a headset.
They do but it s some weird made for iPhone Bluetooth so I can t connect directly to my laptop, Specs here: https://www.connevans.co.uk/catalogue/295/Oticon-S...
Classic Bluetooth = no
“ LE Low Energy made for iPhone 2.4GHz Bluetooth” = yes
Today’s learning was that there’s more than one type of Bluetooth protocol. Presumably using MFi lengthens the time between battery changes.
There *is* an app, but it doesn’t do anything for onward connectivity as far as I can ascertain.
I'm about 18 months in to wearing two hearing aids and they've made a world of difference.
Regarding Teams calls, if I'm using headphones, I take the hearing aids out then as other people can get an echo-ey feedback, or something, from them. If I'm on a normal phone call using my phone and headphones, I tend to take them out thern as well because they amplify every noise at my end of the phone meaning any beneift of wearing them is diluted somewhat, I don't hear the other person any better.
Had mine serviced a couple months back and the lady showed me how to pair them up to my phone so I can play Spotify through them, it's brilliant!
Regarding Teams calls, if I'm using headphones, I take the hearing aids out then as other people can get an echo-ey feedback, or something, from them. If I'm on a normal phone call using my phone and headphones, I tend to take them out thern as well because they amplify every noise at my end of the phone meaning any beneift of wearing them is diluted somewhat, I don't hear the other person any better.
Had mine serviced a couple months back and the lady showed me how to pair them up to my phone so I can play Spotify through them, it's brilliant!
Edited by GloverMart on Wednesday 31st December 20:26
Which make or model of aids ?
Wear them all the time and your brain will sort out the over stimulation. Takes a few weeks.
I have Oticon and you can buy a small clip on gizmo that pairs with laptop and bluetooths to aids and has a built in mic. Google Oticon ConnectClip. I use it about 50/50 with just putting the headsets over my ears anyway with the aids in. Depends how long I m on teams calls in the day when in office. My aids are on ear type.
Wear them all the time and your brain will sort out the over stimulation. Takes a few weeks.
I have Oticon and you can buy a small clip on gizmo that pairs with laptop and bluetooths to aids and has a built in mic. Google Oticon ConnectClip. I use it about 50/50 with just putting the headsets over my ears anyway with the aids in. Depends how long I m on teams calls in the day when in office. My aids are on ear type.
Edited by Steve Campbell on Monday 5th January 20:13
Steve Campbell said:
Which make or model of aids ?
Wear them all the time and your brain will sort out the over stimulation. Takes a few weeks.
I have Oticon and you can buy a small clip on gizmo that pairs with laptop and bluetooths to aids and has a built in mic. Google Oticon ConnectClip. I use it about 50/50 with just putting the headsets over my ears anyway with the aids in. Depends how long I m on teams calls in the day when in office. My aids are on ear type.
Thanks- they're Oticon on ear, so same as yours. I'd come across the ConnectClip from googling end of last week so seeing if I can get the occ health support to get me one- if not i'll just buy it myself. Good to hear the over stimulation passes eventually- i can tell you that the building site next to my office, which hasn't been an issue before, is really doing my head in today!!!Wear them all the time and your brain will sort out the over stimulation. Takes a few weeks.
I have Oticon and you can buy a small clip on gizmo that pairs with laptop and bluetooths to aids and has a built in mic. Google Oticon ConnectClip. I use it about 50/50 with just putting the headsets over my ears anyway with the aids in. Depends how long I m on teams calls in the day when in office. My aids are on ear type.
Edited by Steve Campbell on Monday 5th January 20:13
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