Has anyone bought hearing aids recently?-UPDATE, post 13-I got them today

[golfgal]

I have my check up tomorrow and I know my current aids are not working as they should. They are about 10 years old, which is REALLY good, but I need to replace them. Last year my dr was telling me about the newer behind the ear ones (mine are in the canal ones now). My hearing loss is such that the in the canal ones are no longer strong enough for me so I need to move to a more powerful type.

I have been researching new aids and the claims that they cancel out noise better, etc. sound great but are they really that much better? I am also SO TIRED of feedback and the new ones claim no feedback issues.

Has anyone purchased new aids in the last year or two and what is your experience?


I did post this on the disabilities board but it is so much more active over here

 

[lovemygoofy]

MY FIL bought new aids about two years ago I think. I can tell a big improvement because he can really hear on the phone no matter if it's a cell or a regular phone. He had big difficulties before using the phone.

His are over the ears and he says that he doesn't get the feedback that the others did. When we last saw him I also didn't hear the feedback or the humming noise that he had. Considering how cheap *ahem frugal* my FIL is I was quite suprised he would spring for such nifty aids.

Oh and they aren't the old style that was quite large either.

 

[Tabologist]

I'm an audiologist.

With a severe to profound hearing loss you options of styles are less limited as they were years ago. Some companies don't have the power available in ones that go in the ears - others do. Starkey is one that has been able to put a lot of power in a small aid. Many companies have good noise cancellation. There are positives and negatives to this technology. Aids have come A LONG WAY in 10 years. Feel free to message me with any of your questions.

 

[golfgal]

I am hoping that they are as good as they say. It is SOOOOOOOOO frustrating with all the noise, feedback, not being able to hear people in groups, etc. I hardly go out to eat, etc any longer because it is almost painful with the noise. I took DD to "Wicked" in August and couldn't understand anything they were saying. I am hoping these new, and very expensive, aids will help in those situations. Then, the phone-I retired from my job because I just couldn't hear on the phone well enough any longer. If there is a fan going in the back ground, forget hearing anything. I just want to be closer to "normal" hearing.

Tabologist--my ENT uses Starkey mostly so those are the one's I am looking at (plus they are a MN company so that is handy). I thought I heard that they are bluetooth capable now, is that true. I didn't see anything on the Starkey website that confirmed that, do you know?

 

[Tabologist]

Starkey is not at the front of new technology. I just called to verify and they do not have blue tooth yet. Starkey does have noise cancellation and they're one of the best feedback managers I've worked with.

I noticed both your kids are 15. Do you have twins? I have 6-year old boy/girl twins

 

[golfgal]

Starkey is not at the front of new technology. I just called to verify and they do not have blue tooth yet. Starkey does have noise cancellation and they're one of the best feedback managers I've worked with.

I noticed both your kids are 15. Do you have twins? I have 6-year old boy/girl twins

Thanks for checking on that for me!!!

Yes, my 15 year olds are twins and my hearing when when I was pregnant with them. They are so much fun to watch grow up. Our twins are super close so they are starting to get nervous about when they go to college (as are we).

 

[NotUrsula]

I just saw my ENT last week, and he's after me to get new aids. They mostly sell Siemens, and they do have the bluetooth option.

 

[Pinkpony]

I have my check up tomorrow and I know my current aids are not working as they should. They are about 10 years old, which is REALLY good, but I need to replace them. Last year my dr was telling me about the newer behind the ear ones (mine are in the canal ones now). My hearing loss is such that the in the canal ones are no longer strong enough for me so I need to move to a more powerful type.

I have been researching new aids and the claims that they cancel out noise better, etc. sound great but are they really that much better? I am also SO TIRED of feedback and the new ones claim no feedback issues.

Has anyone purchased new aids in the last year or two and what is your experience?


I did post this on the disabilities board but it is so much more active over here

I wore in-the-canal hearing aids since 2002 (I think) and just purchased this past January the Oticon RITE (receiver-in-the-ear).

I LOVE my new hearing aids!! I have moderate hearing loss, probably not quite as bad as yours because my in-the-canals still worked, but there is a huge difference in the quality of sound to me. What I like best is I don't feel like my ears are "plugged" all the time, my canals don't get all sweaty, and my aids don't get plugged with ear wax. I hated that!

The Oticons were bluetooth adaptable, but I didn't get that option because I don't wear mine all the time. Mainly just for work.

Good luck on your decision.

ETA: Oh, and I have twins too (17). Freaky. lol

 

[golfgal]

Thanks everyone. I will let you know how it goes today.

 

[golfgal]

I ordered the IQ9's from Starkey. They should be in on Wednesday.

 

[Planetsis]

Sorry for jumping into the conversation late. I've been wearing hearing aids since 1993 and have moderate loss.

Some of the top brands these days are Siemens, Oticon, PhonaK and Wydex. Some offer bluetooth and some do not. Personally, I think the bluetooth bit is overrated unless you are very much attached to your electronics or cell phone. None of these actually have built-in bluetooth, but rather you need to wear an attachment that transmits to your hearing aids.

The best come with a 30-day trial so that if you do not like them, you can return them and try another type. I'm not familiar with the brand the OP chose, but different brands are better for some types of hearing loss over others, so you should follow your audiologist's advice in that regard. It's been my experience in working with three different audiologists that they tend to recommend certain brands based on the best sales pitch from the manufacturers, so if you are not at all happy with your hearing aids, please return them during that 30-day trial.

 

[golfgal]

Sorry for jumping into the conversation late. I've been wearing hearing aids since 1993 and have moderate loss.

Some of the top brands these days are Siemens, Oticon, PhonaK and Wydex. Some offer bluetooth and some do not. Personally, I think the bluetooth bit is overrated unless you are very much attached to your electronics or cell phone. None of these actually have built-in bluetooth, but rather you need to wear an attachment that transmits to your hearing aids.

The best come with a 30-day trial so that if you do not like them, you can return them and try another type. I'm not familiar with the brand the OP chose, but different brands are better for some types of hearing loss over others, so you should follow your audiologist's advice in that regard. It's been my experience in working with three different audiologists that they tend to recommend certain brands based on the best sales pitch from the manufacturers, so if you are not at all happy with your hearing aids, please return them during that 30-day trial.

When the audiologist told me how the bluetooth actually worked I figured it would be more of a pain then it is worth. I retired from my old job because I had to do so much phone work and just couldn't hear on the phone well enough so that is why the bluetooth was attractive to me. The one's I got are from Starkey, the IQ9 is the model. We went to Harry Potter yesterday and I was thinking I should have waited until I got my new hearing aids because I miss so much of what is said now but, I know the story line enough that it was ok.

If these work out for me as well as everyone is saying I MIGHT get tickets for Wicked again so I can hear THAT show.

 

[golfgal]

I picked up my new hearing aids. They are REALLY LOUD--ok, they just seem loud. The audiologist turned them down quite a bit but she said we would gradually increase the volume so I could hear what I need to hear. Since my old ones were so inadequate for my hearing loss she said basically it would be like starting all over again with the adjustments. They are SUPER comfortable too-I don't even feel the behind the ear thing.

I have 3 programs in them now-one for every day stuff, one for watching tv and movies and one in restaurant/big crowd situations. I can tell this one is going to be SOOOO nice. I went out to lunch with my sister to a very noisy place and I can see where it will help. I don't have enough volume yet to hear people at my table great yet though.

I am keeping notes on my phone for all the situations, good and bad, so when I go back for a recheck next week she can tweek the computer programs. Eventually there will be enough info stored on the hearing aids themselves that I can call into the computer and have them adjusted.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

[golfgal]

Well, after a month and a half, I love my new hearing aids. We are still fine tuning them but they are so much better than my old ones. Funny thing happened last night, we were at a band concert and during a trumpet solo, the notes the kid was playing activated my telephone control (where I can use the touch tones on my phone to change the volume of the hearing aids). I think one more adjustment and we should have everything where I need them .

 

[Pinkpony]

So glad you love them! And they are so much better than the in-the-canal ones that felt like "plugs."

I love mine too!

 

[escape]

I've got to get new hearing aids this year. So glad you started this thread. I've had mine for about 10 years and I know they don't work as well as they once did. I just HATE shelling out the big bucks for them but I have to have them if I want to hear better.

Glad yours are working out well for you.