How does hearing loss change you?

Has anyone out there but me tried TruHearing? They are a great resource but finding a great audiologist who is part of their network of providers is equally important.
I drove an hour to my old neighborhood because after my move I have not found anyone to replace her.
A hearing aid is only as good as the audiologist fitting you and setting up programs for different situations. Noisy environment is my favorite for crowded restaurants.

@daveshaw I have bought at least 2 maybe 3 pairs of hearing aids through TruHearing. Their aids are the latest and their staff representatives are knowledgeable and helpful. I could not find a good audiologist in their network 🥲 You are correct that the HAs are only as good as the audiologist that fits them. I drive 1 1/2 hrs to the Audi I found. She in not a TruHearing provider but it’s worth it to have them programmed for me correctly. She did not charge me to become her patient and program my HAs even though o bought thru TruHearing. Another Audi charged me $350.
What I’ve learned is you have to speak up - be proactive. My new Audi said she will work with me when it’s time to get new HAs.

My advice to anyone who is a candidate for hearing instruments is to have your hearing tested by a professional audiologist. Doctors of Audiology have AuD behind their names. Talk to other people you know who use hearing instruments and find out their stories. Where do they go? Whom do they see? Pleased or not pleased, etc.

After receiving a full hearing test, ask the audiologist for a copy of your audiogram. You have a right to that information. It gives you the opportunity to shop for hearing instruments without having to be tested again.

If you feel what the testing audiologist offers you is too costly, (Hearing instruments can range from $2000 - $5000 apiece in some cases), take time to shop around. Go to Costco if you want to. Their products are less expensive. They offer longer trial periods. Try them. See if they help you. Take time to try them in every possible place where you want to hear better. If they don't help enough, return them and start over.

Know that once a trial period is over, it's unlikely you can get any money refunded...so read the fine print. Many audiologists only allow 30 - 45 days for trial. This is their business model. It is up to YOU to know what's helping. Also it's up to you to go back for adjustments if it is not working. Once you are fitted with a hearing instrument you have a job to do to help yourself.

It's not an easy job...but it's well worth doing. Good Luck!

Thank you Julie. Is the audiogram the graph with various numbers for both ears that was sent to my Mayo portal? If so I can print out from there.
Thank you again!

Thank you so much for your response. It was actually the audiology dept at Mayo recommended Costco because they had such good pricing. 😁

Hearing loss is an invisible disability. I get more respect with my walker because of the arthritis than with my hearing loss. Costco is a good company for the purchase of hearing aids due to pricing. I understand that completely. Be sure you have a thirty day or more to try your new hearing aids out and be sure to go back to if you have any problems in different venues before your purchase. It is a good idea to bring a hearing friend or relative with you when buying hearing aids.

I might suggest finding a good audiologist in your area that works with TruHearing. Costco is good but with TruHearing you get the latest technology at the best possible price.
They have quite a few audiologist that are in their network of providers. The key is to find the one that you trust.

@joangela @ethanmcconkey Hi Joan, I feel like what you wrote could almost have been written by me. I did not have a hearing loss until about 15 years ago but it has gotten progressively worse, and now my clarity/comprehension has gone downhill also. Communicating is very frustrating.

I can be in my own home, with just family members around, and the conversation is overwhelming. I have at times just politely dropped out, and gotten out my IPad. Prior to my final retirement (I was "retired" for 20 years when I was raising my son and daughter), my hearing loss did not involve clarity so I could cope better. We often go out to dinner with another couple and it can be very challenging. I have Oticon HAs and have the Connect Clip to use with them. When we go out I sometimes bring that and have the other woman wear it so I can hear her better. When we are with my son he automatically asks for it! He tries harder than anyone to be accommodating to my hearing loss. The Connect Clip is helpful but the quality of sound is a bit harsh so it is not great. The time it is most helpful is when I go to water aerobics. One of the instructors leads from outside of the pool so she wears it for me. I wear my hearing aids in the water because my head never goes near the water.

I am hearing more and more about the HLAA convention in June, in Rochester, NY. Are you attending that? I have not yet decided, I have a lot of things going on now and the airfare is not cheap. I am in NH.

If you have any tidbits of advice, things you have found helpful, please post. I am interested in anything that can be helpful.
JK

I have Signia AX hearing aids. They are better than previous ones but still frustrating. Signia is coming out with a Signia IX platform which is essentially the Horizon IX.
Does anyone have positive experiences with the Signia IX or Horizon IX hearing aids?
Someone mentioned the most advanced Phonak hearing aid being good for profound hearing loss. Has anyone had any experience with it?
I would prefer not to get CI’s but at 73 I want to hear better.
I look forward to comments from the group.
Thanks.