Hearing Loss: Come introduce yourself and connect with others

Welcome to the Hearing Loss group on Mayo Clinic Connect.
This is a welcoming, safe place where you can meet people living with hearing loss, and friends and family supporters. Whether you were born deaf or hard of hearing, experienced hearing loss after birth or with aging, it helps to connect with others. Together we can learn from each other, support one another and share stories about living with hearing loss, coping with challenges and celebrating milestones.

Let’s chat. Why not start by introducing yourself? What is your hearing loss experience? Got a question, tip or story to share?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Hearing Loss Support Group.

@nybuffy

@cjspizz Why don’t you get a cochlear? You’re too young to be isolated!

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I thought about it, but it's not covered by my insurance, and I can't afford to pay out-of-pocket.

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@cjspizz

@contentandwell Part of my problem is I don't usually enjoy being social, so there's that too.

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@cjspizz I’m basically an introvert too. I do enjoy being social with close friends and family, bit when we go to a larger gathering I am ready to leave long before it’s over. Being social can be exhausting and being social when you have a hearing impairment makes it 10 times worse. I’m pretty much a one-on-one person.
JK

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BradMM... hearing aids for years now. Wife still hasn't learned how to speak to me. I teach a class for a fee that I feel that I won't be able to do if my hearing continues to get worse.

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@bradmm

BradMM... hearing aids for years now. Wife still hasn't learned how to speak to me. I teach a class for a fee that I feel that I won't be able to do if my hearing continues to get worse.

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@bradmm Isn't it funny how our spouses are the ones most unable to adapt to our hearing losses? My husband also does not know how to speak to me so I can hear and comprehend. With age his voice has gotten a bit grumbly which makes it less clear and at this point clarity is a big problem for me.
JK

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@contentandwell

@bradmm Isn't it funny how our spouses are the ones most unable to adapt to our hearing losses? My husband also does not know how to speak to me so I can hear and comprehend. With age his voice has gotten a bit grumbly which makes it less clear and at this point clarity is a big problem for me.
JK

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I was trying to remember but, based on the fact that my first audiologist told me that three years was the normal lifespan for my $5,000 hearing aids, I think I've worn them for 5-6 year since I'm on my second set. I have to keep the TV remote close to me because wifey still tries to talk to me with the TV on. That's just one example but it seems to me that, despite the background noise, I have to focus my attention on where I want to hear and it's impossible when she speaks while my attention is focused on TV. I also have found that I subconsciously read lips so I need to see the person's face which I won't be looking at if I'm looking at TV.

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@bradmm

I was trying to remember but, based on the fact that my first audiologist told me that three years was the normal lifespan for my $5,000 hearing aids, I think I've worn them for 5-6 year since I'm on my second set. I have to keep the TV remote close to me because wifey still tries to talk to me with the TV on. That's just one example but it seems to me that, despite the background noise, I have to focus my attention on where I want to hear and it's impossible when she speaks while my attention is focused on TV. I also have found that I subconsciously read lips so I need to see the person's face which I won't be looking at if I'm looking at TV.

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@bradmm I never thought of myself as reading lips but my hairdresser told me that he sees me doing that! After he commented on it I realized he was right, it is a lot easier when you are looking at a person to understand what they say.
My husband keeps the remotes close to him but he too will mute if I try to speak.
JK

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Funny story. My first hearing assessment I was told that I had hearing loss in high frequencies such as a woman's voice. I said "that explains a lot!" MD said, for an extra $50, he'd give me a note to take home to my wife. Later on I was talking to a young lady who spoke softly and, when she raised the papers in her hands up in front of her mouth, I didn't understand a thing! That's when I knew I was reading lips.

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@contentandwell

@bradmm Isn't it funny how our spouses are the ones most unable to adapt to our hearing losses? My husband also does not know how to speak to me so I can hear and comprehend. With age his voice has gotten a bit grumbly which makes it less clear and at this point clarity is a big problem for me.
JK

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kinda weird but too true. also very problemmatical is spouse voice significantly diminished + more inarticulate with age-related chronic disease ... it is a major endeavor simply to understand passing comments or even pointed statements (he also has difficulty writing!)

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Hi! I am a Canadian with hearing loss in both ears due to exposure to noise. I have hearing aids, and have used them for about 15 years. It's been a difficult process. I find my hearing aids help, but don't solve my hearing problems.

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@2mnycars

Hi! I am a Canadian with hearing loss in both ears due to exposure to noise. I have hearing aids, and have used them for about 15 years. It's been a difficult process. I find my hearing aids help, but don't solve my hearing problems.

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The hearing aids I'm using are about a year old. They were recently set up and are performing better now. When I started I purchased a single hearing aid because it was all I could afford. I find hearing aids are very expensive!

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