I need help to choose a Hearing Aid

@hrn88

Hello,
I have a profound hearing loss...both ears. You will notice that 3 out of the 4 choices you were given are Phonaks which are one of the most powerful aids around. I have been wearing Phonaks for years (currently Phonak Naida B90 UP...which is ultra power. My audiogram is almost at the bottom of the graph and, like you, speech comprehension is difficult and quiet environments will always be the best. The audiologists choices lead me to believe that they think you need the power with the Phonaks. The only thing you can do is to try each brand for the trial period...which is typically 30 days...but you can negotiate for a longer trial period. I have trialed other brands and always come back to Phonaks. I don't need all the bells and whistles that a lot of the hearing aids have and only benefit from a few select programs. Do make sure that the aid is equipped with a Tcoil....that is a must.

I am happy to read that you have gone to an audiologist . I don't think you will benefit by going to another one so I would pick the person you are most comfortable with. Ask to try other brands if you research a brand and think that particular brand might be more beneficial. Some audiologists are biased towards certain brands but, you are in the drivers seat....and if you get pushback from one...take your business elsewhere. The audi should be flexible and patient enough to let you trial other brands that they didn't think would benefit you. Have them explain why they don't recommend a particular brand....could be that the practice (if they are associated with an ENT pracitce for example) has an agreement of some sort with a particular brand.

My particular Audi who is now leaving the ENT practice I go to was exceptional. I tried so many brands...without an upfront charge....so many times and she never lost patience. She also said...anything new on the market for me right now would not be beneficial so wait until next year to see what's available. She was an exceptional programmer. See if you can get reviews on each of them.

Two people with the same audiogram will want and need two completely different types of aids. They are programmed from the supplier according to your audiogram and then they have to be adjusted and tweaked....numerous times sometimes.

We can't tell you which one to choose...only you can do that. If you have a good Audi who is patient and you have confidence in....chose that one...go with their suggestion but don't settle for what they suggest. Try and try...they are too expensive an item to be unhappy with

I don't like rechargeable aids...prefer battery operated ones. That's my preference and Bluetooth for my loss doesn't matter. I rely a lot on speech to text apps and Innocaption for my cell phone.

Good luck and we would be interested in your journey. You will get a good deal of feedback on this forum and from people who have opted for cochlear implants....I debated but that is not for me.

Asl anything and I hope this is not too wordy.

Yes Life is Beautiful

FL Mary

I have had Phonak for years now and I am very hearing impaired. I have one Phonak now and a Cochlear Implant in the other ear. Next month I will be fitted for another Phonak and it's bluetooth to my CI. I have been very satisfied with it.

Definitely trial run them. I have profound loss as well but phonaks didn’t work well for me. I trialed them and I struggled with them. I am on my 3rd pair of oticons. But we are all unique so just because they didn’t work for me doesn’t mean they won’t work for you.

Seeing on your graph why you have problems with speech. I have the same issue but my graph is a "cookie bite" where I'm good on both the low & high ends, missing deeply in the middle where most speech lives.
I'm with a "Hearing Up" member doctor who is committed to best practices. That means she supports me in trails on any hearing aids I want to try out. Normally you get a 45 day trial period but she told me she can extend that to 90 days, if I wish. Right now I'm trialing a pair of Phonac Audeo Lumity Life E90's, behind the ear, reciever in canal. These have the most current Phonak tech and they are astonishing in terms of what I can hear now. They have automatic environment sensing and switch profiles to match my needs. Directionally microphones so I can sense sound direction works well. The recharable option is good for 12 hour wearing. Also has bluetooth classic to my phone, TV, with ear tap controls. The bluetooth sound is amazing. I can even hook up my guitar to the Phonak TV Connect device and play my guitar over music tracks which all goes directly to my hearing aids and silently to others.
Problem I'm having is my ear canal has a 90° hook turn and my canals are not straight, so the "reciever in canal" can be painful and difficult to fit properly. So, after two weeks with these hearing aids using silcone cones, she took molds of my ear canals. She is making new in canal recivers with custom molds they will be an exact fit for my ear canals. I can continue to trial these Lumity Life aids for a few more weeks with the new custom fitted recievers. Also, we ordered a new pair of Phonak Virtos completely "in the ear" hearing aids which will have the same custom molds, as well. I really wanted to experience a completely "in the ear" option vs these "behind the ear" "reciever in ear" hearing aids I'm trialing currently.
I am sticking with Phonak, as I don't want to give up the Bluetooth classic options for calls, streaming music, and my silent guitar practice. There's a big difference with BT classic and the lesser BT options many other brands use.
Bottomline, stand firm on trying out anything you are wondering about. Try outs are the only way you can know what works best. Don't die wondering...

I feel disappointed, I asked for a trial period and they don't offer that service. They only offer trial hearing aids, in the office, while they program it.

I feel that here in my country still has a lack on knowledge about fitting, hearing aids.
I've seen videos on Youtube how very profesional audiologists in USA introduces a small mic in the ear channel and the can do a fine tunning by see in real time how the HA works.
I asked to an audilogist that I visited if he is capable to do that, and he said, I dont have that mini microphone.. JA JA JA

I don't know why this distrust on my part with doctors in general...
For example, my first pair of headphones were from the Audio Service brand, I don't know if it's a good brand, they have been working for 8 years.

The problem is that during that time mi hearing loss get worse, and some of my thoughts tell me that is due to a bad fitting...

I’ve worn hearing aids for 18 years. I presently have Phonak Audeo Paradise 90s. These are Bluetooth to your cellphone, which is a game changer, as the call goes directly to both hearing aids. TV connector also allows TV sound to go directly to your hearing aids. The speech clarity is good, but in restuarant or large social surroundings, it’s difficult for almost any hearing aid.
Phonak just released their latest hearing aid Phonak Lumity, which they say improves speech clarity like 10-15 percent. (Can’t remember exactly the %). As a minimum, your audiologist should perform ’Real Ear Measurement’. Your hearing aids are only as good as the audiologist that programs them. Good luck.

I'm trialing a pair of Phonac Lumity right now, but in a week or so will be trialing a pair of Virto Paradise 90's.
That may give me a good idea about the difference between Lumity & Paradise, if detectable.
Might be a little tricky to determine differences being the Audeo Lumity are "reciever in ear" vs Virto Paradise which are totally "in ear" style.
I plan to focus on directionally, automatic program switching, comfort, battery vs charging, and my most difficult spot...noisy restaurants with music. Both have identical BT capabilities which I love!

What is a tcoil?

It's a built-in induction type antenna that allows a hearing aid to recieve short distance FM radio broadcasts. Many performing & meeting venues are hearing aid friendly and broadcast their shows & meetings over short distance FM radio directly from their sound systems, with less echo & crowd noise.

@hrn88

What country do you live in? I am curious about the lack of a trial period.

FL Mary