1. < Hearing Loss

I'm completely new to the world of hearing aids. Advice please.

Posted by omegaman17 @omegaman17, Oct 28, 2021

I'm completely new to the world of hearing aids. I have one month left a Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance and I want to get a new hearing aid while I can. I am limited to a budget of $2500. I have tinnitus. I have tried my wife's hearing aids that she purchased at Cosco and I have two problems with them. The first is they don't feel very secure when I put them on. It feels like they could come off pretty easily. The second problem is I don't like the flimsy earphone piece that fits near the ear canal. It would seem to me that I could solve both of these problems if I could get a hearing aid in the old-style. A little bit larger with more of an earplug versus the two that points into the ear. Also the audio that comes through my wife's hearing aid seems a little scratchy and distorted. Any recommendations?

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bruceandruth1970 | @bruceandruth1970 | Mar 4, 2023
In reply to @imallears "@barbarat I agree with @minniemimi about perhaps switching ENTs. I also wanted to mention that hearing..." + (show)
@imallears

@barbarat

I agree with @minniemimi about perhaps switching ENTs. I also wanted to mention that hearing aids need cleaning by your Audi at least every 6 months. Those openings where the microphones are can get clogged with normal debris espically on women who use hair products. My current Audi just vacuumed out my Cros and other 2 aids and I could notice the difference. They sell vacuums on Amazon that I am considering.

I am not sure if you wear BTEs with tubing and molds .
I retube mine on a regular basis and also change the ear hooks every few months. I do this rather than having to go to my Audi when I think they need cleaning or changing. This is something your Audi should be doing on a regular basis. Also, if you wear molds, how they fit is a major priority for optimal hearing.

I question why you bought your current aids if they seemed no better than your old ones at the time. I have a very challenging hearing loss with a small area to fine tune and adjust. My old Audi ,who was the best programmer, left the ENT practice for a different area and was a superb patient women, I wanted to stay with the ENT practice and think I may have lucked out with this new Audi. She seems very energetic and proactive and even got on the phone with Phonak when I had a question about a possible new aid. I am seeing her again in 6 months because she said Phonak is coming out with something new that may be compatible with my Cros.
The Phonak Paradise is also a good update.

I would read up about Cros and BiCros receivers and some of the new aids coming out before you select a new Audi. Also get to know about Bluetooth capability and those handy speech to text apps and other assisted devices that are out there.

We have to educate ourselves and not rely solely on the Audi. I am partial to Phonak because of the power and I have trialed all the major brands. I also have been wearing aids for 40 plus years and have seen the good, the bad and the ugly in hearing loss professionals.

I think a teaching hospital is a great place to go if you have one near you. I was evaluated at one many years ago but never returned. We are overrun with Audiologists and hearing aid techs in my area in Florida and can pick from the best. Don’t be afraid to move on…it really sounds like you could be understanding a whole lot better than you are know.

Hearing loss and diet are my passions. They are related more than you think.

FL Mary

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Where are you located in Florida. I am in St Petersburg. My audiologist moved, so I am looking for a new one. I have oticons and am very disappointed with the clarity.

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1 reply
beryl2 | @beryl2 | Mar 4, 2023

By clarity do you mean word recognition? All I know is that my phonaks (audeo) and oticons of late were very similar in their effect on my hearing clarity. I find that nowadays facing someone helps so in effect I am adding lip reading. I am not sure that, unfortunately, changing hearing aids would do much for an aging auditory nerve in my case.

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imallears | @imallears | Mar 5, 2023
In reply to @bruceandruth1970 "I have had my Oticon hearing aids for 1-1/2 years. The sound is loud enough but..." + (show)
@bruceandruth1970

I have had my Oticon hearing aids for 1-1/2 years. The sound is loud enough but the clarity is terrible. Do you know if another brand is better?

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@bruceandruth1970

You would have to trial the major brands. I remember trialing Widex and Siemens and Oticon before I went to my Phonaks. One of those actually had better clarity but were not powerful enough for my profound loss. I don’t remember which one. Oticons worked better for me about 20 years ago when my loss was not as great.
I think clarity to me means there is less distortion in a persons speech pattern. It’s hard to describe but sounds in general are nicer and not as harsh which makes for easier perception….although the brain can adapt to anything over time.

FL Mary

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1 reply
imallears | @imallears | Mar 5, 2023
In reply to @bruceandruth1970 "Where are you located in Florida. I am in St Petersburg. My audiologist moved, so I..." + (show)
@bruceandruth1970

Where are you located in Florida. I am in St Petersburg. My audiologist moved, so I am looking for a new one. I have oticons and am very disappointed with the clarity.

Jump to this post

@bruceandruth1970

I live in the Trinity area of Pasco county just a couple miles away from the Pinellas border. My old Audi was in the Trinity office. I am with ENT Associates of West Fl and went to see the new Audi in the Clearwater office at countryside. Her name is Dr Davis-Foster. I liked her right off and will see her again in 6 months for a cleaning and possible new aids

FL Mary

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1 reply
bruceandruth1970 | @bruceandruth1970 | Mar 5, 2023
In reply to @imallears "@bruceandruth1970 You would have to trial the major brands. I remember trialing Widex and Siemens and..." + (show)
@imallears

@bruceandruth1970

You would have to trial the major brands. I remember trialing Widex and Siemens and Oticon before I went to my Phonaks. One of those actually had better clarity but were not powerful enough for my profound loss. I don’t remember which one. Oticons worked better for me about 20 years ago when my loss was not as great.
I think clarity to me means there is less distortion in a persons speech pattern. It’s hard to describe but sounds in general are nicer and not as harsh which makes for easier perception….although the brain can adapt to anything over time.

FL Mary

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Thank you. This was my first pair of hearing aids so I knew nothing about them. I was never offered any other brand. I wish I had been able to try more than one kind.
Thanks again. Your reply has been helpful.

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1 reply
bruceandruth1970 | @bruceandruth1970 | Mar 5, 2023
In reply to @imallears "@bruceandruth1970 I live in the Trinity area of Pasco county just a couple miles away from..." + (show)
@imallears

@bruceandruth1970

I live in the Trinity area of Pasco county just a couple miles away from the Pinellas border. My old Audi was in the Trinity office. I am with ENT Associates of West Fl and went to see the new Audi in the Clearwater office at countryside. Her name is Dr Davis-Foster. I liked her right off and will see her again in 6 months for a cleaning and possible new aids

FL Mary

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I have an appointment with a new audiologist at FL ENT later this month. My audiologist moved. The new one just graduated. I don’t know if that is good or bad. If she can’t help, I would like to try Dr Davis-Foster. Do you know who the otolaryngologist is there?

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pachab00 | @pachab00 | Mar 6, 2023
In reply to @bruceandruth1970 "Thank you. This was my first pair of hearing aids so I knew nothing about them...." + (show)
@bruceandruth1970

Thank you. This was my first pair of hearing aids so I knew nothing about them. I was never offered any other brand. I wish I had been able to try more than one kind.
Thanks again. Your reply has been helpful.

Jump to this post

My understanding is that each audi works with one brand since the technology and computer systems for each require specific training. Then, with each brand, there is a cheaper, a mid-range and an expensive model. My oticon in several years old, expensive variety & I still like it. Only 1 ear is impaired.

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1 reply
bruceandruth1970 | @bruceandruth1970 | Mar 6, 2023
In reply to @pachab00 "My understanding is that each audi works with one brand since the technology and computer systems..." + (show)
@pachab00

My understanding is that each audi works with one brand since the technology and computer systems for each require specific training. Then, with each brand, there is a cheaper, a mid-range and an expensive model. My oticon in several years old, expensive variety & I still like it. Only 1 ear is impaired.

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That’s interesting. I didn’t know they only worked with one brand. I have their most expensive model also, since that is what the audiologist suggested I get. I’m glad yours works so well for you.

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2 replies
imallears | @imallears | Mar 6, 2023

@bruceandruth1970

My ENT has about 10 locations and a dozen or so physicians who rotate to the different offices. When my ENT doctor retired (he wore hearing aids) he passed me on to Dr Alidina who I see at the Trinity office near me but I am pretty sure he is mainly at the Clearwater office. I have only seen him once and he has good reviews. There are 2 offices in St Petersburg but I don’t know if he or Dr Forster go to either of them.

As I mentioned I have only seen Dr Foster once so I don’t know how good of a programmer she is. I wish my old people were still there. I did however like her initially because of her enthusiasm and energy . She said my old Audis shoes were “big shoes to fill.” I liked that she praised her.

Anyway….the newly graduated Audi is not set in her ways yet or biased towards a certain brand and might be excited and energized enough to want to “fix you.” You never know and we are lucky to be choosy about our Doctors here because there are so many of them.

I have a challenging hearing loss and if I sense frustration or unwillingness to really persist in fine tuning my aids, I will move on to a new Audi. That’s why I have made it my business to research and understand as much as possible all about hearing loss and audiology programming. I also know what I need and what doesn’t work and that my expectations are realistic which is not always easy to explain for anyone new to hearing aids. A good Audi will probe you with questions. I have 40 plus years of gradual hearing loss.

Good luck with the graduate…I hope she works for you and they can always negotiate a longer trial period with the manufacturers but they have to have developed a relationship with them and know what questions to ask.

Keep me posted

FL Mary

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bruceandruth1970 | @bruceandruth1970 | Mar 6, 2023

Most of my doctors are in Clearwater. I will keep Dr Alidina’s name. When will you see Dr Forster again?

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