1. < Hearing Loss

Despairing of ever hearing well: Could use encouragement and hope

Posted by Banshee @banshee, Feb 12, 2022

I was dog sitting and the dog destroyed 1 of my oticon OPNs! This is my second set of oticons, and my 4th set of hearing aids. I have 2 sisters with low frequency hearing loss and my hearing loss is flat, not typical. I still don't hear well even with the top-of-the-line BTEs. I am getting so discouraged. The dog-owner is willing to put me on her Costco card so I can try getting some there. I've bought them at 3 different places and the customer service is good & they try their best, but i never get the results I'd like. I am always transparent with friends & coworkers about my loss & they still comment on how poorly i hear. I could use some good news & would like to feel more hopeful.

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Banshee | @banshee | Oct 27, 2023
In reply to @lizzy102 "Love to know the model of Oticon. By knowing the Model of HAs you wear, I..." + (show)
@lizzy102

Love to know the model of Oticon. By knowing the Model of HAs you wear, I might be able to offer some hope. One thing you will need to do with your AudD is have frank discussions of what you are hearing and what you would like to change eg. ‘Feels like I’m in an oil drum’ or ‘Loud sounds make my heart race’ or ‘When my mom is on my right side I can’t hear her as well as on the left” or ‘Sounds like I have a cold, like my ears are stuffed with cotton’. This kind of language will help your AudD to understand. Plan to have a long term relationship with your AudD, become friends, talk a LOT, the more this helper knows you the better they will understand your unique hearing loss language. Don’t give up. Let me say that again, Don’t Give UP! Hearing Loss - the invisible disability - is one of the most difficult to get remediated. I often went to my AudD Candace three or four times a year for adjustments, sometimes more often. She let me know when it was time to move up to the next HA based on my increasing loss. Finally, I was at the strongest aids, adjusted to the strongest support possible and I just could not understand - my word discrimination had diminished to the point that I could understand 4-6 words out of a hundred with both aids on in testing, much less in public. I knew I had been relying on sight reading, my training as a psychotherapist to body read and context to be able to be part (though fractured) of any conversation. A kind AudD when I was traveling and came in for a ‘desperation’ adjustment clued me in… there was nothing else HAs could do for me. Wow! Changed my life. I now have a cochlear implant and use one of my high powered aids in the other ear for balance. Oh my, am I ever part of the conversation now!!! I went to a Pink Martini concert a couple days ago (first since my processor was activated 2 years ago). I could hear distinct instruments, the words of songs and the very fast talker Thomas Lauderdale on his MC mic. Fabulous!
Good luck. Again, do not give up. You are worthy the effort. Train your people and strangers to look at you when speaking, to enunciate clearly and to employ a little kindness as you are an amazing person who just happens to have trouble understanding conversation!

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Thank-you for your kind and thorough response! I'm on my 2nd month of trying Costco's Phillips (after a disastrous 3 months with Rexall's) and still not getting the word comprehension I need. It's only 50% in an ideal environment, with hearing aids. My next step is to go to hear USA and see if I'm a candidate for BAHAs. Can't remember what the OPNs were, but that audiotek keeps trying to get me to move up to the newer (& more expensive) ones because "the processor is so fast."

REPLY
Banshee | @banshee | Oct 27, 2023
In reply to @amandajro "Hi @banshee. How unfortunate that the dog got your hearing aids. I am so sorry. I..." + (show)
@amandajro

Hi @banshee. How unfortunate that the dog got your hearing aids. I am so sorry. I know my parents had tried to find the right device on their own and even went to Costco until they made an investment in what was recommended and they've seen a massive difference. Again, I am not sure of your personal situation, however, it may be worth considering to get the right device.

Have you been to an audiologist who was able to fit you properly for what your needs are?

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No, still having no luck. I was able to get the HA speaker repaired, but there's a tooth mark in the housing. Lol. I can laugh about it now. And I'm dogsitting for that same mutt right now, but it's on Prozac and much more calm.

Going to investigate BAHAs

REPLY
Banshee | @banshee | Oct 27, 2023
In reply to @colleenyoung "@banshee, how are you doing? Have you taken the first steps to getting replacement aids?" + (show)
@colleenyoung

@banshee, how are you doing? Have you taken the first steps to getting replacement aids?

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So sorry for the late reply. I was able to get the HA mic repaired. Here's the mutt's toothmark in the housing⬇️

Looking into BAHAs
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Mentor
Julie, Volunteer Mentor | @julieo4 | Oct 27, 2023
In reply to @banshee "Oh, my loss isn't completely presbycusis loss of high tones. It's flat with a cookie bite...." + (show)
@banshee

Oh, my loss isn't completely presbycusis loss of high tones. It's flat with a cookie bite. I have 2 sisters with low end loss.

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Cookie bite and low end test results are unusual. You will likely need a highly skilled hearing aid fitter to program hearing aids for that type of loss. High frequency loss with downward sloping hearing loss as shown on an audiogram is far more common.

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Mentor
Julie, Volunteer Mentor | @julieo4 | Oct 27, 2023
In reply to @banshee "The prior technician REFUSED to provide me with a copy of my audiogram. Unbelievable. I want..." + (show)
@banshee

The prior technician REFUSED to provide me with a copy of my audiogram. Unbelievable. I want to go back because my 2nd pair of new Costco aids (Rexalls were no good and Phillips aren't cutting it) don't give me speech comprehension as well as my old Oticons. But I am appalled by their business practices. My insurance is sending me to Hear USA where I can explore BAJAs

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You may want to go back and ask for a copy of your audiogram. Seriously, you are entitled to that record. Keep us posted on your hearing loss journey. Interested to know more about your potential for BAHA devices.

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trevorchaee12 | @trevorchaee12 | Oct 29, 2023
In reply to @healthnut76 "I have an unusual severe hearing loss and the specialist I went to said I should..." + (show)
@healthnut76

I have an unusual severe hearing loss and the specialist I went to said I should never try getting hearing aids at Costco, which I already knew. They are fine there if you've got a simple age-related hearing loss but sounds like you need to see an audiologist for your specific hearing loss.

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Please try calling the manufacturer of your particular aids and ask for an audiologist recommendation. Also watch a YouTube video by Dr Cliff explaining what a thorough eye exam should look like.

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beryl2 | @beryl2 | Oct 30, 2023

I think the spell check likely changed ear to eye in the response above! At least Dr Cliff is an audiologist.

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trevorchaee12 | @trevorchaee12 | Nov 3, 2023

Although all of Dr Cliff Olson’s YouTube videos are of interest to people with hearing loss, the most important to me was the importance of …whoever is giving you your test to be using “real ear measurement “. I encourage all to watch his videos on YouTube, as it will help to educate yourself and help to determine your needs.

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beryl2 | @beryl2 | Dec 15, 2023
In reply to @julieo4 "@banshee Those Oticon OPNs are among the best hearing aids out there. What a shame that..." + (show)
@julieo4

@banshee Those Oticon OPNs are among the best hearing aids out there. What a shame that the dog managed to get a hold of one of yours. Lesson learned to always keep them in a safe location when they are not being worn. This is not an uncommon happening. Dogs are attracted to the very slight odor of the ear canal on the ear molds or domes.

@healthnut76 and @banshee A cochlear implant may be an option for you. Have either of you ever been evaluated for a cochlear implant?

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Talking about a dog destroying hearing aids a mouse snapped off the dome end of mine the other night when I left them on my night table rather than as usual in the dryer jar. We have an old house with radiators and it is impossible to block all the access points around them. We found the cannibalised one under a radiator a couple of feet away from the nightstand which has a tray top so no way the aid could have slid off. Luckily my audiologist could easily repair it but a mouse trap is now a permanent fixture and the hearing aids are secured in the jar!

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