Hearing Aids?

[Randall53]

I’m 68 years old and worked in loud environments my entire adult life. I have severe hearing loss and without hearing aids I can’t carry on a conversation at all, even in a quiet setting. I have a set now that are 3 years old with a cost of $4000, but I’ve never really been satisfied with them and they seem to get worse at time goes by. SO....I’m asking for input from anyone that uses the new lower cost HA’s with “new technology” what they think of them. I know they all are offering 30+ days returns etc.....but I’d really rather get input from real users that I trust here on TGO and not “paid actors” (yes, they really have that disclaimer) that rattle on during commercials on TV. I appreciate any input anyone has. 

 

SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST!!

Edited March 25, 2021 by Randall53

[hipower]

Yes, I'd like to see some comments on "hearing aids" as well. 

Got tested a few months ago and like Randall53, tests showed that I have "moderate" loss in one ear and "significant" loss in the other.

So far it has worked to my advantage...but with wife at home full time now; I have a lot of feedback on the issue. lol

[Randall53]

49 minutes ago, hipower said:

Yes, I'd like to see some comments on "hearing aids" as well. 

Got tested a few months ago and like Randall53, tests showed that I have "moderate" loss in one ear and "significant" loss in the other.

So far it has worked to my advantage...but with wife at home full time now; I have a lot of feedback on the issue. lol

I know the feedback feeling well. 

[No_0ne]

[Garufa]

1 hour ago, No_0ne said:

That ain’t right!  

[Garufa]

Having dealt my Mother’s need for hearing aids, the expense of said devices, and my potential future need, it is an absolute crime that Medicare or supplemental insurance does not pay for them.

[Raoul]

56 minutes ago, Garufa said:

Having dealt my Mother’s need for hearing aids, the expense of said devices, and my potential future need, it is an absolute crime that Medicare or supplemental insurance does not pay for them.

Huh?

[Darrell]

I wear aids, but probably the same as yours. My loss is severe-enough that I need the behind-the-ear style. But they make a world of difference in carrying on a conversation. Like you, Randall, I can't converse except one-on-one, even with the aids in. On top of that, my audiologist tells me that while my hearing is not getting worse, my ability to understand is. There are times when I have to ask someone to repeat two or three times, which can be frustrating for the speaker.

The best thing about mine is that there's a blue-tooth interface that connects my aids directly to my phone. With that connection I can talk on the phone almost in a normal manner. Without it, it's a real struggle.

But having said that, I prefer life without the hearing aids. There's just so much noise to put up with all the time! It's a relief when I can take them out and stretch out with a book and read in silence. If I weren't married, I'd probably do without them all the time.

[Grunt67]

I have 2 hearing aids, furnished by the VA, so no cost, thankfully. The first ones I had were the little in the canal type. A royal pain in the ass to use.

 Hard to get in & out, volume control almost unusable. Finally quit using them. Years later, I got the newer version ( behind the ear & little cone inside

 the ear. these worked really well. I have a newer version of that now.

The ones you se on TV, I believe, just basically amplify, with out all the extra

bells & whistles. Noise reduction, directional hearing, etc. You kinda get what you pay for.

The good ones run several thousand $$$$.  Bottom of the list is $29 at Walmart. They do work, up to a point. I used on temp. when one of mine quit.

This may not have the answer you were looking for completely, but hopefully it will help some.

Good luck,

Larry

[xsubsailor]

If you have a Costco in your area, check theirs out. Same hearing aids as elsewhere but quite a bit cheaper. There's other perks too, but they would have to explain all of that to you. 

[Grayfox54]

42 years of listening to diesel engines has taken a toll on my hearing. My problem is that my hearing loss in in a fairly narrow range. Unfortunately that range is right where human speech falls. I can hear high or low sounds just fine. But can't understand what a person is saying right in front of me. 

Back in 2012, for the first time in my life, we got health insurance that would actually cover hearing aids and I got a set. At the time these were state of the art 8 channel models. Now days they go up to 16 channels, maybe more. Even with insurance paying more than half the cost, I had to pay $3000 on my end. But now being retired and on medicare, I have no coverage at all. My only option is to keep the ones I have working and with them getting old, they need fixing from time to time. Just spent $245 getting one of them fixed a few days ago.  I can't afford to replace them because the ones I need would run around $8-10K. 

Another problem I have is background noise. By the time my Audiologist gets them adjusted to where I can hear and understand people talking, any background noise at all just drowns them right out.  Restaurants are the absolute worst. Dishes clattering, people talking, etc. Several times on one of my all too rare dates, I've had to take them out because the background noise was so bad I couldn't understand a word the lady across the table was saying. 

Frankly, its gotten to the point that I only wear them when watching TV or go to a movie. At least then I can hear what the actors are saying and keep up with the story. 

The hearing aids sold at Costco, Sam's, on the internet or what have you only amplify all the sounds around you. Pretty much useless if you're like me.  Same problem, just louder.  

If you have hearing problems, I strongly suggest you go see a good Audiological Doctor and see what they recommend.