Advice needed - what would you do?

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MelissaWatt

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Last time I am going to post for a while- tried digitals- long story short. what I thought was my hearing aids dying turned out to be a dying dehumidifier for my aids. Spent 8 weeks in digitals. Turned them back in and got custom analogs at a whopping 4000.00. Spent 4 months trying to adjust to it and finally just put the old ones back in. Loved them!!! Found a pair on line just like the ones I have. Question is: should I continue to try wearing the custom analogs that my hubby bought me( feeling guilty because he is a very hard working breadwinner and I love him even though I am not happy with the sounds) or should I listen to him as he tells me- it's your ears and do what makes you happy. He tells me with love as tears fall everyday from my face that everything is alright and we will get through this. He tells me that he wants me happy and not to worry or think about this any more. My heart is heavy and my mind is filled with trepidation as to what to do. The question lingers as to how much longer will my four pairs of analogs that I have and love. Help?!?!? What would you do?:confused: :confused:
 
MelissaWatt said:
Last time I am going to post for a while- tried digitals- long story short. what I thought was my hearing aids dying turned out to be a dying dehumidifier for my aids. Spent 8 weeks in digitals. Turned them back in and got custom analogs at a whopping 4000.00. Spent 4 months trying to adjust to it and finally just put the old ones back in. Loved them!!! Found a pair on line just like the ones I have. Question is: should I continue to try wearing the custom analogs that my hubby bought me( feeling guilty because he is a very hard working breadwinner and I love him even though I am not happy with the sounds) or should I listen to him as he tells me- it's your ears and do what makes you happy. He tells me with love as tears fall everyday from my face that everything is alright and we will get through this. He tells me that he wants me happy and not to worry or think about this any more. My heart is heavy and my mind is filled with trepidation as to what to do. The question lingers as to how much longer will my four pairs of analogs that I have and love. Help?!?!? What would you
do?:confused: :confused:
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Do what your hubby told you to do!!!
 
Annie09Z said:
Do what your hubby told you to do!!!
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What is it I have to do? My husband makes it confusing for me. He says do what makes you happy. My heart says to continue wearing the old ones but my conscience says to think about the cost and effort he put forth to purchasing these with his hard work.
 
Sounds like you have a very supportive husband who truly wants you to be happy. That is a wonderful thing to have. So, what is stopping you from doing just that, being happy. I know it's hard to think of not using what he has tried really hard to provide for you but don't you think that your quality of life is more important to him than money? I am sure he is a little disappointed but would rather you be happy and feel confident with your HAs, so it sounds like you already know what to do. Stick with what works for you.
 
thank God for NHS my HA are free but don't wear them much Which don't help you why medicare not provide or help,disgrce no one get help in USA
 
chelsiwylie said:
Sounds like you have a very supportive husband who truly wants you to be happy. That is a wonderful thing to have. So, what is stopping you from doing just that, being happy. I know it's hard to think of not using what he has tried really hard to provide for you but don't you think that your quality of life is more important to him than money? I am sure he is a little disappointed but would rather you be happy and feel confident with your HAs, so it sounds like you already know what to do. Stick with what works for you.
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Thank you for your input- much appreciated and valued!
 
caz12 said:
thank God for NHS my HA are free but don't wear them much Which don't help you why medicare not provide or help,disgrce no one get help in USA
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My hearing aids were paid for the last 25 years by Champus through my husband service time in the Air Force. Only retirees can get hearing aids through the VA, not the dependent wife. Other than that, my parents provided for me until I got married. This was a huge sticker shock and made me very ill. I spent half of my summer in tears and needing therapy. not quiet there with Medicare. I am only 46.
 
You need to use the hearing aids that work best for you. Just because you spent money on the new hearing aids doesn't mean you have to use them. Of course our loved ones want what is best for us. I'm pretty sure your husband just wants you to be happy regardless of what hearing aids you use. You are so blessed to have someone love and support you. I really hope you can find a way to not be so depressed over your hearing loss. It's been 3&1/2 years since I went totally deaf but life is good. Things can always be so much worse. I wish you all the best.
 
Angel1989 said:
You need to use the hearing aids that work best for you. Just because you spent money on the new hearing aids doesn't mean you have to use them. Of course our loved ones want what is best for us. I'm pretty sure your husband just wants you to be happy regardless of what hearing aids you use. You are so blessed to have someone love and support you. I really hope you can find a way to not be so depressed over your hearing loss. It's been 3&1/2 years since I went totally deaf but life is good. Things can always be so much worse. I wish you all the best.
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Thank you for your support. My hearing loss never did bother me until recently and I was under a large amount of stress given that the only audiologist I had for 14 years just disappeared without telling anyone and left me in a bind. I did try digitals twice in my life time and never did like them. Sadly I keep getting reminded of the fact that at some point I will have to move over to digital hearing aids. I have two pretty decent pairs of analogs. Two others just need a good cleaning and minor fixes along with my newest custom analog/ digital($4000.) pair. My hubby think that they could last me a long time. He is positive but a realist. I was able to reach out to my hometown audiologist that I had growing up and he is helping me by sending my old aids out. Now is just a matter of getting out of my depression with a little therapy. I just needed a sounding board from those who are have this experience like me. :ty:
 
There is such an incredible amount of detail you are leaving out Melissa. Are the custom analogs made to fit in your ears? We would call these ITE's. Or are they behind the ears? We would all these BTE's. The analogs are ok. The bte analogs have a stronger amplifier. The last well but depending on your lifestyle and if you have an increasing hearing loss they have problems that the bte digitals have solved. Like no more feedback. Like great water resistance. Like having nine kazillion variables that a talented audi can dial in a great sound for you. Like enough amplifier to get you through severe hearing loss and keep you in good enough sound.
There are audiologists out there that will sell ite's all day long knowing they do not have enough amplifier to match peoples needs.
Anyway it is a big subject. If you are okay with your old analogs I don't understand why the big investment in trying for improvement. If you really need improvement and are fighting it we all understand. If you want to learn a ton more about getting better hearing aids this place is a great resource. The reality of those squealing old analogs is rough on our loved ones. They would love to zoom in for a kiss and not see us wince with the ol' squealing moodbreaker going. They also even with enough sound are not so good for comprehension. You may be fine with the sound comfort but are you hearing what people are saying? A nice guy husband will push for improvement as best he can knowing that stubborn spouses are standard the world over. He just ate 4k on hope for improvement so there is something going on that way. Its the modern age the world of hearing aids has improved in a big way it is just getting the right help.
 
goodonya said:
There is such an incredible amount of detail you are leaving out Melissa. Are the custom analogs made to fit in your ears? We would call these ITE's. Or are they behind the ears? We would all these BTE's. The analogs are ok. The bte analogs have a stronger amplifier. The last well but depending on your lifestyle and if you have an increasing hearing loss they have problems that the bte digitals have solved. Like no more feedback. Like great water resistance. Like having nine kazillion variables that a talented audi can dial in a great sound for you. Like enough amplifier to get you through severe hearing loss and keep you in good enough sound.
There are audiologists out there that will sell ite's all day long knowing they do not have enough amplifier to match peoples needs.
Anyway it is a big subject. If you are okay with your old analogs I don't understand why the big investment in trying for improvement. If you really need improvement and are fighting it we all understand. If you want to learn a ton more about getting better hearing aids this place is a great resource. The reality of those squealing old analogs is rough on our loved ones. They would love to zoom in for a kiss and not see us wince with the ol' squealing moodbreaker going. They also even with enough sound are not so good for comprehension. You may be fine with the sound comfort but are you hearing what people are saying? A nice guy husband will push for improvement as best he can knowing that stubborn spouses are standard the world over. He just ate 4k on hope for improvement so there is something going on that way. Its the modern age the world of hearing aids has improved in a big way it is just getting the right help.
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I didn't think about the details. My custom analogs are BTE's they are part digitals and analog. My analogs do not squeal near as much as the customs. As for comprehension, my brain and ears are beyond messed up with trying to figure every thing out. My hearing loss is severe to profound. My husband just wants me happy again and tells me not to worry about anything as well as saying that we will get through this. This to me is huge and I am a very emotional person with a big heart. I have worn my old ones again. I wil have to go back to the audiologist who made the customs and tell him that he didn't get the sounds back to where I liked it. It's just very confusing and all upsetting to me. This would not be an issue for me if I had just paid attention to the fact that the dry box was not working. My plan was to live on these as long as possible.
 
Does your audiologist do REM (real ear measurement) testing? This is where they test to see if the hearing aids are properly programmed. They need special equipment, so many do not do it. I shopped for an audiologist who did and am glad I did as I was getting too much bass (I have hearing loss in both the low freq's and the high freq's). She was able to adjust the hearing aids with the help of the REM machine.
 
My digitals have been known to squeal/feedback. Just ask my friends I went on a trip to the UK in 2008.
 
Melissa I wore analogs for thirty years. I now have digitals. They do not squeal. They can squeal if settings are made to allow them to. Mine do not because the tech who set them up for used the proper setting to make use of the designed capability to NOT squeal. It works.

I have nothing to gain here. I make no money off of pushing these products.Things finally made giant improvements and yes it takes some effort to learn new things. I personally use hearing aids for other people, they matter to me. When I am alone the damn things come off.
 
even with correct settings mine DO squeal (or the last pair did) if pressed against something strongly (like a strong hug). Current pair haven't yet as far as I know.

There are lots of factors as to why hearing aids squeal- even digitals. Could be settings, could be shrinking earmolds, could be hugging in such a way that the ear is pressed hard enough head to head or head to shoulder.
 
Thanks everyone. I am taking it one step at a time for everything. The old analogs after 6 months of not using them is going to take getting used to again. I am putting the customs up for a little while. I need a break. I have full support of my husband. He will be there for me when I try again. The old analogs are just a comfort zone for me. I know some of you understand and some of you are showing the differences in a positive way. I just wanted to hear from a general area that is closer to home. My family ie.. Parents, sister, brother, in laws and friends are giving me their perspective.
 
I goofed. The other day I went to the chiropractor.and when he put his hands on both sides of my skull for the neck twister those digitals squealed.
I am not trying be pushy Mellissa. I just like to see people make use of the resource part of this forum. I know I have had some costly mistakes and learned the hard way. It is an aggravating process to get things better.
 
goodonya said:
I goofed. The other day I went to the chiropractor.and when he put his hands on both sides of my skull for the neck twister those digitals squealed.
I am not trying be pushy Mellissa. I just like to see people make use of the resource part of this forum. I know I have had some costly mistakes and learned the hard way. It is an aggravating process to get things better.
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Yes, we all make mistakes. No offense taken. I am still in a thought process on what to do. My mind says one thing, my heart says another. I have two thoughts- a) wear all my analogs until they are really broke (can no longer be repaired) I have four pairs or b) continue to try to adjust to the $4000 pair. Emotional decision and it's very hard for me. I am wearing the old ones per my husband. He says it's my decision and my ears. He supports any step I take, although he can't even begin to know all I feel but he wishes he could fix it. He just wants the happy carefree woman he saw before this started. He says we all learn from things and although he would not wish this on anyone. There's a blessing in this. I do have hearing aids although nothing is perfect but I can hear. I am not good at this forum thing. Hence why I am not on very much.
 
MelissaWatt said:
Yes, we all make mistakes. No offense taken. I am still in a thought process on what to do. My mind says one thing, my heart says another. I have two thoughts- a) wear all my analogs until they are really broke (can no longer be repaired) I have four pairs or b) continue to try to adjust to the $4000 pair. Emotional decision and it's very hard for me. I am wearing the old ones per my husband. He says it's my decision and my ears. He supports any step I take, although he can't even begin to know all I feel but he wishes he could fix it. He just wants the happy carefree woman he saw before this started. He says we all learn from things and although he would not wish this on anyone. There's a blessing in this. I do have hearing aids although nothing is perfect but I can hear. I am not good at this forum thing. Hence why I am not on very much.
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Melissa, the best way to get good on a forum is to just get on and jabber away like the rest of us! :lol: Just have a good time at it.
 
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