Hearing Aid Finally!!!

lovezebras

lovezebras

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K so i obviously have never had an ha but im getting one in my right ear 2 start out n then later if i need one for both ill get one. So im getting a BTE and he was talking maybe a starkey digital...what do you guys think? I still have to talk to my college and make sure they will def have no prob between the fm and bte but i was leaning more towards phonak just cuz both fm systems ive had have been phonak and i dunno i like there bte styles better..im only getting a basic digital but i still wud like a nicer looking bte...
So does anyone have any advice on what to expect with the process, like molds, fitting, first time wearing, batteries, daily routines, dos and donts..that kinda stuff.. Id really appreciate it!!! =) Thanks AD!:ty:
 
Alicia,

Once you find out from the college about what FM you will be using and the compatiblity with HAs, you can use that to help choose what HA. If you like phonak and they are compatible with the college FM system I would go with that.


As far as molds etc. You will have one visit where an impression is taken for the mold. The impression will be sent out to the lab that makes the molds.

Your audi should have the mold and HA in two to three weeks and you will go back for the fitting. The HA will be programmed according to your audiogram and then the audi can adjust the programming as needed.

You will then go for at least one follow up visit. At any follow up visit be sure to let the audi know what you like and don't like about the HA. Even more important if the mold hurts let the audi know so it can be adjusted or remade.

The first day with the HAs you might be overwhelmed with the sounds you have been missing but the difference might not be as obvious. I also started with a HA in the Right ear only. I had normal Hearing in the Left Ear and a 55 db loss in the Right. I adjusted right away to the HA. The HA can be adjusted if needed.

Here are some Tips:

1. Keep the HA out of the Beer at those raging college parties.

2. When you take the HA out at night wipe the HA with a soft cloth and if there is moisture in the tubing the moisture can be blown out with a rubber bulb. These should be available at the audi. I would also keep the HA in the same place preferrably a container with dessicant that will help absorb any moisture in or on the HA.

3. If you get feedback, check the tubing to see if it is cracked or hard. Also make sure the mold is fitting properly (not too loose). If you are going to college in another city and it will be hard to get to the audi, I would consider having a second mold made so if you have problems with the mold or tubing you can just switch the mold/tubing. After awhile you should have a better idea of how often you will need new molds or tubing.

4. Make sure you know what the trial period is and if you don't like the first HA you can try others. Make sure you are really happy with the HA.

5. TAKE CARE OF THE HEARING YOU HAVE LEFT! keep IPOD/ MP3 use to a minimum. If those college parties or concerts get too loud don't wear the HA and use Hearing protection.
 
For advice, as a college student, I would so strongly suggest not hiding it from your classmates when you get the HA's. If they ask questions, anwser them, mostly innocent questions.
Don't forget to take them out before you pass out from studying all night. I did that once, and the next morning I had a pretty bad headache because it was in my ear all night.
For the mold, it depends on what feels comfortable for you, but I'd go with some sort of soft material since it is your first HA. And you need to clean the mold every night to keep it that soft.
You're allowed to choose what colour your HA's are, along with the mold, talk to your audi about that :)
About the FM, I have a phonak FM, but Oticion hearing aid. Do some research about your FM brand and find out what ha's are compatiable with it.
It will take some getting used to, the sound I mean. I went from analog to digital and it took me close to a month to get used to, maybe a little more.
Oh, and DONT GO SWIMMING WITH THEM IN YOUR EARS!
I fell into a lake once when I was 4, back when I had 2 aids and ruined them!!! :thumbd:

Hope that helped a little :)

-Krista
 
Congratulations!

I got my new hearing aid a few weeks ago!

kristakree is right. It's important that others understand what it is you are wearing. You don't have to show it off or brag about it, but wait until they ask you what it is. :)
 
i was looking at the new phonak Una bte...i think it would be good enough for me since i was only going to get a entry level digital from starkey...i just dont like the look of the starkey bte's as much..i dunno..and i think im going to get my ha case black and a clear mold so it will blend with my hair:) O and i meet with the ppl from my university to make sure first my ha and fm will be compatible b4 i order it and do the ha molds..thats not til the 29th tho so im a lil anxious/excited to get the ball rollin on getting my ha soon...:ty: :ty:
 
That's great! It's about time they helped you out by letting you wear BTEs and stuff. I remember reading about your previous difficulties. Let's hope this will be the end of your difficulties. :)
 
kristakree said:
Oh, and DONT GO SWIMMING WITH THEM IN YOUR EARS!
I fell into a lake once when I was 4, back when I had 2 aids and ruined them!!! :thumbd:

Hope that helped a little :)

-Krista
Click to expand...


Ha! I did that too. I lost both of them in the lake one summer at camp and of course it was sleepover camp with two weeks left. Needless to say, I had to go a week without them till my parents could get spares.

I don't know which ear you use for the phone, but you may want to ask for a phone switch for background noise, though I imagine you use the other one. I have an ITE aid, but used to have BTE. Definitely work on keeping it clean or it's pointless.

A
 
i am more comfortable using my right ear...ido use my left too tho...i can get a t-coil switch tho rite? do they really work/help eliminate background noise n pick up the telephone convo?? oo and does my audi give me stuff to clean and a case etc for my hearing aid?? im guessing yes ..lol
 
Most BTE's have t-coil, and its usually the middle switch. It makes a HUGE difference, with both the phone AND FM.
Your audi might give you the stuff, I'm not entirely sure. I do remember getting SOME things for my sumo ha but not everything like the rubber bulb, had to buy that a few years earlier.
Hope everything goes well :)

-Krista
 
how long did the whole process take? Like getting molds done to actually recieving the aid...and wat do u do the day u get the ha is it a long visit?
 
how do you get over the embarrassment of the whistling they make? I wont wear mine just because they make somuch noise and because I have lost my high pitch in hearing, I cant hear them - believe it or not - when they whistle.......... stupid
 
It takes from a few days to a few weeks, depends on the company and your audi.

The whistling, it might be because your mold is loose, mine whistled a lot too until I got a new mold. Try that, it might help.
 
Lil, my advice is to experiment with FM and just hearing aids. Some people use the FM, but a lot of people don't. They can generally get by with just hearing aids. But everyone's different. You might find the FM to be really helpful. Don't forget to also sit in the front. That can be just as good as FM.
 
Talli said:
how do you get over the embarrassment of the whistling they make? I wont wear mine just because they make somuch noise and because I have lost my high pitch in hearing, I cant hear them - believe it or not - when they whistle.......... stupid
Click to expand...

The newer digital hearing aids on the market now have a program to cut out feedback.

Feedback often occurs on the more powerful aids turned right up, with excess wax in ears and loose molds.
 
ya im gonna try out fm with ha and if it doesnt do much ill just use the ha, and my note taker+my notes...
Ya my audi told me my ha shouldnt cause any feedback, unless my mold is loose, and i dont have that bad of a hearing loss so hopefully feedback shouldnt be a problem:)...
When you hearing aid comes in do they program it at the office?/how long does that take?
 
lilitalia89 said:
ya im gonna try out fm with ha and if it doesnt do much ill just use the ha, and my note taker+my notes...
Ya my audi told me my ha shouldnt cause any feedback, unless my mold is loose, and i dont have that bad of a hearing loss so hopefully feedback shouldnt be a problem:)...
When you hearing aid comes in do they program it at the office?/how long does that take?
Click to expand...
Alicia,

I read you have been prescribed Starkey. They are the largest HA manufacturer in North America, Siemens is the largest in the world. That information came from my HA professional. He prescribed me with a Starkey Destiny 1200 BTE Digital. Starkey Laboratories, Inc. - Products & Solutions - Hearing Aid Systems - Hearing Instruments - Destiny Series - Features

I have two of the Desitny 1200 as BTE's, my hearing loss is severe/profound. They are pretty remarkable as far as what they are capable of doing. Although, it will take time to adjust them to your liking. Having digital HAs in my experience is an adaptive process.

After having the impressions made at my first visit, I returned the second time for the aid and ear mold to be fitted. They should already have the HA adjusted for you from the hearing test. Once the HA's are put on, you simply listen to how they sound in the office. MY HA professional simply let me try it out for a couple days in the real world to see how they operate. I kept a little journal of what I did not like or how they were not helping me in certain situations. I would go back from time to time to have them tune it. Right now, I have a very subtle but noticeable whistle in my left HA that lasts for like a split second. It only happens peridically depending on the acoustics and sounds of the enviroment I'm in. We're working on it now to fix that, since the HA does have the feedback cancellation circuit already in place.

I hope this doesn't scare you, I did have to keep this in mind as a consciencious effort to make it work for my good. As far as Starkey goes, this is my first stab at a digital HA. I hope it will continue to benefit me in the long run as they have been on the ball to assist me in any way possible.
 
so now im getting a phonak bte 4 sure and my school is paying for the Phonak Smartlink SX Fm system which is the top of the line fm system that phonak offers. So my next appt on the 13th im going for the quote and looking at the diff digi aids phonak offers, and then i dunno if im gettin my molds done at the same time or not?not sure but it would be good that way!!
 
So I get my mold done next week on the 13th 4 my ha :) im happy 2 get that done so that i can finally get my ha soon!!
 
Lil,

Congratulations! :)

As a long time bilateral hearing aid and FM system user, I think you'll really enjoy using the Smartlink.

I can still remember the first time I was introduced to the use of an FM system. It made communication *so* much easier -- especially at school. I used a Comtek FM system for 6 years and found it to be especially helpful for lectures and class discussions.

Please keep us posted on when you receive your new hearing aids -- I'm excited for you! :)
 
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