Thank goodness for the ATLFA!

Helidore1983

Helidore1983

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Hey guys, I haven't been on much lately, but I am still trying to get hearing aids. My vocational rehab department pushed it off onto the Lions club, which I was happy that they were willing to help, but then I went to the audiologist yesterday and he informed me that they are only going to give me 1 hearing aid. So, tell me this, if vocational rehab wants me to be successful in school and return to work, then how come they won't help me?? 1 hearing aid is not going to work for me, it will just discourage me to wear the hearing aid at all.

So, I am awaiting a loan from the ATLFA (Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority) here in Virginia. They told me yesterday that I have been approved for their loan program pending a discretionary income form to make sure I have enough money to cover the monthly payment (which I am pretty sure I do). Then I can get the hearing aids I really want, AND need, and not be lopsided.

Some of these audiologists really act like we are stupid, and make it seem like we don't know whats going on. What a bunch of jerks. He told me yesterday that at least I will have 1 hearing aid to assist me, which I understand that, but I have been told by other doctors, plus read on the internet and in books that it is not appropriate to have only 1 hearing aid if 2 are needed.

Any thoughts?
 
Helidore1983 said:
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Some of these audiologists really act like we are stupid, and make it seem like we don't know whats going on. What a bunch of jerks. He told me yesterday that at least I will have 1 hearing aid to assist me, which I understand that, but I have been told by other doctors, plus read on the internet and in books that it is not appropriate to have only 1 hearing aid if 2 are needed.

Any thoughts?
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yes,some auds are rude.. they consider us just like a pet , don't give us info about HAs..it sucks.

As for two or one ? If you have severe/profound loss then you absolutely need two hearing aids for better speech perception and directionality,noise etc..

I have severe /profound loss . I used one hearing aid for 17 years in the past.. I have switched to two hearing aids on august 30,2006 .. It's been a great improvement to use 2 aids.. I can hear better with two... and I can enjoy stereo sounds , can tell where sounds are coming from to some degree..Sounds are richer :D
 
I read on the American Academy of Audiology website that if you have 1 aided ear and 1 unaided ear, that it is possible to have deterioration of the unaided ear because it isn't getting as much use. And thats coming from a website designed for the students and people in the profession of Audiology. So I wonder what thats about?!? LOL. Thanks for the input!
 
Helidore1983 said:
I read on the American Academy of Audiology website that if you have 1 aided ear and 1 unaided ear, that it is possible to have deterioration of the unaided ear because it isn't getting as much use. And thats coming from a website designed for the students and people in the profession of Audiology. So I wonder what thats about?!? LOL. Thanks for the input!
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:hmm: yes, I didn't use my left ear for 17 years.. and now, after a year of bilateral hearing,my left ear improved pretty much..I can understand speech with my left ear with HA to some , but right ear is much better.. and two ear together offers best possible solution for me..

Plus,I should note that I can now hear some sounds much better with two ears..in the past, I couldn't hear them good.. they were very blurry .

and I should add some more..

IF you cannot get two then my advice :

use your ears rotatively.. for instance, use the ha on your right ear for six months and then wear the ha on the left ear for six months... and so on.. this way you can avoid high deterioration .. just my opinion .

good luck
 
I agree, if you are used to bilateral hearing then one hearing aid is a less than optimal outcome.

By the way, I've been through audiologists like some people go through shoes. There are some real cowboys/jerks out there. I finally have one that I love. She listens to me and takes all my issues seriously.
 
Helidore1983 said:
I read on the American Academy of Audiology website that if you have 1 aided ear and 1 unaided ear, that it is possible to have deterioration of the unaided ear because it isn't getting as much use. And thats coming from a website designed for the students and people in the profession of Audiology. So I wonder what thats about?!? LOL. Thanks for the input!
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Well,maybe I can help with that point. Many folks are not deafened/or hearing impaired equally in both ears. So if you are deafened in one ear to the point that a hearing aid wouldn't be justified, then why spend the money? However, if one is more or less deafened equally in both ears and hearing aids would help (whatever your definition of help is), then by all means you should spend the money for two hearing aids. This way, you will have stereo!!! Lol....
 
R2D2;844557By the way said:
When you find one you love, that's fantastic. (I just left an awesome audiologist of several years - mostly because she's not the one in her practice who does CIs. So at least I still get to say hi when I'm in there.)
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Awesome!! I never thought of that!!

highlands said:
:hmm: yes, I didn't use my left ear for 17 years.. and now, after a year of bilateral hearing,my left ear improved pretty much..I can understand speech with my left ear with HA to some , but right ear is much better.. and two ear together offers best possible solution for me..

Plus,I should note that I can now hear some sounds much better with two ears..in the past, I couldn't hear them good.. they were very blurry .

and I should add some more..

IF you cannot get two then my advice :

use your ears rotatively.. for instance, use the ha on your right ear for six months and then wear the ha on the left ear for six months... and so on.. this way you can avoid high deterioration .. just my opinion .

good luck
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Oooh thats a good idea, and leave it to the audiologist not to mention that I could purchase an extra earmold for my left ear . . . . What a butthead. Thanks so much, I will take this into consideration. :)
 
Helidore1983 said:
Oooh thats a good idea, and leave it to the audiologist not to mention that I could purchase an extra earmold for my left ear . . . . What a butthead. Thanks so much, I will take this into consideration. :)
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you are welcome.. I learned this from Starkey web site.. There was a famous and hard of hearing actor who did what I said in my post :)

of course, when you change the ear to use hearing aid then you need to have your aid re-programmed or to adjusted.. but it is easy
 
Whew! I finally got word that I am approved for my HA loan. Yay!!

I finally heard yesterday that I will be getting a loan for the HA's of my choice! I don't have to have 1 hearing aid after all! I didn't think I was going to be able to get it for sure because of credit, but they did give it to me, and its awesome because instead of one used refurbished plain hearing aid, I can get 2 brand new ones in the color of my choice and brand of my choice.

Has anyone ever used Unitron HA's? That is what my audiologist is recommending, and I was just curious if anyone had any feedback on that.

Thanks!
 
congrats :) and yes, I used a unitron E1-P hearing aid between 1989-1996.that was very durable.. As of now, I don't have any experience with unitron.. I now wear two Bernafon win 112 btes.
 
Congrats on your loan and your new hearing aids! I assume Lions are going to help with this? The less I say about DRS the better. :whistle:
 
To be honest, I am actually very surprised that DVR just shoved you off to the Lions Club. I was approved for two hearing aids for my one ear. One primary and one back up through DVR because I was under the income requirements. I am happy to hear that you are getting what you want but I still don't think you should have to pay for it.
 
Unfortunatley . . .

contradica said:
To be honest, I am actually very surprised that DVR just shoved you off to the Lions Club. I was approved for two hearing aids for my one ear. One primary and one back up through DVR because I was under the income requirements. I am happy to hear that you are getting what you want but I still don't think you should have to pay for it.
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Well, I do have to pay for the hearing aids. My local DRS (department of rehab services) do not want to pay for it if the lions club is willing to help. However, the lions club only offers 1 HA and 1 earmold, so I can't even switch off if I wanted to. I could apply to Starkey's program, but it is $100 per ear deposit, and it is non-refundable if you don't get approved. SO, I just decided that I would go through the ATLFA and they are letting me have a zero interest loan and make payments of $70 a month for my particular loan. I can afford that, and I get the HA's of my choice and preference. So its not too bad. I will live! :) I agree that there should be some better help out there. There probably is but I have been searching all over and I'm 3 months into this and need HA's before I can't attend school anymore.

Thanks for sharing :)
 
contradica said:
To be honest, I am actually very surprised that DVR just shoved you off to the Lions Club. I was approved for two hearing aids for my one ear. One primary and one back up through DVR because I was under the income requirements. I am happy to hear that you are getting what you want but I still don't think you should have to pay for it.
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It comes as no surprise to me that DRS won't help her. I've dealt with it when I lived in VA. It sucks b*lls to be blunt.
 
hehehe . . .

deafskeptic said:
It comes as no surprise to me that DRS won't help her. I've dealt with it when I lived in VA. It sucks b*lls to be blunt.
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Amen to that. I mean, they haven't even returned my last phone call. I always have to hound them down, and you would think that this lady would be just a 'tad' bit more understanding because she, herself, is disabled.

Hmpf. . . . oh well. I found other means, and when I get the hearing aids in a couple of weeks, I will let everyone know how it goes!! :)
 
Helidore1983 said:
Hmpf. . . . oh well. I found other means, and when I get the hearing aids in a couple of weeks, I will let everyone know how it goes!! :)
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Cool - glad you found a way around it somehow and good luck with trying them out.
 
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