Advice on hearing aids please;)

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thesoundofsilence

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I have a sensorial hearing impairment that dips into the sever/profound range. I was fitted with starkey CICs five years ago. One has stopped working. They are no longer under warranty and will cost $400 to fix.
Should I get it fixed or should I consider buying a new pair?
If I get a new pair I think something with more power (behind the ear) would be my best bet. Are they more affordable then CICs? I paid $7000 for the Starkeys:( I don't think they were worth it.
Sorry for all the questions:$
 
If your loss is severe to profound, you shouldn't even be looking at CIC.

BTE hearing aids won't fail anywhere near the same amount as CIC hearing aids.

I love my BTE hearing aids and I'm profoundly deaf!
 
BTE are much more affordable as they last longer and need much less repair.
 
Thanks! and ya, I don't think I should have been fitted with CICs in the first place..
Have you ever had CICs? Are the BTE better for hearing in social situations? That is what I have the most trouble with. I find that I avoid social situations like a pelage because I can't hear anyone.
 
It depends on the BTE's features. Some aids have features that are designed to make social situations easier. Usually they'll minimize or filter the background noise and put more priority on foreground noise and anyone who is talking nearby.

CICs are capable of this feature, but BTE can be more powerful, and thereby provide more volume if CICs cannot go loud enough for your hearing level.

They're by no means perfect, but they do help quite a bit. I'm using digital aids that are 7 years old and even they help out in noisy restaurants and family gatherings. It's still going to be a challenge socially, though. That's something all of us HOH have to struggle through.
 
thesoundofsilence said:
Thanks! and ya, I don't think I should have been fitted with CICs in the first place..
Have you ever had CICs? Are the BTE better for hearing in social situations? That is what I have the most trouble with. I find that I avoid social situations like a pelage because I can't hear anyone.
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You were probably fit with CIC aids because of questions you were asked at the time and you probably wanted something less visible, didn't want people to know you had HA's, etc. CIC's have the most repair issues of any HA because of where they sit all the time, however, if you want to look into getting the CIC's repaired you could send them to Hearing Aid Services: Welcome to Direct Hearing Aid Services and see what they would charge you to repair them. All the employees of Direct used to work for Starkey prior to the company moving to Minn about 10 years ago, so they know Starkey HA's. However, if you want to cut your losses you will probably get better results with a BTE HA in the situations where you have problems. Good luck.
 
seb said:
You were probably fit with CIC aids because of questions you were asked at the time and you probably wanted something less visible, didn't want people to know you had HA's, etc.
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The Starkeys were my 2nd pair of hearing aids. By then I was already over being self conscious about my HAs. I told them that I did not care what they looked like or how big they were I just wanted to hear.
 
I have the noise canceling feature on my aids now but I find that it dulls all sounds not just "noise". Could I ask what HAs do u have?
 
Bottesini said:
Yes, I have never had anything but a BTE.

I think the new slim tubes fittings for profound loss are very cool.
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I do never tried the slim tubes . I will have ask about them the next I see my audi . I am glad I read this thread b/c it reminded me to call my new audi , , she had my last audi fax over my when I had my last hearing test and I thought the audi would call me and let me know I could get a hearing test . I hope she did this b/c she was bugging me about having my hearing tested .
 
NaidaUP is right, BTEs are the best for you!!! (so going with that option again since the miniBTE my audi showed me doesn't have a volume switch in which I need lol)

some of them are 13s and some are 675s. *she's got 675s and I'm a 13er.*

also you might wanna go nuts for the Qs too.
 
Jane B. said:
What is the advantage of the slim tubes?
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The only real advantage is less crowding and pain if you have small ears and glasses also.

For people who have large ears that hide the aid, I guess it is cosmetic, also.
 
Bottesini said:
The only real advantage is less crowding and pain if you have small ears and glasses also.

For people who have large ears that hide the aid, I guess it is cosmetic, also.
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That could help with my TMJ and head pain I still get from the auto accident I had in 1995 .
 
Sarfarigirl2011 said:
you're welcome anytime!!!!!!!!!!! go Chilli if you like sleek and small.
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I have Chili and would not get them again. I had to have all the beeping shut off. I wanted purple HA and my are kids friendly , they beep for everything so I had my audi turn off all the beeping and they're the only HA I had moisture issues with a lot.
 
yeah but the beeping is also helpful to let you know that the battery's going! (the beeps are pretty cool sounding but annoying at the same time LOL)
*the beeps sounds alot more like a robotlike tone to let me know it's about to go*
 
Sarfarigirl2011 said:
yeah but the beeping is also helpful to let you know that the battery's going! (the beeps are pretty cool sounding but annoying at the same time LOL)
*the beeps sounds alot more like a robotlike tone to let me know it's about to go*
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That was the only beeping sound I kept on mine. I did not need my HA to beep whenever I turned it up or down. I found the beeping to be very annoying , and not cool at all. I hate beeping sounds .
 
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