Frustrated with my audiologist

hazridi said:

It is, no doubt.

I was actually not a big fan of the Naida for quite some time, but it's Phonak and therefore compatible with my AB implant so I am sticking with it.

Try the Widex, I always really loved their sound quality. But you aren't going to get more than 144 dB SPL to be honest, that is pretty much the most you can do without massive feedback no matter the HA.

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I'm not familiar with Widex than I am of the "Big Six" (Starkey, Siemens, Oticon, Unitron, Phonak & Widex) if you know which Widex is the most powerful, let me know, so I can let my audi know if we can try this one out.

NaidaUP said:

Send your analog hearing aid to Hearing Aid Services: Welcome to Direct Hearing Aid Services in Garden Grove, CA, 1-888-580-4327.

They will repair any hearing aid no matter what the age.

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My audi would be charging $275 per repair...and this website offers it for $100! I just may use their service; I do have a backup HA that I can send. This is awesome, NaidaUP... thanks SO much!

I will be getting my hearing tested this Saturday.

And, researching CI/CI Hybrid....I'm on the fence w/this~ I might have 3 things going against me: 1) risks/surgical pain 2) I've one 'good' ear and one 'dead' ear 3) because of autoimmune crap in my body, I tend to make internal scar adhesions.

punkinbee59 said:

Ok, so far I've tried out 6 digitals, the best one (even with compression) is the Siemens Nitro
Nitro Behind-the-Ear (BTE) Hearing Aids - Siemens Hearing Instruments

My audi says that most strong digitals have, is at the highest level of 140dB. That's about as much he could give me without feedback. But I'm not getting this big deal about compression.

hah~ I tried Phonak Naida last week and retried again to compare with Siemens, Siemens won. The compression was pretty much out of Phonak, but it still sucks. But I might try getting the fancy stuff off the program in the Siemens.

ok, I've tried 2 Unitrons, 1 Starkey, 1 Phonak, and now Siemens. I don't think I've tried the Oticon Sumo DM or the Widex (which is the strongest Widex) *sigh*

other than that, any hearing aids that I haven't tried so far..?? Are there hearing aids that have over 140 dB?

My audi can't promise me anything, but he'll try to find a programmable analog (hah..good luck to him.) but I'm seeing the same kind of hearing aid I'm wearing now on Ebay, but I don't trust the fact it may NOT be 'new' but refurbished and sold at ridiculous prices. :roll:

*headdesk* trying on hearing aid is a PITA!

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lol Siemens hands down! (yes, I have an oldie that I saved for my left ear and the right looks like the battery door is busted )

Huskers15 said:

Wirelessly posted

Are there any HAs with blue tooth capability? I'm hoping they come out with one.

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Widex...at least my Clear 440s are and I'm pretty sure all the high end models are as well (re: Widex)....but I thought this was getting to be pretty much standard now?

Widex ReSound might be but don't know

Oticon Sumo DM is at least 9 years old- I know because the pair on my ears right now are those and I got 'em in 2005 lol. Oticon Chili is the current power hearing aid from what I understand. I think my Audio already ordered them (crap- I wanted COLOR damnit!!!!)...but VR...what can ya do...

punkinbee59 said:

I'm now wearing my Phonak PPCL4 - SUPER FRONT BTE (programmable analog) which I bought in 2008. I know what I hear, how I hear, what I want to hear. I know that analogs help me hear things better than digital. I don't need to hear the same old wheeze that digital is better! And my poor aids (I bought a backup with my other one) are now on the crapola. It sounds like someone just stuffed a wet cotton ball in my aids! I'm kinda on the fence on getting it repaired or get a new one. If to get a new one, I'd like know which manufacturer still makes analogs. I know that Oticon, Starkey, and I've also heard that Beltone (?) does this. (btw, I used to wear Beltone loooong ago, and they have the BEST sound quality that I've never been able to recapture again *sob*)


I've been with my audiologist for many years...and in the past 4-6 years he's been telling me that most manufacturers have digital hearing aids now, and there are less demand for analogs. I don't believe that, as I have *tried* digital for many years and my BIGGEST issue is the compression to prevent feedback. I've told him that I'm the one who had to live with my loss, and I know what I need to get the most out of sounds around me. I don't need him to tell ME what's best for my loss. I'm not sure this is true in what he said about this: our hearing is NOT linear; but the analog hearing aids are linear. Hmmm. Any truth to this?

He just called Starkey today to get the most powerful BTE (battery size 675) with linear/programming they have available.

Any inputs suggestions would be welcome!

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I have to agree with punkinbee59, I have exact the same problem what he gone thru, I have wear 2 HA for 50 years and I do not like the Digital, I have tried Unitron and Phonak and I am not happy with the sound I am hearing, I have return both brand since they are 45 days trial. I am hoping they can repair one of my broken HA which is Phonak Superfront PPCL4. I will let you know if they can repair them.

hazridi said:

Audiologists can have either an M.S. or an AuD. degree. AuD is the more recent trend and you will probably find most new audiologists have this degree, but you can practice with an M.S. In any case, audiologists that are doctors are most likely not doctors of medicine.

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I was told several years ago that it became mandatory that audiologists have a doctorate degree. They used to be able to practice with a master's degree. Maybe those who have a master's degree from before the requirement changed are not doctors but are able to practice. I thought it became mandatory several years ago to have a phd to practice audiology.

I found out that my audi is not going to be at his office a lot anymore . I had an appointment to see him and he was tried up as the hospital giving hearing tests so I had to see a woman who really does not know what she is doing. I sure don't want to have her give me a hearing test . My last audi had his family start working for him and his step daughter was a lazy b*tch . My HA was send out to be fixed and I never got a phone telling me it came back . I called my audi and the woman said it came back a few day ago and I asked why she didn't call and she said " I didn't feel like it!" :roll: I got a new audi .

My aids are about 3 years old so I assume they are digital. If comparing analog aids versus digital aids are anything like comparing the old wired telephone versus the new DSL or VoIP digital telephone .. then I can clearly understand why every one would want analog aids.

I've experimented with telephony devices since the first computer aided phone call was allowed. It was awful, and so were most of the devices that followed it. Even today the VoIP (Voice over Internet Phone) is only as good as your Internet provider. If you live rural the best phone is the phone company. Maybe. In my case, the phone company put me on a DSL fiber over copper to the house phone. It is wonderful in theory, and it is great when it works. But when it does not work it is a pointless as a broken pencil. I've been fighting about 5 years over it.

For the last three years I have been experimenting with phones and devices I can use w/wo aids that cost no more than $200 per unit. I've tried several of the cheaper units. It's been a waste of time, and an extra hour to return it.

The best I, as a consumer, can buy is the Panasonic Dec 6.0 portable phone. The basic setup is one base and one handset. You can buy a base with up to four handsets. This is a Bluetooth unit. The backlight is strong, the numbers are large, the ring and volume are as loud as a standard Bell phone. Some phones announce the caller and phone number. some do not.

I paired it last year with a Blue Parrott 250XT head set. I use the head set if I want a private conversation. The only way I can use the portable phone or any cell phone is with the speaker function turned on. The Panasonic base with three handsets and the Blue Parrott headset cost close to $300 with shipping and tax. I'm very pleased with it The Blue Parrott will pair with any two BLUETOOTH devices. Mine is paired with a house phone and my cell phone.

Will it work for all? Probably not, but it will work for many.