re-visiting Naida V UP: a newbie

DeafDoc1

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Hi, All,
I'm new to AllDeaf and was recently fit with Naida V UP aids. I had a mild/moderate hearing loss for years, but woke up suddenly about 5 mos ago with a severe/profound hearing loss. It has continued to progress and now I have 100-110 dB low freq, NR high. I previously used ReSound Azures but these weren't powerful enough. ReSound refunded my money and I tried the Naidas for a month. I can hear more environmental sounds, but have a lot difficulty understanding any speech. I was given the ZoomLink and FM receivers to try, but I'm not having much success.

With the Naidas, speech is quite distorted (the frequency transposition, I assume). Everyone sounds like they've inhaled helium. It seems like when I use the FM, there's an added layer of distortion. I've tried it hooked to the iPod and just as a mic for individuals. No luck. I had hoped to find a way to hear music again, but it just sounds like noise to me.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Thanks for your input,
Ellen
 
Ellen,

I've had severe-profound hearing loss (starting at 95 dB in the low frequencies and NR at 1000 Hz and above) for 10 years prior to receiving my cochlear implants. For 6 out of the 10 years I was able to use a Comtek FM system, but eventually, speech became more distorted and all I could use the FM system for was to hear environmental sounds. Neither my Oticon analog 380P's or Oticon digital DigiFocus II's allowed me to hear speech the way I wanted to, so I chose to get cochlear implants. Now I'm able to talk on the phone, enjoy music and converse easily with others. Given your dB loss, do you think you would ever consider getting a CI (cochlear implant)?
 
Thanks for the reply.
Since this degree of hearing loss is so new, and thought to be related to medications I will be on for 9 more months, I am unwilling to go that route right now. Call it denial, but I'm hoping some of my hearing will return. Until then, I'm using PSE and an interpreter at work. I had studied ASL in college, along with French, Latin, Hebrew, and other languages I thought I'd never use much...
Ellen
 
Thanks for the reply.
Since this degree of hearing loss is so new, and thought to be related to medications I will be on for 9 more months, I am unwilling to go that route right now. Call it denial, but I'm hoping some of my hearing will return. Until then, I'm using PSE and an interpreter at work. I had studied ASL in college, along with French, Latin, Hebrew, and other languages I thought I'd never use much...
Ellen

I can understand your reasons for not opting for a CI. If I were in your shoes, I would also wait to see if my hearing returned. I think it's great that you're using PSE and an interpreter at work. When I could no longer use an FM system, I used tactile sign (PSE -- although I knew ASL) as well as other communication methods for the deafblind.

All the best to you! :)
 
I tried out the Naida for a while, and I just didn't like them. I frequently went back to my audiologist for even more adjustments and even replacements, and I still just could not get used to the Naida's, so I've gone back to the Supero (also made by Phonak). With Supero, things just sound more normal. With the Naida, meh! I couldn't even enjoy music with the Naida so I just gave up on it and returned it. I was really hoping it would work and benefit me but it didn't, and I was rather disappointed. Then there's the fact that with the Naidas, you have to open the battery door to turn it off, and close it for it to turn on. I'm so extremely used to having on/off switches on my hearing aids, the battery door thing on the Naida was just a pain for me. No, I'll just stick with the Supero. I do want to try Oticon products, since they're supposed to be really good too. I've worn Phonaks for 20 years, it's all I know. But what if Oticon makes a better difference? I'm also considering a cochlear implant too, especially for my left ear since it's my "dead" ear (would keep a hearing aid for the right).

I don't know if your Naidas need to be adjusted some more or not. Has your audiologist considered having a Phonak rep coming in ands helping with the adjuting?
 
I am pretty sure I am an authority when it comes to Naida problems!:giggle:

I was fitted with Naida V UPs in April, and now only on Friday did I walk out of my audiologists office without booking another appt. I think I finally have it, but it took me 7 months. I refuse to get a CI for many reasons, I do not feel like it is the right fit for me at this time. I also know ASL/PSE and use interpreters at school/socialize with other Deaf people. I was never really trying to hear and understand speech in the first place. It was just a novelty and if I got it - I got it, if I didn't - I didn't.

I might be able to help you with some questions though so let me know!

Good luck!
 
With the Naidas, speech is quite distorted (the frequency transposition, I assume). Everyone sounds like they've inhaled helium. It seems like when I use the FM, there's an added layer of distortion. I've tried it hooked to the iPod and just as a mic for individuals. No luck. I had hoped to find a way to hear music again, but it just sounds like noise to me.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Thanks for your input,
Ellen

I am currently getting my Naida V UPs adjusted. I seem to currently have what you have (helium addicts, ha!), with low pitch sounds distorted, due to an experiment trying to remove unwanted background sounds. (BTW, hearing loss is ski slope from 90-110 dB in both ears) I have one FM receiver, fixing to have a second added. As soon as I fix my low pitch sound issue, I'll try to add music back in as a manual setup. Not sure how this will happen, as I like to keep T-coil, FM, FM+mic and speech in noise as my manuals.....we'll see....

Like JennyB, I'll be monitoring this thread and will be here for support if need be! (have had the aids for 5 months)

Leo
 
You should seriously consider trying out Oticon Sumo DM its really powerful hearing aid and it sound more clear than phonak I grew up using but it wasn't clear enough for my preference (used to have moderate loss in right ear and overnight it dropped to severe profound and my left ear was severe but dropped to profound) so I got my left one that I know the hearing won't come back and if it did it won't matter cuz too deaf anyways, the difference was amazing.
Also I'm exact same way about hoping hearing will come back in my right ear it been may 2007 and I keep getting phantom sound that sound like it came back to moderate but if I close my eyes or wait next day and do same thing (like banging fork on plate) and couldn't hear it.
But anyways, you should seriously try oticon sumo dm, ask about 45 days trial since you sound like you might not be that too interested about CI so oticon could bring your hearing up to 30-40 zone and hear some sound of speech to fill in blank with lipreading.
 
Hi, All,
I'm new to AllDeaf and was recently fit with Naida V UP aids. I had a mild/moderate hearing loss for years, but woke up suddenly about 5 mos ago with a severe/profound hearing loss. It has continued to progress and now I have 100-110 dB low freq, NR high. I previously used ReSound Azures but these weren't powerful enough. ReSound refunded my money and I tried the Naidas for a month. I can hear more environmental sounds, but have a lot difficulty understanding any speech. I was given the ZoomLink and FM receivers to try, but I'm not having much success.

With the Naidas, speech is quite distorted (the frequency transposition, I assume). Everyone sounds like they've inhaled helium. It seems like when I use the FM, there's an added layer of distortion. I've tried it hooked to the iPod and just as a mic for individuals. No luck. I had hoped to find a way to hear music again, but it just sounds like noise to me.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Thanks for your input,
Ellen


You and everyone else who's worn "Normal" hearing aids and tried to convert to a transpositional aid. It is a totally different way of processing sound and takes a good bit of time getting used to it (some never do). It's what I call a specialty aid that has a 50/50 chance of working successfully on a previous user (non-transpositional). They're like CROS/BiCROS aids, if you were fit with them as a child, you'd never ask for anything but that aid. However, fitting them on a older person or experienced user tends to be problematic. You expect sound to be heard a certain way (your brain is used to that), when it doesn't, it's all wrong and it becomes frustrating.
 
Thanks for all the great feedback. Jenny, I have read your "saga" on the Naida thread and it was immensely helpful. I'm glad to hear that with time you've accomodated to the Naidas and they're working for you...gives me hope.

I was hoping that with the FM I might be able to understand enough in lecture type forums to be free of terps, but I'm not sure that's realistic.
 
Thanks for all the great feedback. Jenny, I have read your "saga" on the Naida thread and it was immensely helpful. I'm glad to hear that with time you've accomodated to the Naidas and they're working for you...gives me hope.

I was hoping that with the FM I might be able to understand enough in lecture type forums to be free of terps, but I'm not sure that's realistic.

Lecture situations are difficult for anyone with any type of hearing loss! I have no speech discrim really so it is well beyond me to try to hear a lecture, but if terps are offered...take em'!
 
Thanks for all the great feedback. Jenny, I have read your "saga" on the Naida thread and it was immensely helpful. I'm glad to hear that with time you've accomodated to the Naidas and they're working for you...gives me hope.

I was hoping that with the FM I might be able to understand enough in lecture type forums to be free of terps, but I'm not sure that's realistic.

If you decide after all the trial and errors with the Naidas the helium effects are annoying, you can still shut off the transposition effects....I'm trying to see if I can have all the bells and whistles to work for me, but hopefully my brain can correspond w/o running away....
 
If you decide after all the trial and errors with the Naidas the helium effects are annoying, you can still shut off the transposition effects....I'm trying to see if I can have all the bells and whistles to work for me, but hopefully my brain can correspond w/o running away....

This is weird to me...I have my automatic program with SoundRecover on full. I love it, it sounds 'normal' to me. Then I have a music program with SoundRecover set the lowest and that is when I experience what I call the Chipmunk effect. Infact my music program is lovingly named 'Chipmunk'.
 
This is weird to me...I have my automatic program with SoundRecover on full. I love it, it sounds 'normal' to me. Then I have a music program with SoundRecover set the lowest and that is when I experience what I call the Chipmunk effect. Infact my music program is lovingly named 'Chipmunk'.

Oh, how I wish to have my own computer set up to configure my own aids. (I'll have faster results with the experimenting with the settings) I might have said it before in the past, the combination of the Phonak iCube wireless hardware and the Phonak proprietary iPFG 2.0 software will set you up. The trick is getting an audiologist or Phonak rep to part with a copy of the disk..... :naughty:
 
I am currently getting my Naida V UPs adjusted. I seem to currently have what you have (helium addicts, ha!), with low pitch sounds distorted, due to an experiment trying to remove unwanted background sounds. (BTW, hearing loss is ski slope from 90-110 dB in both ears) I have one FM receiver, fixing to have a second added. As soon as I fix my low pitch sound issue, I'll try to add music back in as a manual setup. Not sure how this will happen, as I like to keep T-coil, FM, FM+mic and speech in noise as my manuals.....we'll see....

Like JennyB, I'll be monitoring this thread and will be here for support if need be! (have had the aids for 5 months)

Leo

Just added my second receiver today....one word....WOW!! Never did know I was missing so much sound in my left ear....I called a couple of family members and can hear very clear (still working on understanding some speech) while coupled with my cell phone via Smartlink SX/bluetooth.....I also added my BassBoost back gradually (removed prior to help remove the background noise), and it helped me to absorb the higher pitched sounds that were getting somewhat annoying. I also removed the EasyFM mode from the auto program because it was beeping at times and driving me bonkers. I think I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel......
 
That's great, Leo. Glad the FM is working for you.
I saw my audie today and we've given up on the FM. My hearing is worse again, and I find that the FM does nothing for my comprehension. I'm using terps at work, and have started using CART for major lectures/Grand Rounds. If my hearing ever stabilizes [or improves :) ] I'll try again.
Ellen
 
I saw my audie today and we've given up on the FM. My hearing is worse again, and I find that the FM does nothing for my comprehension. I'm using terps at work, and have started using CART for major lectures/Grand Rounds. If my hearing ever stabilizes [or improves :) ] I'll try again.
Ellen

That sucks.....I hope your hearing does get better....I do have a question....how do you use terps at work? Do you have someone following you around all day?
 
Yes, I am an academic physician. I see patients in my outpatient clinic half days, then see consultations in the hospital the other half. In between I teach, do research, and write. Since consults are unpredictable, I need a terp available whenever I'm at the hospital. The university office of disabilitis supports their cost.

Do you use interpreters? If so, in what situations?
 
I haven't currently needed them, since my job is not critical like yours can be. I did use terps for the last 2 years when in college. They were excellent and really were a big help!!
 
Besides, a lot of my critical information is on email.......so nothing gets missed....unless a server goes down... :shock:
 
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