hearing aid molds

[HOH33stars]

hey all!
question for ya!
I have the starkey destiny BTEs and my audi originally ordered these molds that you can't even see really (they're not an open fit, but the hard mold goes into the canal and sits there...) hard to explain so here's two pictures:


Anyway, the first set whistled REALLY REALLY bad and kept popping out. My doctor AND she said that I need to get full ear molds instead of just these little ones. I said fine, and she took the impressions again and sent them away with me understanding she was ordering me the full molds.
I went to pick them up, and she had reordered the same ones again! She said she had just asked them to make them "tighter"-they made the canal part insanely long now (they actually hurt they go in so far) and they're STILL whistling (I have extra power aids now-they're too strong for these molds according to a few people!)!
She said the reason she did this was for cost purposes.
I'm quite pissed off-these still whistle and I was under the impression she was getting me the full molds. Yeah i like these because you can't really see them, but other people even comment on the whistling! These aren't AS bad as the others because they do fit tighter, but I hate wearing them because they hurt to twist in...and they still whistle!

I don't really trust my audiologist (for a variety of other reasons also) and I'm sick of going to her. Since these aids are new I don't really want to change audis right now-the aids are fine. I'm just tired of the whistling.
I found on the web: Hearing Aids - Digital Hearing Aids - Order Online Today! where they send you an impression pack, you do your own impressions and they make the molds for you. Worth it? Or should I complain and go back to my audi? She's sick of seeing me and I'm sick of seeing her.

Also, what colors can you get earmolds in?

Thanks all! You guys are wicked awesome!

 

[lovezebras]

you should get a skeleton mold that's what i have...here are pics

 

[ClearSky]

She said the reason she did this was for cost purposes.

For cost purposes? It saved her money?

You should go back to her. I am not sure about making them yourselves. I guess you could try them if you don't care about the cost. The only thing is that audies check your ears before and after to make sure you got nothing of the stuff stuck in your ear. How will you check this?

If you have never had earmolds before, then I do know that they initially hurt, so you have to use something like vaseline to make it easier to insert. I just never had those earmolds you described. I had the full one made.

The skeleton that Alicia describes is another good option for you. It uses less mold material and you still have almost full earmold except there's a hole in the full part of the ear.

If they continue to whistle and hurt after a week, I'd go back. Your audie is strange to make things for cost purpose when it is creating problems like feedback and hurting your ears.

 

[Bottesini]

Usually severe profound loss can not have the skeleton mold. Full shell soft mold is what is usually used.Your audiologist should replace without charge to make a mold that works since it is her error.. Lots of great colors available.

My latest ones are green.

 

[HOH33stars]

For cost purposes? It saved her money?

You should go back to her. I am not sure about making them yourselves. I guess you could try them if you don't care about the cost. The only thing is that audies check your ears before and after to make sure you got nothing of the stuff stuck in your ear. How will you check this?

If you have never had earmolds before, then I do know that they initially hurt, so you have to use something like vaseline to make it easier to insert. I just never had those earmolds you described. I had the full one made.

The skeleton that Alicia describes is another good option for you. It uses less mold material and you still have almost full earmold except there's a hole in the full part of the ear.

If they continue to whistle and hurt after a week, I'd go back. Your audie is strange to make things for cost purpose when it is creating problems like feedback and hurting your ears.

i thought the same thing...the reason we had the original ones remade was because they're not suited for the extra power aids and they always result in feedback (she told me this!) so i was shocked when she reordered them again because of "cost"...
because of the feedback and stuff, the aids with being computerized "cut out"...also these molds because of how far deep in they go make them feel sometimes like there's a bubble that needs popped...so you try to reposition them but there's no place for them to go because they go in so far!

i'm a little hesitant to go back because she's the one who told me that i'm normal and i need to throw myself back into the "hearing world"-change my major, stop learning how to sign and even though the tests clearly show a severe loss, that i was "doing this all for attention". right. last time i checked i was pretty upset about the fact i can't hear! i just want to feel somewhat "normal" again without having the constant reminder that i'm wearing aids.

 

[HOH33stars]

you should get a skeleton mold that's what i have...here are pics

heh is that an "ear gear"? do you like them? do they help your ears not get as cold or hurt from the bte part?

 

[ClearSky]

i thought the same thing...the reason we had the original ones remade was because they're not suited for the extra power aids and they always result in feedback (she told me this!) so i was shocked when she reordered them again because of "cost"...

because of the feedback and stuff, the aids with being computerized "cut out"...also these molds because of how far deep in they go make them feel sometimes like there's a bubble that needs popped...so you try to reposition them but there's no place for them to go because they go in so far!

i'm a little hesitant to go back because she's the one who told me that i'm normal and i need to throw myself back into the "hearing world"-change my major, stop learning how to sign and even though the tests clearly show a severe loss, that i was "doing this all for attention". right. last time i checked i was pretty upset about the fact i can't hear! i just want to feel somewhat "normal" again without having the constant reminder that i'm wearing aids.

From reading, it sounds like you shouldn't go back to her. She's contradicting everything she's doing and telling you. Either she's doing it on purpose or something else. Is there a way she can just refund your money so you can buy your earmolds elsewhere? Sometimes it's just not worth it to go back to her.

She has no sympathy for the effects hearing loss has on people. She must be doing it just to make money and save herself a couple of dollars. This is poor service.

Do you know of a Deaf Center in your area? I think they serve the hard of hearing as well. I was wondering if it'd be better to go to them because they have resources to help people who are deaf and hard of hearing.

I think you'll find some answers in this website:

Hearing Loss Association of America

Also, see:

Go to Find Support, then Search Professionals. You may find an audiologist in it.

 

[HOH33stars]

From reading, it sounds like you shouldn't go back to her. She's contradicting everything she's doing and telling you. Either she's doing it on purpose or something else. Is there a way she can just refund your money so you can buy your earmolds elsewhere? Sometimes it's just not worth it to go back to her.

She has no sympathy for the effects hearing loss has on people. She must be doing it just to make money and save herself a couple of dollars. This is poor service.

Do you know of a Deaf Center in your area? I think they serve the hard of hearing as well. I was wondering if it'd be better to go to them because they have resources to help people who are deaf and hard of hearing.

I think you'll find some answers in this website:

Hearing Loss Association of America

Also, see:

Go to Find Support, then Search Professionals. You may find an audiologist in it.

I had responded back saying that I was angry about my hearing loss and I just wanted to feel "normal" and be treated "normal"-she said, "oh you shouldn't be angry about this because there's nothing wrong with you". I don't view myself as disabled or anything like that, however i am realizing that i need to accept that i have a hearing loss...not pretend that i can rip my aids off and go about life like everyone else-it's taking me a lot to come to that point, and for her to say that just took me back to where i'm like "i don't have a hearing loss...i can understand just like everyone else..." it's when i don't look at my interpreter and try to understand what's being said in class on my own that i realize how much i can't hear...
she keeps pushing for me to get an FM system versus using an interpreter...that's all that she talks about and pushes for...i want to hear the other students in the class. especially being an education major, there is a ton of class discussion. teachers don't repeat what other students say...without an interpreter, i don't catch what they say. why would i use an FM system and only hear the professor?

i'll have to check into the Deaf center! thank you!

 

[Hear Again]

you could use an fm system and your professor could pass around the fm mic, but 95% of the time, that's not the way it works. i've found that when using my fm system in class discussions that although each person passes the mic from one person to another, they also continue talking over each other even after i've asked them to slow down the conversation. the only other solution i've come up with is to move to another quiet lecture hall, but that won't work if all of the other lecture halls are occupied.

 

[Hear Again]

oh wow. i can't *believe* the nerve of your audi telling you that you were doing all of this for attention. wtf?! if i were you, i'd find another audi asap. it's obvious that the one you're seeing now knows absolutely NOTHING about deafness and hearing loss.

 

[HOH33stars]

oh wow. i can't *believe* the nerve of your audi telling you that you were doing all of this for attention. wtf?! if i were you, i'd find another audi asap. it's obvious that the one you're seeing now knows absolutely NOTHING about deafness and hearing loss.

it's really upsetting because...i knew i had a very mild loss at the beginning of the summer (enough that it was irritating sometimes, but not severe enough for aids) and then by the end of the summer i was at a moderate loss and now i'm at a severe. i haven't really had a chance to go through the "acceptance phase" and now i'm trying...but i'm just so confused now with what she said. i'm angered but also incredibly confused. i don't know who to trust anymore-my audi or my deaf friends or other people who know both sides...i don't know what to think. just so confused.

 

[HOH33stars]

you could use an fm system and your professor could pass around the fm mic, but 95% of the time, that's not the way it works. i've found that when using my fm system in class discussions that although each person passes the mic from one person to another, they also continue talking over each other even after i've asked them to slow down the conversation. the only other solution i've come up with is to move to another quiet lecture hall, but that won't work if all of the other lecture halls are occupied.

i don't like bringing any focus towards me so i don't know if i'd be confident to do that...it's hard enough having the interpreter (i actually tried at the beginning of the semester not to use anything, just my aids...didn't go that great and i ended up getting crazy behind and missed a ton of the lectures' content) once i got the interpreter i felt SO much better, but it took me quite a bit to get used to it...and i know everyone treats me differently...i just don't know if i could do the whole mic thing. i don't want to bother other people...if i have a terp then i don't have to ask people to repeat themselves and i can understand the first time. i dunno though...:Oops:

 

[Hear Again]

i don't like bringing any focus towards me so i don't know if i'd be confident to do that...it's hard enough having the interpreter (i actually tried at the beginning of the semester not to use anything, just my aids...didn't go that great and i ended up getting crazy behind and missed a ton of the lectures' content) once i got the interpreter i felt SO much better, but it took me quite a bit to get used to it...and i know everyone treats me differently...i just don't know if i could do the whole mic thing. i don't want to bother other people...if i have a terp then i don't have to ask people to repeat themselves and i can understand the first time. i dunno though...:Oops:

i understand.

i wish i would have been able to use a terp since my freshman year in college. it would have made things so much easier.

unfortunately, i was always led to believe that terps were only for students who were d/Deaf and had profound or total hearing loss.

 

[Hear Again]

it's really upsetting because...i knew i had a very mild loss at the beginning of the summer (enough that it was irritating sometimes, but not severe enough for aids) and then by the end of the summer i was at a moderate loss and now i'm at a severe. i haven't really had a chance to go through the "acceptance phase" and now i'm trying...but i'm just so confused now with what she said. i'm angered but also incredibly confused. i don't know who to trust anymore-my audi or my deaf friends or other people who know both sides...i don't know what to think. just so confused.

the person you should trust is yourself. trust your feelings and go with your instincts. your audi doesn't know what she's talking about. she doesn't have any understanding or compassion about what it means to grieve a loss (your hearing) and live as someone who's hoh.

 

[HOH33stars]

the person you should trust is yourself. trust your feelings and go with your instincts. your audi doesn't know what she's talking about. she doesn't have any understanding or compassion about what it means to grieve a loss (your hearing) and live as someone who's hoh.

i actually decided to go to a counselor here at school for the first time (friend's recommendation) because i'm not handling the "mourning of my hearing" well...
my audi thinks that my mind is "playing tricks on me" and making my hearing worse than it actually is-it pisses me off. i hate the silence that i get when i take my aids off or the things that are extremely quiet even with them...
i have this inner anger and all the feelings that i'm just suppressing-literally just throwing myself into my schoolwork and taking care of everyone else. at this point it's all i can do.

 

[lovezebras]

heh is that an "ear gear"? do you like them? do they help your ears not get as cold or hurt from the bte part?

It is ear gear I have that pink purple one and the lipstick pink as well. I do like them the only thing that i dont like is it makes my ear stick out a bit. My ears never hurt from my bte but it does make it a bit warmer when i put it on first thing in the a.m. and esp if my hair is a bit we still..it's good for when i am at practice too, helps with it not getting wet from being sweaty.

 

[Hear Again]

i actually decided to go to a counselor here at school for the first time (friend's recommendation) because i'm not handling the "mourning of my hearing" well...
my audi thinks that my mind is "playing tricks on me" and making my hearing worse than it actually is-it pisses me off. i hate the silence that i get when i take my aids off or the things that are extremely quiet even with them...
i have this inner anger and all the feelings that i'm just suppressing-literally just throwing myself into my schoolwork and taking care of everyone else. at this point it's all i can do.

i can't believe how insensitive your audi is. she sounds like an audi i once had who was a know-it-all fresh out of college. after giving me a hearing test (which indicated that i had bilateral severe loss), he insisted that i wasn't concentrating hard enough. well, i'll tell you something. i concentrated so hard that i wound up with a headache afterwards. i commend you for seeing a counselor. i think that's one of the best things you can do for yourself in allowing you to grieve your loss, learn how to accept what happened and to love yourself even if you can't hear. personally, i think this audi is doing more emotional damage to you and is needlessly interferring with your ability to adjust. if i were you, i'd find another audi asap -- and i would definitely continue seeing your counselor. after all, that can only be a good thing for you in the end.

 

[HOH33stars]

i can't believe how insensitive your audi is. she sounds like an audi i once had who was a know-it-all fresh out of college. after giving me a hearing test (which indicated that i had bilateral severe loss), he insisted that i wasn't concentrating hard enough. well, i'll tell you something. i concentrated so hard that i wound up with a headache afterwards. i commend you for seeing a counselor. i think that's one of the best things you can do for yourself in allowing you to grieve your loss, learn how to accept what happened and to love yourself even if you can't hear. personally, i think this audi is doing more emotional damage to you and is needlessly interferring with your ability to adjust. if i were you, i'd find another audi asap -- and i would definitely continue seeing your counselor. after all, that can only be a good thing for you in the end.

i hate those hearing tests too lol...i am listening so hard for those really soft beeps...and you do get a headache afterward! my audi said the same thing..."you have to focus and raise your hand even if it's soft!" whereas half the time i'm waiting for her to start the test still or there are long pauses in between beeps...obviously not going to raise my hand if i don't hear anything!?
i just had the "introduction meeting" with my counselor two weeks ago...i go weds...we'll see what happens i suppose. i'm a bit nervous about the entire thing.
there's a beltone provider down the road...i may just stop in to see if they provide ear molds and just do that through them and then say peace out to all audis for a long time...

 

[Aleser]

i hate those hearing tests too lol...i am listening so hard for those really soft beeps...and you do get a headache afterward! my audi said the same thing..."you have to focus and raise your hand even if it's soft!" whereas half the time i'm waiting for her to start the test still or there are long pauses in between beeps...obviously not going to raise my hand if i don't hear anything!?
i just had the "introduction meeting" with my counselor two weeks ago...i go weds...we'll see what happens i suppose. i'm a bit nervous about the entire thing.
there's a beltone provider down the road...i may just stop in to see if they provide ear molds and just do that through them and then say peace out to all audis for a long time...

I know it's not what you want to hear, but you need an audi who you can really work with- which is not your current one and will never be. More likely than not, your hearing aids will need adjusting in the future (given both changes in your hearing and changes in your lifestyle needs), and you will need to replace soft earmolds on a regular, if infrequent, basis. You can probably ignore this for a few months if you get fair molds through a dispenser, but you'll need to do it eventually.

 

[HOH33stars]

I know it's not what you want to hear, but you need an audi who you can really work with- which is not your current one and will never be. More likely than not, your hearing aids will need adjusting in the future (given both changes in your hearing and changes in your lifestyle needs), and you will need to replace soft earmolds on a regular, if infrequent, basis. You can probably ignore this for a few months if you get fair molds through a dispenser, but you'll need to do it eventually.

do you have any suggestions for finding a new GOOD audi...especially since i just got a set of aids?