losing my hearing at 25... help

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meeganb

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Hi my names Megan and im 25.
Two months ago I went for my first hearing test to find out I have moderate hearing loss and needed hearing aids.
here in Australia the government fund them until you are 26 so I was so lucky to receive a pair before my birthday. My family seem to think I've lost my hearing in the past 6 months and at this stage I was told there is no way of telling how quickly I could continue to loose it or it may stay the same.
I don't have any friends that are deaf so I'm looking for someone to talk to that can relate.
Did anyone have alot of issues getting used to a new loud world
I am having trouble with my aids n find that I'm afraid to talk with people as I hate the way I sound. Also there is so much noise constantly lime an ocean sound is this normal??

I've told a few of my l close friends but haven't told many people as I'm scared of being treated differently

Thanks megan :wave:
 
:wave:..welcome aboard!...LD here...but many members do wear HA...and should help you.
 
meeganb said:
Hi my names Megan and im 25.
Two months ago I went for my first hearing test to find out I have moderate hearing loss and needed hearing aids.
here in Australia the government fund them until you are 26 so I was so lucky to receive a pair before my birthday. My family seem to think I've lost my hearing in the past 6 months and at this stage I was told there is no way of telling how quickly I could continue to loose it or it may stay the same.
I don't have any friends that are deaf so I'm looking for someone to talk to that can relate.
Did anyone have alot of issues getting used to a new loud world
I am having trouble with my aids n find that I'm afraid to talk with people as I hate the way I sound. Also there is so much noise constantly lime an ocean sound is this normal??

I've told a few of my l close friends but haven't told many people as I'm scared of being treated differently

Thanks megan :wave:
Click to expand...

I am a former hearing aide wearer, and I wore them from 1985-2008, but quit in 2011 due to sensitivity with loud sounds and headaches. I find the quiet is much better, and easier to focus on the tasks at hand, but there are disadvantages to not wearing one, but for me, focus is far more important. I'm not trying to influence you in any way whatsoever, but my personal experience has taught me different views as I get older.
 
Thanks you both so much for your reply. Sorry robin I'm unsure what an LA is? I'm so new to this.
I'm hoping that I will learn to forget the background noises. Is this what most people experience?
 
meeganb said:
Thanks you both so much for your reply. Sorry robin I'm unsure what an LA is? I'm so new to this.
I'm hoping that I will learn to forget the background noises. Is this what most people experience?
Click to expand...

It depends on the severity of your hearing loss. Mine is severe, so despite being able to hear partially, I can barely hear background noises, and can only hear them if in close proximity. Be aware, though, that certain background noises may not be good for you. I discovered a train horn isn't good for me to be near.
 
My hearing loss is moderate. I've only had my HA for 4 days so far and I've been doing my best to wear them all day but find I'm so tired from this. And I've usually got a headache by the end of the day
 
meeganb said:
My hearing loss is moderate. I've only had my HA for 4 days so far and I've been doing my best to wear them all day but find I'm so tired from this. And I've usually got a headache by the end of the day
Click to expand...

:welcome: to AllDeaf Forum. It is normal for you to hear all kinds of noises that are not normal as you are hearing environment sounds, but if you can manage with your moderate hearing loss by picking up words. Really, hardly will you be able to hear the words well enough to pick them up and understand.

As for noises, if you can not stand the sounds, then you just remove your hearing aid(s) and let the silence calm you down. You can choose whenever you want to wear your hearing aid(s) or not. That is your decision.

You will learn a lot about Deaf Culture here and if you are interest in learning how to sign Auslan. You need to go to the Deaf class to learn how to sign Auslan properly with Deaf teacher and the whole class. And to go along with the Deaf teacher, you will also learn about Deaf Culture, too. So I hope you are living in the city where there are Deaf classes around the city.

I hope you have fun reading and posting here. See you around the Forum. :wave:
 
meeganb said:
My hearing loss is moderate. I've only had my HA for 4 days so far and I've been doing my best to wear them all day but find I'm so tired from this. And I've usually got a headache by the end of the day
Click to expand...

That's because you're new to wearing hearing aides. It took me a couple of years to get used to it. You have plenty of time to get used to it, although it varies by person.
 
Thank you for your reply bebonang. Is it better to start ASL now? Do most people's hearing get worst??

Sent from my GT-I9505 using AllDeaf App mobile app
 
Thanks Chicago blue. It's such a big change to my life.
How many people on here found out they had hearing loss later in life?!?
Does it tend to get worse?
My audiologist is unsure at this stage how quickly if at all my hearing will deteriorate.
 
ChicagoBlue2 said:
That's because you're new to wearing hearing aides. It took me a couple of years to get used to it. You have plenty of time to get used to it, although it varies by person.
Click to expand...

Were you a late deafened? Were you oral? I thought you were born deaf and an ASL user? Just wonder

Megan's. I am a HA user. But I'm an ASLer. I do get frustrate with ha because ha do change itself or my hearing loss but I suspect it's a ha. The key is to get patient with HA and keep explaining to the audiologist about the ha. Some audiologist do know what they are doing and others don't. Hope you find a ha that works for you.

Stick it here around when you can
 
Frisky Feline said:
Were you a late deafened? Were you oral? I thought you were born deaf and an ASL user? Just wonder

Megan's. I am a HA user. But I'm an ASLer. I do get frustrate with ha because ha do change itself or my hearing loss but I suspect it's a ha. The key is to get patient with HA and keep explaining to the audiologist about the ha. Some audiologist do know what they are doing and others don't. Hope you find a ha that works for you.

Stick it here around when you can
Click to expand...

Actually no. I was born hearing, but lost it quite young-- 15 months old, but it took my parents a while to realize it. I learned ASL in 1985.
 
meeganb said:
Thanks Chicago blue. It's such a big change to my life.
How many people on here found out they had hearing loss later in life?!?
Does it tend to get worse?
My audiologist is unsure at this stage how quickly if at all my hearing will deteriorate.
Click to expand...

Quite a few. I'm not one of them, though. I lost mine before age two.
 
Welcome to the community! This is a good place for you as you try to adjust to your aid.

I'm HOH and wear two aids and have done so since I was 4 years old, so I didn't come at it later in life like you did. However, I can say that it will take a while to get used to the sound. Not many hearing people realize that the sound isn't true-to-life and everything has a digital kind of feel to it compared to natural hearing. This is probably because the brain does some heavy processing to make sure sounds are dynamic, something hearing aid processors are still trying to emulate. I know this because I went through high school without wearing any aids (dumb of me, I know, but I was self-conscious) and when I got them back again after 5-6 years without, it took a year to get used to the sound again.

You'll also experience mental fatigue with all the loud sounds, background noises, having to work extra hard to process speech at and around you, etc. It'll be rough in the beginning, but you'll get a little better at it. However, the fatigue does not go away, it just gets minimized with time. I'd go to family gatherings or birthday parties and by the time I get home I'd feel like I ran a few triathalons.

I'm really sorry you're going through this at this stage in your life. That's going to be especially challenging to adjust to. Definitely take advantage of any support you can get, whether from the government, family, or friends. Don't eschew any of it. That's very important for you right now. Whether the support is financial, love, kindness, or advice, accept it all.

Give yourself time, don't push yourself too hard. Wear your aid around the house with people you are familiar with to get acclimated, so you're in a comfortable position to just be able to take them out when you get fatigued/overwhelmed. Also, although the govt. helped you out (very glad to hear that Australia does that too) try to make it a point to get a better hearing aid. The better ones have better processing and features that'll make it even easier to handle and adjust to. They are expensive, but if you can afford it, or have family/friends put together funds to help you out, or there's an agency or charity who can do so for you, do so ASAP. It'll make your life a ton easier and you'll be happier for it. Many around here seem to really like the Phonak Q90 series and I've read that the Bolero model is a good one, too.
 
meeganb said:
My hearing loss is moderate. I've only had my HA for 4 days so far and I've been doing my best to wear them all day but find I'm so tired from this. And I've usually got a headache by the end of the day
Click to expand...

Try using the HA at a volume that is most comfortable to you when around the house, to allow you to get used to them more. You don't have to leave it at a high volume until someone talks to you. That way you might not get a headache so quickly. Don't be afraid to adjust the volume as you get acclimated to it, but definitely leave it at a good volume when you go out and need to hear important things like cars, construction, boss/coworkers talking, etc.
 
Am I missing something here? If it's moderate loss, it's very workable with hearing aids. Maybe your hearing aids aren't at a comfortable setting? I'm assuming they're digital.... also, how long have you been wearing them? If you've never worn hearing aids, it takes an adjustment period and many new wearers often become frustrated easy and have no idea what to expect. It typically does sound loud so that's normal what your experiencing, but rather than keep this to yourself, you should be mentioning this to the audiologist (or person that sold them) as the sound can be adjusted. Why haven't you spoken to the person that provided them to you? I keep notes when I'm breaking in a new pair so if there's something that's driving me nuts, I can keep track of everything I've noticed, and show it to the audiologist.

Depending on the cause, no one can say with certainty if you'll lose your hearing, and they also don't know if it'll remain the same for the next twenty years...so don't put the horse before the cart so to speak. I've had bilateral moderate to severe loss all my life and for that most part, my hearing hasn't changed. I have Sensorineural hearing loss, which does get worse with age (and from being surrounded by excessively loud noise) but it's not a carved into stone that this will happen, just that it could. And while my right ear has dropped into profound range, my hearing aids help me greatly.

Remember these are just hearing aids you were given, you didn't get a Cancer diagnosis, so keep things in perspective. Many people are learning at younger and younger ages that they need hearing aids due to too many loud rock concerts, iPods blasting, or hereditary factors, so your not "different." Enjoy your friends and be yourself, people will take their cue from you. Welcome to the forum, Megan. :wave:

Laura
 
meeganb said:
Thanks you both so much for your reply. Sorry robin I'm unsure what an LA is? I'm so new to this.
I'm hoping that I will learn to forget the background noises. Is this what most people experience?
Click to expand...

You mean LD, not LA...LD is late deafened....mine at age 14, totally deaf, both ears and a HA would not do any good (as nerve and ear drums damaged beyond repair)....So I know zip about HA...or CI (cochlear implants)....I do know ASL and lip-read.

Many, many members here will help you over ur journey!
 
Hey Megan!

I was late deafened too when I was about 17, it's difficult - those people that decide to treat you differently aren't really being friendly, true friends will stick by you no matter what! That's what I found anyway.

Hearing aids and the like take a lot of getting used to, to start with it just sounds like there is constant background noise and you are better off without them - but persevere, and you will begin to be able to distinguish sounds from noise and it will be a lot better.

Look forward to talking to you :)
 
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