Day one

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theatregrl

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So I got my hearing aid. It's kind of surreal. Things sound so much better. I can hear things I haven't heard in a long time. Didnt even realize I wasn't hearing them. Right now my voice sounds a little loud. Almost felt like there was an echo. So far so good!!
 

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I remember going through the voice issue when I had moderate loss. Looking back, I wonder if the tweaks the audi preformed for that issue caused the aids to not be as good. However, back then, the aid themselves were not as good so it is hard for me to compare.

You can ask your audi to adjust it, but be careful, it's rare that someone likes wearing a hearing aid when they first get one. The great majority can't stand the background noise. If your aid isn't giving you a headache, chances are you have a great fitting mold and a correctly programmed aid.

Have it checked out and see what they can do.
 
So far the background noise is a little annoying and I don't have a headache. I just find myself a little overstimulated if that makes sense. I keep turning around to see what's making the noise. I am a little self conscious. Worried that people are looking at me different. That's the one annoying thing. I took my hair out of the ponytail at first but then I figured that I shouldn't hide it and u can barely see it.
 
I'm guessing your Audi said to come back in a week or two for tweaking. This is so that your brain can get used to the sounds. Keep a notebook of everything that doesn't seem "right" (eg: your echoing voice) and if these things are still problems when you go back mention them to him/her. It can take some time to adjust the HAs and your brain. :)
 
Appt is 2 weeks from today but she said if there were major issues to come right back. The only thing I am noticing so far is the voice thing on the everyday program. Other programs my voice is ok.
 
theatregrl said:
Appt is 2 weeks from today but she said if there were major issues to come right back. The only thing I am noticing so far is the voice thing on the everyday program. Other programs my voice is ok.
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Your brain may adjust to the voice thing by your next appt. But, if not, tell your Audi so she can make adjustments.
 
theatregrl said:
So far the background noise is a little annoying and I don't have a headache. I just find myself a little overstimulated if that makes sense. I keep turning around to see what's making the noise. I am a little self conscious. Worried that people are looking at me different. That's the one annoying thing. I took my hair out of the ponytail at first but then I figured that I shouldn't hide it and u can barely see it.
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Being self conscious is natural and, if I had the hair, I'd cover mine too. If nobody sees the aid, they won't treat you different, at first. In fact, with your loss you probably won't notice any difference. I'm guessing, you can still communicate fairly well.

Wear your hair any way that makes you feel comfortable.
 
Ok so I went to the mall and didn't take the hearing aid out. I felt like everyone was staring at me. The girl behind the counter at the restaurant helped me on the floor and I know she saw it and then started just staring. I know I am not being paranoid. . . She even started over enunciating. I just ended up leaving. Don't know why I wore it at the mall. I can function without it. . . .I just figured its part of who I am and I should embrace it. . . well I think I went a step too far.
 
theatregrl said:
Ok so I went to the mall and didn't take the hearing aid out. I felt like everyone was staring at me. The girl behind the counter at the restaurant helped me on the floor and I know she saw it and then started just staring. I know I am not being paranoid. . . She even started over enunciating. I just ended up leaving. Don't know why I wore it at the mall. I can function without it. . . .I just figured its part of who I am and I should embrace it. . . well I think I went a step too far.
Click to expand...

Why? Why do you care what others think? If you want to hear, then wear the HA. And it's best to wear it all the time (except when showering, sleeping, etc) so your brain can get used to hearing again.
 
VacationGuy234 said:
Being self conscious is natural and, if I had the hair, I'd cover mine too. If nobody sees the aid, they won't treat you different, at first. In fact, with your loss you probably won't notice any difference. I'm guessing, you can still communicate fairly well.

Wear your hair any way that makes you feel comfortable.
Click to expand...

I don't know why anyone would want to hide them, they're no different from glasses and frankly, no one cares. They only notice when you don't understand.

I remember when I heard my voice and was so depressed that I sound this way...it's a squeeky old woman type of voice. I had no idea I sounded this bad and hope someday to afford speech lessons....yet another thing on my list.

Laura
 
theatregrl said:
Ok so I went to the mall and didn't take the hearing aid out. I felt like everyone was staring at me. The girl behind the counter at the restaurant helped me on the floor and I know she saw it and then started just staring. I know I am not being paranoid. . . She even started over enunciating. I just ended up leaving. Don't know why I wore it at the mall. I can function without it. . . .I just figured its part of who I am and I should embrace it. . . well I think I went a step too far.
Click to expand...

No one would think bad of you needing HA, they're like eyeglasses, just about everyone has them. It's wonderful that you're getting so much out of them. Sit back and enjoy the sound, don't hide it, embrace it, not everyone is lucky to have HA or benefit from them. No one really notices them but you....
 
I have been wearing HA's most of my life now. I have noticed that other people do not notice hearing aids even if they are purple like mine. the only people that notice are HA users.
 
LoveBlue said:
Why? Why do you care what others think? If you want to hear, then wear the HA. And it's best to wear it all the time (except when showering, sleeping, etc) so your brain can get used to hearing again.
Click to expand...

I've never understood why people are so "self conscious" about hearing aids. It's not like they're those giant body worns from the old days, or ear horns.
 
Lau2046 said:
I don't know why anyone would want to hide them, they're no different from glasses and frankly, no one cares. They only notice when you don't understand.

I remember when I heard my voice and was so depressed that I sound this way...it's a squeeky old woman type of voice. I had no idea I sounded this bad and hope someday to afford speech lessons....yet another thing on my list.

Laura
Click to expand...

Speech lessons will never fix a deaf accent......Even late deafened people have deaf accents.
 
I guess it was because it was my first day. I am the only person I know who wears a hearing aid. It's new to me and I'm really not use to it. I think I will get used to it overtime. Maybe she wasn't looking or over enunciating. I'm sure it will be fine. Just really wanted to share that I was a little stressed.
 
I get people who look at me sometimes I guess because they're in awe of a "young" person having hearing aids...I don't let it bother me...only if people are rude do I say anything. Also those aids are pretty far in ..so I doubt people will really notice them...I wear bte's that are purple lol you shouldn't be so self conscious about it because you'll just start thinking you see people noticing when really they could care less
 
theatregrl said:
Ok so I went to the mall and didn't take the hearing aid out. I felt like everyone was staring at me. The girl behind the counter at the restaurant helped me on the floor and I know she saw it and then started just staring. I know I am not being paranoid. . . She even started over enunciating. I just ended up leaving. Don't know why I wore it at the mall. I can function without it. . . .I just figured its part of who I am and I should embrace it. . . well I think I went a step too far.
Click to expand...

You are being paranoid. And I bet she was not over-enunciating, you're just hearing her better. A properly fitted aid is almost invisible because people don't tend to stare at other people's ears (can you remember how anyone's ears look like?) -- it's not like a nose clip or anything.
 
Oc318 said:
You are being paranoid. And I bet she was not over-enunciating, you're just hearing her better. A properly fitted aid is almost invisible because people don't tend to stare at other people's ears (can you remember how anyone's ears look like?) -- it's not like a nose clip or anything.
Click to expand...

I have bright blue earmolds and read Naidas. Very little people notice my earmolds or Naidas even tho they are brightly colored.

EDIT - I really should say no one notices my earmolds or hearing aids.
 
Lau2046 said:
I don't know why anyone would want to hide them, they're no different from glasses and frankly, no one cares. They only notice when you don't understand.

I remember when I heard my voice and was so depressed that I sound this way...it's a squeeky old woman type of voice. I had no idea I sounded this bad and hope someday to afford speech lessons....yet another thing on my list.

Laura
Click to expand...

I agree that nobody will care that you walk down the street with an aid, it's not that big a deal. The OP is probably just an attractive woman and that is the reason for the attention.

However, it is a fact that people treat a person different once there is a communication issue. It is a fact that people treat a person different in their job because of a disability. Whether they treat that person better or worse is subjective, but surely, that person is being treated different because of it.

There is no getting around it, a deaf person does not have the same life as a hearing person. Some would argue it's a better one, but it's certainly not the same one.

Case in point: I wear a hat to the supermarket and people start talking to me. This happened last week at Trader Joe's when I was looking for wine. If I don't wear the hat and my aids are clearly visible, there is not much conversation, not that the conversation would go very far anyway.
 
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