New to hearing aids - frustrated and looking for advice.

My audi did tell me that it would take time to get used to new sounds, but what I'm talking about is that these HAs are really messing up the existing sounds in addition to introducing new, high-frequency ones.

Example, the hinge on my door. If I put my ear right up to it I can clearly hear a very high-frequency squeak. I can't hear the upper parts of that noise if I'm a few feet away from the hinge. When I put my HAs in, I can hear the squeak but there is a ridiculously loud grating/squirting noise generated that is in a lower register than the squeak. Rather than just hearing more sounds, everything is slightly to grossly garbled.
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. If I put my ear right up to it I can clearly hear a very high-frequency squeak.
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Does that also happen if you put your cupped hand close to your ear?
if yes, then the issue can be the hearing aid is set too loud,
or the earmold is not right or not fitted properly, or not the right kind,
or if you require the HA to be set too loud -it's too weak a model for you in the first place.

Rather than just hearing more sounds, everything is slightly to grossly garbled
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Apart from indeed badly chosen hearing aid, that could simply be imperfect programming.
To find the right programming, it takes HOURS.
Your audio, but most of all YOU, should be very patient when it comes
to programming your HA.
It took me about 5 visit and at least 1.1/2 hr - 2 hr each time to fine tune each 'ear' every time.

It is very tiring, but in the end well worth it.



I however, am also concerned that this audio may be taking advantage of you.
Why don't you go someplace else just to talk and see what they have to offer you, what deals and what hearing aids - just for comparison.
Also, please remember since it is you who is going to be cleaned out of helluva money - you have right to try out different kinds of hearing aids.
If you aren't satisfied with Widex, ask to try Siemens or Oticon or Phonak.
If not, simply say you'll go someplace else, then.
I doubt your audio will want to see these $$$ walk past by him.

Fuzzy
 
my sons first hearing aids you could here the piolts talking when planes went overhead just hang in there and if your not happy with them take them back remember the may be professionals but they don't know you like you know you
 
The first month I wore aids, I was hearing a lot more noise but not understanding any more conversation ( mid range loss ) as time went on I gt to where I understood more. My audi wears aids and sells Starkeys, thats what I have (2). Only complaint is the itty bitty batteries, almost impossable to get backing sticker paper off
 
Starkey is absolutely amazing! I only wear one aid ( my right ear has complete hearing loss) and if it wasn't for some people on here, I prolly would of paid an arm or a leg for some choppy hearing aid.

Welcome to Starkey.com

you can find a local audiologist that sales them. I was lucky to find one that gave me a 30 day trial risk free, I am soo happy with it.
 
like you im new to hearing aids as my hearing loss is recent and ive had the same problem with my hearing aids, i can hear background sounds more than anything, if someone is talking to me and something else is going on in the background i cant hear whats being said, exactly the same with the tv i have to have subtitles on. the otherday my audiologist rang me while i was on the bus coz i rang them about this and i got upset coz all i could hear was the noise of the bus, she was very nice and sent me a text instead, i went back for them to be reprogrammed but its still the same except i have the screeching noise of the hearing aids in my ear unless i turn them down. i havent a clue what type of aids mine are as ive got mine on the nhs.
sometimes i get so frustrated with them i take them out coz i cant hear with them and i cant hear without them i think whats the point
 
"According to my evaluation my hearing is normal up to 1khz, then it's a straight line down to 60db loss at 4khz, then flat from there up. She sells Oticon and Widex, and wanted to fit me with Widex Passion 115 because she's better at those than Oticon. That sounded weird to me but I went with it"

I never heard an audiologist say that they are giving me a HA because they know the brand better! This is not about what work best for your audiologist , it about what HA worked best for your hearing lost!! I would find an other audiologist that is more qualified! And get your money back!!
 
All I can say is that it takes time and several adjustments to get them right for you. It also seems to me that my brain had to be reprogrammed to hear again
 
loubelou said:
like you im new to hearing aids as my hearing loss is recent and ive had the same problem with my hearing aids, i can hear background sounds more than anything, if someone is talking to me and something else is going on in the background i cant hear whats being said, exactly the same with the tv i have to have subtitles on. the otherday my audiologist rang me while i was on the bus coz i rang them about this and i got upset coz all i could hear was the noise of the bus, she was very nice and sent me a text instead, i went back for them to be reprogrammed but its still the same except i have the screeching noise of the hearing aids in my ear unless i turn them down. i havent a clue what type of aids mine are as ive got mine on the nhs.
sometimes i get so frustrated with them i take them out coz i cant hear with them and i cant hear without them i think whats the point
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Do your aids come with the option of having various "programs" on them? For instance, I have "normal," "music," "telecoil," "speech in noise" and "comfort in noise."

A "speech in noise" program is designed to cut out a lot of background noises (like the roar of traffic, or silverware clattering in a restaurant, etc.) and focus on "speech." In part it does this by using only one microphone (some HAs have two, one facing forward and one for ambient sounds - the S in N program will cut out the ambient mike). It will also dampen those sounds that are not in the "speech banana."

It makes a world of difference to be able to use that program. It's not perfect - for me, I have to turn the volume up a couple of clicks when I use it. But it is far better than just turning up the volume of an unprogrammable aid which then will pick up and intensify ALL noises - exactly what you do NOT want!

Ask your audi about that and see if you can get a programmable aid.
 
Beach girl, I wish that I had that. What kind are they?
 
Mine are Phonak Savia Arts. They are a few years old; this particular model has been superseded by something else, I'm quite sure.

There are lots of companies that make programmable aids. ReSound does, for sure. I think pretty much all the major companies have something to offer in programmable versions.
 
My oticons have one program. It's allegedly supposed to adjust for different situations. I'm not so sure that they do.

I just had a trial with the newest HAs and I didn't notice any appreciable difference. Good thing because I need to get some more milage out of these HAs.
 
Some years ago I had an aid something like that, and no volume control. I HATED it. Guess I had it for a few years before I could justify buying another set. Since then, I have insisted always on getting something with at least a few programs and most definitely with a volume control.
 
For "off," I can just open the battery compartment slightly. Don't they all do that, pretty much?
 
Yes, but I have to take them off to do that. I'd like to be able to turn them off in a restaurant without taking them out. I don't think I can wear them without losing the battery with the door open. Maybe I'm wrong about that?
 
On mine the battery doors have two positions: one, just very slightly open, enough to cut off the current from the battery, and two, wide open to take the battery out. The batteries will not fall out from the first position where the door is only just barely open.

The doors are designed to do that; it's sort of like the indent on your car door when you can open it just a bit and it will stay put. I wouldn't try it if the aids are not designed for that.
 
Beach girl said:
On mine the battery doors have two positions: one, just very slightly open, enough to cut off the current from the battery, and two, wide open to take the battery out. The batteries will not fall out from the first position where the door is only just barely open.

The doors are designed to do that; it's sort of like the indent on your car door when you can open it just a bit and it will stay put. I wouldn't try it if the aids are not designed for that.
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Yours should have an off program as well. At least mine did. I wore the same thing until I got the new one.

As for my HA I hated it at first. Flipping a light switch sounded like a car wreck. It gets better
 
Beach girl said:
For "off," I can just open the battery compartment slightly. Don't they all do that, pretty much?
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mine doesn't. Lowering volume control below 1 "clicks" to off-mode but opening battery compartment is good idea to save battery.

btw - my HA is Oticon Sumo DM
 
most HA batteries are zinc air.... meaning - it oxidized with oxygen to power your HA. That's why it has a sticker strip on the back of battery that you have to remove when replacing your battery. Once you remove the sticker, the battery has already started degrading.

that's why the battery's life expectancy can be increased by placing your HA + battery together in Dry & Store.
 
I was told to never put the batteries in the dry and store. Can't remember the reason, though.

TXGolfer, no, I've got no "off" program. I think I *could* have had one, but then I would have had to give up one of the active programs, and I like and use all the programs I've got. I use "music" and "speech in noise" quite a bit, use "comfort in noise" if I'm driving the convertible with top down, and of course "normal" is the default setting (which supposedly searches for the "best" program to use and switches into it, but I don't always agree with what it picks!)

I don't use the t-coil that much; don't like the sound quality there.
 
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