Thread for those of us that are deaf/hard of hearing?

[flamingo40]

I've looked through the health topics and can't find any particular areas for those of us who are deaf or hard of hearing to turn to if we are after advice or just fancy a chat with people who are in the same situation?
I guess I'm asking firstly if I'm missing something or secondly if there isn't an area we can go to would this be something Mumsnet would think about adding?

Having been hard of hearing for years and now a permanent hearing aid wearer I'd love you get help and advice and talk about experiences to other people

It’s amazed me that people don’t wear their hearing aids in the house

I get very insecure if I don’t. I can’t really hear anything without my hearing aid in. No TV, no background noise, no people unless their are right near my ear

Yes me too
Only time I don't wear them is in water and bed!

@Soubriquet it depends on how bad your hearing is.

I can usually hear most of what people are saying to me if they are on my good side, reasonably close - not standing too far away and certainly not in another room. I do tend to need to look at people when I am speaking and need to concentrate and not be tired or preoccupied with something else.

I do need them if people are moving around the house and talking, if I need to listen out for the doorbell or talking quietly. I cannot hear the TV even with aids at the moment - am hoping to get these adjusted

Yes I don't wear my in the house (generally) but can hear people talking if they are looking at me. I can't hear the door, phone or TV without them though. I did buy a TV listener though but it doesn't work on our TV so is a waste of money. Even with my aids in I can't make out words on the TV so rely on subtitles.

I have moderate bilateral loss

I have been deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other, for as long as I can remember. I also have severe tinnitus in both ears.

As a child the hearing clinic did not recommend hearing aids for me. Saying they would be useless in my deaf ear and the aid itself large and bulky and not good for a child! So, I learnt to lipread at bit and got on with things but found high school hard, especially as I was having to pretend, I heard what people were talking about. Lipreading is only about 40% useful IF you have an idea of the topic under discussion.
When at university I was struggling hearing the lecturers and got a hearing aid at that point and wear it most of the time since.

Recently at a hearing clinic, they upgraded my hearing aid to a new one with a tinnitus setting which is very swish. It plays waterfalls to me to calm my internal tinnitus sounds.

I have no problem telling people about my hearing difficulties, as it has been lifelong for me. I haven’t lost anything, as I never had it to start with IYSWIM. Like stereo sound. I have never heard that style of sound with one one kind working ear, so I don’t understand what it is.

I have no directional sound is amusing and frustrating at the same time. If I met a good friend on the street, they would shout I am behind you next to the tree. Whereas a new friend would shout hello, I am here. Making me do a 360-turn trying to spot my new friend somewhere, lol

My children have learnt to wave their hands in my eye line or tap me on a shoulder to get my attention and have done so since being tiny tots. I also taught my young babies/toddlers a dozen baby signs which help communications, many years ago now.

One of the nursery teachers commented that she always knew when it was one of the kids who wanted her as they tapped her shoulder and although said in jest, I could tell it was annoying to her. I apologize and explain that it was something we encouraged out children to do, so that I could turn to lipread/listen to them. I wish she had mentioned it earlier, as it was with the youngest child of four. She must have been so annoyed whilst teaching the older three!

I often find that people assume that I am ignoring them, as I am too young to be deaf/hard of hearing and apparently, I don’t look deaf? If the first words I hear from someone are harsh and loud. I ask to have you been talking to me for a while. As I can’t hear unless you are on the other side of me. Then they apologize for being shouty.

I am intrigued about official lip-reading classes, I just picked some up due to necessity. I would like to know more.

I use hearing aid plus subtitles to understand the tv and a ring doorbell so I can ‘hear’ the door. I wake up using a vibrating alarm which goes under my pillow, however the vibrating alarm on my watch seems to do just a good a job, so I use that atm.

Nice to catch this thread and met you all

Yes I can't tell what direction someone is when they call by name at work often. I didn't even realise it was because of hearing difficulties till I read about it online

@flamingo40

Thank you for starting this thread. I’m in my 50s and have just got hearing aids for the first time, for moderate hearing loss. Must admit, feeling very self conscious, and dare I say, embarrassed at needing them (no offence to any hearing aid wearers). I’m still finding it tricky putting them on and off, and negotiating my hair, glasses (and also a mask).

I will read this lovely thread properly later, as I really should get up and do something constructive, rather than reading mn!

It's interesting comparing hearing aids and glasses/contacts - it's now fairly cool to have glasses, and not in the least bit embarrassing. But hearing aids, well they're for old people and I have to hide them.

In the same kind of way that it's seen as "ok" to say, oh, I'm rubbish at maths, but far to embarrassing to admit that actually, you can't read very well.

Hopefully we can get to the point where hearing aids aren't just an "old person" thing, and get to be accepted as just something some people use/wear, in the same way as glasses are.

I don't feel that they're an old person thing
Do people feel that way??
I think that's a strange way to think

@purpleme12

I don't feel that they're an old person thing Do people feel that way?? I think that's a strange way to think

Yes, I have been told several times, that I am too young to have hearing issues or I don't look deaf, lol

People just don't think, before they speak

However since I got my wheelchair, I haven't had any hearing related comments so that is a plus, I guess. Or maybe I am old enough in my late 40's to be old!

I've never had any comments like that

(Apart from ironically from a doctor the other day saying is there a reason you wear hearing aids as you're very young (30s)
I'm thinking errr might be some hearing loss believe it or not! She was a very weird rude doctor though

One of my biggest problems with being deaf was the sheer ignorance of some audiologists.

I mean these doctors train to be work with the hearing and then they sit there and talk with their hand covering their damn mouth!

When I was younger, I used to get my mum to interpret for me and one doctor got so annoyed he actually snapped at my mum to stop answering for me

I couldn’t hear him!

I struggle to hear people with thick beards or if they have a strong accent

Made worse by having a beard and an accent.

I was screwed

Yesterday in Casualty when it showed Jade's hearing from her point of view
I wonder if that's accurate to how she hears

Regarding whether hearing aids are for old people, generally people seem to have them from birth or childhood (due to meningitis etc), or during old age. You don’t hear many people getting them inbetween. I know of one person (early fifties). Thinking bout it, I don’t know many people who wearing hearing aids generally (apart from the elderly).

I don’t think there’s a stigma attached to them, as there used to be for glasses.

However, personally I’ve just got to get the confidence of wearing them. I keep telling myself, if I had a headache, I would take paracetamol, and this is no different. They’re there to cure a problem.

(Think I’m generally feeling fat and frumpy at the moment!)

I don't think it's that unusual to get them in between
I did
I don't think there's a stigma either

It’s so odd hearing about stigma towards hearing aids when so often I get snapped at by hearing people “Get a hearing aid!” when I don’t hear something. Or asked why I don’t have one. Feels like whatever you do, people have an opinion on it!

Oooo I have someone who I can share this exciting news with

I have a private person coming out next week to fit with me a Bluetooth hearing aid. I get it for 60 days free with no money down. If I don’t like it, I can send it back. It i do, I can pay £124 for 2 years interest free, or go over the 4 years and pay a bit of interest after that. Very excited

I got mine in my late 40s. Been deaf on one side since childhood. I got it because my good ear deteriorated. I think those who acquired deafness in childhood are moe susceptible to hearing loss, in general. I was told I was more likely to get one at 50 than others

@Soubriquet

Oooo I have someone who I can share this exciting news with

I have a private person coming out next week to fit with me a Bluetooth hearing aid. I get it for 60 days free with no money down. If I don’t like it, I can send it back. It i do, I can pay £124 for 2 years interest free, or go over the 4 years and pay a bit of interest after that. Very excited

That does "sound" very exciting, excuse the pun 😝

You'll have to keep us updated on what it's like!

[quote Standrewsschool]@flamingo40

Thank you for starting this thread. I’m in my 50s and have just got hearing aids for the first time, for moderate hearing loss. Must admit, feeling very self conscious, and dare I say, embarrassed at needing them (no offence to any hearing aid wearers). I’m still finding it tricky putting them on and off, and negotiating my hair, glasses (and also a mask).

I will read this lovely thread properly later, as I really should get up and do something constructive, rather than reading mn![/quote]
You're more than welcome.... I'm glad we are all benefitting from having others to talk to

@Soubriquet I hope you can benefit from the aids do you mind me asking we’re your not able to get some on the NHS? I feel lucky now that I have got 2 blue toothed enabled aids on the nhs for moderate hearing loss. I’m under 50 working so nothing special about my case.

Hi all

I really appreciate this thread as I know only two other people who have hearing difficulties in real life. Perhaps there are more but no-one else talks about it!

I have unilateral moderate-severe hearing loss secondary to mastoid surgery when I was a teenager. I was very excited to be approved by the NHS for the Samba 2 Bonebridge in November 2019, but due to covid delays I haven't actually had it fitted yet.

I would be really interested to hear from anyone who already has Bonebridge. In particular I'd like to find out more about the post-op recovery time and whether you have got to grips with the tech easily.

Is there anyone out there?

No. Not available in my area yet

Has anyone found that when they got hearing aids it seems as if there hearing went worse?.not sure if my hearing is getting worse or I'm just getting used to them?

When I don't have them in I feel I'm really missing out and really struggling. But it seems worse than before I got them. Is this just my brain getting used to hearing properly with them in and I notice the difference when I take them out. I've had them about 6 months

Also I feel a bit overwhelmed still when I'm wearing them so I don't wear them in the house. It seems so noisy with them in like my brain is too switched on if that makes sense?

Can anyone relate?