For Those of us who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Part 2

[Violinist64]

The original thread is almost full and I have found it extremely helpful so have started this new thread.

@BestIsWest I think the quality of aids you can get via the nhs has much approved but different health boards do supply different ones. I didn’t like my first ones about 6-7yrs ago and hardly wore them but my Bluetooth ones I got a few years ago are brilliant much more nuanced quality, and I couldn’t manage my job now without them now.

That’s good to hear @Summerswimmer767. DM has Phonak over the ear ones with moulds which is what they gave me 15 years ago but she but doesn’t need Bluetooth or anything like that. I’m expecting the referral to take a while so want to do some research. I don’t mind going privately if necessary.

Yes my first ones were phonak ones but. My second ones are signia ones. They connect to my work iPhone, or my personal phone or iPad so I can stream teams work calls, or Tv or radio or podcasts etc. they are fab.

Hello @Ibizafun, can I ask you a question? Were you a long-standing hearing aid wearer whose hearing gradually declined to the point where aids weren't enough (the situation I'm heading for?)

I'm very conscious that I currently get by well enough- there's a test called the Andersen word test, I think, where single words are played at 70dB and you have to repeat them with your aids on. A score of less than 50% is 'required' for implant eligibility, and I'm thinking of requesting that test soon to see how far away I am.

I don't fancy the idea of my residual hearing being destroyed for cochlear implants - I swim, and can hear something at the moment when aidless, but there will be nothing coming in at all if the implant device is removed for swimming?

I'd welcome your thoughts!

Yes I was a long term hearing aid user. If you are saying you get by well enough then you definitely don't need CI's.. unless it gets dramatically worse.

That's correct, after some time you would have no residual natural hearing. That bothered me too but my life now is incomparably better. My dh is a snorer and I think we'd be divorced if I could hear at night.

BestIsWest. Good luck. I hope you don’t have a long wait for audiologist appt. I suppose it depends on the health authority in your area but mine was surprisingly quick. After a hearing tests and giving me new aids, I was referred me to ENT and that was also pretty quick. ENT doctor said there was nothing he was worried about but referred me for a CT scan of the inner ear and sinuses as I’ve got mixed hearing loss in one ear and get earache. I asked what the wait was likely to be and he said 3 months. I was prepared for a long wait but only had to wait just under a month. I’ve got the scan tomorrow. The new NHS hearing aids I got are in a different league to the first lot I got 3 years ago which were hopeless. These are Danalogic GN and connect to my iPhone which is great for phonecalls. I’m sure if you get new ones they’ll be an improvement.

@Ibizafun - thanks. Does the CI procedure destroy your own cochlea?

I have had tinnitus and hearing loss in right Ear for about 3 years. I have been wearing a HA. 3 weeks ago I woke upto tinnitus and hearing loss in my left Ear. I have now been given a HA for left my left Ear. I was so glad to be given the HA for left Ear I actually cried. Sounds and conversations are much clearer. Prior to getting the HA I was just pretending to hear my colleagues from a short distance and just laughed when they did!
My HA are not 100% perfect ( crackling, sweaty Ears, Itchiness caused by the plastic tube) but still I'm so grateful I have them.

As i understand it damages the hair cells on the cochlear but not the cochlear itself.

Thanks Yoghurtpots going to try calling the GP this morning. Always stressful trying to get through.

Does anyone know if there are longer tubes as my left ear piece keeps popping out of my ear and if I push it in any further it then hurts!
The audiologist kept saying have to wait 12 weeks for it to settle but my ears arent going to shrink!
Thanks

Hmm visit to GP this morning (lovely and excellent GP, he looked after my late DF really well) did not result in a referral to audiology as I’d hoped. I need an MRI first to rule out other things as my tinnitus is one sided.

@GardenersDelight yes they do but I had to make an in person apt to get mine shorter and the node covers changed to a smaller more comfortable version. My audiologist had a little tool box with different bits she could clip in and out and try so definitely ask.

Thanks @summerswimmer767 will have to try and chase one up. Its so annoying that it keeps popping out

It might be good that they’re doing an MRI first Bestiswest. I was first referred to audiology, then ENT who then arranged a scan. I’ve got tinnitus far more in one ear too. Starting with a scan might actually speed the whole process up with a bit of luck

If you were to get Cochlear N7 or N8 processors then they have swimming kits so you can wear the coil and processors while you swim.

I'm unsure of other makes but I'm sure Medel and others would do similar swimming versions.

Does anyone have a bone anchored hearing aid? I’m not sure what the results of the CT scan will show regarding the mixed hearing loss in my left ear but despite an improvement after getting my new danalogic behind the ear aids, I’m still struggling to hear out of my left side . I’m still having to get DF to repeat things as I’ve misheard him, find some phonecalls difficult to hear etc. I’m wondering if a BAHA aid on that side might be more helpful

s

Newbie here and hoping to get advice. I bit the bullet this year to get my hearing tested after putting it off for a long time, severe hearing loss in both ears and I was referred for NHS hearing aids. They have arrived by post and I have a follow up appointment in the next week or so to see how things are going. My left aid just isn’t right, lots of buzzing that people around me can hear. I have read this is feedback and to try and reposition but it hasn’t resolved it. Left ear has always become sore with AirPods and I’m beginning to wonder if iI just have an odd shaped ear. Any advice or tips on how to improve this as it’s frustrating and at the moment, I’m taking it out and just using the right aid. Thanks in advance.

@Prizepudding, my left ear is an odd shape because of two major surgeries. I have a mould on the hearing aid for this ear to give a perfect fit and no feedback. There is no problem with the right ear and I have an ordinary BTE aid for this one.

I've only had my aids for a month and though I'm not having feedback noise I'm really struggling to get my left ear piece to stay in and need to try and get an appointment with audiology to try and sort it out

@Yoghurtpotsatdawn I have the Medel bonebridge implant rather than a BAHA. It's been a huge improvement after struggling for many years with left sided hearing loss. If you have an questions I'm happy to help.

Kefaloniakid. I’m really glad the implant has made such a difference to you. I’ll have to wait to see what the CT results show but thanks so much for the offer of help if I need any info about implants .

@Yoghurtpotsatdawn no problem! Best of luck with the CT scan.

I'm climbing the walls again today with my left ear stinging from tube irritation. Nothing works, I've tried everything from creams to Eargene but still I spend half my time with sore ears.
Called the audiologist at Specsavers and asked about moulds, I'm going in on Friday for impressions. My biggest question is though.....can you get glitter moulds on the NHS? 😂

I find moulds much more comfortable @Jyn but they didn't even offer me glitter ones!