Does anyone have any experience (personal or DP etc) of hearing aids - I've never bothered but...

[Jackaroo]

have just read an interesting article about how bleeding tired you can get dealing with hearing loss without them.
I've had complete hearing loss in one ear since I was at primary school, and despite several tries, they can't fix it. Middle ear not cochlear btw...

This real life interview woman said that she hadn't realised how much she has to concentrate to hear people and how much she uses lipreading - well I do all that am perfeclty aware of how exhausting it can be - and now she's got a hearing aid it's made a vast difference.

Mmmm... any ideas?

ahh, they made it sound like had no choice but I suppose that you only get what your NHS provide. Will def be worth me cheking in the ear ones then.
Weegle - you say you can get it done at specsavers? I know its daft but I only thought it was for glasses??!!! Do all specsavers do it? I will def look in to that and when you said £1000 for both thats actually pretty good as I have heard they can be up to £4000!

weegle and verybadhairdoo - what make were your in the ear aids, I will look on the net at them to see what they look like to can get an idea before I go looking for some. DH just told me to go ahead and do it, not sure were the money is coming from but he understands how self conscious I feel about them!

Not all Specsavers do it - you need to find one with a HearCare centre - have a look at their website. They have been opening a lot more recently. 2 years ago our closest was 1.5 hour drive, now I have 2 within 30 minutes! The make of mine is Phonak, off the top of my head I think the model is called Aero. It is very discreet and I've been really pleased with the sound quality, a lot more normal than my old aid. Also if your hearing changes they can just reprogramme it. Their aftersales was also very good - I went back about 3 times to have the sound/volume adjusted. It's recently lost it's filter and they fixed it and cleaned it free of charge despite the aid being over 2 years old. So I would say they seem pretty good. I certainly felt the whole service was a lot more customer orientated and "normal" than both my experiences in a private hearing clinic and the NHS. If you aren't used to in-the-ear aids they can put a little pull wire on the aid until you get used to taking it out etc, but that can be removed once you've got the hang of it.

IT is amazing how much you miss with only one of your ears hearing well.

I had surgery on both of mine to regain my hearing and the result gave me confidence that I didn't know I had lost because it had ebbed away gradually. Poor hearing has a definite negative effect on relationships and improvements bring about better social functioning imo - so definitely experiment with a hearing aid - but why do you need you hair tied back, and could you get a new hairstyle where it is less obvious that you are wearing a hearing aid? You need to wear the aid all the time for a couple of weeks to allow your brain to work out how to interpret the sound - its no use just putting it on for outings - I didn't know that - so you need to allow a try out period and not expect the full result instantly. Good luck

Jenwa, I had Widex Bravo series - they were the CIC variety. Very discreet. YOu can look up the widex website or call them and they will let you know of local dispensers. I got mine in Ireland though so not sure where you can get them here. They cost me around 2.5k in euro for two. And I had to BEWARE as I went to several dispensers that did all makes & models of HAs and they tried to convince me to buy some that cost 6k euro per pair ! Apparently you only need that variety for SEVERE hearing losses. So don't take any salesman CRAP

Excellent GP said it was a brilliant idea, and faxed a referral to the audiology dept. whilst I sat there!

Thanks for all the postings - really gave me the confidence to get on with it.

J

goodluck Jackaroo, I hope you are in the land of the hearing very soon....one word of advice, don't wear your new HA's in the house at night when you are on your own..those new sounds can be bloody scary!!! Let us know how you get on!

Jackaroo - good luck hope all goes well. Let us know how it all goes on.

Thank you verybadhairdoo and weegle for your advice. I went to specsavers and the bloke was great, he did say that getting them private means I will never want to go back to NHS and it is obviously a very expensive route so see if NHS can offer me any other aids before going private.
When I went to town my left aid when so bizzare, starting making some loud crackling noises and then stopped working, took it in today for repair but they were so busy I never really asked about other ones, mentioned I had seen smaller ones in town but she seemed to ignore that one!
The worry is needing them and getting them private and haning to fork out every 5-6 years!

I have not long had my New Hearing aids, Otico Spirit zest From the Hospital , I have had them abt a Month ? But my Right hand 1 has been beeping at me, So Ive just Changed the Battery, So Far so Good, I Can't Remember what the lady at the hospial said abt the Beeping & how many Type's of beeps, & I have a Crap Memory,Im Over the Moon with the Aids, They are so Good, She told me it may take a while to get use to them, Ive Taking to them like Ducks to water. Bird songs Ive not heard for Yrs.My 1st words when they were fitted, Was I have been Reborn. I Hope this may Help Someone. Let me say this Now, Im New to Mumsnet & Not the best with computers, Also Disabled, So Sometime's can not answer as fast as Most.