Hearing aid advice

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A funny thing about the hearing test....
They told me my hearing at low frequencies is okay. This is where a man's voice would be.
My hearing at high frequencies is bad. This is where women and children's voices fall.
 
I stopped giving people advice about hearing aids...they never listen anyway
 
I'm going to put this out there for you.
Not all hearing aids are the same. If you can, see if you can get models to try on for a couple days. There are behind the ear, and in the ear types. I personally use a mini behind the ear. I find it more comfortable and a lot less annoying. (I hate for my ears to itch or just in general, messed with)
As for company's I prefer Phonak. I've had Beltones, and got a lot of reverb and feed back from those. I had a Miracle Ear set, and found they were susceptible radio interference. If I was within a few feet of a cop car that was using a radio, I'd get that in my devices. At 1st it was funny, but after awhile, not so much.
In the end, good luck!
 
Yikes. A subject I know a lot about. My history...

40 years in trucking, a fairly noisy occupation.

Way back when, I thought I was losing my hearing on the left, from driving around with that window open.

I go see the ear doctor, who is a fresh-scrubbed graduate. She doesn't realize what a danger sign it is, to be losing hearing in just one ear. She says don't worry about it.

Fast forward many years, and I find out I have tumor (acoustic neuroma) growing on my left side. If not removed, it will cause MAJOR issues. I do the surgery, which lucky for me turns out OK for removing the tumor, but leaves me stone deaf on the left side. When I heal up, I go see about hearing aids as in I for sure need them - zero left hearing, and maybe 45% right hearing. I got a set of Phonaks, of which the left is simply a microphone which sends any signal from that side to the right. They are well worth the money, which was about $5K for the pair.

Having said all that, I have heard many times Costco had very good pricing and very good quality.

Best of luck to all the hard-of-hearing folks out there.
 
I took my mother to Costco, they were $1600 and they worked well. They also have free adjustments, cleaning etc.
 
I went to an ENT for testing and they diagnosed classic hearing loss. Sent me home with the paperwork for L & I application and I ignored it. After about a month they called and harassed me into filling out the paperwork and I took it back to the ENT. After a couple months I got notice from L & I that I was eligible for no cost to me hearing aids and told to me pick my vendor and get them.
I called around and picked a hearing aid center and got fitted, free hearing aids and repair and batteries free for life-who knew-----------------Total surprise to me------------------
I have to wear them anytime I want to hear conversation or television. I am missing all the middle frequencies that allow us to determine speech.
 
My first hearing aids were purchased through our health care clinic about 4 years ago. The audiologist didn't appear to be that knowledgeable. I got Phonak behind-the-ear Q50, mid-range price. The small speaker that goes into the ear had to be replaced 3 times on each side due to wire breakage (and I'm not rough on them), about $40 a pop each (from eBay of all places, cheaper than buying from specialist ($125) and easy to replace).

I then went to an independent audiologist beginning of this year who seemed to know more than the first guy I saw, and performed more in-depth testing. She recommended a higher quality brand, Oticon OPN3 (still behind-the-ear). I've had them a couple months now. They seem to be better build quality than the Phonaks and are rechargeable (but can still accept std battery), which I prefer to the weekly battery changes. I also purchased a box to hook to the TV to pipe the sound directly into my hearing aids via bluetooth. I don't watch much but the times I do, it is quite nice, and the range is at least 40'.

Health insurance covered $2000 four years ago, and my part was $2600 for the Phonaks. Health insurance covered $2500 this year, and my part was $3000 for the Oticons. I could have kept the Phonaks but just decided it was time to upgrade. The Phonaks whistled (feedback) at times when the aid was close to something (resting my head on a pillow, car seat headrest, hoodie over my head), whereas the Oticons never do. My advice to the OP is to get the best you can afford.

Interesting tidbit, when I got my first hearing aids and put them on at the doc's, I immediately noticed the quartz clock ticking away behind me on the wall. Before hearing aids, I couldn't hear it.
 
I need them too, but don’t have 5grand lying around.
My last test at an ENT was several years ago, told me I have hearing loss at the same frequency as the human voice.
I’m constantly asking people to repeat themselves, and saying, what, what? It really sucks and it doesn’t help that I work with a bunch of low talkers and whispers. They always think someone is going to overhear or something so they whisper every thing. I try to tell them they can’t do that with me, but they still continue to do so. If they don’t have hearing loss themselves, they just don’t get it.
Guess I’m going to have to bite the bullet and finance some.
 
First thing I heard when I left the place was the birds chirping. I only have the right side hearing aide. Left side all the low hearing is gone. Right side maybe have half left. Tried a pair and the left side sounded all digital so only have the one..
 
I fit in here very well. My hearing is bad; after a test I'm left side is bad, another test right side is bad.....confusing to say the least. Well, add tinnitus on top of that. Also sinuses are messed up as I can clear the ear drums and hearing is better until the sinuses plug up again. I had ear and sinus infections as a kid, and plenty of those! I know I need them, but like others I just don't have the cash. I am a veteran, although I only served 4 years, and it was during peacetime. Oh well, I'll figure something out, I always do.
 
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