Sunday, April 10, 2016

Hearing Aid Update

It wasn't red the yellow was waiting for. It was orange!

It has been about two and a half weeks that I have been wearing my hearing aids. I have become used to the crinkle crackle of newspapers and plastic bags. I have turned them down or off in noisy restaurants. I have enjoyed better hearing when watching TV, talking to people and especially hearing my grandchildren. 

However I didn't wait until my three week check back appointment to call in for help. I have been keeping my left ear piece turned way down because  having it set where it is supposed to be resulted in hissing sounds and rattling noise where there shouldn't be any. Everybody talks with a strong lisp, including me. It was driving me crazy, so I turned the left ear way down. That's a $3000 piece of equipment that was not really functioning. 

Talking to my sister-in-law, I knew it shouldn't be that way. 

The main reason for having hearing aids is to improve voice communication. Distorted voices don't do that.

On Friday I saw my Audiologist. I told her my issues. She said that the very reason I have a $3000 hearing aid in each ear is so it is possible to make many fine tuning adjustments. She got on her computer, blue-tooth communicated with my hearing aids, and she lowered the volume of the treble sounds and increased the compression of high frequency sounds, which has the effect of lowering their frequency. Since my hearing loss is in the high frequency sound range, the original correction was perhaps a bit too strong, or I lost the ability to hear them in my left ear. Some of this may change over time. 

The result of this adjustment is a vast improvement. I'm not lisping anymore, except in closed spaces. Other people's voices are much better. Even the clickety clatter and crinkle crackle are reduced. 

I will go back to the audiologist in another week and a half for another check in and perhaps more fine tuning. It will take some time but this is going to work.

And that's why, if you want hearing aids to really work for you, you need to pay the big bucks and get the top of the line. And when you do that you need a technician who knows how to make the adjustments that you need so that they do work for you. 

Just like anything else worthwhile, it takes persistence. 



 Pacific dogwood. We still have a few of these natives that have persisted.



22 comments:

  1. One of our woodcarvers got the same hearing aids, he was going in for an adjustment last week...he has to drive all the way to Minneapolis /St Paul for a technician appt. He is persistent too! :)

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  2. I'm happy that your hearing aids are working well for you and will work even better once the necessary adjustments are made.
    I've noticed that the Dogwood trees in our neighbourhood are extra full of blooms this year. So lovely.

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  3. Thanks for sharing all of this. I know I need them and, like you, I want to do it right. You can't be meek when it comes to dealing with health/aging issues. I'm learning from you. Keep us informed.

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  4. It's good to hear that the hearing aid is working out. It can make a big difference in your life.

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  5. I've heard it can take several months. Don't give up til they get it right!

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  6. Glad to get this report. I never doubted you'd stick with this until you've reached the maximum they will do for you. No doubt there will be more adjustments to come but I believe you're on top of the situation.

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  7. Happy to hear that you have got it fixed. Attractive colors of flowers...

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  8. It's wonderful that things are getting better with the hearing aids!

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  9. I love your dogwood! Thank you so much for this post. Art is going to the audiologist tomorrow. I'm going to call him over to read this post right now.

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  10. Too many of my family's hearing aids have ended up in bureau drawers. The technology has vastly improved. I think there is a tendency to wait too long to see an audiologist as well. I am glad you are like your dogwoods and persisting.

    I used to get aggravated with Mike for "not listening" but when I went to his first hearing test I was completely shocked and completely amazed that he functioned so well on so little ability to hear.

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  11. I'm so glad to hear that your hearing aids are working for you. I wondered. As Olga says, so many of my friends get them and don't use them. Now I am beginning to understand why. Although I have lost some hearing in my left ear, it's not enough to bother me and I wish I could turn some sounds down! :-)

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  12. I could use some of your determination. I remember when you had back surgery and how faithfully you exercised and followed doctor's orders. I admire you so much! Your dogwood is beautiful. Our dogwoods have not bloomed yet and I am hoping the cold did not hurt them. Our one pink dogwood has one bloom about to open.

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  13. My husband got the high end hearing aids too - glad he did. The office is only a mile away and he goes in whenever he has a problem - they have been very nice and he is so happy I pushed him to just get a test to see how his hearing was. Now if only my brother and sister-in-law could be convinced. It is a real pain to visit them - they don't hear each other and get mad at each other plus it is difficult getting them to hear what we are saying. I'm always worn out when we come back home.

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  14. I imagine it's an adjustment, good that they will work with you.

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  15. My husband got the high end hearing aids but his hearing loss is so profound that he has always badgered the audiologist to turn them up as high as possible. Although not perfect, we can communicate again. He's on his third set and about ready for a new set. What do you consider the best brand?

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    1. I did not shop around for what is the "best". Since I am with Group Health, I went with their brand, which is Starkey, a highly rated brand that my sister-in-law also has. It is American made.

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  16. So glad you have a smart technician who will take the time to make the adjustments. I wonder how many people just quit using them without knowing they can be corrected. Hope she gets them just right for you.

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  17. That's good news. I am glad you are getting the treatment you need.

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  18. My Mom could not afford decent one and her left ear was gone totally and she had these kind of complaints..

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  19. Thank you for your advice, Linda. We went to the audiologist yesterday and was shown the various choices. Art went with what you recommended. I think the person helping us was surprised that we were going with a "blogger friend's" recommendation. That particular Halo version won't be available to the military until May 1st so we'll be looking forward to it coming 30 days after that. Thank you again for all your information.

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