New Hearing Aids really better?

I can remember my audiologist saying that same thing to me 15 years ago. I was not real impressed with the "new" aids. Come March I will get another set and I am sure I will hear that line again. But this set is getting pretty old and I just need a new set after 15 years with these.
 

I got my Mom a pair of state-of-the-art hearing aids back in 2012, I think it was. I paid $7,000 bucks for those suckers, but it felt totally worth it when she went on and on about how great they were - I can hear birds! Little Mandy does sound like Minnie Mouse! Did I hear a car pull in?

Problem was, she started messing with the 2 super-tiny buttons on them, and I'd have to get out the booklet and a magnifying glass to reset them. And when she saw where I stashed the booklet, she decided to save me the trouble next time and adjusted them herself, and I had to take her back to the ENT so he could re-adjust them. And then she lost the freaking booklet, and then she forgot to take them out when she showered...twice, and then she lost one of the units and I found it 2 days later...in the vacuum cleaner.

So, I hope "so much better" means better than all that. :LOL:
 
Llynn said:
Wow! Your Mother had some adventures with those expensive aids.

My current ones are over 20yo. To be honest, they have spent much of that time in a dresser drawer since I never liked them.
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Mom was in the early stages of dementia back then. She really loved her new hearing aids, she just couldn't leave them alone. 🥹


I hope you love yours, too. (Just don't lose the instruction booklet. 😉)
 
I'm scheduled for a fitting for my first hearing aids... with the VA.
I have no idea of what to expect because I've heard various opinions throughout my life.
My mother's experience was somewhat similar to @Murrmurr's, however my mom
complained that they sounded "tinny" from day one.
 
Well the new ones I got from Kaiser were better than the ones I had before. But just yesterday I lost one. With glasses, masks and hats I'm lucky not to have lost one sooner.

With the ones I got from Costco, they replaced the one my puppy chewed up while I napped but not when a mask dislodged on a few years back. I understand that Kaiser will support me regardless. Guess I'll find out tomorrow when they open.

Good luck with yours!
 
Ted01 said:
I'm scheduled for a fitting for my first hearing aids... with the VA.
I have no idea of what to expect because I've heard various opinions throughout my life.
My mother's experience was somewhat similar to @Murrmurr's, however my mom
complained that they sounded "tinny" from day one.
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I hope the VA ones are the advanced-tech ones. They basically have a miniature computer inside, and the tinny sound is history even on the "older ones" like the 2012 model.

But advanced hearing aids might not sound as good to someone with certain inner ear dysfunctions as it does to someone who doesn't.
 
I've had 3 or 4 pairs from Costco...lots of stories with mine too..one including a dog....anyway, They have all been a great help as I am very hard of hearing, I can even hear water dripping in the next room with the aids, But, I do not think they are worth $5000. a pair as mine had to be replaced about every 8 to 10 years.
Good luck with yours, let us know how you like them.
 
I've bought all my aids from Costco. They did a test that was even a bit more comprehensive than the one I had from an audiologist. When they came in, the gal set them to the specs she had from the hearing test, and we walked around the store together. Oh my, the noise was something. I could hear everything, but the one thing that surprised me the most was at home when I went to open the door. I didn't realize how much racket turning a doorknob made. I don't notice that stuff years later. I kind of miss the experience of hearing for the first time.
 
I keep promising myself that I'll get some hearing aids, but so far my experience with such things has not been good. I went to Specsavers here in the UK and had a hearing test, then bought a pair for £1200. However, I stopped using them after about a week and when I went in for a feedback meeting a month after I bought them, I handed them back and got a refund.

I found that;

1. They sounded really tinny and cheap
2. The left one kept falling out
3. The right one made my ear canal itch so much I could only tolerate it for a matter of a few minutes.

Since then I've just suffered in silence (pun intended!) rather than spend money again on what I know will cause me lots of problems.

What I need is something like the things singers have for foldback. They fit in the outer ear rather than going into the hearing canal, so I won't have to tolerate the itching. Furthermore, good ones are fitted individually to each ear. I then want each one to connect to one of those things that sit behind each ear.

I don't know if such things exist already, but if they do then I need to find out where to get them, so that I can at least try a pair.
 
JustDave said:
I've bought all my aids from Costco. They did a test that was even a bit more comprehensive than the one I had from an audiologist. When they came in, the gal set them to the specs she had from the hearing test, and we walked around the store together. Oh my, the noise was something. I could hear everything, but the one thing that surprised me the most was at home when I went to open the door. I didn't realize how much racket turning a doorknob made. I don't notice that stuff years later. I kind of miss the experience of hearing for the first time.
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Early mornings, I think I can walk around the house like a cat. Then I put my hearing aides in and.....wow are these floors noisy.
 
Well, I got 'em. All the calibrating and tuning was done with computers. The tech sat at his computer twiddling graphs. These new ones have no hollow tubes to transfer sound to my ears. These have the speakers right in the ear with a wire connecting the aid to the speaker. Instruction manual is a horrible pamphlet, written in Chinglish and tells you nothing you want to know.

I told the tech the aids were too loud, he asked to see my smart phone. Told him I don't have one. He said he would print me some instructions for changing the volume manually. When I got home I found the "instructions" didn't tell me anything. Daughter was putting dishes away and the clatter was too much to stand. I can't turn down the volume so the new devices are sitting on my dresser.

He also gave me a device for listening to TV. I told him I don't own one. He couldn't believe or accept that truth. So I came home with equipment anyway. Another thing to sit on the dresser.

I have appt. Next weekend and feel I will likely come back home without the new hearing devices. Apparently everything is controlled automatically by the calibration programing. I'd rather live with my old hearing aids than these over engineered monsters.
 
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When I did the latest software update to my iPhone, I found out that my Apple Ear Buds can be used as a hearing aid of some sorts.
You do a hearing test on the iPhone - basically exactly like what you do at the Quacks office, i.e., you put the earbuds in and it does test where you tap the screen when you hear a sound.

I was moderate loss in one ear and mild in the other one.

ms gamboolgal said it was wrong because I am hard of hearing.

ha !

I have not used the earbuds for hearing assistance as I don't like them and only use them for listening to music.

What.... 🤪 👂
 
Llynn said:
Well, I got 'em. All the calibrating and tuning was done with computers. The tech sat at his computer twiddling graphs. These new ones have no hollow tubes to transfer sound to my ears. These have the speakers right in the ear with a wire connecting the aid to the speaker. Instruction manual is a horrible pamphlet, written in Chinglish and tells you nothing you want to know.

I told the tech the aids were too loud, he asked to see my smart phone. Told him I don't have one. He said he would print me some instructions for changing the volume manually. When I got home I found the "instructions" didn't tell me anything. Daughter was putting dishes away and the clatter was too much to stand. I can't turn down the volume so the new devices are sitting on my dresser.

He also gave me a device for listening to TV. I told him I don't own one. He couldn't believe or accept that truth. So I came home with equipment anyway. Another thing to sit on the dresser.

I have appt. Next weekend and feel I will likely come back home without the new hearing devices. Apparently everything is controlled automatically by the calibration programing. I'd rather live with my old hearing aids than these over engineered monsters.
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Try looking online for help with the controls. For mine, they have videos to teach you to adjust them. Good aides should have buttons on them for adjusting volume and to change programs.
As far as the device for the tv, take it back and tell him you don't want it.
 
Through my blue cross advantage plan I can get hearing aids for about 1/3 the price I paid years ago before Medicare. I went in for a text shortly before Christmas. I should get my new aids early January.

I prefer in the ear as opposed to over the ear but the typical in the ear aids just fall out. I’ve been using Bluetooth ear buds for years, but the only ones that will stay in are Beats, because they have a little wing on each that tucks into an ear flap and keeps them in place.

My audiologist said he would get my new in th ear aids designed with those same wings so they’ll stay in my ears. We’ll see how they work. 90 days money back guarantee or replacement if I’m not satisfied.
 
I'll keep my original aids, thanks for all the input. When I first got them they wanted to put controls on my phone but my phone stinks, too! I had molds made and chose over the ear models. My audiologist has them set so I can push a small button on the right one to turn volume up, 3 beeps . Left one turns it down. The control buttons are on top of the piece that sits behind my ear.

Two problems, each time I go in for adjustments $80 dollars...no longer under warranty. We dont have Medicare advantage. Oh, I can't hear squat without them either.
 
MarkD said:
Well the new ones I got from Kaiser were better than the ones I had before. But just yesterday I lost one. With glasses, masks and hats I'm lucky not to have lost one sooner.

With the ones I got from Costco, they replaced the one my puppy chewed up while I napped but not when a mask dislodged on a few years back. I understand that Kaiser will support me regardless. Guess I'll find out tomorrow when they open.

Good luck with yours!
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Live and learn. Like Costco, KP will only replace a hearing aide but only once per device. But unlike Costco there is a deductible of $300 each time.
 
My mom gave me one of her old hearing aids when she got a new one. I haven't had it adjusted at all but even so, it helps quite a bit in the right environment, to hear people talking. I guess we have the same sort of ear configuration, because it fits well.

And I hear all sorts of noises from my car when I have it in. :oops:

I also bought a pair of over the counter Audien 'atom' hearing aids. Only $89 at Walmart. They are also dependent on the environment. Sometimes they help, sometimes not. If there is too much background noise then I hear speech better without them.

For hearing general everyday noises, they're good.
 
I have an expensive pair. There are various modes like restaurant mode where it cuts all sound from behind and focuses the microphones at the people I am talking to. The sound is crystal clear, music sounds great through them. I In noisy situations they do help block out the background but it's still a struggle. I still have trouble understanding some spoken words. With that hearing loss there is nothing that will fix that. Without them I am pretty deaf. I have worn hearing aids for probably 30 years and the technology has gotten much better year after year. That's especially true in the less expensive ones. You will probably notice a difference.
 
My first pair of hearing aids opened up a lot of sound that I was missing, and even a few that I don't mind missing. My second set was a great improvement adding the convenience of an interface with my smart phone, but replacing the batteries was a hassle. My latest set, rechargeable, much improved sound quality, smart phone interface, multiple programs and the ability to allow my audiologist to interact remotely if needed makes them so much better.

The technology in this area truly is continuing to handle my hearing issue and open a more friendly world of sound. I do wish they could eliminate the impact of cars with sonic sound vibrations. Can't have everything I guess.
 
Rider77 said:
My first pair of hearing aids opened up a lot of sound that I was missing, and even a few that I don't mind missing. My second set was a great improvement adding the convenience of an interface with my smart phone, but replacing the batteries was a hassle. My latest set, rechargeable, much improved sound quality, smart phone interface, multiple programs and the ability to allow my audiologist to interact remotely if needed makes them so much better.

The technology in this area truly is continuing to handle my hearing issue and open a more friendly world of sound. I do wish they could eliminate the impact of cars with sonic sound vibrations. Can't have everything I guess.
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My hubbies H A came with batteries and a little magnetic stick to pickup up / put replacement batteries in the aids
@Rider77 if you didn’t get one ,with HA … it may be easy to get them to try
 

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