quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:


The particular extenders that you reference are not in stock at Amazon, but there are dozens of similar items. My big gripe is that I can't find any that are NOT made in China. I would be willing to pay double for made in the U.S.A., can't find any, so I ordered the China ones. Will be delivered tomorrow if Amazon keeps their promise. I'll be back with a product report after I have tried them.

Looking forward to this report. I had my mask on and off 3 times while shopping today and the straps fouled on my hearing aids every. fucking. time. No matter how careful I was.

I wear behind the ear hearing aids.

I use a mask extender made from a strap and spring adjuster that I cut off a boonie hat. I am cheap and it was available. Also I am 66, I have long abandoned any sense of fashion.

I tried the behind the ear hearing aids and they worked but there were things I didn't like about them, such as directionality of the sound coming in.

Then a friend got some ITC (in the ear canal) hearing aids and told me it made a world of difference to him.

So I got a pair from Amazon (very cheap) and tried it as a lark. Holy cow, substantially better than the behind the ear type.

A secondary and huge benefit of the ITC is the fact that I don't sweat there. This is significant because I burned up two behind the ear hearing aids with sweat getting inside them and shorting things out inside.

Another benefit is that it's just like my hearing was before hearing aids in terms of directionality and that makes a huge mental difference to me.

quote:

Originally posted by SPWAMike0317:
Also I am 66, I have long abandoned any sense of fashion.

Hah! Grandkids tease me about my fashion choices. My response is "I'm old, fat, bald and I've been sleeping with the same woman for 46 years. I should give a shit what I look like?"

WHAT?

I’m apologize if this is a hijack of the OP’s thread, but I saw the title and was anxious to get opinions here.
I recently lost total hearing in one ear due to a viral infection. I have perfect hearing in the other ear. I met with the Audiologist a few days ago about hearing aids. The ones I need have only a receiver/transmitter in the “bad” ear and a receiver in the “good” ear and they communicate via Bluetooth. So, sounds from the deaf side are heard on the good side, along with the “normal” sounds on the good side. Anybody have any experience with this kind of hearing aids?
I tried some out at the office and wasn’t too impressed, but I’m hopeful that after a learning curve it would be better.

quote:

Originally posted by gocatgo:
I’m apologize if this is a hijack of the OP’s thread, but I saw the title and was anxious to get opinions here.
I recently lost total hearing in one ear due to a viral infection. I have perfect hearing in the other ear. I met with the Audiologist a few days ago about hearing aids. The ones I need have only a receiver/transmitter in the “bad” ear and a receiver in the “good” ear and they communicate via Bluetooth. So, sounds from the deaf side are heard on the good side, along with the “normal” sounds on the good side. Anybody have any experience with this kind of hearing aids?
I tried some out at the office and wasn’t too impressed, but I’m hopeful that after a learning curve it would be better.

I'd think that would be horribly disorienting initially. But yeah, once your brain adjusts to the change it might be helpful. I take it bone conduction is not an option?

My first set of hearing aides was from miracle ear. Actually eventually ended up with 2 sets, neither of which was all that great and needed lots of visits for readjustment.

The last set they tried to sell us was priced at $11,000. Told them to pound sand and headed for home (60 miles). We were coming up on a Costco store and I suggested that we should stop and see what they had to offer.

Went thru the testing, etc. And the technician confirmed the need and suggested a pair of aids. Price for the best ones they had were just over $3K, with life long adjustments if needed etc. Bought them on the spot.

Now have a fairly new set, the best Costco had, paid $3K for them. Only one adjustment for volume. Rechargeable but the normal charge is supposed to last for at least 3 days. Any adjustments are done by Costco at no expense. Don't know about blue tooth as I have no need or desire for it.

I understand the VA has free "aids" but it is too far from where I live to get to them for adjustments, repairs etc.

I can not recommend highly enough the Costco aids and their services. Even their prices when compared to other brands I have looked at over the years.

Didn't read through the thread, but I love my Lucid through Sam's Club! Work great, and have blue tooth through my phone. If only I could remember to put them in everyday.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:

quote:

Originally posted by gocatgo:
I’m apologize if this is a hijack of the OP’s thread, but I saw the title and was anxious to get opinions here.
I recently lost total hearing in one ear due to a viral infection. I have perfect hearing in the other ear. I met with the Audiologist a few days ago about hearing aids. The ones I need have only a receiver/transmitter in the “bad” ear and a receiver in the “good” ear and they communicate via Bluetooth. So, sounds from the deaf side are heard on the good side, along with the “normal” sounds on the good side. Anybody have any experience with this kind of hearing aids?
I tried some out at the office and wasn’t too impressed, but I’m hopeful that after a learning curve it would be better.

I'd think that would be horribly disorienting initially. But yeah, once your brain adjusts to the change it might be helpful. I take it bone conduction is not an option?

Bone conduction is indeed an option, I’m just not too keen about jumping right in for a surgical implant. And yes, horribly disorienting is putting it mildly. Months of vertigo and dizziness. I recently had good success with the Audiologist who did the maneuvers to “reset my crystals”. Pretty much eliminated the vertigo. I’m now seeing a PT for balance therapy. Not good times.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

The particular extenders that you reference are not in stock at Amazon, but there are dozens of similar items. My big gripe is that I can't find any that are NOT made in China. I would be willing to pay double for made in the U.S.A., can't find any, so I ordered the China ones. Will be delivered tomorrow if Amazon keeps their promise. I'll be back with a product report after I have tried them.

Looking forward to this report. I had my mask on and off 3 times while shopping today and the straps fouled on my hearing aids every. fucking. time. No matter how careful I was.

I received the extenders yesterday. First time I tried them, NFG. I wore it sort of centered vertically on the back of my head, hearing aids still got snagged when I removed the mask.

Then, I got a little smarter. I wore the extender lower, sort of at the base of my skull, so that the mask straps were no longer in line with my ears, but slanted down a bit from front to back. Success!

I found that the easy way to handle it is to attach one ear loop to the extender, put the mask in place, then attach the other ear loop to the unoccupied end of the extender. Reverse the process to remove the mask.

I'm going to revive this old thread instead of starting a new one.

I got hearing aids in 2018, Costco Kirkland 8.0.
They did help, although a little bright and the iPhone streaming was spotty with the MFI connection.
A lot of cutting out when streaming, robot voice, and I needed to keep the phone pretty much line of sight.

Stopped wearing them in 2020 because of the mask stuff.
Every time I took my mask off my hearing aids would go flying.
I have high-frequency hearing loss, so I can do without them.
Although I do hear better, mainly the wife, when I do wear them.

So today I upgraded to Costco Kirkland 10.0.
My insurance pays up to $2K a pair every 3 years.

Number 1, they are rechargeable and allegedly last up to 21 hours.
No more carrying around batteries everywhere I go.
These are SO much better than the 8.0.
They are connected with Bluetooth instead of MFI.
They stream better, make and receive phone calls better, and the app is better.
A double-tap of the hearing aid hangs up the phone or recalls Siri.
Your outgoing voice goes thru the hearing aids so you don't need the phone in front of you to be on the phone or use Siri.

Anyway, to the point of my post;
My old hearing aids had open cones, I could hear more of the outside sound.
Being my loss is way upper end, this seemed the way to go.

My new hearing aids have a 'vented' cone that is more closed in.
It's only been one day, but I feel like I have earbuds in all day long.
I could see these helping in crowded environments and noisy situations (restaurants. driving a truck 11 hours a day, etc).

What kind of cones are you guys running?
Open, closed, vented, etc...?
I'm sure I just need to chill and give these a few weeks, but it is quite an adjustment.
I did wear my old hearing aids for about the last month trying to get used to them again.
But these closed/vented cones are turning my head sideways.
What is really driving me up the wall is the occlusion effect.
Hearing myself eat, talk, swallow, etc..

Any input appreciated...

I have now had my second set of $7000 aids for a couple years. They are chargeable rather than battery powered. I still say they are worth their weight in gold, and a total nuisance other times.
One problem realized is the occasional running out of gas without your charging kit. Kind of like no "e" in your electric vehicle when on a trip in the middle of nowhere. You can't just call up "Triple E" and get rescued. And charge time is longer than a battery swap. Just like the car line up at the busy "E" Station....

I am using the vented cones and that is all I have ever used so I can't speak to any differences I might have experienced.

I have gotten to the point to where I seldom wear my hearing aids anymore. I've found the sounds that I was able hear were more annoying than not being able to hear them at all.

I've gone back to using disposable batteries.
My experience with rechargeable batteries was good for about a year, and then they wouldn't charge well.

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:

I've gone back to using disposable batteries.
My experience with rechargeable batteries was good for about a year, and then they wouldn't charge well.

Are the rechargeable batteries replaceable when they will no longer hold a charge?

quote:

Originally posted by 1lowlife:

Stopped wearing them in 2020 because of the mask stuff. Every time I took my mask off my hearing aids would go flying.

I had that problem, too. See my post, immediately above yours, re the extenders for the masks. That solved the problem for me. Some places around here, particularly health care offices, still REQUIRE masks, so the extenders are great for me; they do not interfere with my hearing aids.

Somewhere I have a thread about my new adventure in hearing aids. I'm too lazy to try to dig it up

I've now had my Oticon MiniRITE R (rechargeable) behind-the-ear hearing aids since Dec. 30. So four months. I've been up to full prescription level for three months.

To say there's been a sea change in my life would be an understatement of epic proportions. I can hold normal conversations now. I can watch TV with others, oft-times w/o the aid of subtitles.

Is it all sweetness and light? No. They're not as good as my hearing once was. I do experience wind noise. Some sounds are too bright. They do sometimes require regular re-seating. They do sometimes get tangled-up with masks.

But, overall, I'm pleased.

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:
I've gone back to using disposable batteries.
My experience with rechargeable batteries was good for about a year, and then they wouldn't charge well.

Were you recharging them regularly, or only when they got low?

Modern rechargeable hearing aids use Li-Ion batteries. Li-Ion batteries do not like repeated deep-discharges and long re-charges. Shortens their lifespans.

My hearing aids go in the charger every evening, at bedtime, regardless their charge state. (Usually they're at ±45% by that time. That would be after ±16 hours of wear.)

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Are the rechargeable batteries replaceable when they will no longer hold a charge?

Mine are. And mine can be replaced by the hearing place I bought them, rather than having to be sent back to the factory. Plus, my hearing specialist told me, bring 'em in for a battery replacement just shy of the three-year warranty, and the new batteries will be covered under warranty.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Didn't want to derail the "I have discovered a downside to hearing aids" thread.

My hearing is crap. I mean really, really bad. So bad that, were it not for closed captioning I would not watch TV because, other than the "news," I cannot understand dialogue to save my soul--even with the volume at levels uncomfortably loud for others.

I've entertained the idea of hearing aids several times over the years. Problem is: Nearly everybody I know who has ever gotten them has ended-up abandoning them. Latest: Next door neighbor to one side paid $5k for hearing aids. Eventually took 'em out and put 'em away because they created more annoyance then help hearing.

I would be very annoyed if I spent $5k on hearing aids only to find I hated 'em.

The main complaint I've heard is "Yeah, they make peoples' voices louder and clearer, but, if there's any background noise in the room they make that just as louder, so you can't hear/understand the people to whom you want to listen any better."

I'm pretty certain of one thing: Any hearing aids I get I want to have a link to my phone and/or watch so I can: 1. Use them like earbuds, as well and 2. Control them.

So, please share your experiences with hearing aids, good, bad, and ugly.

I started out with miracle ear aids way back when. Dealt with the battery changing, periodic reprogramming, etc etc. Not to mention the $9000 price tag.

Got to the point that I could no longer deal with the nonsense from miracle ear, and the way from another 70 mile roundtrip to miracle ear, we were driving past Costco. I suggested that maybe we should stop and check their hearing aid department. Did so and ordered the best model they had, with no batteries to swap, and lifetime service support. Still using them after several years. Free support includes cleaning and readjusting if needed. I heartily recommend Costco for hearing aids, among other things.

I spent too many years on duty as safety NCO while various infantry companies were practicing for annual qualifications. And no ear plugs.

quote:

Originally posted by phydough:
Question specifically to PHPaul and motorcycle riders.
Are hearing aids compatible with motorcycle helmets and wind noise? Specifically non-faired and adventure bikes and peaked helmets.

Neighbor takes his out when riding says they pick up too much noise from engine, wind.