Hearing aids (again)

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Roy M

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Rather than rescusitate an old thread I'll start fresh. After wearing them sporadically for four or five years, they irritated my ear canal, I got tested and fitted with new ones. What a difference!! They are actually comfortable and the sound is much improved. I didn't realize how much my hearing had deteriorated.
The Oticon are quite the deal. Bluetooth is nice although I still catch myself picking up the phone to answer it. GPS so I know where to start looking if I misplace one or both (or me). I can adjust the volume and check battery level with the phone.
I can actually hear conversation in a crowded room which is a huge gain, it was frustrating missing out.  My loss was in the mid range due to prolonged exposure to loud noises, I worked around loud machines for a good portion of my life and didn't wear hearing protection, yeah yeah, I should have known better, and am now paying the price. We tend to take our hearing for granted until it's gone. Sure glad BC Worksafe is paying for them at $5200. YIKES!!
 
Costco has some Resound units for about half that (though using DSP, they're roughly equivalent to 17 freq "channels" or bands on an equalizer). They make a big difference in crowded rooms and when listening to music. The curve for my ears shows a very sharp drop above about 1K (slight difference left and right), not quite flat below that. I can hear cymbals and triangles again, too, as well as not having to focus on a mouth to "hear" some TV voices -- but improved understanding of voices in a loud restaurant is a big plus, too. And I don't have to say, "What?" as often when DW speaks over high road noise traveling, either.

The other nice thing about Costco is that, except for batteries, there's no additional expense in visits an minor parts, such as the "domes" and "tails" when needed.
 
I am fortunate that the VA pays for mine and I get new ones every four years.  Actually I'm due for a new set now.  The biggest problem I've had is wind noise.  If I go into the VA they can program a lot of that out, but it is quite a drive and wait, so I seldom do go in.

I am told the new ones can be programed from an IPhone and of course they have Blue Tooth.  I have Blue Tooth on the set I have now but somehow lost the remote which connects with the phone as well as controlling the aids.  I can still use the aids but have to manually adjust the volume.

I am getting ready to go in and get the new set.  In the Fall the VA is inundated with snow birds getting taken care of before they go south.  It should slack up now.

They told me the last set cost over $7000.00.  Glad I didn't have to pay for them.  I am deaf due to gunfire and turbine engines although it got much worse as I grew older.  The Dr. said I was deaf in the ranges of women's and children's voices.  I asked him to put that in writing and he did.  DW was not amused.
 
Cooperhawk said:
I am fortunate that the VA pays for mine and I get new ones every four years.  Actually I'm due for a new set now.  The biggest problem I've had is wind noise.  If I go into the VA they can program a lot of that out, but it is quite a drive and wait, so I seldom do go in.

I am told the new ones can be programed from an IPhone and of course they have Blue Tooth.  I have Blue Tooth on the set I have now but somehow lost the remote which connects with the phone as well as controlling the aids.  I can still use the aids but have to manually adjust the volume.

I am getting ready to go in and get the new set.  In the Fall the VA is inundated with snow birds getting taken care of before they go south.  It should slack up now.

They told me the last set cost over $7000.00.  Glad I didn't have to pay for them.  I am deaf due to gunfire and turbine engines although it got much worse as I grew older.  The Dr. said I was deaf in the ranges of women's and children's voices.  I asked him to put that in writing and he did.  DW was not amused.
Click to expand...

I just joined the VA 3 months ago because a acquaintance said that the VA has relaxed it's requirements for Viet Nam vets and that they may pay for my next hearing aids. I also filed a claim the same day and just had my hearing test 2 days ago. Now it's a waiting game.
Has anyone received a disability from hearing issues? I was in the artillery. 
 
DW and I are about to begin the fourth year with our ReSound hearing aides. We recommend them to anyone who asks and some who don't. We use audiologists at U. of Colorado who are on salaries and work for us, not their commissions. Great talents and people.
 
Rene T said:
I just joined the VA 3 months ago because a acquaintance said that the VA has relaxed it's requirements for Viet Nam vets and that they may pay for my next hearing aids. I also filed a claim the same day and just had my hearing test 2 days ago. Now it's a waiting game.
Has anyone received a disability from hearing issues? I was in the artillery.
Click to expand...

Raising my hand here, Rene.  I started with the VA back in '90, first thing the rep did was get me into an audiologist - got a 10% disability for tinitus (nothing for the loss).  Six years ago, I filed a claim for the loss and got another 30%, a yaear later (two years ago) I filed again, providing a letter from work stating my inability to participate in group discussions because my hearing.  They raided the loss disability to 40% - so a total of 50% - which gets me 100% healthcare and prescriptions (drugs).  They have been extremely good to me and I have absoliutely no complaints about the VA health care system, from where I am.
I also get eye exams and glasses every year.

Good luck with your claim.  If you get on line and have an account with the ebenefits site (a PIA to do) you can file and track all that stuff.
 
phil-t said:
Raising my hand here, Rene.  I started with the VA back in '90, first thing the rep did was get me into an audiologist - got a 10% disability for tinitus (nothing for the loss).  Six years ago, I filed a claim for the loss and got another 30%, a yaear later (two years ago) I filed again, providing a letter from work stating my inability to participate in group discussions because my hearing.  They raided the loss disability to 40% - so a total of 50% - which gets me 100% healthcare and prescriptions (drugs).  They have been extremely good to me and I have absoliutely no complaints about the VA health care system, from where I am.
I also get eye exams and glasses every year.

Good luck with your claim.  If you get on line and have an account with the ebenefits site (a PIA to do) you can file and track all that stuff.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Phil
 
Been thinking of hearing aids for over a year.  Tried the Costco cheap ones and didn't like the sound.  Probably should have tried the more expensive units.  If I recall, the technician said my ear canal was too narrow and she couldn't get the demo unit in.  While my hearing is still pretty good in my left ear, the right has gone down hill quite a bit over the past few years.  I have problems in crowded rooms.  But then I've had that problem since my teens and have not had any hearing loss until my mid 50's.  For the most part, I want them for listening to movies.  The sound on many movies is made for dramatic effect and not dialogue.  I'm constantly asking my wife what was said.  I've recently been reading about the new Bose Hearphones, $500.00.  A non-prescription hearing aid.  I've also read about over-the-counter hearing aids.  Anyone have any experience with them? 
 
phil-t said:
Raising my hand here, Rene.  I started with the VA back in '90, first thing the rep did was get me into an audiologist - got a 10% disability for tinitus (nothing for the loss).  Six years ago, I filed a claim for the loss and got another 30%, a yaear later (two years ago) I filed again, providing a letter from work stating my inability to participate in group discussions because my hearing.  They raided the loss disability to 40% - so a total of 50% - which gets me 100% healthcare and prescriptions (drugs).  They have been extremely good to me and I have absoliutely no complaints about the VA health care system, from where I am.
I also get eye exams and glasses every year.

Good luck with your claim.  If you get on line and have an account with the ebenefits site (a PIA to do) you can file and track all that stuff.
Click to expand...

Good info, thanks.  I filed four years ago and got 10% immediately for tinnitus.  I will now explore further disability.
 
phil-t said:
Raising my hand here, Rene.  I started with the VA back in '90, first thing the rep did was get me into an audiologist - got a 10% disability for tinitus (nothing for the loss).  Six years ago, I filed a claim for the loss and got another 30%, a yaear later (two years ago) I filed again, providing a letter from work stating my inability to participate in group discussions because my hearing.  They raided the loss disability to 40% - so a total of 50% - which gets me 100% healthcare and prescriptions (drugs).  They have been extremely good to me and I have absoliutely no complaints about the VA health care system, from where I am.
I also get eye exams and glasses every year.

Good luck with your claim.  If you get on line and have an account with the ebenefits site (a PIA to do) you can file and track all that stuff.
Click to expand...

Same here with the Tinitus. That was about 10 years ago. DW says I need to get my hearing checked because I'm not hearing as well as I used to. Too many years around jet engines.

My VA rep told me that if I get turned down the first time I apply, don't stop trying. They quite often turn down the first request just to see if you'll reapply. Saves them money if you don't.


Phil, what's the URL for the ebenefits site?
 
One size does not fit all. My first ones were cheap but not proper hearing aids, they merely amplified all noise which was definitely not what I wanted. The effective ones are tuned to the specific needs of the user by a specialist. Unless Costco or other large retailers employ one the money is not well spent imho.  My buddy's wife is using a pair her sister refused to wear, she is stubborn and says good enough but we know they are not working for her and she won't get tested.
 
Roy M said:
One size does not fit all. My first ones were cheap but not proper hearing aids, they merely amplified all noise which was definitely not what I wanted. The effective ones are tuned to the specific needs of the user by a specialist. Unless Costco or other large retailers employ one the money is not well spent imho.  My buddy's wife is using a pair her sister refused to wear, she is stubborn and says good enough but we know they are not working for her and she won't get tested.
Click to expand...
Yes, Costco had a specialist, and they have a quiet room (very heavily insulated for sound) where they do the testing, even printing out your response curve for each ear. The first evaluation is no cost, even if you don't buy from them. If you do, then it's one price (for the aids) covers all.
 
Rene T said:
I just joined the VA 3 months ago because a acquaintance said that the VA has relaxed it's requirements for Viet Nam vets and that they may pay for my next hearing aids. I also filed a claim the same day and just had my hearing test 2 days ago. Now it's a waiting game.
Has anyone received a disability from hearing issues? I was in the artillery.
Click to expand...
Rene, did the audiologist do an evaluation exam following the test?  Like questions about what bothers you most or how bad the ringing is, stuff like that?  The test results will get you hearing aids tuned to your particular loss, the evaluation what they use to determine the disability rating and compensation.
 
phil-t said:
Rene, did the audiologist do an evaluation exam following the test?  Like questions about what bothers you most or how bad the ringing is, stuff like that?  The test results will get you hearing aids tuned to your particular loss, the evaluation what they use to determine the disability rating and compensation.
Click to expand...

Yes they did.
 
Cooperhawk said:
So I started to sign up for ebenefits and got to the point where I had to give permission for them to search my computer.  I won't agree to that so I guess I can't use the system.
Click to expand...

That is unreal.....Although Not surprising in this day and age.

The scary part is a lot of people just click the OK without reading anything.

A lot of the App's I download will want permission to have access to my contacts..Now if I can't make the app work are they going to "call a friend" for help. I just UN-install the App....And that's my final answer.
 
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