Hearing Aids

[SeilerBird]

Thanks so much Bill. I can really use them, things are getting quieter on me. There are many places here in Orlando that can adjust them for me. I have already been practicing the take a deep breath thing. I am becoming a lot more tolerant in my old age.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

X2 Bill, having worked around helicopters I certainly understand your hearing loss issues. :
I worked with Chris Waugh, an ame with Canadian Helicopters. Coincidence or is he a rely?

My last name is from the same as my step father, so I would not have any blood relation to anyone named Waugh.

The name that is on my birth certificate is William Charles Hosto and the name of my actual father was Lowell Alexander Smith.

 

[SeilerBird]

Here is a copy of my last audiology test six years ago. As you can see everything over 2k is a mystery to me. I will put them to good use.

 

[SeilerBird]

Here is a photo of my hearing amplifiers. Only way to describe them is worthless. $600 and I wore them less than three months.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

Send me an IM or email with your shipping address.

I have them in a box ready to go and will take them to the post office and ship them next day if I can get the address soon.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

I just got the address.

I did not know that my message box was full.  I deleted a few and it showed up.

On my way to the post office.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

Back from the post office.

It will be there Monday by Priority Mail.

Good Luck with it.

 

[SeilerBird]

Back from the post office.

It will be there Monday by Priority Mail.

Good Luck with it.

Thanks again Bill. I was just playing my drums thinking back to my trip to Reno last July. I spent a few days staying at some friends house and every time they watched TV I wondered how they could even hear the TV. It sounded like they had the volume set on one. I finally realized they were listening to it at a normal volume. This is a dream come true.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

OK, enough with the thanks.  They were setting in a drawer and it cost me nothing to pass them along.

Actually, it cost me a whole $9 dollars and change to send them so you owe me a McDonalds meal if we ever meet up.

Wear them in good health.

 

[blw2]

well good on you Bill!
and I hope you enjoy them Sellierbird!

So Bill, how are you liking the new ones?

In july I got fitted for a pair of those same things.... except not rechargeable.  Phonak Marvel Audeo 13T.
 
I wish I would have researched just a bit more first... I think I might could have saved a few dollars.... but I don't care.  I am so glad I did it and wish that I'd done it several years earlier.  She said I'm on the young end of her patient base and that I'd come in a lot earlier than most.  Still, I should have done it a few years ago.

My audiogram curves are shaped very much like yours Seillerbird except not nearly as low....mine bottom out about 60-70 dB on the high end

Re. pricing - I bought into what I think is the traditional pricing model from an audiologist....about $6k....includes 1 year of visits with the audiologist as needed and some 'insurance/warranty'.... they'll replace them up to 1 time if lost and repair if needed for a couple years.  She was also very generous in my opinion in letting me trial two different types first....spanning something like 3-4 weeks.  Anyway, it took 3-4 visits after the initial fitting of mine to get them more or less fully dialed in.  one more visit coming up soon should take care of the tweaks I think.

Anyway, I love mine...hope you guys are enjoying yours as much as I do!

 

[SeilerBird]

Thanks Brad. Anything would be an improvement over what I am hearing now. Maybe my guitar playing will improve

 

[HueyPilotVN]

I asked my audiologist if I could play the piano with these hearing aids in.  He said Sure.

I said  "Great, I always wanted to play the piano".

Now to get serious,  These really do help.  The old ones probably would have helped also if I had ever used them.

I am watching TV with the volume set at 2, usually it is set at a volume of about 8 or more.

They are very comfortable.  I cannot feel them at all.

Another plus is since they are paired to my smart phone I get the notification for emails or messages very clearly.

I have not tried talking on the phone thru the aids but I could hear the audiologist
clearly when he tested them by calling me from the other room.

It will be great when driving and I will be hands free and legal.

The only real downside is that I can now hear Renae when she tells me to take out the trash.

Edit:  The new ones are Phonak Audeo M90-R (silver gray)

They were factory configured based on my audiometric data and tested on Tuesday September 24, 2019 at 19:07

 

[SeilerBird]

I always make phone calls on the speakerphone setting. I can't stand holding a phone up to my ear. I live alone so I only bother my cats when I talk. I am so excited waiting for Monday.

 

[Roy M]

;D I had to remember not to put the phone to my ear when it rang. Only problem is now I sometimes forget to when the hearing aids are not in and wonder why I can't hear the caller. I also hear it ring in the hearing aids then have to quickly remember where I left it before it stops. I really do like the bluetooth especially when driving.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

I also forget to mention.

The bluetooth connection can also be used with the TV so that I can listen to the TV in bed with the normal TV speaker muted or listen to it louder without bothering anyone.

I can also listen to music from my smart phone without anyone else hearing it.  So if you see an old man dancing down the aisle at Walmart singing "Baby Shark" you will know who it is.

I can also pair with my laptop or IPAD.

Usually Renae and I watch TV in different rooms because of the sound setting difference.

 

[SeilerBird]

So if you see an old man dancing down the aisle at Walmart singing "Baby Shark" you will know who it is.

I wanna see a video. ;D

 

[HueyPilotVN]

The real impetus for digging out the old hearing aids was Renae.  Much of the time I could not hear what she was saying.

At other times what I thought she said was not what she really said.  Like she would say "Stand Up" and I would hear "Shut Up".  or she would say "Are You Hungry" and I would hear....."Are You .....well you get the idea.

I would also not hear her when I was walking away.

Anyway we will see how this bionic hearing thing works out.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

Tom,

I was just looking at this test result from my audiogram and it looks a lot like yours.

Maybe they will not have to do much to the settings or at least you might be able to try them out right away.

 

[SeilerBird]

Yes it does look like mine. I was planning on trying them out first before doing anything. I have been reading a lot today and I have a few options. There is an audiologist on eBay that will program them for $60. I send in the hearing aids and my audiogram and he tunes it and sends it back. He had 100% positive feedback so not much risk.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/PHONAK-Hearing-Aid-Program-or-Reprogram-Service-Sale-priced-through-October/223674989837?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

I have been to two different local audiologists and their entire program was to sell me very expensive hearing aids. I will give a few of them a call and see what they will charge to reprogram them. They are going to want to retest me because my audiogram is 6 years old. I think they will resist wanting to help me if I don't want to buy new hearing aids since that is their bread and butter.

I downloaded the Phonak app and went all through it. I have been an audio engineer all my life so I will have no problem understanding and using the app. It is going to be a lot of fun trying them out.

 

[Bill N]

This is a fascinating thread and I just came across it.  Bill Waugh is, as usual, the most generous person on the forum.  But I have a question and am really confused on the subject of hearing aids.  I probably could use a set as my wife always complains that I have the TV up too high and I have trouble hearing some of the people on TV because they mumble or are in monotone so much (at least to my ears).

I am retired military so not eligible for VA but I see that Medicare does not pay for hearing aids.  So are there any retired military folks here who use hearing aids and obtained them from any other source than cash purchase?  I certainly am not objecting to VA issuing them but wondering if there is a way for me to obtain a set without putting out a lot of cash - something not in big supply here.