I go to get fitted for hearing aids Tuesday -

[hedgehog]

I have lost my high frequencies - I can hear the toaster pop up but not the tea kettle whistling. It's hard to talk with most females - women's voice are pitched to high for me to catch everything. Forget hearing anyone if there is background noise. Phones are difficult because the low tones are too loud, the high tones too soft.

The irony here is that I was a faithful user of hearing protection for my entire working life and even used ear muffs at home before it became standard. My hearing was perfect until I had chemo. (Of course, I'd rather be here and partially deaf than have perfect ears in the grave!)

So - wish me the best!

[DavidDvorkin]

1. It's painless

And you'll be pleased you did it.

[MuseRider]

2. You will be so happy!

I am darned near deaf from sitting in front of the brass sections my entire life with the symphony. I was amazed at how much more relaxed I could be because I was not straining to hear.

Wishing you well.

[Hoyt]

3. Let us know how it goes. I think a hearing evaluation is in my immediate future.

[tblue37]

4. You might enjoy some of the articles on my deaf website:

I'm Listening as Hard as I Can!
http://deafnotdumb.homestead.com/index.html

Most of the articles on my deaf/HoH site are humorous, but a number of them are serious. Some offer information for those who suffer from hearing loss, while some offer information that other people need in order to behave thoughtfully toward friends, family, and colleagues who are deaf or hearing-impaired. On the home page of my site, I wrote this comment:

A hearing impairment usually provokes impatience and intolerance rather than sympathy or consideration. If I were blind, a person would not put his foot out to trip me or get angry because I could not see, and yet because I am hard of hearing (HoH) and have trouble understanding what is said to me, an awful lot of people get angry, as if I am simply not bothering to pay attention. Believe me, I am paying attention--in fact, I'm listening as hard as I can!

**One article you might like, since it deals with my first day with hearing aids:

"The Day I got My Hearing Aids, the KU Marching Band Followed Me Home"
http://deafnotdumb.homestead.com/marchingband.html

[lpbk2713]

5. Wishing you all the best.

[PoliticAverse]

6. Best wishes to you! n/t

[hedgehog]

7. Well, the process went like this -

first, a check to insure that I didn't have damage to the ear drum or middle ear, then some tests of my hearing. There was the usual test with tones at different frequencies, then a check of my ability to understand words. ( I had to repeat the word that I heard.)

Then we reviewed the test results with my husband and there was a repeat of the word testing!

Clearly a lot of this was designed not just to test my hearing, but to impress on my husband and myself the extent of the hearing loss.

I did much better with some sample hearing aids.

Then came the shocker - $5400for a pair of hearing aids! I think I'll get them,but also some insurance on them as well!

I was very surprised at how tiny these hearing aids are.

[DavidDvorkin]

8. That's an absurd price

Go to Costco.

[hedgehog]

9. I'm thinking of going to two other suppliers that my insurance has deals with -

the question is whether I would be comparing prices on the same unit, on equivalent units or on inferior units. Hearing is so subtle although good enough may be good enough - is there a real difference between hearing 98% and 90% of what's going on around you? I'm thinking it over.

[Jim Lane]

10. I'm not sure about Costco

I saw an audiologist who recommended the ReSound LiNX (because I wanted easy compatibility with a smart phone). The LiNX works with an iPhone by means of an app, so you don't need a PhoneClip or other gadget. (With some HA's, the smart phone can't communicate directly with the HA; it communicates with the other gadget, which you can wear around your neck, and the other gadget communicates with the HA.)

Costco offers a Kirkland Signature, which is manufactured by ReSound. It's supposed to be the Costco version of the LiNX. It's certainly less expensive but I haven't been able to get a clear understanding of how the functionality compares. The LiNX is very expensive (the model I would choose is $5,900 for the pair) but I really don't want to have to use a third device along with an iPhone and HA.

Costco offers many products so it's not surprising that their people give confusing and contradictory answers to some of my questions. I'd be grateful for information from any DUers who have actual experience with Costco hearing aids.

[DavidDvorkin]

11. I have hearing aids from Costco

The brand is Bernafon. Cost was about $900 per ear (I got the two separately, as it happened.)

Before that, I had a more expensive pair from a private audiologist, one recommended by my doctor. The audiologist was good and those hearing aids were good. I think the Costco experience is comparable and the hearing just as good, at about half the price.

[Jim Lane]

12. Question about the Bernafon

What, there's no Hillaraphon or Martinafon?

OK, smartass humor aside, my serious question is about compatibility with a smart phone. I'd like to be able to listen to calls, listen to YouTube videos, and listen to audiobooks downloaded to the phone. I'd like the sound to go directly from the phone to the HA, as opposed to being turned into sound waves that the HA then picks up and amplifies.

My impression from the Bernafon website at http://www.bernafon-us.com/Consumers/OurProducts/en-us_Cons_Accessories/en-us_Cons_BluetoothConnectivity/Cons_Accessories_SoundGate.aspx is that Bernafon devices won't do that unless I also have their SoundGate 3, which is apparently another device that acts as an intermediary between the phone and the HA. Has your experience been that you can achieve the direct compatibility without the SoundGate device?

[DavidDvorkin]

13. I just put the smartphone to my ear

It works fairly well, although I do have an occasional problem with feedback squeals, even though both the hearing aids and the smartphone claim to suppress that.

I don't have any accessories.

[hedgehog]

14. I checked two other suppliers and ended up going back to the original group -

what sold me more than anything was their effort to adjust the hearing aids to give the best results. I'm going back in two weeks for further adjustments as needed. Since this ongoing support is part of the total package (plus insurance against damage or loss), the price is starting to seem more reasonable.

To add - One supplier did have me try on a pair, and did adjust them, but the results were not as good as the pair I ended up with.