wmcgowin
04-02-2007, 02:49 PM
Hi all-
OK, I got my hearing aids last Thursday. I like them, but it is still a little stressful. Things seem so loud.
The times I ask my fiancee and my kids to repeat themselves has dramatically dropped. Almost to zero, but not quite. Plus I can hear birds in the trees, crickets, etc. Things I haven't heard in decades.
My question is this. Almost everyone (incl. the audiologist) say I need to go in several more times to have the aids adjusted. But I don't know what I am supposed to hear-what's normal, etc. In other words, these things have improved my hearing dramatically, but is this good enough? Can it get better? I just really don't know. Is it just a matter of personal preference? I guess I don't know what to expect, and so I can't tell the audiologist what to do, or if I even need to go back.
Does anyone have any thoughts? Or does this even make sense?
OK, I got my hearing aids last Thursday. I like them, but it is still a little stressful. Things seem so loud.
The times I ask my fiancee and my kids to repeat themselves has dramatically dropped. Almost to zero, but not quite. Plus I can hear birds in the trees, crickets, etc. Things I haven't heard in decades.
My question is this. Almost everyone (incl. the audiologist) say I need to go in several more times to have the aids adjusted. But I don't know what I am supposed to hear-what's normal, etc. In other words, these things have improved my hearing dramatically, but is this good enough? Can it get better? I just really don't know. Is it just a matter of personal preference? I guess I don't know what to expect, and so I can't tell the audiologist what to do, or if I even need to go back.
Does anyone have any thoughts? Or does this even make sense?
Sponsor
tally07
04-04-2007, 07:45 PM
Hi all-
OK, I got my hearing aids last Thursday. I like them, but it is still a little stressful. Things seem so loud.
The times I ask my fiancee and my kids to repeat themselves has dramatically dropped. Almost to zero, but not quite. Plus I can hear birds in the trees, crickets, etc. Things I haven't heard in decades.
My question is this. Almost everyone (incl. the audiologist) say I need to go in several more times to have the aids adjusted. But I don't know what I am supposed to hear-what's normal, etc. In other words, these things have improved my hearing dramatically, but is this good enough? Can it get better? I just really don't know. Is it just a matter of personal preference? I guess I don't know what to expect, and so I can't tell the audiologist what to do, or if I even need to go back.
Does anyone have any thoughts? Or does this even make sense?
OK, I got my hearing aids last Thursday. I like them, but it is still a little stressful. Things seem so loud.
The times I ask my fiancee and my kids to repeat themselves has dramatically dropped. Almost to zero, but not quite. Plus I can hear birds in the trees, crickets, etc. Things I haven't heard in decades.
My question is this. Almost everyone (incl. the audiologist) say I need to go in several more times to have the aids adjusted. But I don't know what I am supposed to hear-what's normal, etc. In other words, these things have improved my hearing dramatically, but is this good enough? Can it get better? I just really don't know. Is it just a matter of personal preference? I guess I don't know what to expect, and so I can't tell the audiologist what to do, or if I even need to go back.
Does anyone have any thoughts? Or does this even make sense?
tally07
04-04-2007, 07:45 PM
Hi all-
OK, I got my hearing aids last Thursday. I like them, but it is still a little stressful. Things seem so loud.
The times I ask my fiancee and my kids to repeat themselves has dramatically dropped. Almost to zero, but not quite. Plus I can hear birds in the trees, crickets, etc. Things I haven't heard in decades.
My question is this. Almost everyone (incl. the audiologist) say I need to go in several more times to have the aids adjusted. But I don't know what I am supposed to hear-what's normal, etc. In other words, these things have improved my hearing dramatically, but is this good enough? Can it get better? I just really don't know. Is it just a matter of personal preference? I guess I don't know what to expect, and so I can't tell the audiologist what to do, or if I even need to go back.
Does anyone have any thoughts? Or does this even make sense?
OK, I got my hearing aids last Thursday. I like them, but it is still a little stressful. Things seem so loud.
The times I ask my fiancee and my kids to repeat themselves has dramatically dropped. Almost to zero, but not quite. Plus I can hear birds in the trees, crickets, etc. Things I haven't heard in decades.
My question is this. Almost everyone (incl. the audiologist) say I need to go in several more times to have the aids adjusted. But I don't know what I am supposed to hear-what's normal, etc. In other words, these things have improved my hearing dramatically, but is this good enough? Can it get better? I just really don't know. Is it just a matter of personal preference? I guess I don't know what to expect, and so I can't tell the audiologist what to do, or if I even need to go back.
Does anyone have any thoughts? Or does this even make sense?
sarahbellum
04-05-2007, 12:26 AM
Hi,
Couple of thoughts for you...
When I first got my aids, I felt the same way you did -- I wasn't sure what things were supposed to sound like. And I could hear all kinds of new things! I'll never forget walking thru Target and hearing my shoes making noises as I walked. The leather grip on my steering wheel made a noise. I could hear the creek at my parents house for the first time ever (that one brought tears to my eyes).
I had them make a few adjustments because people sounded kind of echoey. The bigger problem that I had was with fit and feedback, which was eventually solved with completely different aids. To this day I still have to ask people to repeat themselves, but it is pretty rare.
I think it really is personal preference. I think you would know if there was something drastically wrong with the sound. Things would sound tinny or too loud or unclear. You would be asking people to repeat themselves a LOT. If your aids are digital, then the audiologist has probably "tuned" them so that they are at the best possible setting in regards to volume. Aids will never help us to hear perfectly, they will only make it much better than it was.
Good luck, hope this helps.
Couple of thoughts for you...
When I first got my aids, I felt the same way you did -- I wasn't sure what things were supposed to sound like. And I could hear all kinds of new things! I'll never forget walking thru Target and hearing my shoes making noises as I walked. The leather grip on my steering wheel made a noise. I could hear the creek at my parents house for the first time ever (that one brought tears to my eyes).
I had them make a few adjustments because people sounded kind of echoey. The bigger problem that I had was with fit and feedback, which was eventually solved with completely different aids. To this day I still have to ask people to repeat themselves, but it is pretty rare.
I think it really is personal preference. I think you would know if there was something drastically wrong with the sound. Things would sound tinny or too loud or unclear. You would be asking people to repeat themselves a LOT. If your aids are digital, then the audiologist has probably "tuned" them so that they are at the best possible setting in regards to volume. Aids will never help us to hear perfectly, they will only make it much better than it was.
Good luck, hope this helps.
Boomer2b
04-28-2007, 08:43 PM
Sorry to post such a late answer to your question, which you've probably sorted out by now. There are three things that are important to know.
First, it's important to remember that most of what you are paying for in a hearing aid is service: the components and aids themselves are not really that costly. Your fitting audiologist expects you to come back for any adjustments you want until you are completely satisfied.
Second, hearing aids are not like eyeglasses, where you are fixing a simple error in focus to restore very good vision. You would not expect such a good result if you had nerve damage in the eye, like a damaged retina or macular degeneration, but that is essentially what is going on in your ear when you lose hearing and need an aid. The aid is fitted as closely as possible to your needs, but you should adjust your expectations because the aids cannot restore your hearing to what it was before, although they can help a lot.
Third, the ear and brain work together to adjust to the new sounds coming in, and this process takes some time, so you may have to go back to get the aids adjusted to your preference as you adjust to them over a period of time.
So don't be shy about going back to the audiologist, have some patience, and make sure you get the service you paid for. Hope this helps.
First, it's important to remember that most of what you are paying for in a hearing aid is service: the components and aids themselves are not really that costly. Your fitting audiologist expects you to come back for any adjustments you want until you are completely satisfied.
Second, hearing aids are not like eyeglasses, where you are fixing a simple error in focus to restore very good vision. You would not expect such a good result if you had nerve damage in the eye, like a damaged retina or macular degeneration, but that is essentially what is going on in your ear when you lose hearing and need an aid. The aid is fitted as closely as possible to your needs, but you should adjust your expectations because the aids cannot restore your hearing to what it was before, although they can help a lot.
Third, the ear and brain work together to adjust to the new sounds coming in, and this process takes some time, so you may have to go back to get the aids adjusted to your preference as you adjust to them over a period of time.
So don't be shy about going back to the audiologist, have some patience, and make sure you get the service you paid for. Hope this helps.
redcdg
05-07-2007, 01:45 PM
as an audiologist, the cost of the hearing aids are not cheap. the smaller you go the smaller the microphones, digital chip, amplifier, reciever, and volume wheel need to be. you pay for vanity. as well you should know about the hearing aid tax credit...just instituted.
what is most important to understand with your hearing aids is what is your ability to understand what is the %. that is important. example. if you % is 80% then you will always miss 20% even with the hearing aid. some discrimination is key to amplification success.
you did not get a new set of ears, you got aids, please remember that. you are not cured. you are aided.
go slow - be patient, you are not used to hearing, you are used to hearing loss.
good luck
what is most important to understand with your hearing aids is what is your ability to understand what is the %. that is important. example. if you % is 80% then you will always miss 20% even with the hearing aid. some discrimination is key to amplification success.
you did not get a new set of ears, you got aids, please remember that. you are not cured. you are aided.
go slow - be patient, you are not used to hearing, you are used to hearing loss.
good luck