Help for Hearing Impairment

Hear-Hear

SHERWOOD wrote: »

I took the plunge and rang Audiology this afternoon - I have an appointment Tuesday week. You have given me the confidence now to approach them to ask for a newer upgraded model. Many thanks once again.

That's great news. Do let us know how you get on.

Hear-Hear

sueturnersmith wrote: »

Are you supposed to have an annual check-up? The hospital has never asked me, and I have had my current Spirit 3 aid for several years. I have not been sent for a new hearing test, and my hearing is now much worse than it was.

When I asked for some new tubing I had to leave my aids with them for several weeks, and really struggled because I can hear hardly anything without them. And when I was asked originally for a hearing test, I had to wait almost a year!

I don't think I am in an area which offers outside testing.

Yes, you should be going for regular check-ups, annually if hearing loss has been diagnosed, every two years for routine check-ups otherwise. Same as going for regular sight tests, dental checks, etc.

Your 'Spirit 3' hearing aids are now obsolete, having been replaced by the vastly superior 'Zest' and 'Zest C' models quite some time ago.

Waiting lists have come down in recent years, especially in areas of the country where AQP applies. Look at Sherwood's post above, showing a call made and appointment offered within 10 days ! In a non-AQP area, you may be waiting a little longer, but contact your audiology dept and they should be able to tell you the current waiting times for your locality.

Goldiegirl

Hello!


I've recently had a quite sudden sensorineural hearing loss. I've had an MRI scan and everything is fine there, so it looks as if it's going to be one of those cases where the cause will never be pinpointed.


I have had tinnitus, but this has settled down now, and is at a level that I can cope with - sometimes I forget about it altogether.


Last week I had a bout of vertigo - not a lot of fun.


My hearing loss (only in my right ear) is in the mild to moderate category.


So the focus is now on managing the hearing loss.


I've been referred to an audiologist for seeing about a hearing aid. I've been giving some tablets (Buccastem I think) to take if I get more vertigo, and I'm being referred to a balance clinic .


I think all that can be done has been done, so I'm now just trying to get used to the situation, that one of my faculties is slightly impaired. Not something I imagined would happen


Mentally I'm ok with the thought of using a hearing aid. But I don't even like using the ear buds with an iPod, so not sure how I'd like a hearing aid.


But just thought I'd say hello. I'll be reading the whole thread over the next week or so, just to find out how other people manage. I always find people's personal experiences to be very helpful

sueturnersmith

I wear hearing aids in both ears, and also dislike ear buds. However, the moulds used for hearing aids are made to fit your ear, and are much more comfortable than the buds. After a while you'll get used to it, and won't even know you have the aid in - except that you will be able to hear so much better.

Good luck!

disabled_NCIS_fan

Well now my migraines are being controlled by medication, I am finally allowed to restart using my hearing aid after a few years. I have a cross aid. The hearing aid is a spirit 3 i think it says. The wire to connect the two is quite torn from the use i had before. Does anyone know if I can get a replacement from anywhere?

Hear-Hear

The Spirit 3 is quite an obsolete model now, so you'll actually be overdue for replacement. If your local hospital is still using Oticon as its preferred supplier, then you'll probably be offered the latest Zest model, which is quite a big step up in technology.

Wear and tear of the wire on CROS hearing aids is normal. Like conventional hearing aids, CROS aids would normally be replaced at three yearly intervals.

disabled_NCIS_fan

Thanks for that, will make an appointment to see the doctor. I actually can't wait to start using it again.

Savvy_Sue

sueturnersmith wrote: »

I wear hearing aids in both ears, and also dislike ear buds. However, the moulds used for hearing aids are made to fit your ear, and are much more comfortable than the buds. After a while you'll get used to it, and won't even know you have the aid in - except that you will be able to hear so much better.

For Goldiegirl, what I have found is that you may have to go back and forth multiple times to get the mould really comfortable. I can't bear a 'full' mould because I feel as if there's a vacuum seal in my ear, I think that's called occlusion. So I had a small hole drilled in it to let the air in.

Then I heard about open fit moulds which come 'off the shelf', they're not suitable for all levels of loss but they're quite good for me, although again we've had to experiment with the different kinds because I still get the 'vacuum seal' feeling with some shapes, and the aid needs adjusting each time which they don't always have time or inclination to do.

I'm now adjusting to a different kind which in theory should be best of all, it doesn't completely fill my ear but I do have to have an impression taken for it. Unfortunately I don't think the tube is quite right, I haven't completely worked out what the problem is but either the aid falls off my ear or the mould feels as if it's falling out.

So I need to psych myself up for another visit ...

And it's absolutely no use at all in the situations where I can't hear at all well, ie in crowded rooms with lots of conversations going on at once.

What I can't recommend enough is lipreading classes, if you can find one near you (provision is patchy).

Errata

Sue - just a guess as I had this problem once, sounds like the tube is either too long or too short.

Goldiegirl

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

For Goldiegirl, what I have found is that you may have to go back and forth multiple times to get the mould really comfortable. I can't bear a 'full' mould because I feel as if there's a vacuum seal in my ear, I think that's called occlusion. So I had a small hole drilled in it to let the air in.

Then I heard about open fit moulds which come 'off the shelf', they're not suitable for all levels of loss but they're quite good for me, although again we've had to experiment with the different kinds because I still get the 'vacuum seal' feeling with some shapes, and the aid needs adjusting each time which they don't always have time or inclination to do.

I'm now adjusting to a different kind which in theory should be best of all, it doesn't completely fill my ear but I do have to have an impression taken for it. Unfortunately I don't think the tube is quite right, I haven't completely worked out what the problem is but either the aid falls off my ear or the mould feels as if it's falling out.

So I need to psych myself up for another visit ...

And it's absolutely no use at all in the situations where I can't hear at all well, ie in crowded rooms with lots of conversations going on at once.

What I can't recommend enough is lipreading classes, if you can find one near you (provision is patchy).

It all sounds like trial and error, but it's useful to know that it won't necessarily be right first time.


The crowded room thing is where I have the most trouble at present - it's very difficult to hear when someone is talking to me. Or at work, as we are in an open plan office, it can be noisy. But I only work two days a week, and I'm not planning on staying there much longer than 9 months, so it's something I can put up with. But if I was full time, I think I'd have to speak to them about making things a bit easier for me.


I would love to do lip reading. At the moment, my lip reading is limited to when footballers swear during the match when I'm watching TV, but I'd love to be able to work out the entire conversations!


It's something I'll investigate. At the moment, my hearing loss isn't too bad, and I get by day to day perfectly ok. But I can't help thinking that it could get worse, and it'd be good to learn sooner rather than later. Also, it'd be nice to meet other people in a similar situation


Edited to add-


I checked the link about the classes - there's one really nearby, but on a Thursday which is one of my working days - but certainly something I'll consider next year, when I should be work free!