Help for Hearing Impairment

Hear-Hear

Wangle Dancer wrote: You are eligible disabled if any of the following applies to you <snip> you are profoundly or severely deaf <snip> I don't know what loss level "severely" deaf is but I presume the audiology clinic she attends will provide that info for her to see if she falls into that category.

Severe loss is where your audiogram shows levels at 70dBHL or worse. Profound is 95dBHL or worse. You can get confirmation from the your NHS clinic, or from Boots or Specsavers if you want it quickly.

rosieben

I have a free bus pass and the local authority form asked for a letter from my doc to support the claim, I thnk I paid about £17 for the letter; it all went through very quickly.

ConfusedTwo

marrowgirl wrote: »

In fact I would advise to open the battery compartment every night because that is where moisture tends to lurk and this saves the compartment corroding.

I was told to do this when I got my digital NHS aids -- I'd never done it with my analogue aids -- but it caused me no end of problems. I'd spend 10 or more minutes, sometimes more (and sometimes I'd just give up) just flipping the switch on and off, over and over, just to get the aids to actually switch on. Sometimes they'd switch on first time, but other times not. Swapping the battery for a new one would make no difference, and it wasn't dust or debris getting inside, it was like the connector to the battery somehow got out of alignment or something due to opening the battery compartment daily. Eventually I persuaded my audiology department to replace them, and I now only open the battery compartment to swap the battery... and I've had no problems at all. After 30 years or wearing hearing aids, leaving the battery compartment closed has caused me zero problems, whilst opening it every night has.

spugzbunny

Hi guys - I have had a flick through this thread and I'll take time to read it properly as soon as I can but I've just been told I need a hearing aid and I can't remember what she called it. The brand I mean! It was an i something - like ipod or itunes, ihear maybe?? Does anyone recognise that? Could you let me know if you know the name so I can look it up.

My full er .. 'story' is on this thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=29286715&posted=1#post29286715

I'm freaking out a bit a the moment but I'm sure I'll have some questions when I've had some time to think.

Thanks!

spugzbunny

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ubergizmo.com/photos/2006/2/phonak-bionic-ear.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2006/02/bionic_ear_usher_new_age_in_hearing_aids.html&usg=__JlhP_DVNZygIwVQQykv_E_JfrNE=&h=226&w=250&sz=5&hl=en&start=7&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=NUBcAqJQVZOfgM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnew%2Bhearing%2Baids%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GGLR_enGB316GB316%26sa%3DX%26um%3D1

oh sorry i think this might be it! It would seem I 'misheard' her! Oh you have to laugh because I really am about to cry!!:(

Errata

Is this hearing aid being supplied to you by the NHS ?

spugzbunny

Yes it is. She gave me a few choices and one like that or that one is the one I picked. I'm sorry I can't be clearer but I was freaking out a little! It looked a lot like that and I remember she said it had a button to direct it (like a wing mirror I remember thinking!) and I would be one of the first they fitted it to as they had only just got them in.

Errata

Lucky you, sounds really good. I don't know that model, but someone else might.

spugzbunny

Errata wrote: »

Lucky you, sounds really good. I don't know that model, but someone else might.

Thank you! I'm trying to see the positives at the moment but I'm struggling to take it all in. It's just so unexpected. I can't fault the care I received today though so although it was not good news it really was the best way it could have been given!! Oh humpf

Hear-Hear

Hi spugzbunny,

That could indeed be it. The image you posted above is of a PHONAK open fit. Phonak is one of the 3 main/approved suppliers to the NHS, the others being SIEMENS and OTICON.

It's impossible to tell from the pic you posted what model it is, but if you find out any more details from your audiology clinic, post them on here.
Don't forget, if you have bilateral (both sides) loss, then don't just get half the problem treated. You will need, and you are entitled to, two hearing aids. One is likely to only exacerbate the problem.