Help for Hearing Impairment

Unity

Hear-Hear wrote: »

Hello Unity

Could I just ask how you rate the Oticon Spirit 3?
Not a bad digital aid in its day, but the technology is pretty old now, which means your aids must be pretty old too. Since you must be living in a PCT area that uses Oticon (different PCT's use different manufacturers), you should ask to be upgraded to the more-recent Oticon Zest. The technology in Zest is old too, but certainly not as out-dated as 'Spirit 3'. You can be 99% certain that you will notice the improvement. With regard to directionality, this is where the technology advances have been greatest. You now get 'adaptive' rather than 'fixed' directionality on most aids, and as an experienced user, you will be quite amazed at the difference in quality of sound due to the much higher speech-to-noise ratio.

loop system......might be helpful in this sort of situation?
A portable loop system works best where there is a single speaker - in a department store, a retail sales assistant could use one to communicate with you (on the 'T' setting). Much more difficult to use in groups, where each person would need access to the microphone pick-up on the prtable loop system. Much better idea to go to #Plan A, get your Spirit 3's upgraded.


I don't want to look a complete dweeb
Why not tell your pals that you are trying out something new (whatever it is you are trying). You might be really surprised how interested they become - and very helpful too !


"The ears are a self-cleaning organ and nothing smaller than an elbow should ever be inserted!"
Hmmm. Said that to a new user once. She looked at me like I had two heads. :kisses3: She just couldn't get to grips with the concept.


My GP will not allow me to have my ears syringed
This is quite correct. Syringing by GP or Practice Nurse should never be done where the eardrum is (or has been in the past) damaged. You have to take the ENT route for suction or hooking.


Cheap self-vacuums
Rubbish, I agree.


I have tried putting warm almond oil in my ears at bed-time, but the wax that comes out is pretty miniscule
The oil should only be used where the perforation has healed (ie, you no longer suffer regular fluid discharge). You won't see much wax coming out. It trickles out naturally in miniscule amounts, once the oil has softened the wax sufficiently. If you are prone to excessive wax, then a drop (ie. ONE drop) of oil a couple of times a week provides a regular maintainance. It won't stop the production of wax, but will allow it to egress more easily. A word of caution - don't put your hearing aids in for several hours after putting the oil in. Let the wax absorb the oil first, otherwise you will clog up the sound outlet.

Just a quick update Hear-Hear - I had to get my hearing aids serviced last week and had the tubes replaced as they'd hardened so much I couldn't get them apart to clean them, so I asked when I'd be due my "Fine tune" and was told I'm still on the list, but it is ten months long.

I also asked about the Oticon Zest and so far my PCT is not issuing these as they are having problems with the computer software. The technician I saw did say to ask the audiologist when I get my 'Fine tune' as they may have got over the software problems by then. I said that I find I am becoming less sociable because the direction setting is next to useless and I worry about talking over my friends when we all meet up. Of course she said I shouldn't let this happen and my friends will understand and I'm sure they would - but it's me who feels embarrassed .

I always thought there would be some sort of follow-up when I got my hearing aids, my friend got an appointment after three months to check how she was coping - but she works at the hospital so it goes through 'Staff Health'. I was just given the hearing aid and that was it. I only found out that they hadn't been fitted with vents when I made an appointment to say I was having problems and found out it was caused by condensation .

Mind you our CEO has just had a massive pay rise :T:rotfl:.

spugzbunny

Hi Unity -

Just to say I think it's a case of post code lottery regarding your NHS care. You should be entitled to a follow up appointment. When I had mine fitted a few months ago, I had a follow up 2 1/2 months later. I had a lot of fine tuning as mine was turned up a lot, the feedback reduced and the background noise pulled up. I now find social situations just fine and if I can't hear I turn it up which helps! My local audiologist couldnt be better - I'm now under their continued care and if I need anthing I can just drop in to the clinic!

Are you young? I'm 27 - don't be embarrassed by it. I had a bit of a stressed out time when I first lost my hearing in one ear but at the end of the day if anybody judges anyone with hearing aids then it's thier stupidity - not ours!

Hear-Hear

Unity

There are no problems with the Oticon Zest software; it’s being widely used. More probably, it’s a problem with the training of the staff on how to use the software. Some PCT’s put rather less focus on training because it can impact of the length of the waiting lists; others manage to juggle both needs quite well.

Follow-up appointments within 6 weeks of fitting have been mandatory – a legal requirement – in the private sector for many years. NHS follow-up appointments are not subject to the same legal requirements, and as spugzbunny has indicated, some PCT’s are a lot better than others. In my view, the aftercare can be more important than the fitting itself. An audiologist doesn’t actually design or physically build your hearing aids – but the audiologist does and should enable you to get the very best out of the heaing aids that have been supplied to you.

Never let your tubing become brittle. It makes it hard to change, it can distort the acoustic flow from the aid to your ear canal, and can even make the top of your ear quite sore. Tubing needs to be changed at least every 12 months, but more frequently if it hardens earlier.

Savvy_Sue

Hear-Hear wrote: »

Never let your tubing become brittle. It makes it hard to change, it can distort the acoustic flow from the aid to your ear canal, and can even make the top of your ear quite sore. Tubing needs to be changed at least every 12 months, but more frequently if it hardens earlier.

Again, we have the ridiculous situation where our audiology clinic advertises a course to learn how to look after your hearing aid - change the tubing etc. I've asked about this course every time I've been there, I think, and I've been going for the last 5 years. Every time they've taken my name and details, and I've heard no more.

Although it's now a bit academic because I have the open-fit mould, so it's just a question of unscrewing the old mould and screwing in a new one. Unfortunately I seem to be between lengths, so it's not a perfect fit, which of course should be possible with a moulded mould. But since the mould itself is a lot more comfortable, it's a reasonable trade off.

I'll be needing new hearing aids soon so I'll probably ask for a re-test then. Not had one of those at all, although I don't THINK my hearing has changed. Would I know though?

Unity

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Again, we have the ridiculous situation where our audiology clinic advertises a course to learn how to look after your hearing aid - change the tubing etc. I've asked about this course every time I've been there, I think, and I've been going for the last 5 years. Every time they've taken my name and details, and I've heard no more.

Although it's now a bit academic because I have the open-fit mould, so it's just a question of unscrewing the old mould and screwing in a new one. Unfortunately I seem to be between lengths, so it's not a perfect fit, which of course should be possible with a moulded mould. But since the mould itself is a lot more comfortable, it's a reasonable trade off.
I'll be needing new hearing aids soon so I'll probably ask for a re-test then. Not had one of those at all, although I don't THINK my hearing has changed. Would I know though?

I'm amazed! :eek: It's no wonder our waiting lists are so long when we are not allowed to change our own tubes . I've always thought it looks an easy job and frankly the worst bit of going along to audiology is that it's in the main hospital where the lack of parking spaces is legendary . I don't know why but my tubes need changing at least every six months at present and even the technician remarked on just how brittle they are after half the normal time.

I asked whether I should be getting an appointment for a service, but got fobbed off with her saying "Oh well, you are calling in to get the tubes changed anyway. I still think since I got my first aid in 2008 and the second in August 2009 that having to wait ten months for a fine tune is ridiculous. The daftest thing is that they told me at my previous tube change to get a referral for removal of wax via my GP and no doubt by the time my appointment arrives they'll need de-gunking again.

Thanks again Hear-Hear and also spugsbunny. Am I young? Well not as young as you but we're all of us around 17-years-old looking outwards :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:. I'm of an interesting age (between 21 and death :D:D). My friends are of all ages at the Stitch and !!!!! group - from 4 -years-old to 70+ but the cafe we meet in is an old building with an incredibly high ceiling so the acoustics are terrible - especially if you are sitting at the end of a very long table. I find I am only able to converse with those on either side of me, whereas some of the older members seem to catch even the whispers . I'll just get there earlier and bag a seat bang in the middle - that should help!

It's wonderful to find a really helpful thread where no one argues :T.

Errata

I've been retubing my aids myself for quite a number of years now. I retube every six months. It took the technician 2 minutes to show me how to do it, and I've found it a simple and straightforward process.
One audiologist suggested aids should be retubed every 3 months, even if they look ok they're sometimes not in tip top condition at that point. HTH

Savvy_Sue

Well, my lipreading teacher is starting a new evening class next week :j:j:j so no doubt the subject will come up then. It IS ridiculous, I'm sure my mum would struggle to re-tube, because she's not got the nimblest of fingers any more, but I could do it easily.

ninja-lewis

Errata wrote: »

I've been retubing my aids myself for quite a number of years now. I retube every six months. It took the technician 2 minutes to show me how to do it, and I've found it a simple and straightforward process.
One audiologist suggested aids should be retubed every 3 months, even if they look ok they're sometimes not in tip top condition at that point. HTH

Same. I used to have my aid retubed as and when required by my visiting teacher of the deaf. Since I've left school, I simply buy tubing from a private hearing shop (where I also get my moulds made as the local audiology clinic is beyond useless) and do it myself. They're only 50p each and can be bought over the counter rather than having to arrange appointments weeks in advance at the hospital.

My old VTD had the proper tools to do it but even without them its not difficult at all (obviously if you're old with less nimble fingers, it can be a bit of a problem).

All you need to do is take out the old tubing, push/pull the new tubing through until the mould is in the right place at the bend, cut off the excess at the ear end (I leave it a little short so I can pull it back into the mould otherwise its a bit uncomfortable if the scissors can't get a close cut) and then measure the aid end against the old bit of tubing (lining it up as if it was still in the aid) to get the right length to cut. At this point the VTD used to her scissors to widen the tubing slightly to fit the aid hook in but I find it simply slips in just fine. Just need to watch the tubing fits the aid and mould when you buy it (hospital tubing doesn't always fit my private mould).

EDIT: In fact, just today somebody has put a 'how to' video on youtube.

summerof0763

hi everyone,really disgusted today,had occupational therapist from council out today.
i have an old fire alarm with wires hanging all over place,which apparently is acceptable.
i do not work,therefore do not need an alarm clock to get up in mornings,never mind that i have countless doc,hosp app,that are generally mornings.
dont need a phone i can hear on "other people can do that for you"


i honestly have never felt so isolated in my life,i barely go out,apart from doc,hosp app,as have totally lost my confidence,since getting new hearing aids before xmas,that are worse than last ones i had.
and belive me have been at hosp countless times trying to get them to sort them out,apparently i just need to get used to them,argh!!
even asked for old ones back,but they no longer have any more of them.

sorry just had to have a rant,as feeling very much like "i dont matter" had a good old cry yesterday after ot went away.

rosieben

summerof0763 wrote: »

...
i have an old fire alarm with wires hanging all over place,which apparently is acceptable.
i do not work,therefore do not need an alarm clock to get up in mornings,never mind that i have countless doc,hosp app,that are generally mornings.
dont need a phone i can hear on "other people can do that for you"

sorry just had to have a rant,as feeling very much like "i dont matter" had a good old cry yesterday after ot went away.

hugs summer, that ot's attitude is totally out of line. I would ask again and keep asking until I could talk to someone sensible, they can't dismiss your needs like that. To suggest that you must rely on other people for phone calls is hardly in line with current legislation regarding equalities for those of us with disabilites. Not quite sure who you could get advice from but there will be someone along with more practical advice soon.