Help for Hearing Impairment

piglet4

Tehya wrote: »

Thanks for taking the time to reply they would seem like an ideal Christmas gift idea from hubby though I don't know if my hearing aids will work with those. They don't have a button for T setting so is that something I don't have on mine? They're Oticon Spirit Zest BTE and have the open fit ear piece instead of ear molds.

Yes, those aids definitely have a telecoil, I have the same model.

I have two telecoil programmes set up, one is 100% telecoil and the other is a mix of telecoil and mic (so I can hear what's going on around me as well).

The only problem with telecoil is electromagnetic interference, I find this can be really bad in many buses, although some seats are better than others

Personally I find the earhooks a PITA because they fall off my ears all the time, I much prefer an old-fashioned neckloop (this one is good http://www.connevans.co.uk/store/viewProduct.do?id=1014343). These days I use the bluetooth Streamer that Hear-Hear mentioned which is awesome (and no problem on the bus either!).

piglet4

Errata wrote: »

Sorry I can't help with any tekkie info, but do not despair hearing aid users - you are not alone in the weird and wonderful things you don't hear, and the ones you do -
http://thecookiebitechronicles.wordpress.com/category/hearing-aids/

Thanks for the link, that blog is fab

Tehya

Thank you yet again for the great advice. :j I've made an appointment with the audiologist so fingers crossed she doesn't mind adding the t setting. I've still not been for my follow up (cancelled twice) so it'll sort that out as well.

Savvy_Sue

Errata wrote: »

Sorry I can't help with any tekkie info, but do not despair hearing aid users - you are not alone in the weird and wonderful things you don't hear, and the ones you do -
http://thecookiebitechronicles.wordpress.com/category/hearing-aids/

I think, btw, that it's worth leaving off the last bit of that link, otherwise you miss some posts.

http://thecookiebitechronicles.wordpress.com/

I think Errata's link misses out some posts not directly related to hearing aids, but she's well worth reading on problems with glasses / contact lenses, and life in general.

I've worked my way back to page 29, and still giggling.

philb120

Just recently had a hearing test and it seems one ear does not pick up sounds between 3000 and 8000 hz (it's down to 60 on the graph scale) very well. I am having an MRI tomorrow to see what the damage is but have already been told it's permanent. It seems to have been caused by a viral infection as there is no damage to the nerve or problem with the outer ear. It also means a hearing aid would be of no benefit I have been told. Just wanted to share really. I am still in shock a little and am probably going to give up my job- teacher- and change careers- can't hear the !!!!!!s when they are whispering and hiding their mouths lol

Savvy_Sue

Don't rush into any career decisions ... if you read the blog Errata linked to, you'll see that the author is still teaching in an art college, in very challenging circumstances! What age group do you teach?

piglet4

philb120 wrote: »

It also means a hearing aid would be of no benefit I have been told.l

Quite surprised by this comment...I would definitely get a second opinion if I were you. Even in my "good" ear I can't hear anything below 70dB, but still get huge benefits from my hearing aids. You won't know until you try

Good luck with the MRI!

Hear-Hear

You beat me to it, piglet4. Whilst heaing aids can be of only 'limited' benefit for some types of losses, I can't imagine any qualified audiologist advising "no benefit" without testing and trialling. It may be that it wasn't an audiologist that made the statement.

cairndog

Hear-Hear wrote: »

If you live in the following areas, you can now ask your GP to refer you to a wide choice of suppliers, all of which can now supply NHS-funded hearing aids. No cost to the individual.

- ASHTON, LEIGH AND WIGAN PCT
- BOLTON PCT
- BURY PCT
- HEYWOOD, MIDDLETON AND ROCHDALE PCT
- MANCHESTER PCT
- OLDHAM PCT
- SALFORD PCT
- STOCKPORT PCT
- TAMESIDE AND GLOSSOP PCT
- TRAFFORD PCT

A good number of GP's may not yet fully understand the process, so you may need to tell them to look at 'Choose & Book' on their computers screens, from which you can select together the preferred supplier and location, from the following list:

- BOLTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
- CENTRAL MANCHESTER HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
- COMMUNITY HEARINGCARE SERVICES
- COMPLETE PRICE EYEWEAR
- INHEALTH LTD
- PENNINE ACUTE HOSPITALS TRUST
- PENNINE CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
- REGIONAL HEARING SERVICES LTD
- SALFORD ROYAL FOUNDATION TRUST
- SCRIVENS LTD
- SPECSAVERS HEARCARE GROUP LTD
- ST HELENS AND KNOWSLEY TEACHING HOSPITAL NHS TRUST
- STOCKPORT NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
- TAMESIDE HOSPITALS FOUNDATION TRUST
- UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS SOUTH MANCHESTER
- WRIGHTINGTON, WIGAN AND LEIGH NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

That looks like a fairly good mix of hospitals and private practices to choose from.

Hi Hear Hear, I'm being given the run around between GP and Audiology and my nhs hearing aid just fell apart so I'm getting desperate! I live down in Kent and want to find out if or when we might get your area's referral procedure (it sounds wonderful to me) My broken aid is a Siemens Prisma 2M and it's 7 years old and not very good. Any suggestions would be really appreciated.

Hear-Hear

Hello cairndog

It seems from the current AQP map that none of the Clinical Commissioning Groups in Kent have selected Hearing Aids for inclusion in the AQP process for 2012-2013. The closest locality to you that should currently be offering NHS-funded hearing aids free of charge through private providers is 'Sussex PCT Cluster' incorporating Hasting & Rother.

However, the good news is that NHS-funded hearing aids will available throughout all of Kent with effect from 01-04-2013, as soon as the PCT's in Kent are abolished from 31-03-2013.

In the meantime, your aids are over 3 years old so therefore overdue for replacement. You do not need to wait for AQP in your area to be activated.
Not sure what you mean by being given "the runaround" by your GP and Audiology. If you are dissatisfied with the service from either or both, then ask for a printed copy of their complaints procedure. They are obliged to give you this, but you may well find that simply asking for a copy will trigger positive action.