Got new HA:)

[lovezebras]

So i got my ha today...its awesome! I heard crazy things like the car and the wind that i haven't heard fully in 2 years which doesnt seem like much but ya...So I only have like the basic volume settings and stuff and i go back in 2 weeks to add more dB if i need it and add a program as well!...Not sure what programs really are? I have audiozoom and bassboost but it hasnt been added in i dont think yet..wat is it exactly? My bf was like its like ur back in kindergarten cuz ur like wow omg ahh lol..The only thing that i couldnt really handle today was the guitar when my bf was playing and the wind from the widows being rolled down sounded a lil funny..i also heard ppl chewing beside me which was a lil weird..and the bass in my bfs car..i had to get him to put it down to 0 on his subs..but other than that good first day

 

[Alex]

LOL Congrats on getting a new hearing aid. It's digital, I assume. Program or modes, maybe they're the same thing? My hearing aid currently has 2 modes with different settings. One for general use, and the other one to get rid of the compression which softens loud sounds.

By the way, what guitar does your bf play with, do you know?

 

[R2D2]

That's great - you sound so pleased with your hearing aid

 

[lovezebras]

Ya so far i love it, even though it hasn't been long...I even heard my computer switch off which I've never heard before...I was a lil freaked out b4 when my and my bf were lying down..i heard my own breathing and was like wat the?!..and then i realised it was only me lol

P.S. alex i dunno wat type i know its electric, i can find out easily tho

 

[TAMI SAM]

Congrats! I wish I could hear music. I was never even told of digital, everything happened so fast i was a deer caught in the headlights. Enjoy all the new sounds!

 

[SteveAUD]

Programs refers to different listening modes (i.e...quiet, noise, music, TV, ect). Most hearing aids today are extremely good at adjusting themselves to different environments. However with the Una I don't believe the hearing aid is capable of adaptive directionality (directional microphones turning on automatically in noise). Which is where audiozoom comes in, it's Phonak's directional microphones. Bassboost is just a bump up in low frequency sound . It's mostly used for power instrument/users. Given the fact that your hearing in the lower frequencies is still pretty good, I don't think you'll like it. It will make your voice sound louder and more hollow. Phonak claims it helps in noise, but that makes no sense given the fact that when someone who doesn't have directional microphones complains about hearing in noise, we drop the lows and up the highs?

 

[lovezebras]

OOk so try the audiozoom but no bassboost...kk sounds good...Im glad I went with the digitals tho just cuz for me it can give me more and its more flexible i guess, i dunno but i really am liking the una and I'm hearing little things i havent heard in a couple of years..its awesome!...

 

[lovezebras]

O and birds sound sooo much better! lol..sorry..had to add that..

 

[contradica]

I am so happy that your hearing aid is working well for you!! As for riding in cars with the windows down, I can't do it. I can't hear anything but the wind. I feel like I am on a roller coaster with the wind gushing by. Although I never had a problem with bass, I love the feel of it and it does not bother me. It took me several times of going to the Audi before they got it JUST right before my hearing got too bad. I wish you the best of luck with it

 

[Hear Again]

Congratulations on your new HA! Keep enjoying those new sounds!

 

[shel90]

Congrats! I wish I could hear music. I was never even told of digital, everything happened so fast i was a deer caught in the headlights. Enjoy all the new sounds!

Yea, digitals are much better than regular HAs. I need to make an appt to get mine upgraded to digitals. I tried them 8 years ago but like littala described, it was hearing everything at once. I couldnt stand it and just took them off immediately. It was too overwhelming but I am willing to try them again. I just wish there was a way to program them that I can gradually add on instead of allll sounds coming at me at once. I have been profoundly deaf since birth so it was hard for me to handle hearing everything like that at once. I left the audi's office with my heart pounding. Was a very strange experience and one I was not prepared for. Maybe I am better prepared this time.

U can try the digitals since u have been hearing before and should know what to expect?

Littlata...congrats on your new HAs and glad u are enjoying them.

 

[contradica]

Yea, digitals are much better than regular HAs. I need to make an appt to get mine upgraded to digitals. I tried them 8 years ago but like littala described, it was hearing everything at once. I couldnt stand it and just took them off immediately. It was too overwhelming but I am willing to try them again. I just wish there was a way to program them that I can gradually add on instead of allll sounds coming at me at once. I have been profoundly deaf since birth so it was hard for me to handle hearing everything like that at once. I left the audi's office with my heart pounding. Was a very strange experience and one I was not prepared for. Maybe I am better prepared this time.

U can try the digitals since u have been hearing before and should know what to expect?

Littlata...congrats on your new HAs and glad u are enjoying them.

There always has been a way of gradually increasing the level of frequencies for digital hearing aids since they are set by software. Most digital hearing aids come with the option of two or three different programs that your audiologist can set. I would give it a try but gradually increasing the volume as the days pass so you are not so overwhelmed with sounds

I remember my first digital hearing aid, I never really heard anyone hum before until I got the digital aid. It felt weird to hear it, almost painful but as time went on, it became music.

 

[Hear Again]

Yea, digitals are much better than regular HAs.

This varies from person to person. In my experience, I've never been able to benefit from digital HAs. I had frequent problems with my digital HAs (Oticon DigiFocus II super power) needing to be sent in for repair several times a year. In addition, I found the sound quality of digitals to be inferior to analogs -- much weaker and distorted -- although they were excellent for hearing environmental sounds. Having said that, I know many people who LOVE digitals and wouldn't dream of wearing analogs. Anyways, just wanted to point out that what may work best for one person may not work well for another. This is why it's important to try both to see what works best for YOU.

 

[lovezebras]

Ya I was told digitals are the way to go since that is wats in now/i had hearing before so my audi thought i'd transition really well. There has been only a few overwhelming things like some sounds, and i haven't added any programs to my ha yet but i will in 2 weeks add some, so ya but so far I don't have hardly and complaints, just that it feels weird to have the mold in my ear, its not use to having something stuck in there..lol

 

[pek1]

OOk so try the audiozoom but no bassboost...kk sounds good...Im glad I went with the digitals tho just cuz for me it can give me more and its more flexible i guess, i dunno but i really am liking the una and I'm hearing little things i havent heard in a couple of years..its awesome!...

If you want to really hear something, try wearing a watch with a second hand, rest your head on the hand that has the watch on your wrist. You will hear the ticking. This is why I don't wear a watch anymore.

 

[Hear Again]

That's great your audi thought you'd transition well to digitals. That wasn't the case for me. Then again, I've worn analog HAs for over 20 years and from what I understand, some people who have worn analogs for that period of time tend to be more resistent to digitals. I'm sure if I would have started off with digitals and/or my loss would have been less severe (severe-profound loss), my transition to digitals would have been more positive.

 

[SteveAUD]

20% of patients who wore analogs for a considerable length of time (>7yrs), will not like digital hearing aids. They will commonly complain that the digital aids aren't loud enough. However, for someone who's never worn hearing aids before, there is no reason to fit them with an old analog aid.

 

[lovezebras]

Ya that's wat my audi said about analog vs digital that mostly ppl now only get analog if they have had it before or if they really do not want digital.. I have an appt next week for adjustments and I'm going to ask to raise my dB another 5-10 dB or so.. right now I can raise it 10dB from the "default" setting its at now or 10 dB down if I need too...I also have to get a piece of the ear mold fixed there is a little picky part on it..
I was wondering if I cud just file it a bit myself with a nail file? or is that a huge no?
Oh and what type of programs can you add to the ha?

 

[R2D2]

20% of patients who wore analogs for a considerable length of time (>7yrs), will not like digital hearing aids. They will commonly complain that the digital aids aren't loud enough. However, for someone who's never worn hearing aids before, there is no reason to fit them with an old analog aid.

Yes that was me. I trialled digitals but didn't like them as much as the trusty old analogues that I grew up with. So I stuck with analogues and bought my last set in 2003. Looking back I should have got digitals because the company stopped making and manufacturing parts for the analogue aids that I purchased soon after. Both those aids are now broken and unrepairable In my right ear I currently wear my old hearing aid that is well over 15 years old and I don't think it has broken once.

 

[SteveAUD]

Ya that's wat my audi said about analog vs digital that mostly ppl now only get analog if they have had it before or if they really do not want digital.. I have an appt next week for adjustments and I'm going to ask to raise my dB another 5-10 dB or so.. right now I can raise it 10dB from the "default" setting its at now or 10 dB down if I need too...I also have to get a piece of the ear mold fixed there is a little picky part on it..
I was wondering if I cud just file it a bit myself with a nail file? or is that a huge no?
Oh and what type of programs can you add to the ha?

You can typically add a noise program (audiozoom) or one dedicated for T.V or music. Most first time users should stick with no more than 2 programs, as it tends to get to be a pain to cycle through all the programs to get to one. That and most hearing aids today are pretty adaptive.

If the ear mold is bothering you (Hurting), then let the audiologist grind it down. If you do it yourself and mess up the warranty for fit can go out the window. Also, you could create a rough spot that will irritate your ear more. My guess would you were fit with a full shell type mold and the top portion (not the ear canal portion of the ear mold) is causing a pressure sore???