This will be a bit confusing..

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girlingrey

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Ok. So I know this woman who, ever since she got her hearing aids (Bilat digital in-ears) she's been having problems with them. I'm not sure what kind they are exactly, I'll have to ask. The other day she was down to one-- she is pretty bad without them. I don't know her exact loss, though, sorry-- because one of them was getting fixed, and then the other just kinda gave out. She could get it to the point that she could hear her own voice, but other then that it was a lot of yelling. She's worn hearing aids since the early 90's, so this is not new to her, but we did talk for a while about different hearing equiptment. She along with another person run a shop, but the other person was sick and not in. She, without her hearing aids, is very dependent on yelling/note writing to hear. She told me about her aud, telling her about FM systems and such she can get, however she doesn't know too much about them/wouldn't really have money to afford one.

So I guess what I'm asking is this:
Is there a not-too costly/FM equipped in-the-ear hearing aid??? I guess cost means different things to everyone/it depends on what the aud mainly deals with/depends on her hearing loss, but some basic ideas would be great. Even just your experience with ITE hearing aids that are awesome/horrible would be lovely :D
Thank you, if any of you managed to read this long and understand what I'm asking LoL.
:ty:
 
girlingrey said:
Ok. So I know this woman who, ever since she got her hearing aids (Bilat digital in-ears) she's been having problems with them. I'm not sure what kind they are exactly, I'll have to ask. The other day she was down to one-- she is pretty bad without them. I don't know her exact loss, though, sorry-- because one of them was getting fixed, and then the other just kinda gave out. She could get it to the point that she could hear her own voice, but other then that it was a lot of yelling. She's worn hearing aids since the early 90's, so this is not new to her, but we did talk for a while about different hearing equiptment. She along with another person run a shop, but the other person was sick and not in. She, without her hearing aids, is very dependent on yelling/note writing to hear. She told me about her aud, telling her about FM systems and such she can get, however she doesn't know too much about them/wouldn't really have money to afford one.

So I guess what I'm asking is this:
Is there a not-too costly/FM equipped in-the-ear hearing aid??? I guess cost means different things to everyone/it depends on what the aud mainly deals with/depends on her hearing loss, but some basic ideas would be great. Even just your experience with ITE hearing aids that are awesome/horrible would be lovely :D
Thank you, if any of you managed to read this long and understand what I'm asking LoL.
:ty:
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I have never had an ITE aid because my loss is too great . If she is always yelling , writh
ing notes, but feels she can actually have usable hearing with a hearing aid, you should suggest bte. It might make a difference.
 
AMEN! Most hoh folks can hear with ITE aids, but the most powerful are BTEs.
Suggest that she ask her audi if she can try out a BTE. The difference is amazing.
 
yes, Behind - the -ears are usually recommended for people with severe or profound deaf so that should tell you enough.
 
Wow!

Honestly, for some reason I always associated in-the-ear hearing aids with severe hearing loss? I guess that's why I was confused. At first I thought she just might be vein about it, but then I realized she was talking to me with 2 curlers in her hair :D
I also sort of wondered if BTE's are a little sturdier than ITE? Because I've been hit on the side of the head with a basketball before (this was before I learned that, frankly, when basket balls are involved, hearing aids are unnecessary in gym) and the hearing aid was fine. Head hurt, from being slammed in, but the aid was totally good. And she said the shell on one of her really old back ups was broken, and to get it fixed (the warranty was up), it would be too much.
I don't know if she would consider BTE's.. the problem is the money. I guess that's always the problem, huh? But in the long run, I guess it'd be cheaper to get BTE's that'll be really positive for her hearing loss than to keep getting sub-par ITE's replaced.
As I said, she'd also consider getting some sort of FM system with it (she kept asking me questions about using it with the TV/phone/etc. (I think part of her would be excited for that)) but again, more money.

Thank you to all the responses so far!!
 
As I said, she'd also consider getting some sort of FM system with it (she kept asking me questions about using it with the TV/phone/etc. (I think part of her would be excited for that)
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Actually if she got BTEs she might not need to use an FM system. The BTEs would be loud enough on their own. Back in high school, I had ITE aids. I was on the verge of getting an FM device to use in class. (ugh the fights with my parents about that) Then I switched to BTEs and have only used those! :)
 
I wore hearing aids most of my life up until my late teens when my hearing decreased to the point where they where no longer strong enough. Mine where always BTE because of my degree of hearing loss. They said the ITE where not strong enough for me.

Now, someone correct me if I'm wrong with what I'm about to say but this has always been my understanding of why a BTE can provide more high volume then ITE.

If you can or could at some time hear. You might have heard a PA system make a loud feedback sound. This can happen when something metal comes close to the microphone or the microphone comes close to a speaker.

Now although a hearing aid is different technology then a PA system they do work in basically the same way. A microphone pics up the sound, the sound is adjusted by volume, trebble, bass, etc... Then it's sent to the speaker.

Now with a ITE there can't be as much distance between the microphone and the speaker. So it can't be turned up all that much or you'll get that squeal (feedback) sound. A BTE on the other hand is larger and the microphone can be further away from the speaker. So it can be turned up to a higher volume without interference (Which is what causes the squeal/feedback sound). It also has more room for electronics to improve sound quality.

Just thought I'd mention that as to why a BTE has more potential for severe hearing loss.

Ron Jaxon
 
I wore some phonak ite claridons and enjoyed everything but lost the ability to hear some frequencies so i am back to the bte's

should i try to sell those ite's? someone could get them fixed for about $500 a piece i think...
 
I remember having a BTE from ages 7-10, no ha's from 10-40 and 2 ITE's from 40-43. My ITE's were stronger than my BTE (I was told). I'm confused. At least I don't have to worry now - nothing will help me and I am fine with that. I am total deaf.
 
bogle300 said:
I wore some phonak ite claridons and enjoyed everything but lost the ability to hear some frequencies so i am back to the bte's

should i try to sell those ite's? someone could get them fixed for about $500 a piece i think...[/QUOTE]

And to tack on to that...
What do you do with your old hearing aids?
Keep them as back ups?
Give em back?
Give them away?
Smash them open and make art? :D
Perhaps this deserves a new thread??

-I don't know if I said this already, but I was considering, when I get new ones, giving them to another family member if he wants them, to try and get them reprogammed at a local guy we know (don't know if he can do it- won't hurt to ask, though) and get new molds and such, with a new hearing test. That, or, if they don't want them, take them with me as back-ups to college?
Click to expand...
 
girlingrey said:
bogle300 said:
I wore some phonak ite claridons and enjoyed everything but lost the ability to hear some frequencies so i am back to the bte's

should i try to sell those ite's? someone could get them fixed for about $500 a piece i think...[/QUOTE]

And to tack on to that...
What do you do with your old hearing aids?
Keep them as back ups?
Give em back?
Give them away?
Smash them open and make art? :D
Perhaps this deserves a new thread??
-I don't know if I said this already, but I was considering, when I get new ones, giving them to another family member if he wants them, to try and get them reprogammed at a local guy we know (don't know if he can do it- won't hurt to ask, though) and get new molds and such, with a new hearing test. That, or, if they don't want them, take them with me as back-ups to college?
Click to expand...

Some local deaf services will accept them as donations to help other people who may not be able to pay full price. I know our local Deaf Service Center will take any old hearing aids, refurbish them and have them ready to sell to someone else usually within 1-2 months.
Click to expand...
 
I usually try to keep them as backups and eventually lose them. I wear my old hearing aids out, but these phonak ites were a pain for me...they were not loud enough on the low frequencies and they had to be repaired all the time.

I wore them to the gym, played basketball and rode 100 miles on a bike with them
 
I will find them and try to send them off, I can't find anyone that wants them...
 
Why should we spend money to "fix" ourselves to meet the "hearing" society.

Go to the Voc Rehab to tell them "Yo, I can't do my job if I don't have my hearing aid and might have to leave it..."

They will pony up for a new set of hearing aids very easily.
 
What qualifies you for Voc Rehab?? I actually heard about this a little while ago when some people trying to promote their hearing loss co. or whatever started talking to me, and told me to write that down for when I go to college and get a job and whatnot. It should be fine for me, but this woman is 80-some and pretty much owns her business. Does she qualify??
 
ehind - the -ears are usually recommended for people with severe or profound deaf
Click to expand...
Actually BTEs tend to be best for almost ALL frequncies. ITEs really can't give enough power for more then mild losses.
 
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