Your experience with hearing aids

keikogrusendorf

keikogrusendorf

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Recently, I was diagnosed with 80 db hearing loss. The audiologist told me that the kind of hearing aids that I need [in the ear] costs $6000. What I need to know is, is it worth the money or should I just rely on reading lips and sign? What exactly is the difference with out and with hearing aids?
 
$6000 for both? What brand? Digital or analog?

You can get some pretty decent hearing with hearing aids at 80 decibels.
 
She didn't specify any of that. She just said on average that it costs that much. I'm pretty ignorant about this all. I've been doing some research and saw some for like 500 but I don't know what I'm doing.
 
keikogrusendorf said:
Recently, I was diagnosed with 80 db hearing loss. The audiologist told me that the kind of hearing aids that I need [in the ear] costs $6000. What I need to know is, is it worth the money or should I just rely on reading lips and sign? What exactly is the difference with out and with hearing aids?
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:jaw:

RUN AWAY! and find yourself a good honest audiologist!
 
No harm in going to a different audiologist and getting a second opinion. $6000 sounds rather high to me.
 
If that is per pair, that should be a very sophisticated set. That's about what I paid for my Phonak Savias, I think. Maybe a bit less. That was a few years ago.

Anyway, for that money, you should be getting programmable digital aids with a lot of good features. Did the audi tell you exactly what she was recommending, and why? Strictly speaking, you don't HAVE to spend that much to get something serviceable, but there are so many good features on the newest technology of aids, PLUS being programmable, they can be adjusted if you have further hearing loss. So that is worth something, too.

As a HA user myself, I would definitely suggest going with aids. For me, no question, they are certainly worth the money. I'm a talky sort of person, I like communicating and chatting and listening to music and doing all sorts of things where I like to hear.

If you have had a hearing loss for some time, it might take you a while to get used to them, both what you hear from them and the actual feeling of having something in your ear. Some people like to start out just using them a few hours a day; others use them full-time from the beginning.

Sounds will be different from what you remember; your brain has to be trained a bit to receive these new sounds.

Anyway, definitely worth it in my opinion.

Slips - yes, it sounds a bit high, but it's not clear what exactly the OP is getting for the money. Does that include all tests, custom molds, the HAs plus accessories, like a Streamer, maybe? Plus lifetime supply of batteries? Or what? It's hard to say if it's "too much" without knowing exactly what is covered.

The advice about going to a second audiologist is a good idea, though. Especially if you are new to all this, it's important to find an audi you can trust and work well with. For me that means someone who explains, very explicitly, what all is included for a given price
 
i plan to talk to my audi soon about some cheaper options since idon't have any insurance and i work at a fast food resturant.
 
Analog? All new hearing aids are now digital :dizzy:

$6000!?
I spoke to a friend who have Digital BTE hearing aid, and they are $2,000 (only in Australia though)
 
Contact vocational rehabilitation. They may be able to help you get hearing aids (sometimes for free).

DARS in your area:

3801 CAMPUS DRIVE TSTC WACO STUDENT CENTER WACO, TX 76705

(254) 412-3090

FRANKLIN AVENUE WACO, TX 76701

(800) 687-6903 (254) 759-7500

Good luck!
 
Just keep in mind that the cheaper the aids, the fewer options will be included. NOT to say you have to spend $6,000, but look carefully at what you are getting for the money. It's cheaper in the long run to get a more advanced pair that has some "headroom" for future adjustments, rather than buying a cheaper pair where you are already at the top hearing loss of what it can handle.

The advice to suit your lifestyle is well worth keeping in mind. Working in a fast-food restaurant, you'll want to look at aids that are water (steam) and soil (grease) resistant. Do you like to listen to music on an iPod? You might want a Streamer or a similar accessory.

How are you doing on the phone? You will probably want a T-coil, as those will help with the phone plus with a variety of loop systems. You might want HAs that instantly switch telephone reception in both ears when you bring the phone near one aid.

You might find this site useful: www.hearing-aid.com

There are some pages about what to expect, types of aids and accessories available, etc.

www.hearingplanet.com might be useful too.

And of course you can go to the manufacturers' web sites: Phonak, Siemans, Widex, ReSound (I liked these a lot when my hearing loss was about where yours is now), Unitron, etc.

It isn't easy to sort it all out. Keep asking questions, find an audi you can trust, keep your budget and your lifestyle in mind, as well as an eye to future adjustments you might need.

Do feel free to come back and keep asking questions here. Most of us have gone through this procedure of choosing hearing aids more than once, so there's a lot of people who can give you some good advice here. Good luck with it all.

Edited to add: Excellent advice from SallyLou up to contact DARS, too.
 
keikogrusendorf said:
Recently, I was diagnosed with 80 db hearing loss. The audiologist told me that the kind of hearing aids that I need [in the ear] costs $6000. What I need to know is, is it worth the money or should I just rely on reading lips and sign? What exactly is the difference with out and with hearing aids?
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wow that is expensive lots of worth pretty high tough!
 
Whether one needs a "hearing aid-analog/digital" depends on what your "hearing loss" level which is specific to YOU. Each one of us is different.

Having taken SpeechReading-CHS/Toronto- doesn't replace any hearing aid. Utilizing ASL is contingent on you learning plus how many people YOU know can understand by communicating back?

80/90 decibel loss is the "Lowest" in the Profound loss category which I had for many years before becoming bilateral deaf in 2006, The next category is deafness- above 105 db. I had a Phonak LL6 for a number of years. It was the only one suitable back then.

No comment on whether you should consider Cochlear Implant VS Hearing aid VS ASL.
It appears you are not at the moment - making that decision.

Much success keikoyrusendorf in your immediate "hearing" future.

Implanted Sunnybrook/Toronto Advanced Bionics-Harmony activated Aug/07
 
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like everyone said, get a 2nd opinion.
for an 80 db loss, you can go with the behind the ear hearing aid (had them all my life since I worn them for a long time)

BTW, I have the Streamer which is cool since it has bluetooth and lets me listen to my ipod
 
Only one comment from me -- at your 80db, I'm not sure I would consider that "profound" as was stated by another poster. I do think that db loss falls more into the "severe" category. I say this based off my experience in that I was born with 85db and classified as severe; now it's at 115 and classified as profound. This WILL make a difference in what kind of hearing aids you use, at what volumes, etc.
 
Just keep in mind that the cheaper the aids, the fewer options will be included. NOT to say you have to spend $6,000, but look carefully at what you are getting for the money. It's cheaper in the long run to get a more advanced pair that has some "headroom" for future adjustments, rather than buying a cheaper pair where you are already at the top hearing loss of what it can handle.
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On the other hand, not to start a fight BUT just b/c aids have all these features, it's not going to mean it's the BEST one in the world. Not everyone needs the latest fancy features....god, i remmy abt ten years ago, my audi pushing an old lady aid b/c it had this stupid noise filter.
 
You mean, pushing an aid on an old lady who didn't really need the noise filter?

Actually, far from starting a fight, I totally agree with you. That's why considering your lifestyle and what you want your aids to do for you is so crucial.

It's difficult even for an experienced user to think it through. Do you want FM systems to work for business conferences, do you want to listen to an iPod, do you use the phone a lot, do you work or exercise outdoors and have to put up with sweat and dirt, or do you live a quiet life in a quiet, clean environment, or what? For someone new to hearing aids it can be overwhelming.

The one thing I'm always in favor of though is checking to see that your hearing loss is not right at the top of the chart for what the aid can handle. Especially for a young person, you want some reserve capacity in there in case your hearing continues to decline.
 
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