Hearing aides ... which one?

Went, and done it.

Hi, All:

My problems started with not being able to hear what was being said on my favorite TV shows. using my old 'Beltone' hearing aids. My research on that matter, has lasted longer than a month, involved a dozen or so hearing specialists, many friends, that use hearing aids, and many hearing aid peddlers. I spent countless hours, searching the internet, for answers to my problems. I finally found that the 'Beltone' co. is listed as #1 in the industry, for their technology.

I went to 'Beltone', for a demonstration of their latest offering, had to go to my hearing Dr. for earwax removal, and then back to 'Beltone' for the demo. I was amazed at how well that the new 'aids' allowed me to hear, normal speech. I jumped from the 'frying pan into the fire', and bought 'em. I immediately run into problems with them. I took my Son, a computer wizard along to the adjustment sessions, for support, and Now, after a couple of weeks, and a couple of adjustment sessions, the settings seem to be correct.

The new 'aids' cant take care of all of my speech hearing problems, but, I'm real pleased with what they can do.

Now, the sad part of this hectic endeavor, is that The cost of both of the new 'aids, after a $3,000 trade in allowance, of my old ones, was $7500,90.

Oh, well, as the old saying goes, 'You only get what you pay for'.

That's my very long 2¢ worth on the matter.

Chubbo
 
Update

Hi, All;
It's been around 7 months since I posted the results of my very expensive purchase from the Beltone Co.

I thought it might interest you to give an account of my last dealings with the Beltone Co.

Several months ago, I tried to schedule an appointment with my local Beltone Representative, at their store, in Grove City, OH, the town that I reside in. After an hour or so, of trying to contact him, I was finally informed by Beltone, that Columbus' only Beltone dealer had gone out of business. I was then informed that I would have to schedule an appointment with a dealer in ether the Cleveland, or Cincinnati area, which would entail a 200-mile round trip. I checked out their Grove City location yesterday, and found their building listed for sale by a realtor.

To bring this fiasco into perspective, I'd like to point out, that Columbus OH holds the title, ‘The Biggest Small Town in the World’. This doesn't excuse Belton's obligation to provide dealers for a large area, the size of Columbus OH. Columbus has a population of 2,078,725. the south side of Columbus borders the north side of the road, that I reside on. I am probably too skeptical, but I would deem it feasible for a business. such as Belone, with its reputation for excellence, to have multiple dealers in an area the size of Col. OH. As far as I can ascertain, they still don't have even one dealer in the Columbus OH area. A business, in my estimation, should have both, Sales, and service. It's very obvious, to me which part that Belone considers the most important. My observations, and statements regarding Belton's business methods, ethics, and management, will no doubt come back to haunt me, but I feel obligated to share the results of my seventy+ year affiliation with Beltone.

Pardon my 2¢ Rant.

Chubbo
 
Wasn’t there some sort of new law to take effect this year essentially deregulating, at least in part, hearing aids, making them cheaper?
 
Yes, makes them available over the counter, but only for mild hearing loss, not severe, like mine.
In Texas the Texas Workforce Commission will give you free aids if you are over 65 (I think) and want to remain working. You just have to get an exam and come in for a couple of interviews.
I got a pair Of $2800 Phonaks free this way.
 
Since this thread has come back up, I'll add my experiences.
My hearing loss was the result of 42 years of listening to diesel engines. I was a mechanic. While I have significant hearing loss, its in a fairly narrow range. Unfortunately, its the range the human voice falls in. I can hear high and low sounds, but can't understand people talking to me. :(
Back in 2012, for the first time I got insurance that would cover at least part of the cost of hearing aids. I went for it. My cost was still $3000. I got a pair of Starkys and they have been pretty good. They've been repaired once by the factory which cost me $750 and several times by my audiologist for about $50 each time. But over 8 years that ain't too bad.
Unfortunately, I tried to save some money and got the middle grade hearing aids. I should have gone for the top of the line. I got I think it was the 8 channel model when I really should have gone for the 16 channel. But there was a considerable cost difference.
My aids work pretty well. I can hear and understand people talking. However, often background noise will drown the voices right out. Restaurants are the worst!
I really do need to get new ones, but I no longer have any insurance to cover them and the cost is prohibitive. :(
Honestly, I don't wear them everyday. Now I tend to only use them when watching TV or going to a movie. For that they are great as I can hear the dialog. Everyday use, not so much. The background noise is often a problem.
My point is, that if you're going to buy hearing aids, spend the money and get the best. You won't regret it.
 
I first got a hearing aid (1) back in 1990. Couldn't hear the phone nor radio very well anymore. I didn't last long at that job after that anyway and stopped wearing it not long after.
Then just recently I dug it out, put a new bat'try in and shoved it back in my ear.
Works pretty well I think, can hear some stuff I couldn't before.
I can hear a smoke alarm with it in, can't hear them w/o it which livens up the house when they go off 'cause I'm working in the shop.

But I don't know what's better to listen to,,the crickets and whistling noise or the real world noises.
Sure didn't cost anywhere near what they want today for the little things!
 
For those of you with hearing loss in one ear and not the other, go to your ENT and get checked. For several years I’ve noticed a progressive loss in hearing in my right ear. I’m a pilot and had regular hearing tests to maintain my medical. A while after I stopped flying I noticed a decline in my hearing in my right ear that slowly got worse over a few years.

Last year my wife’s best friends daughter who’s an ENT was talking to me and I had to ask her to repeat what she said and told her I had a major hearing loss in my right ear but the left was fine. She responded that this could be a sign of a serious problem and that I need to go to my ENT.

I made an appointment and had the most thorough hearing exam I’d ever had. My ENT recommended an MRI of my head which I did. The next day my Doc called and said I need to see you. I went in the next day to find out that I have a benign tumor growing in the bundle of nerves that control hearing, balance and facial control. The time was 8x10mm which seems small but it is big enough to cause about 60% of my hearing to be lost.

Untreated I would lose my balance, hearing and facial control and if it presses on the brain stem them life ends. I had three choices, ignore it, 16 hours of open skull surgery and most likely loss of hearing and possible facial control too plus up to a year of recovery with a tube in my skull draining fluid for the rest of my life. Third choice was Gamma Knife radiation therapy. One treatment with minimal side effects and the tumor hopefully would stop growing. It takes about three years to find out so I have tho and a half to go. Fortunately gamma knife therapy is about 95% effective for this. I also had the advantage of knowing the neuro surgeon, radiation oncologist and physicist that performed it on me.

The tumor most likely will respond and stop growing but I’m losing my hearing in my right ear which is to be expected. The tumor initially swells causing additional loss and the intense radiation damages that nerve. I now have 90% loss in my right ear and what I hear sounds like a ruptured radio speaker.

If you have hearing loss worse in one ear go to your ENT. It’s more than just your hearing, it could be your life. The condition is known as an “Acoustic Neuroma” or “vestibular swanoma”. It’s very rare, about 1 in 100,000 people get it but it’s worth getting checked. I was telling one of my best friends what I have and he said his right ear was a problem. He went to his ENT and had an MRI and found out he has the same problem.

Please get it checked if you have a significant loss in one ear than the other.
 
I’m on my second set of Oticon aids. They cost about $6000 a pair.
My advice is go to an audiologist, get tested and have him/her tell what they recommend.
Mine help quite a bit. I certainly know when they are not in my ears.
But if I’m in a noisy place with lots of people talking, they don’t help much.
 
My gradually-deteriorating hearing took a bit of a nose dive a couple of years ago and I decided to get hearing aids last summer. I had gradual HF roll-off in both ears for years which I had largely been able to accommodate but my right ear developed a 15dB loss in level so it couldn't be ignored.

I "cheaped out", comparitively speaking and got the Kirkland (Rexton) 8.0 from Costco and all in all I'm happy with them.

I had only one issue, which may be of no consequence to others, but as a retired musician, was important to me. It involved the "streaming audio" function, and to a lesser extent, the "Listening to music" setting.

The Bluetooth connection from my phone allows the routing of audio to the aids. This is REALLY handy for phone calls. So I assumed that I might get somewhat-decent music reproduction as well. Not so. The problem is that there is virtually no bass at all. Long story short, this is largely a function of the seal of the silicone inserts in which the aids sit. If music reproduction is important, there are black silicone "sleeves" (Rexton's term) as an alternative to the standard closed domes, which provide a better seal and slightly better bass. But they're not a user-swappable option as the electronic frequency correction "curves" have to be adjusted for them, as they do for the regular domes.

As regards the "Listening to Music" setting, ie live music or over speakers, it's advisabe to get the tech to adjust the curves on this setting for a more "neutral" response, as the regular "speech" curves provide a certain degree of emphasis or exaggeration in the critical areas of the spectrum in order to increase speech intelligibility that isn't desirable for music listening.

The above long-winded sidetrack :eek: would be true for any hearing aids, not just Rexton. And there are aids designed for musicians (Widex & Starkey). However, music isn't the main purpose for hearing aids and as I mentioned at the beginning, these have been very good IMHO. The phone app also has settings for noisy environments such as restaurants, conferences, etc., which are quite effective in improving intelligibility. You can even increase the directionality of the pickup to focus on someone across a table from you (say in a restaurant), which is a really neat trick of DSP.
 
I have Starkey behind the ear type. I don't know how they compare with other brands but they sure help my ability to hear. They have a setting for eating joints but if they are really noisy the only solution is just to take them out. At least the noise is not so bad.
 
I got a pair of Starkey and am not happy with them and the technician who fitted them. Not on word about the switches on the units and their functions. Must be someway to adjust for a noise in a crowded restaurant be sides taking them out and putting them in your pocket. Life of units suck! If installed at 8 AM, by noon they are dead! I can't get an appointment to go back in for 2 months! Advantages of living in a small town with only one Audiologist. Not a happy camper.
 
Charlie and all Forum Members,

This is a follow up to my 11/15/18 post.

For years my family has believed that I was not receiving excellent medical and audiology care (and aids) from the V A. I've taken a lot of heat from them on this subject, and wish that I could eliminate them from my will!

In January 2019 I had an appointment with an ENT M.D. in Atlanta that included audiology exams and hearing tests. It was a very thorough 2.5-3.0 hour exam. As .38SuperMan pointed out, you need an ENT to also confirm that there are no other serious medical problems.

The outcome from the M.D. and Audiologists:

1. My V A Provided ReSound hearing aids are one of the best solutions for my hearing loss,

2. The doctor agreed with the V A audiologist's opinions and recommendations. My hearing loss from flying cannot be fully restored,

3. He had no better solutions or options for me.

However, I am planning to continue to work with the audiologist in the doctor's office for my maintenance and repair work. A four to five week turnaround for repairs from the V A is not acceptable to me.

I also hope that everyone here who has medical assistance and hearing devices from the V A will have the same outcome that I have had!

Bill
 
The only thing I can say about the VA is I would not take my dog to the VA for treatment. I went to the VA in '72 with a military related injury for treatment was given the run around for 2 months; appointments made I would be there no show on the doctors. I finally got feed up and since I had blue cross and shield at my place of employment I went to local doctors and got the needed treatment.

I am a NAM Vet and after reading this thread the first time, I knew I needed hearings aids and decided to the give the VA another try. I stopped at the VA's local clinic (not hospital) and I given the run around for a month till they told me VA wouldn't cover the cost of hearing aids.

By the way I have been treated in my visits to the VA I wish that all funding for this sorry outfit would dry up. I hate the fact the my tax dollars fund this money pit of a useless organization.
 
BigBoy99 said:
I got a pair of Starkey and am not happy with them and the technician who fitted them. Not on word about the switches on the units and their functions. Must be someway to adjust for a noise in a crowded restaurant be sides taking them out and putting them in your pocket. Life of units suck! If installed at 8 AM, by noon they are dead! I can't get an appointment to go back in for 2 months! Advantages of living in a small town with only one Audiologist. Not a happy camper.
Click to expand...

If nothing else, batteries should last from 4 days to a week.
 
I was at the doctors last week and there was a guy in there telling someone that he bought hearing aids on ebay brand new for 30 bucks, and they work good.

Sent from my LGL52VL using Tapatalk
 
J Frame: the guys at opticon let me try these out, they have loaners and the hearing test allows them to fit them to you. Just give them or some other outfit with an audiologist or what ever they call them test your hearing and try to fit you. If you don't like them you will not be out any money! At least that is the way this outfit does it in Wyoming.
 
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