What to look for...and avoid...in a hearing aid.

Oh, Wow, I hope one does one day.

Well, crap. One of my hearing aids stopped working. I tried about five different new batteries, but it's definitely dead. They're only about a year old. I had a falling out with my audiologist, so this means I must find another one that takes my insurance...and quick!

I'm thinking of you, deb, since I'm down to one right now. It's better than none, but definitely not the same as two.

Mine failed when I ran it through the washing machine. Less than a year old, but 100% covered by the insurance that came with the hearing aid.

Good luck!!


I forgot to find out what the warranty is on mine.

Dammit, that's a pain.

My GN Metrix seems to have bitten the dust, Eva. Have you come up with any hot tips while looking for a replacement. I happen to be happy with my own audiologist, and he seems pretty much dedicated to the GN family. I could switch if necessary.

I'm not looking forward to parting with another $2,600, needless to say.

Oh, nuts, Roger.

How long have you had it Roger?

I'm very sorry to hear that!

About seven years. I was told that that is about their normal life expectancy. I was also told that after seven years they might be repairable, but most companies don't keep parts in inventory for any longer than that. I'll see if the audiologist can send it in on Monday. Not sure I would pay more than about 25% of replacement cost for fixing it, though. Also, I might just try to do without if it can't be fixed. It was vital when I was working, but may fall into the extravagent luxury class right now.

Damn. No assistance for them because you are not working?

No. No assistance now or when I was working. I simmered for a long time about having to pay sales tax on the darn thing.

Now, if you are inline for a cochlar implant, insurance would have been helpful. Medicare would still help, probably only if it were certified as necessary. That's the scheme with cataract surgery. They cover the basic lens replacement, but not the type that can be focused. The theory is that the basic lens lets you use glasses for close work.

If yours lasted 7 years, you definitely got your money's worth. I've been told most only last about 5 years with constant use.

Fortunately, my dead hearing aid was only 1 year old, so it was still covered by the warranty. They sent it in, and the manufacturer replaced the inner workings at no charge. I found another audiologist that is covered by my insurance, but it turns out that follow-up visits for fine tuning are not covered now. Normally that is considered part of the purchase price, but if you switch audiologists...

So now I have to pay $100 out of pocket every time I go in. Or else suck it up and go back to the original audiologist, which I am not gonna do. I left because they weren't straight with me on costs. So it looks like I'm screwed either way.

About your question, roger....as far as I can tell, there are several good companies that make hearing aids, so it shouldn't matter what brand your audiologist prefers as long as he/she chooses a model that is right for your exact type of hearing loss. The newest ones are RIC (receiver in canal), which still have the "open fit," but have a tiny receiver (where the sound comes out) under the silicone dome that fits in your ear. This means less distortion because the sound doesn't have to travel down the tube before it gets to the ear. Also, many aids now have two microphones in them instead of just one, which makes them able to pick up sound from more directions...in other words, no "dead spots" behind you.

Hope this helps!

Might help; can't hurt.

My old one has two microphones. The "Restaurant" program uses the front facing one only. No program lets me tell where sound comes from, but maybe that would happen if I had a matched pair.

For a long time, I couldn't tell which direction sound was coming from, either. This was a big problem, because I teach in a computer lab where I am surrounded by students at various computer stations. Someone would ask a question, and I'd whirl around in circles trying to figure out who spoke.

But eventually it got better. Now I can usually tell where the sound comes from. I assume this is one of those "neural connections" the brain can make over time. Have you asked your audiologist about this? I don't know if using a different program or having matching aids would help.

Matching aids are not possible, and not just for financial reasons. Both ENT and audiologist state that is wouldn't make sense to try to correct the right ear. If I were rich, I might argue. I have a pair of noise canceling headphones that I can begin to hear with, but would have to crank the volumn up to the damage level for the 'good' ear.

I paid $1800 for something that's likely to work for less than five years?!

Depressing, isn't it?

How's your humidity. That's one of the real killers for hearing aids, and probably why I came closer to 7 than 5 years. Tulsa is fairly humid. I would say take it out and protect it if it's raining, and don't wear it when conditions are sweaty. They do make little dehydrators for them, and right now that sounds like a good investment.

I may never be able to order at the fast food drive ups again, but today several of the people I talked to were clear enough to be understood. I do understand that your job with people with squeeky little voices doesn't leave you with much choice.

How are you doing with electronically produced noise: movie theaters, television, and the like? Mine didn't give me much help in those situations anyway. No problem with recorded music, oddly.

Sorry for a partially duplicate post. I got a message that I couldn't post again so soon, another hampster kicked the bucket, and it went ahead posted what I had written so far before it finally croaked.

Tv, cinemas etc. are pretty good.

Maybe it's good that I keep forgetting to wear mine!

I guess it's kind of humid in winter, but not generally in summer.

I put it with its little hygroscopic gel sachet overnight.

Here's an oddity. I am about to join a choir again....or check it out....so I have been singing a lot.

I have gradually been enjoying music more and more as I got used to all those weird new high notes.......well, I am enjoying my own voice more.....it has much more richness in the higher notes than I could hear before. And it's VERY rusty and restricted after notvsinging regularly for a few years.

Maybe I had no trouble with music because it was never a big part of my life. Add the high notes back in and I never noticed the change. Maybe. I have always done well with telephones and headphones. Noise canceling headphones are even better.