New Hearing Aids - extended wear, yippee

[jstroble]

Hi Elaine 
I have an appointment to get hearing aids and I was extremely interested in the digital ones until you mentioned the price.  Is that 3000$ in addition to the price of the hearing aids themselves.  It sounds like I am going to need to reconsider.  I wonder if you would mind telling me the brand.  You can  PM me if you like. I have to say they sound wonderful.  Happy swimming and  showering and etc.  for a month anyway.  .

Joyce

[Carolina]

OK

I've had digital hearing aids since the summer of 2007.

They are the highest quality sort of hearing aid, in terms of sound and invisibility.

They fit behind my ear, and there is a clear tiny tube running into my ear canal, with the speaker.

You cannot see the hearing aids while they are worn.

Mine cost $2,000 EACH   They are Siemens Centra (no longer made, upgrades are available now).

But there are cheaper models, of course.

But they last typically 5 years.

The must come out at night, and for showering and swimming.  The sound is OK, but distorted, like a microphone.

My NEW hearing aids, on a month's free trial, are the Lyric hearing aid.

They fit completely inside the ear canal, about 1/8 of an inch from my ear drum.

They are never taken out until a battery runs down (usually 2.5-4 months) or if you have to have an MRI or something unusual.

You sleep and shower with them in.   and go in the water if you don't spend time under water.

They have an annual cost of $3,000, and that covers having them replaced up to 8 times a year.

When one runs down or shorts out or whatever (they are water resistant but not water proof) both are taken out and replaced with NEW units.

You CAN take them out yourself if you need to, but only a professional can insert them into your ear canal.

Check out everything before making any decisions.

I have to say that I had dinner tonight in a very crowded restaurant, and I could hear perfectly.  Which I never could before.

In addition, I;m not distracted by road noise when riding in the car, as I was with the old hearing aids.

I just don't know how I can justify spending so much money, but I'm gonna think about it.

I'll spend my kids' inheritance I guess.

Elaine

[jstroble]

Hi

Thanks for the info.  I will be checking  everything out.  Got the appointment at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem.  Have you discovered Winston yet?  Nice places to visit there. 

Joyce

[Carolina]

We did a little tour ages ago of Winston Salem.   Not in depth.

We also went to a cigarette factory where everything is done by automation, from making the cigarettes, to making the packages, packing and boxing them.

Amazing process.

For death sticks.

Thank Goodness I do not smoke.  Smoked ages ago, but married a non smoker and always wanted to quit, cause it is truly a dumb thing to do.

And I did quit long long long ago.

yay

If we ever have time (where DOES it go?) we should do some close at hand touring.   There's lots of stuff around here for sure.

Keep us posted on what you think of the Wake Forrest Hospital (is it called Baptist?) and medical center in general.

Elaine

[sis]

These sound wonderful!

I'd go for the year.

Like all technology maybe the price will go down with time.

I hope so! 

[jstroble]

Yeah, it had been called Baptist Hospital for many years but  the name was changed a few years ago to Wake Forest. 

Can't wait to get my hearing aids. 

I just realized I am on the wrong  board.

Sorry everyone.  I will remember next time. 

Joyce