New Hearing Aids - extended wear, yippee

[Carolina]

Oh dearest Sjogren's Angels:

I just had new hearing aids fitted.   I get a month trial, which started today.

I ADORE them so far.   I hear things so much more naturally.  It's unbelievable.

Now I have to figure out have to pay for them.   Sigh.

They cost and arm and a leg and my first born child (boy, is he gonna be surprised!).  The yearly fees covers up to 8 replacements per year (the hearing aids and the fitting, too).

These fit way inside my ears (have to be fitted by the audiologist) and last up to 4 months (tho I think 2.5 months is more the norm).

When the battery runs down in one, you go back to the audiologist, and she takes them out and puts in two new ones.

You never take them out (although you CAN if you must).  You sleep, shower, carry out normal life, with them in place all the time.

I have a little magic wand I hold up to my ear to change the volume or put them in 'sleep mode' if I want less sound at night.

Or on and airplane. 

But no more fiddling with batteries, taking my hearing aids out for showers, or to sleep, or forgetting to put them in, or combing my hearing aids OUT OF MY EARS, as I have done.  Or flipping one out when taking off my sun glasses.    OR knocking my hearing aid container with hearing aids inside into the trash basket by my bed.  I was lucky to notice them gone, and searched through a trash bag after I had emptied the basket, and FOUND THEM, before they had gone out to be picked up with the trash.

I'll keep you posted on how they work.  I'm still excited, but it's just the FIRST day.   So who knows.

I intend to go to water aerobics (I don't go underwater, so it should be ok), and I don't sky dive or scuba dive, so all should be OK.

Kisses, and wish me luck.

Elaine

[gsmraxe]

WHAT?!?!?!?   

Sorry, couldn't resist.  

[Crymeariver]

Those sound really cool and a little strange having them way down the ear canal.  Amazing how the technology has changed.  My Nana refused to wear hearing aids because they were so clunky back in the day.  I hope they work for you.

[Joe S.]

So now you can not use the excuse, "Sorry, I did not hear you". Boy is that going to make things complicated.

[Carolina]

EH??   WHAT did you say, Joe?

Oh these are ideal for people who have disabilities, or have Alzheimers and can't deal with the complexity of hearing aids.

They are very expensive tho'.   So I'm trying to figure out how to pay for them.  Gotta find a way.

Elaine

[Bucky]

Elaine - enjoy your "trial" hearing aids, they "sound" like a wonderful thing.   

I wonder why any hearing aid costs so much?  I think my husband could use a pair, but he won't even consider them due to the cost.     It's a shame something that will help someone is cost prohibitive.

Bucky

[newhorizons]

 Sweet Carolina, Know for our experiences at our home, or should I say episodes, bet your hubby is glad for you to have the new hearing aids.

Hit him up to help pay for them....

My hubby has in last year got new set. This time went for digital that have tube that enters ear. Is that the kind you had before the new ones?

Just wondering... pretty please do keep us posted as how they perform... How about weekly?        Joy

[Carolina]

Hi, Joy, and all.

DIGITAL HEARING AIDS:  I have the hearing aids that fit behind the ear, with the tubes into the ear canal. 

Those are digital, and I've had them for about 3.5 years.   

Those hearing aids can fall off my ear, the batteries last about 13 days, and they have to come out at night and for a shower.   

They sound 'OK' but not nearly as natural as the new extended wear hearing aids I have on trial, which were fitted on Monday.

EXTENDED WEAR HEARING AIDS:  The new extended wear hearing aids fit entirely inside my ear canal, and can't fall our and are never taken out until a battery dies, anywhere from 2.5 to 4 months.

BUT I've been doing the math (UGH).   $3,000 a year doesn't seem tooo horrible UNTIL you realize that in 10 years they would cost $30,000!!! 

And that doesn't include the 'time value' of the money, if it had been left in savings (which is where the money has to come from for the aids).

THAT is a LOT of money.  And we have always been smack in the middle of the middle class for income.  And also a family that drives a car for 10-15 years, and often bought a used car to begin with!   Especially when we had kids at home.

So it really seems absurd to spend THAT much money, when I can wear my current hearing aids, and replace them maybe ever 5 years for $4000.    That's $8,000 for 10 years versus $30,000.   

Well, I'll wear them for the full trial month, of course!  But right now I can't imagine committing that kind of money on an annual basis.

Sigh.

I'll keep you posted.

Kisses

(Did you say something?   )

Elaine

[Joe S.]

Elaine, With all the infections we get in glands and ears, I am wondering about their impact with infections?

[Carolina]

Joe, I don't get those infections.

I don't have Sjogren's (I'm just a wanna be), only Sicca.    

I'm sero negative (normal) for every AI condition that can be tested.

The aids are great (so far, this is only day three).  But far too expensive I fear.

Kisses

I'll keep you posted.

Elaine

[newhorizons]

Sweet Carolina, Sight and hearing are the top two senses, I feel, at our ages on this road called 'life!' You never know we could be 68 forever... one day at a time is all I can handle; what about you?

Think about this important decision during your trial period. If life gets sweeter each day, go for it, girlfriend!!!
You can't take $ with you when you die...


Could do without smelling the roses and this touch matter (PN) could let it slide more, BUT... enough said.*


*Trust I have not stepped on someones toes in expression my feelings about our senses.

Respectfully written, Joy

[Carolina]

Oh, Joy,

I just did my water aerobics and took a shower, with the aids.   So we'll see how they survive all that.

They are water resistant, not water proof.  I think they should be OK.

i am thinking of just trying one year.   Just to see what the long term experience is like.

But first i have about 25 more days!

the thing that's so weird is the sound is just 'normal'.  I'd have to take them out and compare them to my earlier state of the art digital aid to be able to compare,but they just seem so different

I'm hearing from my core.   Like a normal person doesn't really think about ears, you know?

yeah I'll let everyone know.

but it's fun

I always like new stuff!

kisses

Elaine

[eyeamdry]

My husband it very hard of hearing from 40-50 years of working in loud sheet metal shops.  He denied being hard of hearing for many years, but I knew.
We have talked about it, though, and so far have just decided he would not wear them and have not bought any.  He is not the least worried about his looks, so that's not a concern, probably likes not being able to hear most people.  Most men his age are hard of hearing in return and don't wear hearin aids.

My sister and her husbands both have hearing aids and neither wear them.  I have a lady friend who has worn two hearing aids (one in each ear lol.) since before I knew her.  In fact I'd known her for 5 years before I even noticed she wore hearing aids!  She wears the kind that go in the ear and then you can see them.  She wears a short "bob" haircut and you can see her ears!  I guess when you NEED to wear them, you really do.

I don't think (I know) that we couldn't afford this set of hearing aids.  So we'll continue to yell.  Lucy

[Joe S.]

I was told that because of my meniers (sp) I was not a candidate for hearing aids. Can someone get me out of this wind tunnel and answer the phone? The noise changes in frequency from time to time and of course intensity. Can you turn off the diesel so I can hear? Things may have changed since I was tested over 30 years ago.

[Carolina]

MMMM Joe, I'm not sure.

Hearing aids HELP with the tinnitus.

With the aids you don't hear the tinnitus nearly as loudly because you get more ambient sound coming in.

But the Meniere's?   Not sure.   I have horrendous tinnitus, but don't get the lie down while everything whirls around you holding on to the floor for dear life problems of Meniere's.

Elaine