Finally getting hearing aids. Any tips from wearers

Well, I have them. Tiny little things, it is quite a relief to have actually made the decision . They are really comfortable and hardly visible at all.

I have not tried out the TV yet but I am hoping I can now watch without subtitles.

I did find the bus noises a bit disconcerting, and I never realise how loud my OH speaks.

Thank you for all the advice.

Get some pipe cleaners from a craft shop

/\ /\ /\ Everything Nemosmum said. But your local NHS Audiology department may not be there. Many have been closed and the work given to Specsavers. They may well be providing the same service, and it will still be free to use. The NHS is being privatised at a terrifying rate, but because the private providers still use the NHS logo, and you don't have to pay (yet) this is a stealth operation.

If in doubt about your hearing, get some tests and get the free aids, we've already paid for them.

PLEASE EVERYONE, DO NOT PAY FOR HEARING AIDS! You have paid your NHS dues and you will get lovely tiny little digital H/Aids from the local NHS Audiology department. You will be tested by a properly qualified audiologist and be fitted with the best ones for you. You will be able to get adjustments, repairs and replacements without further payment and you will have access to ENT if necessary. My dad (90) just got the latest Siemen's digital aids, worth about 3 thousand quid. You can't see them from in front or behind, and they're brilliant! The private companies lie through their teeth to persuade people to spend their savings. Don't let them get away with it!

I started off a few years ago with one hearing aid (NHS) then progressed to two. Then the models were changed so now a little bit of soft plastic like a pointed mushroom pushes into my ear instead of the plastic mould I had before. When I first wore a hearing aid I could pick up my neighbour's conversation on her mobile phone in her kitchen! and my shoes seemed to make a terrible racket walking along the street - and eating crisps was deafening! I recently made an appointment to have a repair because one of the aids was not working. My audiology dept is excellent, my appointments have always been on time or even early. The audiologist told me to wear them all the time (I tended to wear them when I thought I'd need them) so I would get used to them and filter out unwanted noises. I'm now used to wearing them all the time, I forget I'm wearing them. Wich DH would wear his too.

The NHS don't automatically issue AIDS now,due to people having them and not wearing them.I use them in both ears,have done for 12 years,I'v just been given new ones as my hearing greatly deteriated,almost no hearing in my right ear,if I don't get on with these,I will have implants.Itching is a major thing,I'v got drops but they're not very good.Any advice will be appreciated.

Sillynanny65. Re cleaning I bought this little brush on Amazon www.amazon.co.uk/Hearing-Magnet-battery-insertion-cleaning/dp/B0065KARSE/ref=sr_1_7_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1463995422&sr=8-7&keywords=hearing+aid+cleaner

Find it very useful for cleaning the hearing aids. I was also told to use wet wipes.

If you type hearing aid cleaner into Amazon you will see there is a big range of possible tools.

My mum who is 91 has worn hearing aids for at least 10 years. She has two digital ones on the NHS. Unfortunately she is profoundly deaf, and even after all these years still struggles with them. Unfortunately her local audiology dept. At her local hospital has closed down (cuts!!)., and we were transferred to her local Spec Savers. They have been very good providing batteries, free of charge, but..........
As I do not live near mum, she's in Hampshire and I am in London, I get down once of week to see her, she is in what they call extra care living, and there are careres on site, they do not deal with her hearing aids. My problem is how to clean the piece that goes into the ear as they get very 'mucky'. I have been told you should not put them in water, because if they are not perfectly dry, that is a route for infection. Has anyone got any suggestions on how I can clean them. I am with her for approx. 8hrs each time I go down. Thankyou any suggestions gratefully received as I'm sure this does not help with what little hearing she has got.

I have had a hearing aid from the age of 54, (deafness runs in my family.)The first one was not digital, with an ear-moulded inner which I had to have made for me, not very comfortable, but I persevered and got used to it. A couple of years ago my aid was changed to digital much more comfortable with a soft plastic earpiece. they tested my hearing and then set up the aid on the computer. It is a Siemens which is one of the models sold privately. Being an NHS aid means that the batteries are free, I don't know what they cost privately, but i should think it adds up. I couldn't manage without the aid.

Thanks to you all for your comments. They were extremely helpful and I shall now make myself an appointment with the NHS for a test. Perhaps I will hear what my grandchildren say to me (and about me!)
.

I had NHS hearing aids, which were very uncomfortable as they custom made the earpieces and they were very bulky and noticeable. After a while - and a couple of visits to see if they could be made more comfortable (they couldn't), I gave up on them. Then I went to Boots, had a much more thorough hearing test and was persuaded to have a pair with a much smaller ear piece and smaller unit behind the ear. These are (were) fine and I began to wear them more frequently as they were comfortable and I realised how much I had been missing - bird song and coversations with more than one other person especially. But - here is my warning - unfortunately I lost one - it was evening and I wasn't talking or listening much so hadn't noticed until I came to take them out at bedtime, there was only one hearing aid - I have no idea how or when or where the other one could have 'disappeared'. The audiologist advised me to get in touch with my house insurance company - the policy appeared to cover me for lost items up to a certain amount, but when I tried to claim I was told I was only covered for items lost within my home - well if it was in my home it wouldn't be permanently lost would it? So , as the Boots hearing aids were a pair and tuned together (or something) I had to buy another pair - £2,400.00 just before Christmas and I'm still catching up paying for them; instead of paying off my credit card in full each month, as I always try to do, I'm still doing it little by little... pensions only go so far!! So do check your insurance to make sure you would be covered if you lose an expensive hearing aid outside your home!!

This has been so helpful. So thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reply.
I chose specsavers on the recommendation of friends. I have to say that there was no pressure to buy the dearest pair. My brother-in-law explained about the ones that he wears, so I have gone for similar.

The fact that I can get my money back, and I could get a next day appointment was a big deciding factor.

Are the spectsavers NHS ones the ones that fit inside your ear?I only have hearing loss in one ear and have avoided having an hearing aid for years,but this post has made me decide to do something about it !

I use 2 NHS digital hearing aids. In when I get up, out at night or when hoovering, showering or swimming. Brilliant! Excellent Audiology Dept supplies batteries and maintenance on drop in basis. I love loop systems in public places eg church, theatre, and can often hear speakers much more clearly than rest of audience. Social Services supplied loop set for TV, as well as doorbell and phone. Very grateful to other taxpayers jointly funding NHS!

I'm 43 & I have two. My hearing loss is worse in one ear. I haven't been able to wear them much as I appear to have other issues with the worse of the two ears which is being investigated. The hearing aid amplifies the pain. ? but I definitely found they helped with the hearing loss immensely. Good luck ☺

I got one NHS aid a couple of years ago and it really helps with conversations, meetings in bigger rooms, and hey i can now hear birdsong again. Most people lose some hearing with age, usually the higher frequencies which make speech clear. Takes a while to get used to the sound of your feet on the carpet and hair rustling away, but you soon learn to filter it out.

These days you only get one aid for mild hearing loss - cuts, again.

I'm saddened to read of people here who have fallen for the ads from all sorts of private firms and Specsavers and spending thousands for the same equipment, please at least start with the NHS ones. Specsavers are now franchised by the NHS to supply aids in places where local audiology departments have been closed, so there, you are stuck with them. They will of course try to talk you into spending more on private ones. The new NHS digital ones are at least as good as mid-range private ones. The actual equipment doesn't cost a lot - I'd have to pay £70 if i lost mine. It's the assessment and fitting that is (should be) worth thousands. No-one thinks there's anything odd about wearing glasses, the more of us that wear them, the more ordinary hearing aids are becoming. You can get them in bright colours!

AnnieGran, you are right and some of their business practices have been the subject of several 'Private Eye' write-ups so enough said. I must admit I was sceptical about them when GP referred OH to them when his hearing started to trouble him but they were very good. He was eligible for free ones so no money involved thankfully.

I worked with deaf people for twenty five years, in ro9es such as sign language communicator, lipspeaker and also the manager of a residential home for deaf people with other disabilities. I know a lot about deafness and have even written about it. However, it wasn’t until I persuaded my husband to get hearing aids about two years ago, that I learnt something that I never found out in all that time. Hearing aids seem to be more for the hearing-impaired person’s family and friends than they are for the wearer. I did know about how hearing-impaired people quite often deny that they have a problem and that it is other people who are to blame but I have now realised how stressful it is for me, as a wife, when my husband argues that he her correctly, when !I know he didn’t. We even had to rewind a file, when he had heard (it was something like!) - ”What’s my grandson’s name?”, to which the man replied (according to my husband!), ”It’s Matthew Brown (an episode of ‘The Village’.” Even on the rewind, my husband said, “There you go, I’m right!! He said “It’s Matthew Brown!”) The man in the programme had actually said “It doesn’t matter now.” So, as you can guess, the argument that had already begun became an ‘I told you so’ scenario. Such regular occasions of being up against each other can lead to deterioration in a relationship.
My husband’s hearing aids are for me, not him. He is happy to leave them in a drawer (this is extremely common among hearing-aid wearers) and, now that he realises that he is starting to misunderstand other people, he is starting to wear them more often. I know they start off itchy but you really do need to persevere, not only for yourself but for others.

NHS hearing aids us to be terrible and, because we live in Spain, we didn't qualify for them. We paid £1,500 or so for the Specsavers hearing aids but I do understand that the NHS ones (which you can get at Specsavers) are now just as good as those you buy. Go on. Be fair to those around you.

This thread has been a huge advertisement for Specsavers. I would like to alter the balance a bit by saying that they were rubbish with my glasses so I won't give them any more money by way of hearing aids. £3,000? Someone's having a laugh.

I got my tiny little hearing aids 3 years ago, free NHS (free at the point of use, I know we have already paid for it over the years), excellent initial assessment and fitting and all the follow up you need. You don't need to be referred by your GP, just phone and make an appointment for a first assessment. Our hospital has a walk in audiology service for aftercare and also gives out free batteries.

My quite lengthy and detailed assessment (over half an hour) showed one ear to be worse than the other and it was higher notes that had gradually deteriorated, unnoticed by me until I realised I was always turning the TV up and sometimes using the subtitles.

The background rustle was a bit disconcerting at first but they are real noises and probably the first ones we have lost. Your brain soon accepts it. I can now go to council meetings, theatre, meet friends (none of whom noticed, until I told them they could stop shouting at me). If Husband is watching something I don't like on TV I can turn them right down and read a book.

Only problem - if you have a little trouble with dexterity in your fingers you might find them a bit fiddly to put in at first and set the volume. Persevere and practice. They improved my lifestyle enormously. Good luck!

We got his soundbar £90, from a local independent TV shop who came and fitted it. It just plugs into the TV, but Dad wanted the reassurance of someone "doing" it. You can also buy soundbars from Curry's, Tesco, on line etc.
The big advantage is the sound is projected forward.

I have had hearing aid in one ear for 18 months now. It can be a bit uncomfortable at times but nothing to worry about. I have discovered it best not to wear it when at my Yoga and Pilates classes. Lying down and turning your head puts pressure on the ear and it is amazing how noisy your hair can be brushing against them!! I am so pleased I got them. Worth the money in my opinion. Good luck.

I am having a hearing test next week and am very worried that my tinnitus has got worse and is causing hearing loss.

sussexoldbag - the soundbar for the TV sounds useful - can you tell everyone more about it, how it works and where you got it, please? Our TV monitor is quite old but we don't want to spend money replacing it if the speakers are losing their power.

Thanks.

My 96 year old Dad has expensive Spec Savers' ones and more clunky NHS ones. The battery charge on the fancy ones only lasts around 8 hrs so halfway through the evening when he is well into a TV programme he has to revert to the NHS aids.
He had a lot of trouble hearing the TV and he was told modern (average price) slimline TV's don't have good speakers, we got him a separate soundbar which seems to have helped.

My deafness is fairly slight (I don't hear in the lower registers, so if someone 'drops' the end of a word - as they often do - I lose the sense of the sentence. There have been some, um, er difficult situations as I once tried to guess the subject of a sentence and laughed hysterically, only to realise that the person I was speaking to had just had her dog put down. Oops.)

Mine are via the NHS, teeny tiny ones but... I don't like to wear them as my ears become sore. My family are pretty cross with me and rightly so but the aids are very uncomfortable. I do, every so often give them another try but have the same problem. The clinic where they were fitted is no more so I am at a bit of a loss.

Does anyone have any tips for making these creatures more wearable/bearable/comfortable? It would be great if so - I had an idea of knitting (but don't knit!) a sleeve for them but thought that they may disappear down my ear canal never to be seen again..... Ideas, anyone?

DH bought private ones around £4000!! Then the bush went missing for cleaning it out. They were Danish made and it seems no one not even the agent who had fitted and sold them to him had a spare brush. And so it went on.

The long and short of the action, is that he now wears his 'free' NHS ones from Spec Savers and has no complaints. He has however only lost the higher frequencies due to using a circular (converting our barn into a house) saw and inadequate ear muffs. With the private ones he has to buy the batteries with the NHS ones they are provided.

You do go back once you have got the hearing aids to have them programmed to your needs. DH is very good about wearing them. The only time he doesn't is when swimming or wearing ear protectors.

I have had an initial hearing test but hearing aids not needed at present. I will go as soon as I do need them. Getting them earlier rather than later keeps the hearing part of the brain active. My friend says that her ears have improved in their hearing since she got her two.

My mother was told she could only have one hearing aid in the ear that could hear!!! as she had left it too late for the 'deaf' ear, as the brain was no longer interpreting sounds.