Hearing Aids

[Clyde]

$1700 for Costco hearing aids paid out of pocket as insurance would not cover. ENT office wanted 2-3x that. 5 yrs I have had them first in Columbus OH then in Greenville, and the service has been excellent. I make an appt for an exam, and adjustment, and they get me in within a week. There is a decent warranty, and a rebuild service available for several hundred dollars with a couple day service. The audiologists I have worked with have been effective as far as I can tell. As recommended to me by my best buddy ENT in Seattle. Worth a try for sure.

[mnoble485]

I often wonder if you guys have been reading my mail. Vanity, price, head nodding...vanity! Thanks for all of the suggestions and comments. Appointment with Otologist confirmed “significant” loss, thanks Stevie Ray Vaughn and others. Tell me about Costco as I have never been there.

Mike

[j44ke]

Ding.

Yep, the data is in. Integral part of physical and psychological health maintenance. Medicare should cover them. The counter argument I’ve heard basically breaks down to “If Medicare paid for hearing aids, everyone would want them.” Want. Like they are a new car or a designer kitchen. Need is the correct word. Not sure what lobby is working against it, but they must be strong as they’ve held off AARP. Maybe Biden will get this done.

[rec head]

I'm pretty sure its the insurance lobby. At $7000 a pair times the number of people that would qualify for them I think it would get costly. TBH if my insurance covered more I would probably have them already.

[dashDustin]

TBH if my insurance covered more I would probably have them already.

Ditto.

Signed,
39yr old

[rmplum]

I've had severe tinnitus since college, I blame mahavishnu orchestra and Klipsch speakers. This may be the cause of my hearing loss.

Damn, I about wore out my Birds of Fire CD when I discovered them in the mid 90s! Nice reference.

Also, +1 on the bone conducting headphones. I'm on my second set of AfterShokz after being a very early adopter. The Aeropex are wonderfully slim and their warranty dept is outstanding.

[Too Tall]

Damn, I about wore out my Birds of Fire CD when I discovered them in the mid 90s! Nice reference.

Also, +1 on the bone conducting headphones. I'm on my second set of AfterShokz after being a very early adopter. The Aeropex are wonderfully slim and their warranty dept is outstanding.

I can time/date the exact hours when I sustained maximum damage ;) Jean-Luc Ponty was there, we had mid-hall seats at DAR hall which if you have never been there don't. I literally lost 1/2 my hearing for days, this is when tinnitus set in...but what a ride.

There are a couple of beneficial drivers which will lower costs of quality Aides. First, the FDA approved a new class of over the counter hearing aides. Those are all the adverts you see on the tube...I've got no opinion. Second, legislation is slated to pass on or about May 2021 that will substantially lower costs >>> https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/14/h...ring-aids.html

Jorn > The psych effect is real but hey only folks who have it can really talk about it so I'm talking to yinz (yah I'm not from there but dig the slang) who have it know what I'm talking about. Wear your damn aids and stop nodding your head like you actually are hearing conversations in noisy environments. Furthermore, when your brother gives you the stink eye and turns to talk to your sister, it's probably about his bunion not YOU. Not everything is about you ;)

#soapboxoff

[htwoopup]

I know nothing about this stuff as I do not wear them but I have been following this thread because I have been wondering if I do need/should get them or will need/should get them soon. And Josh's Kipsch reference gave me a flashback that said yeah, you probably do.

And then, this popped up in my feed so I'll post it here...as I said, I know nothing about this subject so this article may be total bs just a "wet kiss" planted story but I am throwing it out here to try to learn from you all who understand this stuff and have lived it...

https://www.statnews.com/2021/03/17/...-right-sounds/

[Too Tall]

Jon,
That is exactly why I went with Oticon. It's all in their clever algorithms and fast processors.
Go get a test.

[j44ke]

...

Jorn > The psych effect is real but hey only folks who have it can really talk about it so I'm talking to yinz (yah I'm not from there but dig the slang) who have it know what I'm talking about. Wear your damn aids and stop nodding your head like you actually are hearing conversations in noisy environments. Furthermore, when your brother gives you the stink eye and turns to talk to your sister, it's probably about his bunion not YOU. Not everything is about you ;)

My dad has just lost higher frequencies, but his wife is losing chunks of conversation, except she accepts what she hears as actionable evidence. So that makes conversations a bit like trying to catch crazed barn cats.

me: "I went to see the Joneses today and they had a fire going in their yard and totally out of nowhere their lost dog appeared. He looked very sad until he got in the house."

her: "What? The Jones' house burned down? A total loss? And the dog was in there? I thought he was lost? I just saw them yesterday? When did this happen? I am going to call them right now. I can't believe this. I agree. It is very sad. They thought their dog was lost and now he is dead in the fire. Why didn't they say anything?"

I love her a ton but telling her a story takes a while.

[ides1056]

Nobody heard Clyde: Costco.

Everyone I know who uses hearing aids eventually finds out they provide the best service and price, by far.

[Bobonli]

Nobody heard Clyde: Costco.

Everyone I know who uses hearing aids eventually finds out they provide the best service and price, by far.

Maybe this is regional but I wouldn't buy a medical device from my local Costco for the same reason I won't buy a bike from the hardware store. Big Box stores in the middle of the country are different (better quality and service) than what I experience in my local neighborhood.

[Too Tall]

My dad has just lost higher frequencies, but his wife is losing chunks of conversation, except she accepts what she hears as actionable evidence. So that makes conversations a bit like trying to catch crazed barn cats.

me: "I went to see the Joneses today and they had a fire going in their yard and totally out of nowhere their lost dog appeared. He looked very sad until he got in the house."

her: "What? The Jones' house burned down? A total loss? And the dog was in there? I thought he was lost? I just saw them yesterday? When did this happen? I am going to call them right now. I can't believe this. I agree. It is very sad. They thought their dog was lost and now he is dead in the fire. Why didn't they say anything?"

I love her a ton but telling her a story takes a while.

That breaks my heart.

My mom had Menieres at around 65 years old. That was the beginning of what eventually was d@mn near total loss. Near the end of her years I came up with an eraseable hand held writing tablet she would keep in her lap to communicate with aides. Arthritic old artists fingers be damned she could still turn the volume off if she was done with listening ;)

[mnoble485]

E441A431-B11C-4EF5-939F-021EC53A52D4.jpg

Bringing this up to date. This is what the test results show. Moderate to not so good loss in both ears. My next appointment was with the “hearing aid specialist” which left me feeling less than satisfied. I was shown different levels of aids from basic to high end. Cost ranged from $1,500 to $2500 per ear. She then confused me with different types, in ear, behind ear, etc.

I checked AARP and they suggested Costco so I think I will go there next week. Insurance offers no coverage other than their own side division that offers some discount.

The journey continues and more will be revealed.

Mike

[marley]

Alternatives to full blown hearing aides - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2635618

I am heading towards the full blown hearing aid/implant path - once I figure out what is going on..

Feb 2nd - major nausea and vertigo, stuffed up feeling mostly the right ear, spent 4 days lying down and throwing up any liquid, felt slightly better day 5/6 - Day 7 nausea started again to the ER for fluids, nausea medication - no visible signs of a bacterial/middle ear infection - most likely inner ear and viral should get better.

Feb 11th - ENT - hearing loss 50% in my right ear - left is "OK" - vertigo symptoms, no driving - MRI ordered

Feb 24th - MRI is clear , hearing is 100% gone in the right ear- start 1 month moderate dose steroids to bring down the inflammation, vertigo is better, able to drive short distances, attempted to ride my bike - not possible at this time - very scary and humbling

March 24th - no improvement in the right - last effort is to drop liquid steroid on the nerve and check again in 1 week

March 26-28 - feels like this is migrating to my left - woke up on 29th, vertigo/nausea again, hands and knees puking and could not hear in both ears - rushed to Dr and ER

29th - now - high dose oral steroids (mood swings) hearing is about 25% in the left and 0% in the right and vertigo symptoms continue but slightly better- no driving and no biking

Going to see the a specialist tomorrow at Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary - most likely an autoimmune disorder of the inner ear

I feel fucked
- trouble following conversations with my boys
- feeling isolated and insecure when outside of the house - not stable on my feet - have you ever felt scared/unsure of yourself when outside in public -besides that time you took mushrooms and went to....
- I want to ride my bike
- the ringing the ear that is "dead" is just cruel
- music sounds different
- I can not walk in straight line for more than 10-15 feet without a wobble - walking the dog is not fun - I must look drunk to the neighbors
- work has been great - but damn video conference calls - volume cranked on a shitty headset - listening with one ear - too much effort at times

I will come terms with the hearing loss and the vanity of hearing aides / implant - but I want my balance back

[ides1056]

My cousin had Meniere's disease and spent about a year and a half in the kind of hell you are describing. In the end it turned out to be a potassium imbalance related to a heart medication she was taking. She is now recovered.

[Too Tall]

Marley, you are describing to a "T" what happened to my mom in her 50's. Diagnosed as Meniere's. The symptoms resolved on their own over a couple weeks.

Aggressively seek diagnosis until you are satisfied and forward from there.

[ides1056]

and please keep us posted

good luck

[spopepro]

I can time/date the exact hours when I sustained maximum damage ;) ...

For me, the maximum was a long rainy day in Murfreesboro TN in 1999 where we decided to have an indoor ensemble rehearsal in the gym. We were supposed to play 50%. We of course got jacked up on the noise and did no such thing.


But really, it's more about the years of sitting right in front of trumpets and trombones that I think did me in. I've long known that I had lost everything above 8k. After a year and a half of hearing things fine because I was listening through headphones while working remotely... I'm coming to terms that I need to be a sort of "early adopter" for some hearing support.

So... two questions: I have Kaiser which I'm 99.9% sure covers the exam, but not the aids. Should I go that route, or just see the whole thing through at Costco? Also, those here who are musicians--do you leave your aids in while rehearsing? Take them out? Do you still use hearing protection/sound shields? Just curious how it works best while playing an instrument.

Thanks all. The encouragement here really means a lot to a 41 yr old who is now having to ask people to repeat themselves even in quiet settings.

[Too Tall]

My first choice is a audiologist who has been referred you by someone who has had good support. Call them and ask WRT insurance, they do this all day long. Sooner the better.

Believe it or not, there are hearing appliances that are specific for musicians. Your hearing aides will not work well if you are in a group....in my opinion.