Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 18:00:13 GMT

[quote userid="2100" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228634#228634"]I've kicked sweetened drinks. Next to go is the chocolate. It's hell.[/quote]

I think the solution long term is not to completely kick anything out, it is to be able to have everything in moderation. No such thing as good food or bad food etc.

If you learn how to do it, feel free to let me know. I can resist everything except temptation.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 17:39:31 GMT

[quote userid="2457" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228633#228633"]There is lots of evidence that crash dieters are prone to yo-yo dieting with long term overall weight gain.[/quote]

Yeah, I know! I am trying to make long term changes. I've kicked sweetened drinks. Next to go is the chocolate. It's hell.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 13:30:12 GMT

There's no doubt crash diets do make you lose weight and can quickly push a type 2 diabetic into remission, which is great. Losing the weight is the 'easy' bit though (ish) ... Keeping it off long term is the hard bit. There is lots of evidence that crash dieters are prone to yo-yo dieting with long term overall weight gain. Only people who changed their diet and lifestyle long term have better outcomes. Obviously every person is different though. Good luck.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 11:04:42 GMT

[quote userid="2457" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228626#228626"]Day 4. How are you doing with the headaches?[/quote]

No headaches!

[quote userid="2457" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228626#228626"]Crash diets are a really bad idea btw[/quote]

Not according to Professor D. Betes: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a7a593ce-389a-11ea-ad7c-b6ce6c640a19?shareToken=aa6dc54130c1cae7edf9b944947c4d48 !! He argues its the best way to lose weight if you are in diabetes territory.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 10:46:41 GMT

[quote userid="2100" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228587#228587"]So I've gone on a 800 calorie per day crash diet too, to lose 8 kilos or so. Now on day 2. [/quote]

Day 4. How are you doing with the headaches? (Crash diets are a really bad idea btw )

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Julian Earl — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 19:38:56 GMT

[quote userid="2100" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228594#228594"]Wouldn't that be the ultimate ignominy: to have battled and won against everything life has thrown at you, only to be bumped off by a hearing aid![/quote]

Genuine Laugh out loud for that Arlo! Thank you. I need things to make me laugh at the moment!!

Sincerely, much thanks!!

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 13:01:38 GMT

[quote userid="6550" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228592#228592"]Arlo, you need to pee on a stick if you are worried about diabetes.[/quote]

Just about to go for a walk. Will any old stick do?

[quote userid="3094" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228591#228591"]One day I'll forget and walk in the shower wearing it I'm sure!! If you hear of me being electrocuted one day that is probably how it will happen!![/quote]

Julian Earl Wouldn't that be the ultimate ignominy: to have battled and won against everything life has thrown at you, only to be bumped off by a hearing aid!

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Bob Russell — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:56:49 GMT

Arlo, you need to pee on a stick if you are worried about diabetes.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Julian Earl — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:31:34 GMT

[quote userid="2100" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228587#228587"]d was interested to read that some studies are finding an association between that and hearing loss. [/quote]

Sorry to hear that Arlo. Can I add that fracturing ones skull can have an impact [ pun intended!! on your hearing as well. It seems like my skull was damaged around the inner ear on my left side and have had a hearing aid for a few years now. Noe that I say that I have a hearing aid rather than use a hearing aid, much to my wife's frustration! But it does not stay in very well and that becomes annoying after a while ,so the volume button is of more use in he end! The make is Phonak and it seems to work okay. It is a digital one via the NHS. One day I'll forget and walk in the shower wearing it I'm sure!! If you hear of me being electrocuted one day that is probably how it will happen!! Emoji = shocked... Geddit??

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Stephen Ashman — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:01:06 GMT

Jealous of the sound system but not the diet, good luck!

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 09:32:29 GMT

[quote userid="3123" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228585#228585"]Have you got a sound bar for your tv? [/quote]

I've gone one further, a full surround sound system with the treble jacked up so that the dog leaves the room, and the voice speaker set maximum.

It helps, but it doesn't cure it.

Incidentally, I've been having a few symptoms commonly associated with diabeetles (as my daughter once called it), and was interested to read that some studies are finding an association between that and hearing loss. So I've gone on a 800 calorie per day crash diet too, to lose 8 kilos or so. Now on day 2.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Stephen Ashman — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 21:40:18 GMT

Have you got a sound bar for your tv? The speakers in modern flat TVs are rubbish, and mostly point backwards too. I’m not deaf but once I got a sound bar it really separated out the frequencies and speech was distinct to background noise. I think because the small speakers in flat TVs can only give out a certain range then everything gets smushed into a small frequency range. I’d never go back to being without a soundbar. Get a subwoofer for the neighbours too haha!

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Sarah Keir — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 20:02:07 GMT

[quote userid="2100" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid"]I still struggle to hear, especially during Vietnam war films. Can't make out what anyone is saying over the choppers in Apocalypse Now.[/quote]

One of my husband's favourite movies and I can't understand a word of the dialogue. Am I hearing impaired or just not understanding?

Anti-war film Evelyn Barbour-Hill

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Miriam Lodewyks — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 21:08:50 GMT

[quote userid="2131" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228415#228415"]Oh, and the longer you put it off the worse your hearing will get, because if the neurones attached to a particular hair cell don't have anything to do, they wander off and find something more exciting.[/quote]

This made me chuckle!
But I believe it is true.

I always assumed going deaf was like someone lowering the volume gradually, but now I understand that in fact you lose different frequencies at different rates, so your brain struggles to understand the sounds that do get through. So getting help early means your auditory centre remains active and cognitive.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 10:42:36 GMT

[quote userid="2100" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228426#228426"]two days later and I'm still here scratching my head. [/quote]

If the batteries were dead you wouldn't hear anything - no?

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 09:11:39 GMT

[quote userid="8991" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228368#228368"]Have you ever heard the one about the skinhead and the hearing aid? Probably not, the batteries were dead.[/quote]

two days later and I'm still here scratching my head.

[quote userid="2131" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228415#228415"]because if the neurones attached to a particular hair cell don't have anything to do, they wander off and find something more exciting.[/quote]

sounds remarkably similar to my wife

[quote userid="11901" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228406#228406"]Last year she splurged on some expensive Phonak ones[/quote]

They seem to be getting a lot of votes. I might see if I can get a gadget man discount.

[quote userid="2490" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228419#228419"]Evelyn you are spot on about films and sound and TV too.[/quote]

Aah there you are, Clare Tapsfield-Wright, been missing you

Thank you all very much - seems like it is worth at least trying a private upgrade. Might see if I can get a gadgetman discount and do a review.

[quote userid="2131" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228415#228415"]I tried some that go right in the ear and disliked them. I hated the bunged-up feeling, and I hated the way that the only sound coming into the ear was that from the aid.[/quote]

That's very interesting ... I will be on the lookout for that.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Clare Tapsfield-Wright — Sun, 07 Feb 2021 22:35:06 GMT

Evelyn you are spot on about films and sound and TV too. I sometimes really struggle to catch the dialogue on some drama and actually thought I had a hearing problem but if I watch some old box set I have no problem at all.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Sun, 07 Feb 2021 21:51:17 GMT

I was unimpressed with the NHS audiology department. Especially when the consultant said "you don't need hearing aids" when it was quite obvious that I did.

Quite a lot of it is personal preference. But definitely get a pair, even if only one ear is severely affected. And definitely get a pair that are tuned to you personally. So you need a trip to Hidden Hearing or similar, and see what they've got to offer.

Oh, and the longer you put it off the worse your hearing will get, because if the neurones attached to a particular hair cell don't have anything to do, they wander off and find something more exciting.

I tried some that go right in the ear and disliked them. I hated the bunged-up feeling, and I hated the way that the only sound coming into the ear was that from the aid. And they didn't solve the stethoscope problem, although that was a reason for trying them!

I am pretty happy with my behind-the-ear ones, tuned to me. I thought the four-figure price was reasonable given all the free service that goes with it. They are fairly near the bottom of the range, as far as I know, but spending lots more on things with four microphones that detect who you are talking to was not my bag. Nor was Blue-toothing to my mobile phone. It might be yours.

They don't solve the stethoscope problem, of course, but I have a way round that.

I don't find the regular battery-changing a nuisance, but I'm sure rechargeable is more convenient, unless it makes the things bulkier.

As for movies – in some newer Hollywood movies I can only make out half the dialogue, whatever the sound system. It's not me, it's the movie – the actors mumble and they are speaking 21st-century American. British films are fine, as are old American ones. What I have come to realise is that in newer Hollywood movies if you can't hear the dialogue it doesn't matter, it's pretty inconsequential anyway. Especially in war films, where it's probably better if you can't make out the dialogue so you won't get irritated by the stupidity of it. But that's for another thread.

Would you call Apocalypse Now a war film? Only in broad terms I think.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Miriam Lodewyks — Sun, 07 Feb 2021 20:11:36 GMT

My mum has been wearing hearing aids for about 10 years . Last year she splurged on some expensive Phonak ones... says it’s revolutionised her life!

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

David Mills — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 20:16:25 GMT

Have you ever heard the one about the skinhead and the hearing aid? Probably not, the batteries were dead.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 19:49:45 GMT

I’ve got nhs ones at the moment. Quite effective, but not much cop when watching war movies. And quite tinny. That said, they are only six months old, and people say that these days the nhs uses ones that are similar to those you can get privately. I’m not sure whether that is true and I would prefer not to have two bricks hanging behind my ears. Especially now I am bald!

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Dinu Catilina — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 19:44:00 GMT

[quote userid="3711" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29655/can-anyone-recommend-a-hearing-aid/228346#228346"]My wife used NHS ones backalong, and when she took the plunge and bought privately, she was very impressed with the difference. [/quote]

Same with my wife, she could not believe the difference in quality. Don't know the brand, I'll find out.

You might also wait a while to get an NHS one, she had to wait almost a year for an appointment because of Covid. If you can afford it go private.

Edit to add info. My wife has Phonak as well.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Sarah Mark — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 18:14:42 GMT

My wife used NHS ones backalong, and when she took the plunge and bought privately, she was very impressed with the difference. So, when I had the glad news that I also needed hearing aids, she encouraged me to just buy them and not bother with NHS aids.

To be fair, plenty of people are fine with the NHS sets and I think it's personal preference too.

Can't remember the model name but they cost quite a few quid at the time, they are the 'right in your ear canal' type with a little plastic bit behind your ear, not quite invisible but not far from it. Not that I'm bothered about that but I find them very comfortable and don't get in the way of my glasses.

Also, not sure about NHS sets now but at the time I looked they all had to have batteries replaced, the Phonaks go on a charger at the side of the bed every night, much more convenient than changing fiddly batteries.

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Jill Butterworth — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 18:11:43 GMT

I use the subtitles...

RE: Can anyone recommend a hearing aid?

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 16:47:45 GMT

Hi Sarah, and thank you. I was looking at those earlier. Did you try NHS ones first? And what sort do you have - behind the ear, in the ear, or right in the year and invisible to the outside world?