Advice on new aid, what is normal, what isn't

Hearing Aids
#1

My new aid has moulds, my last one had domes. One aid is with the manufacturers to get the vent hole enlarged. The other aid, for my ear that is very severely deaf in high frequencies only, starts to hurt the top of my ear by its sheer weight after about an hour or so. Also, when I have sounds loud enough to make a difference, it feels like each sound is a pressure inside my ear. So far I haven’t noticed any improvement in sharpness in that ear, whereas previously any change to my aids has been a noticeable improvement.

I’m just wanting to check which of these things might be normal and I just need time to adjust, and which ones merit a return to the audiologist for help.

The new aids are UK NHS aids, Signia Stretta Aya UP. My previous aids were Phonak Audeo and I’ve had them about 7 years. They were fine for a long time, but they were never able to give me full hearing in my right ear. I think that may just be something I have to live with.

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#2

In all truth Gina, if you want to hear the best you can, tis best to go private, NHS Audiology is excellent, but it is severely restricted by time, and some hearing losses, are trickier than others, to fit… Moulds can be extremely problematic, especially ill fitting moulds, too loose, and they will squeal with feedback, too tight, then you will be in lots of pain, for some folks, occlusion is a major problem, and correct venting is paramount to a good fitting… If you can afford it, Costco does excellent top of the line rebranded aids, probably around £1500 per set, fully fitted, REM is done, with a no quibble return policy, for a refund if you are not fully satisfied… I don’t actually know how long, there return policy is, here in the UK, probably 90 days? In the USA it is 6 months… Boots Hearing Care, will allow you to pay for their Phonak Aids over 2 years, with a 10% deposit, that will probably work out at around £100 per month, it used to be interest free, but after the last hike in inflation, they stoped that… Specsavers service is questionable, according to feedback on this forum, they appear to be adopting aggressive sales tactics, so perhaps I would avoid them? The only other option is to program your own aids, it isn’t extremely difficult, and the software is readily available, there is plenty of help available on here in the DIY section of this forum, it is sort of hidden, but it is there! Good Luck, cheers Kev :wink:

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#3

I hear they lock them as well. If I was going High Street, it would be Boots for me

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#4

Thank you! I wanted to give the NHS aids a try before forking out on private aids. You never know, they could have been OK and maybe they will be if I can get some niggles sorted out. I must admit, though, that so far I haven’t noticed any useful difference in sharpness in my right ear, which is what I’ve been looking for. I have always had in mind that I might well need to go private.

Costco isn’t an option for me, and our local Amplifon (where I got my current/old aids) is very underwhelming. Which magazine says that most people are most satisfied with independent audiologists, and I had a test with one back in the autumn. I thought that the Oticon Real might suit me, and got those priced up. We’re talking £3,500 but we can afford it if that’s the best option. I really wouldn’t go with Specsavers own brand because I’d have no idea what I’d be getting.

I wouldn’t know where to begin with programming my own aids but in any case the first step presumably would be to get hold of the right aids for my hearing loss. If people go it alone, do they involve an audiologist at some point?

Anyway, thanks for your help. I’m going to see if I can get these aids sorted to my satisfaction but if and when that doesn’t happen, I’ll be looking at other options.

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#5

You are very welcome Gina… You’ll probably get a new set of all singing and dancing Phonak Sphere Infinio’s from Boots for £3.5k or thereabouts, fully fitted with custom moulds, but you are correct to hold off and see what transpires with the NHS, and at the very least, you will have a half decent set of back up aids… I can’t honestly fault Boots, they have been spot on, and my A.uD is fantastic, I am most fortunate to have such a caring individual… Good Luck, cheers Kev :wink:

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#6

I was just looking at the sphere aids but their fitting range doesn’t match my hearing loss! The oticon real do on the other hand. I have so little loss at low frequencies, but profound loss in one ear at high frequencies! I think I’m going to have to have a mould in my right ear, but I hope a dome would work for my left ear.

I’m glad you’ve had such a good experience with Boots. The trouble is it depends so much on the audiologist and I wasn’t impressed with our local Boots last time I spoke to them.

It’s all a lot of faffing around right now, but it will be worth it once it’s sorted! Thanks so much for all your help.

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#7

The spheres will easily fit your hearing loss Gina, you have excellent lows, and your highs can easily be sorted with compression, and 105db receivers… Cheers Kev :smile:

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#8

Here is the data sheet for the Stretta Aya UP
DS_Stretta_Aya_UP__EN.pdf (832.6 KB)

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Augumented Focus
Bluetooth (Mfi,Made for iPhone / ASHA) direct streaming
OVP 2.0 own voice processing
Signia App (iOS/Android)
StreamLine Mic
StreamLine TV
675 battery

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Signia Stretta Up NHS UK
#9

Pain from weight is usually a poor fit on the tube or wire. It’s too short so it pulls down on your ear.

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#10

Good to know! Would you recommend them over the Oticon then?

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#11

I got the audiologist to lengthen the tubes but maybe she didn’t lengthen them enough.

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#12

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I90 & I90 Audeo Sphere just £50 apart at Wholesale Hearing (£1200 and £1250 per aid). I see my Audeo P90s are still holding their price at just over £1,000 each. Boots do seem a good deal for fitted though, especially with easy payment options, and the essential careful programming they clearly do.
Cheers P

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#13

It’s years since I wore Oticon Gina, I am nowadays, firmly in the Phonak camp, so perhaps the wrong person to ask…I will say though, Oticon Real is older technology, so I personally wouldn’t choose them, I believe the latest Oticon is the Intent? I like to have the newest aids available, so I save up, and upgrade every 2 years, or 30 months, which is around the time it takes for a new Iteration of Phonak Naida UP (Ultra Power) to appear, I am hoping a Phonak Naida UP Sphere will happen at the back end of next year? I have a very strong dislike to rechargeable aids! My Phonak Naida Lumity UP’s last approximately 12 days, with 675 disposable batteries, with a moderate amount of streaming… Most hearing aid technology, moves at a fair pace, so aids quickly become outdated, I like seamless Bluetooth, I have a lot of Phonak Roger, Assistive Listening Devices” (ALD’s) I buy most of these second hand on eBay… Only you can decide what suits you best Gina, you might love the Oticon Real, and if so, it’s your hearing, we all hear differently, what I love, you might hate, and vice versa… If Oticon Real suits your lifestyle, go with them… Good Luck, cheers Kev :wink:

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#14

That’s a good Price Peter, I am just assuming they will be around £3.5k, from Boots, they could well be cheaper, perhaps £3.2k, I will ask when I pick up my new hard acrylic moulds, I won’t be buying anytime soon though, Naida Lumity UP’s are exceptional hearing aids, hopefully a Naida Sphere will appear in a year or so? But I can envisage your pension pot, taking a slight hit :rofl: Cheers Kev :wink:

#15

It very well could, although I may wait until a disposable battery option, which could temper my itchy wallet :slight_smile:

Strangely though, I’m preferring my M70 SP’s to the P90s.

Peter

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#16

Naida M70 SP (Super Power) are excellent aids Peter, almost as powerful as the Naida UP, there is only a few db of difference, as you are aware, I have a set, practically unused, but they belong to the NHS… but they are fine backups for me. Cheers Kev :wink:

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#17

It isn’t just the sound that I prefer.

For background, I’m comparing Naida M70 M SP, with Audeo P90-13T.

The Audeo P90 is RIC, they use a 13 battery and are very small and light.

The Naida is bigger, and uses thin tubes, rather than wires.

Both use the same batteries, and both have identical custom slimtip molds.

However, the very thin wires and small size of the P90s make them feel weak, and clicking the buttons isn’t easy to do, as they move around on my ear.

The M70 SPs are a fair bit bigger, and just sit on my ear better, with button pressing much more stable. They feel more solid.

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P90 right, M70 SP are left and as red as my car!

Peter

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#18

They pop a bit @PeterH, but hey ho, I think we are both way beyond any aesthetics though… I have always said, a BTE will always sound better than any RIC aids, the sound is much more richer & fuller, I am glad you like them, and they fit the lugs better, win, win… Cheers Kev :wink:

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