Another "time for new hearing aids" thread

Hearing Aids
#1

I beg your indulgence as this is my first thread and it’s not a new topic. (Please go easy on me)

I have been a HA user for 7 years and on Saturday I go to Costco to try the new generation of HAs. During my first visit I told the audi I wanted to try all 3 offerings so he scheduled me an hour appointment to try them. He did say that he didn’t think I should try all of them and should just get the jabras as in his opinion they are the best.

This started me down the rabbit hole and that is how I found this forum. This forum and hours of videos have been eye-opening and educational. I now realize I do not like, and never have, my Resound HAs. I constantly get feed-back, the wind noise is terrible, and I go from unable to hear my wife talking to me to painfully loud household sounds. And after 7 years I thought this was normal and acceptable. Thanks to this group I now have many questions for my audi and much higher expectations.

My plan is to start with the Rextons then the Philips and if time permits the Jabras. Any tips and questions to ask (I have a list) or recommendations would be great. My thoughts at the moment are on tips/domes/cshell or custom molds. Does my audiogram suggest a benefit from any of the possible choices available? I am open to any suggestions.

Thanks in advance for any and all responses. Again, my apologies for beating the preverbal dead horse.

Vince

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#2

I believe your high frequency loss would benefit from something like slimtips, c.shells or moulds. This would make it easier to control the feedback.

#3

Thank you for the reply. My audi, same person 7 years ago, never suggested anything and my audiogram hasn’t changed much in the seven years.

#4

I agree that molds would be beneficial - especially with your history of feedback. Do your receivers back out of either of your ears? Is that why you’re getting the feedback?

All 3 of the Costco hearing aids have users who love them. So, it’s not which one is best, but which one is the best match for you. With Costco’s 6 month return policy, you have plenty of time to try each of them long enough to find your best match. Maybe it will be the first one and you won’t have to look further.

Good decision to start with the Rextons, given the rumors that Costco might drop them. If you want a shot with them, now is the time. Even if they’re discontinued, Costco will continue to support them. And eventually Costco will be offering Sennheiser (Phonak Audeo Lumity) instead, giving you a 4th option with the timing depending on which Costco you use.

Best of luck.

#5

Thank you for the reply. I do think the receivers are backing out sometimes. After reading and learning about this I have been trying to pay attention to when it is happening and push the receivers into my ears to see if that helps. I think it has helped.

#6

FWIW, this isn’t a traditional HF loss. It’s a mid-HF cookie bite, possibly from congenital issues or noise damage.

Losses like this can result from unusual cochlear pathology/unseen dead-spots etc.

20-30dB LF requires 2-3mm effective venting too.

Sealing the ear up doesn’t necessarily help the above, especially if there’s distortion issues introduced in the dominant speech frequencies 1-5KHZ. In noise it can help though.

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#7

Vincent,
I’m working with the Jabra Pro 20 hearing aids right now. I’m a new user, and pretty inexperienced. I have this to add, specifically about Resound products. Disclaimer; For Me- The Noise Tracker II in the programming has been problamatic. I’m not a true self programmer, but a hybrid. I used the Costco audiologist to get the HA’s set up, using REM and some of the best practices.

After wearing the HA’s for about a month, I finally narrowed it down to (what I think) is the Noise Tracker II settings. It defaults to Per Environment. Upon much study and gnashing of teeth, I found the program at that setting seeks 7 different environments. Mine was always hunting, causing weird amplification spikes and mutings. It did what it was supposed to do, I could always hear voice, but it was tough to live with.

After getting the Smart Fit software and Noahlink bluetooth device I started playing with settings. Made every mistake possible. But I found something that seems to work for me, as far as the hunting or shifting gears sensations pertaining to the sound output of the HA’s. I set the Noise Tracker II program off of Per Environment and on to Moderate setting. This apparently smooths out the response, but muffles/mutes it a little bit. To offset that I went into Environmental Optimizer and bumped up the sounds you want to hear (Speech, Speech in Noise) and lowered the stuff that interferes with speech (Noise Moderate, Noise Loud). This seems to give much of the same listening qualities as before, but doesn’t have that unsettling effect of changing outputs all the time.

As far as wind, my Wind Guard is set on high, and the only problem I have is a whooshing sound when I touch the HA’s or a slight sound when my hair brushes the microphones.

I’m a newb, but I hope there’s something you cna use in there.

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#8

@Um_bongo, are you suggesting that Vincent could benefit from consulting an audiologist?

#9

Does your audiologist work at Costco?

#10

I have the same problem with the receiver backing out of one of my ears. I have found the Rextons with a Rexton sleeve, an alternative option to standard domes, to be particularly effective at keeping the receiver in my ear canal and eliminating the feedback problem.

#11

Thanks everyone for all the help.
I believe the hearing loss is due to noise damage. (jet engines)
I also will try to self-adjust once I settle on a new set and have let the “professionals” set them up.
My hearing journey started with a Dr. of Audiology and has arrived at Costco.
Yes, I bought my HAs from Costco 7 years ago from the same person who is helping me now. He has stated that he has been there for 18 years and really likes Resound/Jabra product. (the others not so much)
I will ask about any and all available options to improve the comfort and fit.

Thanks again for all the input.

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#12

I was not happy with the Jabras and returned them. My main issue was the constant bluetooth connectivity issues with my android phone (Samsung Galaxy S23). I went with the Rexton Reach and have had no problems at all. I am curious about the upcoming Phoniks, but otherwise more than happy with my Rextons!

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#13

Sounds like he already has, in fairness.

Substantial noise damage like this potentially comes with its own issues regarding resolution, tinnitus and potentially MPO sensitivity issues. That’s before you consider the downward spread of masking or other factors derived from the loss shape and venting issues.

Ideally it needs to be fitted by someone who has dealt with this kind of case before, especially if the aids he’s been fitted with use threshold a averaging prescription.

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#14

Here is what Google AI says about jet Engine induced hearing loss.
"
A typical audiogram showing hearing loss due to noise damage from jet engines would display a “notch” pattern, with a significant dip in hearing sensitivity around the 4000 Hz frequency range, often accompanied by a gradual decline in hearing across higher frequencies, indicating damage primarily to the hair cells in that specific region of the cochlea due to prolonged exposure to intense noise."

Um_bongo gave you some very good information and advice.

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#15

Thank you all for the continued discussion/help.
I confess I don’t quite comprehend everything as this is new to me. What are "MPO sensitivity issues?
Masking?.. I will keep reading as many threads as I can and learn as much as I can as I have been inspired to take responsibility for improving my hearing.

I think I rubbed my audi (Costco employee) the wrong way at our last appointment. I don’t think he appreciated my many questions and my refusing his recommendation of JabraJabraJabra and insisted on trying the Rexton and Philips. I will see if he listened tomorrow at our appointment.

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#16

Vincent

Any chance your jet engines hearing loss indicates you’re a Veteran? If so, contact the VA about a “service connected hearing loss.”

David

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#17

Thank you for taking your time to reply. I am not a vet. Corporate aviation world.

#18

MPO, maximimum power output.

People with Recruitment and noise damage need to be managed in respect in maximum power output. It’s a function of the noise damage,

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#19

I have been using HA’s for many years. I have moderate hearing loss in both ears. My Kirkland lasted over 10 years but after losing one I decided to get new ones.
I first tried Phonak and was disappointed in the battery not lasting 10 hours. I next tried Jabra at Costco and once in a noisy environment (Costco store), I felt my old Kirkland was better than the Jabras. I then tried the Philips 9050. They were better thanthe Kirkland and Jabras, especially in the Restaurant setting.
It has been a month since I have worn the 9050s, and I am happy overall.
My only complaint is that the 9050 will allow you to connect to only one Bluetooth connection at a time, whereas the Phonak allows two connections. I find this limiting when using both the HA phone connection and Bluetooth connection to my Subaru. The batteries last quite a long time, I wear them for 14 hours.

#20

I’ve found that different Costcos seem to favor different hearing aids. Years ago I went to one that was all in on Bernafon. Another store sold everyone Phonak. Recently I was at one which favors Rexton. You seem to have found the Jabra store. The truth is that they all seem to work well for most people while some of us need to find the right match. I have no idea why a Costco Hearing Instrument Soecialist would be affronted by someone having a different preference than he does. Doesn’t speak well of him.

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