Cookie Bite Loss

Question and Answer
#1

Hello All,
I am new to this site. Allow me to describe my type of hearing loss and get some feedback from you all out there with a similar loss.

I have what’s called a “cookie bite” bilateral hearing loss, so a rare, but not uncommon loss. I currently have digital aids, but no matter what type of environment I am in, I still have difficulties hearing in noisy environments or even with some background noise. I’m sure lots of people with similar losses have the same issue. I grew up using analog hearing aids and I’ll tell you that I had to fight with my mom every single day because I hated them so much! As soon as I got to school, off they went, into my backpack. Now, as an adult, I can understand why I hated them because not only would thay increase sounds I can’t hear, they also increased sounds I could hear, therefore making everything just super loud. I’ve recently discovered digital aids a few years ago and still just would rather not wear them. I do find that when I do wear them frequently, when I take them off, everything sounds muffled to me… which, again, makes sense.

I’ve recently discovered the Siemens Aquaris and love the technology it has and am wondering if those would be good for my type of hearing loss or just too much “bells and whistles” (more extra features than I truly need).

My audiogram:
250 Hz: 20Rt, 30Lt
500 Hz: 25Rt, 30Lt
1000 Hz: 45Rt, 65Lt
2000 Hz: 60Rt, 60Lt
3000 Hz: 50Rt, 55Lt
4000 Hz: 45Rt, 45Lt
6000 Hz: 25Rt, 30Lt
8000 Hz: 20Rt, 25Lt

So, as you see it dips right in the middle, where the “language banana” appears, which is my area of concern in regards to communicating with others.

To be honest, I feel that sometimes I just don’t need them. Matter of fact, I used my last hearing aid battery a few months ago, therefore haven’t worn them that long and just bought more batteries the other day (but now have to go through that adjustment stage again… UGH).

Any feedback from you all?

Thank you so much!

#2

What brand are they? Maybe they need some further adjustment from your audiologist. I think you would benefit more if you wear them every day, all day, and allow your brain to adjust to them.

I have had my new ones for about 4 months now and my speech recognition is going up without making any more changes to the aids. Plus, some things that sound loud don’t sound as painful now as my brain adjusts.

#3

Hello,

They are Beltone Marqs and I am very unhappy with the supposed “audiologist” that sold them to me, so I made an appointment with a very experienced audiologist (a ‘true’ one) that was suggested by my doctor. My appt is on Tuesday, so we’ll see what they have to say.

I do love when I actually am used to wearing the aids because I don’t have to ask people to repeat themselves nearly as frequently. But… it’s the sudden loud noises that make me want to just rip them out and throw them against the wall (headache, do we say?). I’ve had them adjusted so many times and I personally don’t think the guy even knows what he is doing as he’s not a “true” audiologist.

I’m looking into the Siemens brand anyway because they have the feature to stop sudden loud noises (forget the technology name). If not the Aquaris, maybe the Pure’s. They look so cute and tiny (don’t want everyone knowing about my hearing loss).

With my (what I feel isn’t significant enough) hearing loss, I sometimes feel I just don’t need them… until I’m washing dishes and can’t hear my family talk to me clearly… Then I realize that “yeah, I should just try to adhere to my aids”.

In addition, I realized that when I do wear them all the time, when I take them out and try to talk to someone, I feel my hearing is WORSE then when I didn’t wear them all the time. It’s almost like my brain got used to not having to focus so hard and became lazy! I don’t want to lose what listening ability I do already have… Any thoughts about that? Thank you for your thoughts.

#4

One more thing… I would love to get the Receiver-in-the-ear HAs this next time. Don’t those give a more “real” hearing ability versus the receiver “behind the ear”? I have an issue with determining where the sound is coming from, even with my HAs.

Thanks again.

#5

I think what you are seeing is that you have them in for a while and you get used to hearing better and then take them out and you sense a big difference. If you left them out you would get used to that and it would seem normal again. It’s just a sensation. You are not really losing anything. If you have concerns, get a a hearing test every year and compare the results. What I’ve been told is that hearing aids that are appropriate for you do not cause hearing loss.

The big thing is you have to decide if you are going to wear hearing aids or not. If you decide to wear them then give yourself the best chances of success and get them adjusted several times so they are just right, and wear them all day every day. The professional you go to is VERY important. It should be someone who has experience with your type of loss, is an expert on a couple of brands, and who listens and makes good adjustments. It may take a trial or two to find out where you need to be.

My hearing loss is completely different than yours but I would not willingly give mine up, for any portion of any day.

By the way, the sudden loud noise problem should be an easy adjustment issue.

#6

MystyqueOne’
You need to find an Audi that really understand cookie bite losses and knows how to set up your HA for the loss. I met someone yesterday who has worn HA sense age 3 and he’s now 44, he has a cookie bite in one ear and HF loss in the other. He said when his Audi died ( he had been going to him for years), he had to go to 8 or 9 Audiologists before he found one that could get his HA right. He joked that he had her on retainer! So don’t give up! there is an Audi somewhere that can get it right.
Scott