If there is a refund period return them NOW and go elsewhere. Going to Costco would give you a less expensive option, likely with a better experience. At least with Costco you have the option of going to a different location. That is why I used Costco for 10 years. I am now trying a more expensive, experienced provider.
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This. The audiologist is absolutely key to your success with any hearing aid brand. Unfortunately it sounds like yours is either unable or unwilling to help you. Is there another audiologist in the practice?
Unfortunately I’m already way past the (short) return period so I have to do the best I can with these HAs.
Currently learning a lot from reading older posts in this forum and I’m kicking myself for not finding this forum before I stepped on the HA train!
I’m in Australia and I live far from the bigger cities. Very limited choice of audis within driving distance. Not sure I’d get better help from going to a different audi. Will be expensive because I didn’t buy the aids from them.
Maybe try the DIY route?
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Good question. I was having a bad experience with an audiologist who would not listen to me because she knew better as the expert. I asked the manager there for a different professional and was refused. Those aids got returned and I went elsewhere.
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That is difficult. DIY may be the best option if you are comfortable with the computer.
Thank you @jim_lewis for all that detail which will be very helpful If I go the DIY route later on. I’m not ready for Target etc, still at ‘baby-steps’ stage with the app adjustments!
So then, do you experience more benefit when you just turn them up?
Thanks and yes, I might perhaps try DIY but I need to read more about it first. I’m happy to DIY in lots of other areas. With HAs though, I need to hold off trying to run up mountains until I learn to walk 
No benefit simply sliding the volume up, just unpleasant.
To my (oversimplified?) logic, I need to boost the higher frequencies because that’s where my natural hearing has diminished.
Follow through on that thought, I’ve just found the ‘equaliser’ adjustment in myPhonak, feeling a bit more optimistic I might get some benefit that way.
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Unpleasant in what way?
Your hearing loss is flat. Have you lost more hearing in the highs?
Sorry Zebras if I didn’t describe it accurately. My audiogram indicates ‘mild’ loss at low frequencies (25dB at 250-500Hz) sloping gradually to ‘moderate’ loss at high frequencies (40-45dB at 8000Hz). So yes I’ve lost more high frequency hearing than low frequency. Is that an okay way to explain it?
Sounds that are too loud (subjective judgement) have always been unpleasant for me. Isn’t it the same for most people? Of course with individual differences in what sound level is “okay” vs “too loud”.
I’m wondering what other answers you might have expected?
I understand now. 
I don’t find sounds too loud, surprisingly. Even when I’m in high levels of noise. I wonder if it’s down to my MPO settings? Although I think I’m at Max? I never touch my volume control.
Newbie question: what are MPO settings please?
I mean, it’s tough to know sometimes how loud things should sound after living with hearing loss for a while. Often with new hearing aids it’s normal for things to sound too loud and sharp for a while, and then over time your brain re-adjusts and things stop sounding too loud but you have more audibility. Even though things are loud, does turning the hearing aids up help you to hear speech more clearly?
Different question: Does plugging your ears with your fingers improve the sound for you?
MPO = Maximum Power Output. MPO sets the maximum loudnes
In the fitting software you can set MPO level for each frequency channel on L/R-ear, and there is the possibility in each programm to set its own MPO levels for all distinct channels
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People often complain about hearing aids sounding too sharp, robot like, like a cheap transistor radio, unnatural, distorted as well as too loud.