@MDB Thanks for the prompt response and information.
I would agree with MDB your loss is complicated and these are notoriously difficult to fit, but not impossible! Although I live in the UK and unfamiliar with Costco Kirkland 9.0 tis essentially the Phonak Marvel, I wore the Marvel 90 13’s for 2 years and they are excellent aids, I upgraded to the Paradise 90’s last week and they seem crisper with a slightly different sound with multiple Bluetooth connections as opposed to a single Bluetooth connection with the Marvels, I am unsure if Costco have the Paradise alternative as yet? I am so far happy with my upgrade, but it will take a week or so for me to access them correctly, but so far so good. Good luck, cheers Kev
Costco will probably be fine for the hearing aids, depending on the fitter. But I’d suggest going to the hospital audiologist for the first assessment until you get a handel on what’s actually happening with your ears.
Doesn’t sound terribly Menieres-y to me.
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The more I read about features, the more it overwhelms me. I was leaning towards an MFI model as I have been very happy with my Air Pods Pro switching connections to various Apple products, but then I read that MFI HAs do not support handsfree calling. Do they still offer noise cancellation for the mic through the iPhones?
Now, I feel like having one with multiple Bluetooth connection capabilities might offer the best solution as I can connect to my laptop for a Teams call without a streamer. I have read that Bluetooth still has a noticeable delay at times compared to MFI and that LE 5.2 is only a possibility in the latest models possibly sometime this year via an upgrade. Are there any models with MFI and Bluetooth or is MFI with a Bluetooth streamer the closest you can get to that? Are there any Bluetooth models that have very low latency with no perceived delay in audio from phone calls?
What models have you all used with multiple iPhones and a laptop with minimal issues of switching between? Maybe I should go with something cheaper now like the KS 9.0 and save up for something better next year after Bluetooth LE 5.2 is out and stable? Or if Costco gets a newer model this year like speculated and they let me trade-in mine to upgrade, that would be a possibility.
Thanks
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cyberbeatless - I am sorry that you are going thru this. For Meniere’s, there is not a test that can confirm you have it; only tests to rule out other causes. Vestibular testing etc.
For me, it is Meniere’s. Diagnosed about 10 years ago. I think my hearing was close to yours at the time (much worse now, each attack takes away more of my hearing). I was able to get fitted with a Costco aid. It is about finding a good fitter that can listen to your feedback and interpret what you say to adjustments on the programming. I have a Costco aid still - in between did trial with an aid from a great audiologist. Reality is that my Meniere’s loss is just not the easiest to fit; isn’t the “normal” hearing loss pattern. So with that - for me - about finding an aid that helps understanding that it probably isn’t perfect.
With Costco you get a LONG trial period so you can truly use and confirm if it is a good fit for you.
Good Luck
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I’ve always felt that it made more sense going for value (like KS9, possibly KS10) than for going for "top of the line, “bleeding edge” purchases. I think it’s going to be really tough to find a “for sure” LE audio compatibility anytime soon, and even if one does, it still won’t connect directly to older devices. I think purchasing a Costco aid while the horizon becomes more clear makes perfect sense. And don’t expect “perfection” with KS9 on Zoom calls–I’ve read of definite issues.
@nicmger @MDB Thank you both for more insight and feedback. I think I will try Costco initially due to the return policy and price. I just got to get an appointment schedule and move forward in this new world of hearing loss. Thanks again!
I was diagnosed with bi-lateral Meniere’s 30+ years ago. I just wanted to comment that diazepam (i.e., Valium) is the only antivert that controlled my vertigo. I needed 5mg every couple of hours to remain vertical. Betahistine wasn’t available in the US then, but I was able to source it internationally and believe that, taken regularly, it was a huge help in controlling symptoms.
All good wishes.
-kate.
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@HOHKate Thanks for your feedback. Sorry to hear about your problems, but I am glad you found ways to manage them. I feel like the Betahistine has already made my tinnitus better and that is a plus as it was pretty extreme after the last episode. I will ask my doctor about Diazepam if I have worsening conditions. Have a good day.
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Hi HOHKate, I am glad you got some relief via medication… Unfortunately for me at the time I was one of those folks whom are unable to take the medication proscribed for vertigo and sickness, if there is a side effect/allergic reaction to any medication then I get it, perhaps it was psychosomatic who knows, but the medication made me ill and I felt the cure was far worse than the symptoms, was Betahistine the one you put under your tongue, if I recall correctly? Cheers Kev.
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As I recall (and no promises about my memory), I took SERC (the brand name for betahistine at the time) with water. But when I could no longer get SERC, I instead used a homeopathic drug (VertigoHeel) that was taken under the tongue. I’m only now weaning myself off it…
Cheers back, Kev.
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I can answer this based on my current version. They are made per order by the compounding pharmacy and are in the form of small capsules. They are meant to be taken with water. I have seen no mention of putting them under the tongue for the version that I have. Cheers
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Might have been something else then, I used to get some tiny yellow tablets and I was told to place them under my tongue during a Meniers attack, every time I took them they made me ill… Tis about 16 years or so since my last Meniers attack. I wish you well cyberbeatless, hopefully you have something less obtrusive than Meniers. Cheers Kev.
Do you still get attacks Kate or are you mostly attack free? Cheers Kev 
Hi, Kev. Mostly attack-free, thankfully. Occasionally (maybe a couple times a year), I feel like the world is going start spinning (a strange shift that happens when I move my head), and I take 5mg diazepam, sleep for a couple hours, and wake up as if nothing happened. Guessing it’s not the Meniere’s. Stay well!
-kate.
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Hi Kate, yeah I will occasionally get something similar but nothing like the intensity of a full blown Meniers attack with tinnitus off the scale, the room spinning, severe vertigo, the walls and ceiling moving in and out to meet me, I had to close my eyes… At its height I would be bed bound for up to a week with cluster attacks, then I would be okay for a week or perhaps 2, then the tinnitus would start to build up and get louder and louder, an attack was now imminent and I would just lie down and ride it out which could be hours or sometimes days later, I felt mentally and physically drained after an attack and very wobbly on my feet, my hearing would be very distorted and I had a strange habit of walking into walls especially in semidarkness for some reason… Most likely my balance? There wasn’t much respite with the constant worry/anxiety of when the next attack would appear, anxiety and stress being a major trigger it was a vicious circle… I feel fortunate and blessed not having to live with that anymore with a very strong empathy towards anybody whom is currently experiencing anything like that. Take care and stay safe, cheers Kev.
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Uf, you’ve been through a lot.
What I’m about to say won’t be easy to swallow, but I think it’s important that you know what’s ahead of you. I apologize in advance. 
You have hard to fit loss per ear, and fitting them for one brain to get the information will be even harder. Any steep curve is tricky, and you have both steep slope AND steep reverse slope (that one is PIA on its own)
Add to that the fact that you have poor WRS (everything below 90 is considered poor, 40 is cochlear implant candidacy), which is used as a rough guidance what you can expect from the aids in quiet.
You first test was around 90s, that’s good. Second was around 80, that’s okish, but one has to be aware that they will miss some things. However, your last one is 55 and 75, which is… crap, to be honest. I have 70 in one ear and 100 at 60db in another and with them together without aids on average it’s less than 100, so my bad ear moves my good ear down. With aids it’s decent, but my main reason for getting aid for good/normal ear was to have similarly sounded signal for my brain to process because otherwise it was a mess. This is the information you need to grasp.
So, no matter the price, we don’t expect your brain to be able to give you back 90 WRS.
Idea of WRS testing is to see what your brain can decipher if we amplify the sounds, eg if HA will help and what are the limits. WRS scores are the limits.
Yes, if you have great brain and train a lot and have properly fitted aids, it is entirely possible that you’ll learn to extract more useful information than your WRS is now. But we’re talking months if not years.
So, don’t be angry if no matter how well fitted aids are nor how expensive they are, they don’t give you results you’d like to get.
Assume they won’t and work from there.
That means, be aware that any noise will mess up your comprehension, so mitigate it as much as you can: close windows, turn your back to the noise, come closer, use external mics if they help anything, lip read, ask people to pronounce clearer but not louder… you’ll see what works with you and DO NOT BE AFRAID to ask people to do that! If your common goal is to understand each other, you both will have to make some accommodations, and that’s fine, don’t feel shame, embarrassment or like you don’t have the right to ask for adjustments. You have! 
Also, I’d say that it is valuable that you aid those ears from now on, and not rely on just one side.
However, since it will be hell of a journey, I’d suggest going with KS9 since you can’t get anything close by quality and usefulness for that price (they’re essentially phonak marvel 90). And start there.
Learning takes time, a lot of time.
Also, use TV connector for watching tv, and stream everything you can. That helps with adapting so much!
Also, I’d recommend digging deep into DIY and understanding how hearing works, how loss affects comprehension. Not necessarily for making own fittings (yet), but for understanding how it all looks like under the hood.
I know it’s frustrating, but it helps to be able to know with what you can work with.
That you’ve come here, was the best thing you did for yourself, trust me 
I’ve learnt so much, I’ve come in peace with my loss, I enjoy my gadgets, I know my limits and I have zero issues asking for accommodation, putting mics on the table and what not. I want to comprehend what’s spoken to me, and I’m not ashamed to show it.
When I came here, I did have many issues in my head.
Nice people here taught me a lot of things, and when I’ve dug up something, I’ve shared.
This is awesome place to learn.
But, breathe, you don’t have to find a perfect solution in a week. You won’t. Accept that, start your journey, and use this great company you’ve just found.
Expect months, but every step counts
Your loss is hard, it will affect you hard if it didn’t already, but you’re not lost, and for hard days, we’re here 
And obligatory c/p:
If you haven’t already, I suggest getting some basics through these two sources
best practices summarised by dr cliff
And they have article about listening in noise, also recommended to read.
Both sources have youtube channel if you like that media instead.
Edit: also, you asked MFI vs others. Yes, MFI aids use mic on the phone, and in noisy environments that’s an advantage. However, KS9 can handle some noise, but needs tweaking. And yes, KS9 are handsfree, they utilize mics on the aids. For quiet, they’re working perfectly.
However, since they’re unlocked and can be DIY accessed, I’d highly recommend them as a first aid, because they’re great aids and dirty cheap compared with the ‘original’ (here in Germany, pair is around 5000+ eur). I’m not sure what other costco aids are unlocked, but phonak’s programming SW is considered among the best from all, between fitters, and from what I’ve seen, I can only agree. It’s logical, has bunch of hints all around, and definitely user friendly.
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@Blacky Thanks for the perspective on my hearing loss. I tend to be on the analytical side, so things do drive me crazy until I adjust.
When a new frequency would join my tinnitus or loss increased, I would just about go nuts. It seems that after enough time, the brain just adjusts to the new norm. So far, I have been handling most of my conference calls with my air pods or blue tooth noise cancelling headphones. Certain people I can hear in normal conversations (pitch and accent, etc.), but yes, in a noisy environment most of that goes out the window.
I have been to a Rheumatologists since my last post for lab work and check on things from that aspect. Plus, I go to Costco this coming Wednesday afternoon for my first consultation. I will take my hearing charts to see if they freak out or seem knowledgeable enough to attempt to provide support for my ears. LOL
What do people use to program the KS90 on their own? Since, hearing loss is going to be around, I might as well start learning as much as possible as you say.
Thanks!
https://forum.hearingtracker.com/c/hearing-aid-self-fitting-and-adjusting/15
This area of the forum is for self programming hearing aids. That’s where we discuss DIY.
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Wow, that is rough. I had a pretty mild version of MD, with very few attacks.
Just a bit of advice, there’s a LOT of bad info about it out there, some of it incredibly over the top. Dr. Google is not your friend on this one. If you’re getting info on it from the internet, make sure it’s a reputable site.
When I was first diagnosed with it, I looked at some bad sites that were positively hysterical. I bought into it and showed a couple printouts to my ENT, and the guy laughed at how inaccurate it was.
You should definitely see a doc about it. Just FYI, from my own experience that may or may not be helpful to you, I found that going easy on alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and especially stress helped keep in mostly under control. Good luck.
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