Imagine yourself in my shoes

Hearing Aids
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#1

Hello,

I’m sorry that I keep repeating questions here but I’m still confused!
I had a new hearing assessment last week. The recommendations I got from the audiologist were:

  1. A cochlear implant
  2. BiCROS hearing aids
  3. Normal hearing aid only in the right ear (as the left one is a hopeless case according to what the audiologist said!)

I can’t afford to pay for an implant and I’m afraid there are no ways to have it done with medical insurance. (it’s so complicated here, especially with the inflation and deteriorating economic (and political) situation)

Now, I need to make up my mind about the 2nd and 3rd options. What would you choose if you were in my situation?

Or should I still have some hope and consider buying two hearing aids for both the right and left ears?

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#2

As I know Oticon better than other ones - I think you have two new variants with hearing aids. 1st - two Oticon Xceed SP for both ears. 2st - any miniRITE hearing aids (Opn, Opn S, More, Real, Intent) with different receivers - 85 for right ear and 105 for left ear. Try both variants and pay your attention for left ear - how it can work as companion of right ear.

2 Likes
#3

I’d get a second opinion about your left ear before doing anything. I know there are members on here who successfully use high-powered hearing aids with similar or worse audiograms.

5 Likes
#4

Compared to your last hearing test, your Left has been measured as having much more loss and the right tympanogram is also very different. Variance would be expected but these two are not what you’d expect to see just weeks apart.

The options in increasing order of cost, would be…
Try a single HA the right for now.
Adding bicros on left (if there’s an option with Widex Moment for that)
Add a left with a power receiver.

If you could trial each that’d be great!

For reference https://forum.hearingtracker.com/uploads/default/original/3X/4/4/44666dde4cb252ecf49bd9d0496005b79a329d03.jpeg

2 Likes
#5

@Zeeza From what I can see your left ear is borderline suitable for Phonak Naida Lumity or Oticon Xceed (Oticon Xceed is quiet old, Naida Lumity is relatively new).

If I was you, I will go with hearing aids for both ears.

Below is Phonak’s Naida Lumity fitting range:

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Hopefully some expert on this forum can better advise you.

2 Likes
#6

The previous audiogram I posted, I had it done last October. During that time, I traveled to Sri Lanka. I was in a very low mood and I had a break-up. I also got an infection in my right ear.

For the second option, I got to know that Moments don’t have Bicros. Also, I learnt that I need to keep my left ear active if one day, I’d like to have a CI. Bicros wouldn’t help with keeping it active, I think!

Any thoughts on that? Thank you!

#7

Are there other options with reasonable prices? As I will pay for this from my own pocket!

#8

I think you may find good items on Ebay. I bought many things there - all in good conditions.

#9

I would try a UP BTE on that right ear before giving up on it. See if you can find something with a reasonable return period, but understand that the cost of the earmold will not be refundable. If you are in a place where REM is not an option, would want the earmold on the right to be snug and deep.

You’d probably want a RIC on the right side and I’d suggest trying it with a custom tip for better venting control, but a dome might be fine. I’d lean towards Oticon and away from Phonak given that Oticon allows for RIC<>BTE compatibility and Phonak does not recently. The Oticon Grip Tip might do okay if a custom tip isn’t an option or the shape of the ear makes it difficult.

2 Likes
#10

you use oticon? model? and great sounds? you like?

#11

I asked two companies about Oticon and they don’t have it!! I’m afraid many kinds of aids are not available in Egypt currently!

What about Moment 330 and 110 for the right and left ear? Would they work well with my case?

#12

Just an idea, but maybe you could order it from another country and get it fitted in Egypt? The prices are rather different in different European countries. Look jn French online shops for example.

Bi Cros is certainly better than just single hearing aid. I find Oticon sound quality very good and they are rather comfortable, but the top models are very pricey in my opinion.

Resound has the cheapest aid I know but it is with a wire, which has its pros and cons.

1 Like
#13

It’s not ideal. The moment 330 RIC and 110 BTE won’t talk to eachother. But it’s getting harder to find a manufacturer that will do a super power BTE on one side and a RIC on the other and have them be compatible anyway, so if that’s your only option it’s not the end of the world to not have them connect together. You could also consider getting a BTE for both sides and doing the right with a slimtube. There are certain downsides to that, but it might work reasonably well. Again, though, the 330 and the 110 won’t talk to eachother. If two 330s are out of the question then yes you might as well stay with the moment 330 RIC on the right and the 110 BTE on the left.

#14

The customs will cost me a lot! :frowning: There is too much red tape here as well so I might not receive it in the end!
Sorry for sounding pessimistic but this is how it’s here!

#15

The Moment 110 for left ear is RIC as well, not BTE! Would that make it worse?

What are the downsides of slimtube?

#16

A RIC isn’t powerful enough for your right ear, but also no.

Slimtubes cause a lot of high frequency roll-off that makes it harder to hit high frequency targets. That doesn’t mean you can’t hit high frequency targets, it just means it’s less likely. And with no REM, there would be no way to confirm.

1 Like
#17

I checked if they had a BTE Moment and their answer was no.

#18

So what manufacturer do they have a power BTE for?