Newbie

Hi, I’m trying to fit hearing aids for the first time. Here is where I am at the moment. Do you have any advice?

I started with Costco because money is an issue. I didn’t like the audiologist right away, but still went with her because of the price. $1900 for Kirkland Signature 5 ($900 after the $1,000 government subsidy - I’m in Ontario, Canada) The first 3 weeks were OK, but the improvement in hearing speech was minimum. Next, she increased the volume and I started hearing clicking-crackling-popping noise when I speak.

After another three weeks (it is only possible to make an appointment 3 weeks in advance there) she tried to adjust something, but wasn’t able to remove this noise. Even reducing volume back to the original setting didn’t work. She tried to convince me to “just get used to it”, but this is not kind of noise I was willing to tolerate. They are going to send these hearing aids to the manufacturer to make sure it is not a defect. If it is not a defect (and how both aids can go bad at the same time? I didn’t mistreat them or anything like that), I’m going to return them.

In the meanwhile, I found a place where they offer a 2 week trial without deposit or obligation. These are Unitron Quantum 2 20. There is no “bad” noise or anything like that and I think I hear better with them than with KS 5. The problem is that they are around $5,000 ($4,000 after the government subsidy).

Any ideas? There is another Costco in 1.5 hours from me, so maybe try that other Costco? Not KS 5, but they probably have other brands?

My hearing loss is of “cookie bite” type - it is more difficult to fit than other types and any noise that is not supposed to be there is an issue because I hear well both at low and high frequencies - it is the middle frequencies (where most of the speech is) that are missing.

If you like Unitron, perhaps you don’t need the top-of-the-line technology level. The Quantum2 comes in 16, 10 and E levels as well. Actually you probably want the Moxi2 because it’s a RIC like the KS5. Does your provider have any Flex:trial units that they can program for you at the different technology levels so you can try them out?

rasmus_braun, thank you for your comment. Yes, at that place that gave me a 2 week Unitron Quantum 2 20 trial, they will probably give 2 more weeks with Unitron Quantum 2 16, which would make the total $800 cheaper.