Not sure I will even bother

Hearing Aids
#1

I used Phonak Lumity Audeo L70s for a couple weeks, before one died one me. That turned me off on Phonaks for life, I hope you’ll pardon me.

Just before the left one died on me, I was in a place that had a lot of background noise, and found I could not understand speech any better than without HAs at all.

Because I was on a trial period when one died on me, I turned in the Lumitys for a pair of Oticon Real 2 HAs. I like them more than the Lumity L70s for use in quiet environments, but they’re garbage in noisy environments, just like the L70s were.

I found this out today while I was in a noisy cafeteria. I couldn’t understand people who were talking to me any better than I could without the HAs, but – OH THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH – the horrific background noise was amplified into oblivion. So, I turned the HAs off.

I’m at the tail end of my trial period here. Should I keep these things? They seem to fail me when I need them most. Their key feature seems to be embarrassing me.

Please, don’t tell me to have my HCP adjust them. It’s not a volume issue, or a “turn on the ‘speech gobledygook’ feature” issue. And I can’t afford the top-of-the-line model.

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#2

Ask to trial a different brand Eg Oticon, Widex, Resound etc. If your AuD says I don’t sell other brands find an AuD company that does. If you can’t it says to me that your current AuD is contracted to Phonak.

That said, most HA’s and CI’s struggle in noisy situations. If you we’re expecting perfect clarity in noisy situations, and the aids help you in all other areas you might just need to choose the best one. The one that copes best for you in noisy situations.

I also don’t like Phonak aids.
Good luck.

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#3

If they aren’t working for you, it makes sense to not consider keeping them or being out of pocket. You certainly don’t need the top of the line either.

Dollar to donuts there’s something sub-optimal in the settings your audiologist is putting in. If your audiologist set the up based on your audiogram and enabled the features, then you need a new audiologist because those brands/models HAs can be very good in noisy places.

After a few trials I didn’t decide on sticking with Phonak, but Phonak is the best I’ve ever heard for that situation. Normally I couldn’t hear the person beside me in a restaurant, but with Phonak (Paradise) I could focus any person speaking near enough to be heard. If you have time to go back to your audiologist to have changes to the settings, it’s worth trying. As for a dead HA, it happens and I’d wouldn’t swear off such a capable brand brand until it happens a second time, maybe then, never again.

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#4

Deaf_piper and user715 gave you good advice. My audiologist told me that during the trial period, they gradually raise the volume. They can also make other adjustments. It seems all adjustments are tradeoffs, helping a bit here, hurting a bit there. Even with perfect hearing, a cafeteria is difficult, and we’ll never hear “20/20” again. Don’t expect miracles. But if there is no real benefit, if there is no situation where they help, then certainly, why bother? If you’re here rather than talking with your audiologist, perhaps you have no faith in them and need a different audiologist, so turn them in and go elsewhere.

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