Trying multiple hearing aids before trial period ends?

Hearing Aids
#1

I’m sure this has been asked before but looking for up to date responses. I’m new to HAs and the idea of committing to a $5k medical device that I will interact with every minute of the day without trying multiple options is crazy to me. My aud says they have a 60 day trial period. I’m currently using the Starkey Genesis AI and they are decent but have connectivity issues but I have no frame of reference.

Should I order another pair to try and then return the ones that don’t work as well? Is this is a common practice? Will the aud treat me worse because of this?

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#2

My audi had trial, top-of-the-line loaner devices from Phonak and ReSound for the Lumity and the Omnia. I got to try both at the same time, and my audi didn’t order any hearing aid for me until I told her which I preferred. I had bought a previous set of hearing aids in 2018 from the same audi and she took my insurance and credit card information before providing the trial sets of HA’s. She didn’t do REM, though, for the trial devices. She just did the automatic fit for my audiogram. For the devices I purchased, she did REM as well as a fresh audiogram. If your HCP does a substantial business with a particular brand of HA, I think the OEM provides the loaners for free to make it easy for users to try a brand and model and facilitate customer purchases. If your HCP just specializes in a brand or two, you might not find trial loaners for other brands available to try. My audi says she carries five brands but fits Phonak and ReSound the most.

#3

I would definitely suggest trying another type as well. However, keep in mind that using aids for the first time can take a while to get used to.

#4

When I wanted my first hearing aid I made a number of mistakes.

Most important: I needed a good audiologist. I found mine in the Yellow Pages. Not a good idea.

Second: cost. With some help from the Director of Finance at home I bought one hearing aid. Bad news. Caused me problems.

Finally–COSTCO sells hearing aids in Canada now. I think the cost is about 1/3 less! And they have a 6 month guarantee. You may return them for full payment. How good are COSTCO fitters? I don’t know. Cost is good!

How do you compare their hearing aids to others? There are comments here in the forum.

I have had 1 Widex In The Ear, and 3 pairs of PHONAK Receiver in Canal hearing aids.

(The names of hearing aid types bug me! My Phonaks have a wire that goes down and into my ear; you barely see the hearing aids or the wire, and you can’t see the receiver at all (that’s a speaker attached to the hearing aid with the wire…)

Oh…I have PHonak Audeo Paradise P90R’s. If I had known how horrible the little tiny wax guard is I would have insisted on another brand of hearing aids. The wax guard is in the receiver, and is covered with a silicone? dome I have to change the wax guard often. I think the Lumity Hearing Aid has proper wax guards. The Lumity replaced the Paradise…

Way way back my first real audiologist wanted me to use Oticon hearing aids. I couldn’t feel or adjust the buttons on the back of the hearing aid. That’s why she supplied Phonaks for me. My next audiologist sold me new Phonaks too. They were awful. My current audiologist got me the Paradise P90 Hearing Aids, and I shall be eternally grateful.

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#5

My current HAs, Kirkland KS6, are 8 years old. I have an appt with Costco on 24th for hearing test. Based upon feedback I have received from the forum, it appears that either Philips Hearlink 9040 or Jabra Enhanced Pro are my best options.

This will be my 3rd HA. I have not returned my HA before, and I hope not to this time. However, if I am not fully satisfied I will return them within the 180 day period and try the other one. I will decide which one to try first based upon specialists recommendation and my own research.

Also, the only audiologist at Costco just retired. She fitted me last time. I do have concern about the capability of the Costco specialists whom I will now work with. If my concerns are not allayed working with them, I will go to another practice that has audiologists on staff. I have identified one affiliated with Truhearing that has 2 audi docs, one of whom fitted me with my first HA 13 years ago. That is my plan B.

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#6

It’s good to have a plan b. I hope it works out for you.

I think the biggest thing is really the relationship with the Audi/HIS. I got very lucky at my costco and it has worked well for me. They only have 3 different ric aids at this point so not a whole lot of selection but certainly have some good options.

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#7

Asked my aud about trial devices and he says he normally has one of each of the top brands devices available to try. However, it usually takes a couple months to get the latest model. So, he doesn’t currently have the Oticon Real, which is the other model I’d like to try. He said I could pay for them and return whichever doesn’t work as well.

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