I will add a wee bit to the discussion, I believe it was 2018 after the discovery that the hearing protector ear plugs provided by DOD for all services were absolutely worthless, that the VA announced they would provide hearing aids to any former service person, regardless of whether they signed up for VA medical services or not.
I actually had a hearing exam back in 1990 which showed my hearing loss. When the VA made there announcement I was already using the CBO in Spotsylvania, I called to see if they had an audiology dept, they said yes, I scheduled…the rest is history. (I only served 9 years, it was working in Navy Commceners, and an ammodump bakeoff that took my hearing out.
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I was in the Navy 8 years 1968-1977, I was an electronic technician that first served at a Navy Air training base, I spent a lot of time training would be pilots haw to man the portable Control Tower that set in the middle between the 2 runways. The noise was unbearable at first but I soon didn’t even notice it. After that I returned to school for my B school studies and was recruited for White House Communications Agency and traveled worldwide in the cargo bay of Air Force C141s. We weren’t even offered hearing protection on the planes. I am now an alumni member of the Presidential Service Badge Association and over 90% of the alumni are hearing disabled. My hearing loss is severe and of a type that seems to be unique to the ones of us that spent so much time on the cargo jets. As of this past November I am now 50% disabled.
I’ve see the one Amazon sells, but I don’t think it fits the Phonak Charger Ease charging case, which I think is the case for the Lumity 90s.
Sorry, that battery is for the Phonak Charger Combi. I have the Ease too, Fraid it doesn’t support a battery. Phonak has too many darn chargers.
I agree, Phonak does have too many chargers and it’s confusing.
Good lord, Amazon just listed the Phonak Charger Ease for $175.
I received quite a surprise from the VA in the mail today. Two boxes of 80 batteries for my hearing aids. The audiologist must have ordered them for my Marvels. Hopefully, once I get the Lumity aids I won’t have much need for batteries.
I realize the VA supplies batteries, I was shocked to receive them unsolicited.
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There is an order form that they shipped with the batteries. When you run low, just follow the directions on the card and they will send another 6 month supply.
Dan
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I did receive the order form, however once I receive the Lumitys I hope there isn’t a need for me to go back to the M90s that use the batteries.
May I give you advice from my experience. Keep your M90s at a backup you never know if and when you may need them.
I am never without backup set of aids. And when I travel I care my backup aids along with everything I need for both sets of sets of my aids. And yes it has come in handy. My VA Audiologist keeps both of my sets of aids updated and adjusted.
The same goes for my glasses I never travel without my backups.
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I’ll keep the M90s as a backup. I just hope I don’t have to use them often or much.
I’m currently in my V70s which are backup to my M90s because the m90s are at Phonak.
I keep an extra pair of glasses in the car and I travel with an extra pair of contacts and glasses.
I’ve never needed to use the backup pair of aids on a trip, but I have the glasses.
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When I went to pickup my P90’s, I brought my M90’s along.
They were sent to Denver, refurbished, and showed up on my doorstep about two weeks later. They are my reserve/backups.
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This is fun. I keep a stash of wax guards, domes (several types), and I have a backup of stash of receivers. I had receivers go bad several times with my Marvels, and went without one or the other for up to two weeks. Fortunately, with Phonak, there is no difference between models. The size and power is on the dome end of the receiver. Most cleaning kits have a small took with a stiff wire at the end. On a Phonak up where the receiver plugs in, on either side is a little hole, use the wire to push in (just a little bit), you will see a small white piece of plastic sticking out of the other side. Snap the old receiver wire out, snap new wire in, push little plastic thingy back in. Bingo. You can get receivers on Amazon for a bunch. I got 2 lefts, and 2 rights for about 70 bucks total on Ebay.
Mine are “4.0 2L and 2R”. (Paradise/Lumity Life do not have the little locking pins, they just snap in/out.)
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I thought I’d add another datapoint to this thread. I’m a first time hearing aid use with moderate (?) hearing loss and higher frequencies. Mostly, when there is any amount of noise, I can see my wife’s lips moving but can’t tell what she’s saying. Also I have 24x7 tinnitus that presents as a very high frequency squeal and multi-high freq buzz. That’s annoying for sure.
I visited the VA 3 years ago about these issues and they did hearing tests in a quiet room and determined I was fine, for now. Testing in January showed somewhat worse high freq loss, and the new audiologist recommended HA to help with the tinnitus and wife speech issues. Ordered me HA’s and told me to come back in a month.
A come in this morning to find that they ordered me Phonak Lumity 90 Lifes which I’ve seen is a very good aid. They did ONE automated beeping test to eliminate feedback from within the Phonak software and that’s it. Sent me home. Took all of 30 minutes start to finish.
I will say, I do hear cymbals and stuff in music again which is nice. I can hear most stuff fine since my lower hearing is ‘quite good’ according to them. But…
I’m very disappointed in the fitting visit. No follow up visit for adjustments even though I asked about one. Seem like they think the defaults are ‘good enough’. You’d think they’d do at least some post fitting tests.
I’ll keep a list of issues and call them back to see what they say. At least the HA and supplies are ‘free’. Free for the low, low, price of 20 years of service that is.
I hope your VA does a better job on fittings and adjustments. Too bad I can’t just tweak the annoying stuff at home. I’m at IT person, screaming servers have a lot to do with my hearing loss I’m sure. I’m already hitting roadblocks in the app that are provider settings only. Sigh.
You can call back to ask for as many adjustments as needed, as someone that has been getting aids from the VA for 18+years you need to be proactive about your needs. If you need extras ask, if you aren’t satisfied with the aids in the first 6 months from when they are ordered say so. I suggest you keep a journal of what is and isn’t working. Explain it as good as you can. And also understand it can take from a few days to a few months to get used to the aids, so be patient, but also be proactive about your needs and desires.
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Oh, but you certainly can!
You’ll need Phonak Target software and a Noahlink Wireless USB device to connect your HAs to your PC.
At the Top Left side of the main forum page go to All Categories, click on the drop down & go to the "Hearing Aid Self-Fitting DIY section.
It’s all there.
Users @pvc and @tenkan are always willing to help!
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I have been getting my aids from the VA for 18 years, and I will advise one thing he better check with the VA before do DIY adjustments to a set of aids from the VA. I don’t know the true regulations but I have heard of veterans be refusing repairs and adjustments when it was found out their aids were messed with out side of the VA clinics.
Chuck, can you find out? The answer might be interesting. I’m guessing there are plenty here that would be interested in the answer. Asking for a “friend”. LOL
Thanks,
Dan
Before seeing your audiologist again, you can try a temporary adjustment of your hearing aid with the app myPhonk.
The latest version of myPhonak has many useful features.
It depends on your clinic, your audiologist, and the director of your audiology clinic. I can view my settings in the clinic with my audiologist watching over me and even suggest changes, and I have made minor adjustments in the office but my audiologist has the final say and must approve of that change before they are saved to the aids permanently.