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Moderate severe to severe with low word recognition

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My audiologist told me my word recognition is 50% in each ear and that I would be a candidate for a cochlear implant. Before I take that path would there be any hearing aid that might help me in my situation?

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If you go for an evaluation they will help you see where you stand. No obligation to do anything. It is worth it to do even if you aren’t inclined to get the implants.

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Agree with getting a cochlear implant EVALUATION. As part of that they will see how well you can hear if you’re getting appropriate gain. There is no hearing aid that is going to be dramatically better for you, but there MIGHT be a possibility that you could benefit from a well adjusted hearing aid. The evaluation should give you a lot more information.

Absolutely get the evaluation. My word recognition scores were low and was talked about. I chose to continue with hearing aids and to get therapy to help my word recognition scores. I am glad i did. After some efforts my word recognition scores with aids is 90% before they were 65 to70%. Even my unaided scores have improved. But I was retired, I am a veteran that has my disability to work for me. The therapy was dome of the hardest work I ever did. I would leave the 45 minute therapy lesson wanting to bury my head in quiet place and not to hear anything. Over time as I actually learned how to hear and as my aids were adjusted to my needs, I no longer was tired and I was hearing better. The therapy was first scheduled for two years and twice a week sessions. I reached to goals in 14 months. With tje last three months being only once a week. It definitely was worth the effort. I now enjoy concerts, going to meetings, lectures, and family gatherings. As well as going to a number of reunions with fellow veterans.

It was great to hear how your word recognition scores have improved after therapy. I would be very interested to hear more about your therapy as I am also doing audio therapy. Like you, I am finding it very hard work and when I have finished, all I want is a quiet space just to recover. I am having therapy once a week, and am into my ?fifth month. It is great that you can now 'enjoy concerts, going to meetings, lectures and family gatherings. I am yet to experience these and I have noticed that I am less tired. But I am still avoiding things like meetings, lectures and I know that I should really bit the bullet.

My key I believe was my audiologist was make adjustments to my aids as I was going through the therapy. With the final results that I was able to handle having my aids adjusted to my full /prescription called for. Most audiologist set patients hearing aids somewhere between 80 and 90% of the audiogram needs. They do it for comfort reasons. And I be honest only a few patients can handle full audiogram settings without goimg to tjat point with baby steps. I some of the frequencies my aids are actually closer to 110%. But that is due to my hearing loss.

Is the we see up to date?
Do you get out around people much?
Do you watch TV using closed captions or listen to the TV?
I ask these questions to get an idea of your lifestyle. This will help us help you
Thanks

My word recognition is about 32% and I’m getting by with i90s and captioning on my phone. Check my . I would think that you’ve got a ways to go before you need to consider that option.

In reply to @cvkemp

During the voice recognition (), you are bombarded with words nonstop. The ’s was adjusted to fit the VR. It is what you meant therapy. I am trying to lower to 80-90% or move up to 110% by .

Looking forward to comments.

In reply to @Raudrive

The is about 6 months I do get out naturally to go to my doctors and once in awhile to a restaurant with my wife. I have trouble walking because I had two knee operations on the same day and I use a walker. As far as television I do listen to it at times with the captions on but I do have a remote I speak of that goes around my neck that enables me to hear what’s going on it’s a great product.

In reply to @agv1024

My previous two sets of came from Costco. The most recent of those was the Kirkland Signature 9 which were rebranded Phonak aids, which served me pretty well for three years. A year ago, I decided to switch to a private audiologist because I felt that my current hearing deficiency required some more expert tuning and higher end HAs than what I could get at Costco. I sure miss the price advantage though! :smile:

In reply to @agv1024

Thanks for your reply.

I will take a stab at a possible.
Your hearing loss typically is helped by aids. Having 50% word understanding with your loss is not typical but not always.

With your hearing loss the aids really need to be properly set up for best results. Do you feel like your aids have been set up right? What aids do you have.

I speak from personal experience, given the constant turnover in hearing technologists at Costco. The quality of the tuning experience was variable. The models that were available a year ago when I was shopping did not include any models. They didn’t have any Phonak product at that time because they had severed their relationship after the KS10 models were withdrawn due to battery problems. Another factor was that wait times for an appointment could be up to a month, if you weren’t buying new . As with all things, YMMV.

In reply to @Raudrive

The hearing aids that were set up for me are Cigna charge and go. I don’t really use these because they do not connect with my Android phone. I have another set that I’ve been using for quite a long time probably close to almost 3 years. The name of these are star which is in the same family as phonak. These are the ones that I’m having trouble with when I go out either to a restaurant or when I have to listen to what the doctor is telling me.

In reply to @agv1024

@agv1024 said:

I have another set that I’ve been using for quite a long time probably close to almost 3 years. The name of these are star which is in the same family as phonak. These are the ones that I’m having trouble

Thanks for this information.
Could the Star aids you mentioned be Starkey aids?
Somehow you need to get one set of aids that connect to your android phone and are set up properly for your hearing loss. It’s the only way to improve your word understanding.

Most modern hearing aids can be fit your hearing loss with good results if they are fit properly. If money is a concern Costco is an excellent choice. Otherwise sticking with oticon, phonak, resound, signia or starkey is a good choice as well. These aids connect to Bluetooth with iOS and android. Finding a good fitter is the key to better hearing
Good luck with this.

I agree that you will benefit from having a evaluation because it will you give you a more in depth view of your word understanding and provide more information from which to make your decision. You are under zero obligation. You could even meet with a surgeon if you do qualify and ask questions to see if it is time. Again, zero obligation to move forward, so no risk here.

I got a CI in my left ear even having 60% word recognition in my left ear. I was still working and wanted to continue! I had it done at 60 knowing that hearing only gets worse, never better, and I have zero regrets. Kudos to your audiologist for even bringing it up - it means they are keeping up with current CI qualification thresholds. They used to wait until you had almost nothing left, but now they find benefits to doing it sooner. Totally up to you! At least you then have info the mull over even if you go with a new set of for a while.

It might be the best way to go the evaluation. This way I will be able to understand how I will proceed.

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