Hearing aids for slight/mild loss

Hey vincenthuard! Wow, our cases do seem very similar! It’s good to hear that someone is in the same boat and also having good.experiences with their first hearing aids. How did people around you react when you first started wearing them? My friends were mostly pretty surprised because they hadn’t really made the connection between my frequent requests for them to repeat themselves and the possibility that I might actually have a hearing loss … Some also became quite awkward around me for a bit, as if my hearing aids made me a different person and mentioning them broke some kind of taboo. For the most part, though, I found that if I wear them with confidence, the people around me will follow suit and not make a big deal out of them.

Living paycheck to paycheck isn’t something I’m unaccustomed to. Was a single mom in my 30’s and worked full time plus 2 part time jobs. I’ve never had any type of public assistance. Collected unemployment once for 2 weeks.

My husband did heavy physical labor his entire life and had to retire early on disability, leaving me as the main breadwinner. He served in the US Marine Reserves.

We also lost everything due to medical debt at one time and we’ve worked so hard to get to where we are now. Our credit is very good which is why I’m able to finance the hearing aids.

What do other people do who simply do not have insurance and who do not qualify for any of the programs because they make too much? It shouldn’t be this way. People who work hard all their lives shouldn’t be put into this situation to not be able to hear. I’d gladly pay for a special hearing aid rider on my health insurance in order to pay for hearing aids.

I wrote to Elizabeth Warren in my home state and got back a scripted message about the OTC hearing aids and the new law. That does absolutely nothing for people beyond mild hearing loss. When I think of the things that health plans do cover compared to this essential thing; to be able to hear, it baffles the mind.

I even knew someone who had a brand new pair of hearing aids that her mother used for just a few weeks then passed away and the audiologists all say they won’t program second hand aids! I guess they must get a commission for selling new ones.

Oh well, that’s my rant.

Hi @Tom4,

Honestly, no one reacted because this is so subtil that if I don’t tell them, they don’t see them.
After 48 hours, I just told people and the reaction was positive from everyone.

My wife is always telling me how glad she is and the difference it makes. Before having them, after one hour in noisy restaurants, I would just “disconnect” from brain exhaustion trying to focus on the conversation at my table. I waited waayyyy too long to get tested. Should have done this years ago.

@LilG said:

I even knew someone who had a brand new pair of hearing aids that her mother used for just a few weeks then passed away and the audiologists all say they won’t program second hand aids! I guess they must get a commission for selling new ones.

If you are a bit technical and computer savvy you might try Self Programming, search this site, there is a lot of help available. DIY - Self Programming, How to Find Fitting Software - #28 by Microfiche

Cost for Programming hardware is low and basic programming is relatively easy.

That being said, they do make money selling aids and the associated service, look around a bit for another Audi that will program for a fee, they are out there.

Mike