Is it worth paying the money for more expensive hearing aids?

@cvkemp said:

if I can’t trust the audiologist then I find one I can trust

I have spent 20 years looking for this. I hope I have found one.

I have one now since November 2018, and before that I had one from 2008 until I moved here in 2017. I didn’t have an audiologist for about a year.

My audiologist has already given me the talk about me possibly needing the CI surgery, at first I was privately against it because I have never had surgery, been in the hospital, or had a broken bone, not even a CT scan or mri. But now as my ability to understand conversations is slowly getting worse I have resolved myself to it if necessary. Right now with my More1 aids and having an audiologist that is willing to spend the time and effort to research, make calls and do the adjustments. I am doing I would say as good as is possible with my hearing loss and with aids. I do have that audiologist at this time, and I have full confidence in him. I also have full confidence in Oticon aids but if my audiologist said I would be better off with some other brand of aids I wouldn’t hesitate to say let’s do it.

The only local ENT practice owns an audiology practice and, I do not believe they have the competence to evaluate for a CI or BAHA. That is why I feel I need to travel so far for help.

After 30 years of wearing aids, I recently opted to go with Costco largely because there are very few audiologists where I live and my first attempts with them didn’t work out well enough for me to think I would get the benefits I wanted from $4,000 aids.

My preference would be a curious, patient, highly experienced audiologist. But finding that, especially in a specific locale, seems to be a matter of chance. So, I took the chance with a lower price tag. After a few months, I decided to go DIY or at least supplement the Costco HIS fittings with my own testing and tweaking.

I haven’t used ear buds so I can’t compare, but streaming videos, music and calls through my hearing aids is superb! So clear that I no longer avoid phone calls. But, you may need to continue using your earbuds if you have Android. It depends on whether your Android phone has the ASHA protocol. You’ll need to check the phone compatibility list for whichever aids you’re considering. I switched from Android to iPhone because based on my review it seemed more likely to stream with most hearing aids. This subject has come up often on this forum so you might try a search.

Good luck.

Sad to say but for many it’s what they can afford.
And that might not be much for way more people than we might think.

@prodigyplace said:

With the OP’s level of losses, Costco would be an economical option if they cannot find an excellent audiologist.

@prodigyplace: I was going to switch to Costco this last set, but I felt sooo bad when I saw that gravel-chipped, latte-stained BMW that my local audi was driving. That’s the moment ya gotta hike back yer shoulders, reach inter yer back pocket , and tell yerself: “Charity begins at home!”, y’know?

@cvkemp said:

I just have a simple question for anyone that ask this question: What is your hearing and overall wellbeing and mental health worth to you?

… have you ever had to decide between filling your heating oil tank and getting your prescriptions refilled? Or have you ever skipped meals so you could afford to pay for your utility bill?

I’m sorry, @cvkemp Chuck, but I think your post carries a strong undertone of disregard for those with limited means.

I’m positive that there are many, many people who need hearing aids, but who cannot afford to follow your advice : not because it’s bad, but because it’s simply beyond their means.

[Addendum:
I know you say you grew up a poor boy on the farm - me, too - but the poverty of the '50s and '60s was not as insidious as the urban poverty of the new millenium, which crushes the very soul of you.]

In mitigation Jim, I think we all forget, or perhaps we try to forget the hard times… The longest, I ever went without food was 4 days, this wasn’t a major hardship, in comparison to others, but it tends to make you more resourceful, and the last thing you want, is to repeat that experience… I am personally nowadays, not rich, nor poor, perhaps “comfortable” is the correct term, or maybe a couple of rungs above poor? This doesn’t stop me grieve for others less fortunate though, especially the financially challenged HOH folks… I am careful, and research for the best that I can afford, I believe in the old adage, “if you buy cheap, you pay dear “… I have no scruples when it comes to buying 2nd hand, non whatsoever, if that’s the affordable route, and it usually is, (Especially for ALD’s) then for me, that’s the road I will travel… Buying new stuff is always nice, but isn’t always financially viable! We are most fortunate in the UK to have the NHS, they might not stock the latest, and greatest aids, but you will get a decent set of aids, these aids are free at point of service! But, on the plus side, this drives down the private UK Audioligist price, and if you shop around, you can get a top tier pair of hearing aids, at approximately a third of the price stateside, fully fitted, and payable interest free over 2 years, which works out for me, £93 a month for a set of Phonak Paradise Naida 90 UP’s, interest free! That’s a no brainer… Which essentially means, I can afford to upgrade every iteration of Phonak Naida, and since my 2 year plan is up next month, I am planning the Phonak Naida Lumity, if and when it ever appears? I am in no way, shape or form, crowing about this, I am just grateful I can buy new aids, in an affordable manner… Cheers Kev

@kevels55 said:

have no scruples when it comes to buying 2nd hand, non whatsoever, if that’s the affordable route, and it usually is, (Especially for ALD’s)

I think if I chose that route I would try to get new, unopened receivers since the used ones would have been used by someone else. Otherwise I would try to disinfect them as best as I could.

I could answer your question here but more than likely I would be banned from the forum for my much different view of the millennial generation. Let’s just say that I was working at age 12, and was working off the farm and on the farm from age 16 until I we t in the military. To be honest my 8 years in the military including boot camp was a vacation compared to my life before. There are jobs out there if they truly want to work.

@cvkemp said:

. Let’s just say that I was working at age 12, and was working off the farm and on the farm from age 16 until I we t in the military. To be honest my 8 years in the military including boot camp was a vacation compared to my life before

Sounds a little like myself. Grew up working hard.

Work starts at a young age for many.
I would image each country is very different even today.

For me going the DIY route for everything has been very good. I was fortunate to always have a job and a source of income to try and improve myself. This included buying used hearing aids and a used HiPro.

@cvkemp said:

my much different view of the millennial generation.

@cvkemp: I wasn’t talking about the generation, Chuck, but about the times - and they are a’changin’. I’m talking about seniors like us who have no cocoon, like we do…

@SpudGunner if it is that bad then why do I get job recruiters begging me to come out of retirement after 8 years in retirement to take jobs on that they can’t fill. The work is there to be had, too many just don’t want to work.