I have had my hearing aids about one year. The adjustment period was similar to what others describe. However, I am still greatly bothered in environments like restaurants. And, the two places I need them most are the two places I just cannot tolerate having them in. Home and my son’s house. At home, my wife coughs and sneezes so loudly that even without the aids the explosive sound nearly takes my head off. That plus her clanking and crashing dishes and cookware is just too much for me. At my son’s house the grandchildren do what children do, play and yell. And the house has little carpeting and high ceilings which cause sound to reverberate. Even without the aids talking or understanding conversation is nearly impossible. With them, I feel like the world is ending.
I have never adjusted to the way I sound when I am talking. People just ignore me which tells me they do not hear me speaking. I have to shout and watch reactions to judge how loud I am talking. I feel like I’m truly handicapped. Conversation, both ways, is much easier and more natural without the aids.
I really hate these things. I’ll be 70 in a couple months and have to admit this is the most difficult and unpleasant life passage I have yet experienced. Did I say I hate these things? I hate these things.
They do amplify sound but calling them ‘aids’ to hearing is a misnomer. Under ideal conditions (going outside in the quiet of the morning [we live in a rural area] to get the newspaper allows me to hear birds and other nature sounds I miss without them.) That’s nice. But, otherwise, “ideal” conditions just do not present themselves in day to day living.
Another annoyance: While they stay clean and do not get wax build up, I find that perspiration, or whatever, gets inside and is annoying. If I lie down or recline the fluids cause a major class tickle that easily classes as torture. I have to take them out and swab my ears in order to take a nap.
There is more but this is too long anyway.
Did I say, I hate these things? :mad: