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My journey with the VA

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I went quite a long time before I even tried to get anything at all from the . When I did apply, I was accepted quickly. My experience with the VA has been up, and down. Mostly down. I applied to get aids, and got an appointment fairly fast. They tested my hearing and said that of course I needed aids. The first ones were horrible, and I returned them. Then, I got Marvels. I really wanted them to work.
I tried the VA programming for a while, then tried to improve on that myself. It turns out I wasn’t a whole lot better. I went back to a different VA clinic, and the Audiologist said I had to just wear the aids even if I didn’t think they helped. I wore them every day for about 3 months before I couldn’t stand it any longer. I went back to the original VA clinic and when they found that I had changed their programming, they threatened to lock the programming. I found out that they couldn’t actually do that. Some time later, the VA opened a new clinic near me. I went there and they gave me Paradise aids. I thought at first they were helping, but after wearing them a while, I found that they actually made things worse. I went back for my final time recently to see if they could do anything to make them better.
Their adjustments only made them worse. I am through with VA Audiology. I do realize that they have helped a lot of vets who could not have otherwise afforded aids. Good on them for that. I did get 2 sets of aids and a Roger ON for free. But, they are worthless. You cannot sell , or maybe even give away VA aids. I have considered going to one of Cliff Olsen’s approved clinics to see what they could do with them. But, the VA does real ear measurements, and I was not impressed with the results. That is Dr. Cliff’s big thing. I am retired and mostly stay at home, so it really doesn’t matter anyway.

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I have been getting my aids from the for 20 years. I have used 4 clinics in 2 states over the years. Call it my positive attitude but I have always had great service from the VA. Yes I know not all VA clinics are equal. But my experience has always been positive. I have used clinics in Dallas and Austin Texas, and clinics in Hot Springs and Little Rock Arkansas. My audiologist at the clinic here in Hot Springs is awesome and has actually given me back my life. At 77 I am enjoying music, concerts church services, lectures and even attending meetings. I volunteer at my church and the Hot Springs VA clinic. As a retired IT professional I am a researcher and avid reader. I have researched my hearing loss and and hearing aids and know how to explain my issues to my audiologist. Hearing aids is less than 50% of the solution of hearing loss, you and the audiologist makes up the majority of the solution. You have to have a partnership with your audiologist. And the communication has to be fluid and open. The audiologist has to be willing to listen and accept your suggestions. And you have to explain your issues calmly to your audiologist.

Please explain how the aids are bad. Generalized “they’re bad” statements don’t help anyone, but mostly yourself. How are you using the aids? Simply for daily help in understanding speech? Streaming? Phone calls? I got my first set of aids from the in 2016, after 8? years of aids from private clinics, and should be getting my 3rd set from the VA in a couple more weeks. Have any of them been perfect? No, but I can hear and understand more with them, than without. Some sounds I have to accept that I will never hear again, even with the best aids pn the market.

I should have added that hearimg aids are just that aids, they can’t ever give you normal hear. If you are like me you don’t even know what normal hearing is.
If you want to get the most you can out of your experience with hearing aids you have to be able to explain your experiences good and bad. You have to be as clear about your experiences as possible. And always remember you have a better relationship results with a very polite but honest relationship with your audiologist.

I am not sure what he expects. Aids are just that an aid in hearing. For me custom ear molds is my life. I personally suspect his real problem is attitude.

Well, John you tried the Marvels, and Paradise with no successful outcomes, so the way I see it, is Phonak is not for you.
If you explained to the audis’ at the , exactly what you perceive as deficient, I’d think they might offer a fitting with one of the other brands.
It’s on you to let them know what is not working, not just They sound terrible.
Good luck with your Un-aided journey John.

Well, I sort of expected these replies. My issue with aids in general is that in noisy situations, all I hear is noise. I have been in restaurants and had to remove my aids in order to hear anything. And, in other situations, they amplify noises so much that it is difficult to concentrate on anything else. My biggest complaint in daily life is understanding voices. If I listen to TV using the TV transmitter, the capability of my aids actually helps a good bit. But, out in the real world, I still can’t understand people most of the time. I thought the Roger ON would help that with its directional microphones, but, it doesn’t. It just amplifies all the noise, and usually makes it impossible, instead of difficult to understand voices.
As to the , I have yet to have an Audiologist actually listen to me. They do an , program the aids, and say:“Well, these are programmed to your prescription. Have a good life.” And, when I return and tell them they aren’t really helping, they just do it all over again. They seem to have a certain mindset that if aids are programmed to prescriptive targets, that is all that is needed. And, in truth, that is usually the case. But, not always. Added to that, I cannot tolerate loud noises. It hasn’t always been the case. In years gone by, I loved a good, loud concert. Those days are gone. I had to wear earplugs at the last concert I attended. I have actually come to enjoy the quiet, accompanied only by the steady hiss of my tinnitus. The high pitched sounds that annoy others don’t bother me.
If there are more questions about exactly why my aids don’t help, I will gladly reply.

John your hearing loss is very hard to fit. You may or may not be a candidate for implants.
To be honest I really don’t think you will be able to ever hear the way you want to hear. My hearing loss isn’t as bad as your’s. I have had to learn how to accept that restaurants are going to be noisy. I wear Oticon INTENT1 aids and for what I have learned to accept I can hear in restaurants, my Jeep and other places. Is it prefect of course not. But I have come to accept it.

Hi John,

Like you, I use the Audiology clinics. In the last 45 +/- years I have used many different hearing aids dispensed by 7 or 8 different clinics. I have had good results and bad results. I agree with Chuck in that the audiologist is at least as important as the hearing aid that is dispensed.
My hearing did not get this bad over night and getting used to a new hearing aid never happened overnight…
if your clinic can’t/won’t help you, ask for referral to the next nearest VA audiology clinic or referral to a civilian clinic through the community care program.
Whatever the problem is, it can be solved with enough presistance and patience. No fix is ever going to make your hearing perfect, but it can be pretty good.
Best wishes to you on your journey.
Dan

Hi @John_Green, in my experience when my hearing loss got to a similar stage to yours, the Audis couldn’t do very much to help.

Clarity wasn’t there at all, it wasn’t the Audis fault, or the ’s fault, it was the severity of my hearing loss, even though I had SP aids. I struggled talking on the phone, in the end I gave up on phone calls. I had to retire from work. I couldn’t understand what people were saying to me. Forget trying to understand shop assistants, with back ground music it was impossible. As for going out for dinner with family and friends, I couldn’t join in any conversation at all. Life just became so tiring and overwhelming. At the end of the day my brain was just so exhausted from the struggle of trying to hear.

It was at this stage I asked my Audi where do I go from here. The only thing that helped me was getting a . It’s truly been the best decision of my life.

So go back to your Audi explain in detail the situations where you can’t hear to hold a conversation etc. And ask the questions where do I go from here? What can they do to help me?
Good luck to you.

Edited

I do empathise @John_Green… My loss is probably worse than yours, but I do hear pretty good, especially in the quieter situations, where I can hold conversations no problem… Noise is always going to be the enemy though, and as such we have to curtail our expectations, it took me many years to come to terms with my loss, nowadays I am at peace with myself, I no longer expect my hearing to greatly improve, with advent of a new set of aids, I do expect a slight improvement, but nothing drastic… You should be due a new set of aids from the if you still have the Paradise aids, we are hearing some glowing reports on the Phonak Spheres, especially so in noise, perhaps another roll of the dice might prove fruitful? Personally, I will have to wait for the Phonak Naida Spheres, if and when they appear on the market??? You will never know, unless you try them John, they may be just what you are looking for? They will not be perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but they may be a lot better than what you have at present… Good luck, cheers Kev :wink:

Although a veteran, since I am retired Navy and have Tricare, doesn’t want to deal with me. Through Tricare, I go to audio department at state medical school. I could not ask for better service. Only drawback is neither Medicare or Tricare will pay for aids. You grits your teeth and write the check. It looks like my will be free. I m very happy with my phonak aid and ci.
Noisy rooms are a problem for everyone, even folks without aids. Use your volume control, grin and bear it.
Olde sailor

I served in the Navy 8 years. The has taken care of my aids for 20 years now. I have had great care. I am rated as 50% disabled.

In reply to @Bimodal_user

My word recognition varies depending on who does it, and the level it is done at.
My audiology tests have never appeared on My health e vet, but best I can remember, they are about 70% at 80 . One done a few years back at 90 dB SPL was something like 55%

That is way better than i would have thought possibly. My word recognition scores are 45% in my right ear and 60% in my left ear at 90db input.

In reply to @kevels55

Kev, the Naida aids are definitely not for me. I can’t take the high output. does work, in some circumstances. I actually don’t mind all the sibilance, and lisping it produces. But, loud sounds, I just can’t take. And, that has been an issue with every aid I have ever tried.

You are very sensitive to sound, and i bet to sudden sound. I use to have a lot of issues with it but with help from my audiologists and help from therapy I was given by the . It has helped.

Edited

In reply to @John_Green

For the last week or so John, I couldn’t wear the Naida Lumitys, so I have reverted back to my old faithful Marvel 90 13’s… I was in so much pain with the custom full shell moulds on the Naida’s, the ears had started to scab over, eventually it became unbearable, the great advantage of the RIC’s is they are so comfortable, and even if the rest of my ears are damaged, I can still wear the RIC’s, hearing wise, they aren’t on a par with the Naida Lumity 90 ’s, but they are still excellent aids… I wasn’t suggesting you go for Naida’s, I think the Phonak Infinio Sphere RIC’s should accommodate your loss, with the added bonus they are allegedly excellent in noise… Good Luck, cheers Kev :wink:

A wee edit here; I forgot to mention, I too have recruitment, a very strong aversion to loud noise, over the years, it has gradually abated, and I now cope much better in loud noise! At one time, I could only last around an hour, and that was pushing it, in say a loud pub, nowadays, it is not as bothersome, unless it is really excessive, I can stay in there for 2 or 3 hours, before I have to go… Cheers Kev :wink:

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