Disappointed after annual review of Phonak Audeo Paradise P90R's

Augh. That is discouraging, but don’t give up! What were the issues that prompted you to get in to your audi for adjustments? Was it comprehending speech in loud noise? Hearing higher frequencies (like perhaps your wife’s voice)?

If you can articulate the issue, the audi has a better chance of tinkering with adjustments to fix that BUT that also depends on the skill and care of the audi. In that respect, DIYers may have better success - but that is a knowledge set I lack.

It could also be that your brain was telling you that you’d hear worse, so give the current settings a few more days to test out in various places (in the car, in a mall, outside, quite places, noisy restaurants, etc.,) before going back in to say where and when the issues arrive.

Keep us posted on the outcome!

@ MDB the one I"ve posted is the last audiogram. He didn’t give me the audiogram from my annual review. I’ll ask for the complete report…
I have closed domes (with 2 tiny holes.) I don’t have custom molds. He worked miracles getting me hearing aids before I was due. Ministry of Labour, Ontario. Hearing loss due to exposure to loud noise at work. This is the third set of Phonaks awarded. My hearing loss has become progressively worse.

@user930

I sent him an email; he says he’ll have me in this week and “give me the information” I’ll find out what that is.
I’ve regularly said to him that I think there’s something small missing…but it’s affecting how they are working. He was generous and set my old Phonaks (first pair of three) up as backups for me. They are marvelous. I told him so, and told him that my Paradise Audeo P90R’s don’t sound as good.

Past: every time I went to the audiologist that sold me those old Phonaks I came out hearing better.
Now: same complaint from the better half–your aren’t hearing as well as when you went there. He doesn’t know what he’s doing.
Changes about a week ago:

• changed the receivers to the middle power ones; have always had the least power ones in past
• new audiogram–I tested better in one ear than before; worse in the other. He reduced volume
• he set up autosense as the start-up program. It has changes from the default program.

When I picked up my back-up hearing aids his new receptionist called me to get me in. I told her I couldn’t understand her, and the hearing aids weren’t working for me on the phone call. When I went in I couldn’t understand her and we were 3 feet apart. I lost it. He came out and told her that other clients had complained too. Bunch of seniors…I don’t know the outcome. For me it was proof that the hearing aids aren’t set up right. And it’s been a year and a half.

I have closed domes. two tiny holes. (not power domes). I don’t have feedback issues. I regularly turn up volume at least one notch.

Thanks Phil, and others. I just want them to work.

DaveL
(JordanK has helped with the name of another audiologist at my request, just in case. But I dread going into Toronto from Mississauga.)

@1Bluejay

I have regularly said to him I have trouble with word recognition…quiet environments; noisy environments. My wife regularly says that I haven’t heard her talk. That’s been going on for years.

The hearing aids that the Phonak Audeo Paradise P90R’s replaced were absolutely terrible. I couldn’t hear diesel loaders behind me on construction sites. I was almost hit a couple of times I know about. My audiologist has a heart of gold. He has gone out of his way, and got me hearing aids approved by our Ministry of Labour long before I was due. I got the impression he had not sold them before, and was setting them up for the first time.
My first audiologist was absolutely wonderful and I always left her office hearing better.
Second audiologist would make changes without explanation; they would forget to identify the new domes they had installed. I’d catch them at it next visit. And I hated the “power domes” they put on twice, without explanation.
Third audiologist has a heart of gold; he’s not getting results.
Finally, I have a claim for hearing loss due to exposure to loud noise and audiologists say it’s very hard to deal with ministry of labour. Lots of work; not properly paid.

I think that the audiologist doesn’t make major change at first. He steps things up slowly. I wish he worked differently.

I feel loyalty to him, but can’t for the life of me understand why my hearing aids don’t work better!

DaveL
Toronto (Mississauga)

@RobHooft thanks

I’d get a talking to if I started that. I am mechanical and technical…my computer hates me. And it’s an iMac. It’s really old. 2010. I’m really glad it works for you. My wife thinks it should be easy to find an audiologist to fix them. I haven’t had luck lately.

DaveL
Toronto

Great! Hope the appointment nets some results. Is there any way you could exchange these aids for the Phonak Lumity Life aids? I was happy with my Phonak Marvels, and still keep them as a backup, but definitely find speech comprehension 10-15% better with the Lumity Life aids. Maybe that number seems a subtle improvement, but I can hear my hubs in another room, when he’s upstairs, even in a very echo-y house. I seem to be able to just relax and COMPREHEND more, which is why I’d keep these aids despite their being rechargeables and NOT waterproof as touted.

You mentioned the problem with not hearing front-loaders behind you, and that reminded me … Are you sure you’re in the DEFAULT (start-up) program? Cuz when I transitioned from Oticon to Phonak aids, the programs were accessed differently. I’d put my Phonaks into Program 1, thinking that was default, but indeed, it was Speech in LOUD Noise, so I also had some close encounters early on where I nearly stepped in front of a very loud vehicle.

Just checking …

@1Bluejay

During the annual review I requested that he set up my hearing aids with Autosense 4.0 as the default program. He set up number 2 program–the next program–with louder volume, and changes we had found important and necessary.
I get heck at home if I don’t use the next program because I truly hear better (though it’s compromised.) It’s not autosense. It won’t select other programs for me.
Real world…I’m having problems with understanding what’s being said. TV is awful; it’s often out of synch. Voice/Video. And we have new announcers that face each other, not the camera. And they talk so quickly with an accent. Got angry this morning. And that doesn’t work well for me.

I’m extraordinarily lucky!

• I qualified for hearing coverage due to loss of hearing due to high noise levels at work. Documented.
• My audi worked miracles. He got me the Phonak Audeo Paradise P90R’s before I was due for new hearing aids (5 years span; that’s the fastest.) Other audiologists wouldn’t have even tried.

I can’t qualify for the Lumity Life hearing aids. I’ve had mine for about a year and a half. That means fastest possible for new hearing aids is 3-1/2 years in the future. Phonak will likely have new hearing aids by then. As a taxpayer I understand the need to keep costs down.

Your comment is really helpful. I’ve found the APP from Phonak is absolutely necessary. If I change programs using controls on my hearing aids, I have no idea what program I actually selected. I have dexterity issue (nerve damage) and I’ve even turned my hearing aids off trying to select a different program. I would like to see improvements in the APP.

Your comment is right on. Until my annual review autosense wasn’t my default program. It is now.

I’ve been frustrated for a long time getting these set up. I simply want my hearing aids to work in auto mode. Put them in and forget about changes. In stead I’m stressed out and not hearing well.

Thanks so much for your suggestion. My thought…great hearing aids; not set up right.

DaveL
Toronto
WSIB client

Hi Dave, I look at your loss, and for the life of me, I can’t see why a good A.uD, can’t get you a good fit, it’s not a complicated loss… I assume, other factors have been ruled out, like APD (Auditory Processing Disorder) I know this A.uD has been very good to you, but with the best will in the world, a year and a half, is an awful long time to be struggling with your aids, if there is nothing else amiss? I would either go DIY, or seek out an alternative A.uD, whom is competent with Phonak aids, and also does REM, IMO this greatly enhances clarity… Fitting hearing aids is certainly not, “Rocket Science”, there should be a few excellent Phonak A.uD’s in the Toronto catchment area, seek one out, and save yourself an awful lot of frustration, life’s too short, and some professionals, “Talk the Talk, but they can’t actually, Walk the Walk”… Perhaps, its time for a change Dave? Good Luck, cheers Kev

Yes, I had ‘soundrecover’ turned on by my audiologist but found out (using Target myself) that I hate it.

I also hate Sound Recover no matter what strength it’s set at.

I pick up more not using it as I feel SR makes it even worse.

Just a thought from what my new Audiologist said. He says Phonak have VERY aggresive feedback suppression, and its response is very quick, and will reduce the gain in the speech area to compensate.

My Paradise P90’s arrived today, and initially speech recognition isn’t much better than my state funded (UK NHS) Marvel M70s. The Marvels have custom earmoulds, whereas the Paradise have the same as you… closed domes.

My hearing loss is similar to you, and he’s taken impressions for slim tip moulds, to stop the sound getting out (that triggers feedback suppression).

I don’t think Autosense works for you in a work environment.

Good luck

@DaveL said:

I regularly turn up volume at least one notch.

@DaveL said:

He reduced volume

@DaveL said:

when I returned from this appointment my wife noted I heard worse.

When I line it up this way it seems like a pretty straight-forward problem.

Did you end up trying custom tips? I thought you were going to? (Edit note: There’s no required WSIB request documentation for custom tips, your clinician can just go ahead and order them. There was a brief window of time with the most recent contract change that WSIB wasn’t allowing clinicians to order them with new purchases, but clinicians revolted and they’ve changed that.) What was the second program that your wife wanted you to always use?

In regards to the television, you could let your clinician know that you are struggling to hear it at a reasonable volume that is also comfortable for your wife and the it isn’t as clear as you need it to be. See if he can ask WSIB for a TV connector–it’s usually a pretty straight forward request.