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My Hearing Aid Experience: Programming Issues, Adaptation, or the Wrong Choice? I Need Your Advice

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Hello everyone,
I have had hearing loss since early childhood. I can speak fluently and understand language well, but I still don’t truly know what natural listening feels like. I struggle to distinguish sounds and speech contrasts, especially because of low and high frequency differences. For me, hearing aids often feel more like amplifiers rather than true hearing compensation.

Throughout my life, I’ve tried different hearing aid brands, including Phonak, Signia, and Sonic. Despite that, I still rely heavily on lip-reading to understand speech, as it is my main way of decoding sound.

Recently, I tried Phonak Audéo™ Infinio (Ultra) R, but I returned it for several reasons I mentioned before. Overall, the sound was somewhat pleasant, but it felt too soft for my needs.

I was planning to purchase Naída™ Lumity L90, but I didn’t want to repeat the online purchase experience again. Instead, I visited a local distributor and chose Phonak Naída Paradise P70, since the P90 version was not available. I know it’s slightly older, but I decided to give it a try.

First impressions:
There is a noticeable difference compared to my previous hearing aids. I am hearing new sounds for the first time, such as leaves rustling, computer noise, and fans. There is some improvement in sound separation, and overall sound quality is quite good.

However, I don’t hear my own voice clearly or the way I’m used to. It feels strange. There are two specific letters where I notice a whistling sound when I pronounce them—“M” and “N”, especially when I elongate them. Interestingly, people around me say my voice sounds normal and fine.

I went back to the provider, and they reduced some frequencies and adjusted the programming, but I still don’t feel fully comfortable. I haven’t adapted to the change yet, and I’m worried that I might have made the wrong decision.

I’m not sure whether:

  • This is a programming issue that needs further fine-tuning

  • This model is simply not suitable for me

  • Or I just need auditory rehabilitation and more time to adapt

Another frustrating point is that when using assistive features or listening to music, the microphones remain active. I can reduce environmental noise, but I can’t completely isolate it.

I also notice that the hearing aids behave differently depending on the environment:

  • In the street, surrounding sounds can become overwhelming

  • In small rooms, I sometimes hear feedback in my own voice

  • In open spaces, the sound can be excellent

This inconsistency makes the experience confusing and stressful.

I would really appreciate your advice and reassurance:

  • Is this a normal adaptation phase?

  • Is it mainly a programming issue?

  • Is the difference between Naída Paradise P70 and Naída Lumity L90 significant enough to return these and wait?

  • Or should I continue, give myself time, and focus on auditory rehabilitation?

Thank you to everyone who shares their experience or advice :folded_hands:

OK, I’m no audiologist - and I hope perhaps one of them on the board will chime in? - but right off the bat, I’m gonna stick my neck out and say that with your level of loss, you’d probably do better with THE MOST powerful aid if you like the overall quality of Phonak sound. That would be the P90. So see if you can swap this and trial that elsewhere, cuz you owe it to yourself to optimize your choices!

It’s great that the P70 has helped you noticeably, but what if you could get extra juice from a better speaker? I would focus less on the oddities of M and N, and more on speech comprehension and getting the programs set up so you can hear as good as possible outside with lots of ambient sound, in large rooms (can be painfully reflective!), and those with soft voices and/or accents.

These quality improvements can be done via setting Noise Management, adjusting the frequencies on your aids and setting up dedicated programs for the most-used situations. For instance, I have a default on my Phonak Lumity Life 312 aids, but I also have a dedicated program for Speech in LOUD Noise, Music (no messing with dynamic range), and Acoustic Phone that lets me hear phone calls stereophonically from ANYONE’s phone, ANYWHERE. I have my aids paired + connected via Bluetooth to my Android phone, and can vouch that Phonak is ROCK SOLID for streaming. I also have a Roger On iN mic that works great hooked up to my TV or in hand-held “remote” form.

Mainly, don’t think you’ve hit the wall right here. Break it down, get out, find a more powerful aid and a qualified person to help you adjust it. Or! You could go the route as many MANY have done here. Then you can control and tinker with your aids and gain confidence in their ability to deliver the kind of world you want to hear. GOOD LUCK to you and keep us posted.

My take is that you should get an EVALUATION for cochlear implant. This doesn’t commit you to anything but will give you a lot of information. My take is that hearing aids, no matter how good are not going to provide you good speech understanding..

Naida isn’t available in UP in the lumity platform, you have to go back to paradise. I would think you’’d want UP aids to wring out all that you can get. I don’t remember the specs on the Resound Enzos, but they are brand spanking new compared the the other UPs out there, Phonak Paradise and Oticon Xceed. See if you can’t check out the resounds. (No bias on my end. I wear Phonak aids, but my loss doesn’t compare to your loss at all.)

I’d at least get a consult for if I were in your shoes. You’re there….

WH

I second the idea of requesting an evaluation for a if it is available to you. The clarity is better after your brain adjusts to the new way of hearing - much less muffled than .

What is your word understanding for each ear? If it’s 60% or less I too would recommend a evaluation. Lots to learn about your hearing and no obligation.

@kevels55 might be a great source of information on this thread. @WhiteHat , I believe he has the Lumity Naida aids and does well with them. He went from the P to L Naida aids a while back of I remember correctly.

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