Hearing aids

I wear an NHS hearing aid for both high frequency hearing loss and tinnitus - second nature to me now. I also use the NHS and am lucky in that we have a brilliant audiology department who provide free batteries. You also should get new tubes fitted every 4 months or so. I was told that wearing a hearing aid means you tend to produce more ear wax and the audiology department will check this out for you. At mine, they remove wax by suction and are very anti the use of water to do this.

If you have an NHS hearing aid fitted you can then apply for a Disabled Railcard - the application form is on the railcard website. You have to provide a photocopy of your NHS battery book cover. This is a bit cheaper to buy that a Senior Railcard, but also entitles you and one other person travelling with you to a third off your fares.

Think there's a place for both NHS and private.- my late mother had an absolutely minute, barely visible hearing aid which she loved. You couldn't see it and as she was one of those people who wouldn't reveal what she SAW as 'deficiencies' it suited her to go privately and pay for what she wanted.

On the other hand a young friend of mine has had two BAHAs fitted in the past three years by NHS and they've changed her life.

I wore mine all the time like you Grannywise, no problem just thrilled to be able to hear clearly!

I was told to just keep them in all the time, immediately, other than in bed or in the shower. I've had no problem adjusting to the aid at all. But the audiologist did comment that I seemed like a 'very strong minded person' which I don't think was a compliment!

Just like to thank everyone for their feedback, looks like a trip to the doctors to begin with.

One thing I don't like - driving while wearing my aids - every little creak, squeak and thump is amplified, things you don't normally notice at all. Depressing!

@Mishap - Six hours on the first day? I was told firmly no longer than two hours to start with!

My DH got hearing aids a couple of years ago. They have made his (and my) life much easier. He got them on the NHS and it was a while before family and friends even noticed he had them. If he has a problem with them he just pops to our local NHS clinic and they sort him out. Some of my neighbours have paid hundreds of pounds for their hearing aids as they don't want to go to their doctor for a referral letter for some reason.

Definitely NHS Marshmarigold, they have the latest models, batteries and follow up free etc. I did look into having private hearing aids but the costs for follow up, batteries etc was scary. The NHS ensure that you have the best type for your level of hearing- the 'in ear'ones aren't suitable for my type/degree of loss, something private suppliers may not take into account because obviously want you to pay out!
I wear 2 hearing aids, generally people don't realise I've got them. I have (inherited) high frequency loss both ears plus tinnitus. I do have subtitles on the TV, but only because of habit!
I rarely remember I have them, they're second nature to me!

See Doctor - get appointment at audiology department of hospital.

That's what I did... I now have two free hearing aids, and a supply of free batteries as and when required. I also had a free repair to one of the aids that had been damaged - the place where the tube is attached to the aid had been snapped off, and that part was replaced, along with new tubes, as with time they become brittle and inflexible.

From the NHS.

Where would people recommend the best place to get hearing aids from?

I was tempted to use the other place NanKate!

Well I am glad it is his ears Numberplease !

I`m waiting avidly for hubby`s hearing aids to come through, we`re getting hoarse from keep having to shout at him! He`d better use them, or I`ll shove them in his ears myself!

The only reason I am trying them is so as to hear OH - the loss dos not really cause me much difficulty otherwise. Thankfully I can hear TV OK if it is turned up reasonably high. It will be interesting to see whether I will be hanging on OH's every word from now on!

I forget completely that I am wearing one hearing aid - it really does help, but I still have the subtitles on the tv.

I can hear women much better than men, so I must have low frequency loss.

Many friends say 'I never realised you wore an aid' which pleases me.

Got them this morning and they have been fine - about to take them out as they have been in for 6 hours now. No problem. They are set at 80% of the prescription to help me get used to them gradually. For the first half hour everything sounded a bit tinny as I got acclimatised to the high frequency sounds; but that wore off very rapidly. I am going back next week to have them turned up a bit.

I've been for hearing tests twice now but my doctor is still telling me that my hearing isn't bad enough to benefit from hearing aids. I get by all right by concentrating on what people are saying, but background music on TV is a constant nightmare.

I can hear the TV and radio - I just turn them up high. There is a problem if there is other background noise though. I can only try them and see if they help with hearing OH.

I have to use aids because of high frequency hearing loss. I don't enjoy wearing them at all.

If I am on my own at home or even just with my DP, I don't wear them and he is very patient repeating stuff. I have to wear them in company but even then still miss a lot of what is being said around me. People have to face me so I can tie up the formation of the word with the limited sound of it, that does help and for TV I use subtitles even when wearing the aids altho because of the subtitles I don't have to wear them iyswim.

Got my aids a couple of months ago - brilliant! Senility in stereo... no more TV subtitles. Sorry - they don't do Dolby...

It's important to accustom your ears/brain to them gradually - the audio bloke told me that the people who don't get on with them are often the ones who wear them all day right from the off. No more than two hours to begin with, increasing the time as the days pass.

I'm delighted with mine. I can now hear why we talk of 'going for a tinkle'!

DH has Mishap and found his aids helped him but has, for reasons known only to himself, stopped wearing them.

Apparently, I've started muttering again instead of speaking clearly I suspect its a pride thing with DH as they make him feel old!! I've stopped bringing the subject up!

I presume that you are going down the NHS route. Despite DH I think the NHS audiologists round here are brilliant as I'm sure they will be when he goes back!!