Hearing aids

Cardashian. It can get a bit cluttered around the ears. It was tricky when we had to wear face masks (in fact I still do when flying). Mask hooks, hearing aids and specs all get tangled together. I wonder if there's a way to have the oxygen cannula around the back of your head? Maybe held with a hair band or clip?

Would a different sort of aid be more comfortable with the oxygen?
One with a different earpiece?

I want to wear my hearing aids which I bought privately and were expensive, but with my oxygen cannula over my ears plus my glasses, it’s all a bit much and very uncomfortable so for now I hardly wear them. Wish I could find a solution…

AuntieE

Hearing aids, dentures, prostetic devices of any kind take gettin used to. If you don't wear them, you will not get used to them.

If they really do no good, get back to the clinic and state your trouble politely.

Or give up and resign yourself to a silent world.

It is entirely up to you, but these are your options.

Thanks for stating the obvious AuntieE. It does help to discuss problems with others in the same boat. I'm due for my first fitting at the end of the month so will be interesting to compare notes with other users.

Oh, and Bluetooth also makes speaking on the phone much easier, too. Otherwise, l can only hear the other person talking when the loudspeaker is on and I don’t always want my conversations broadcast to anyone within earshot, especially when I am in a public space.

Well, l find the Bluetooth feature the best part. It comes in useful not only for the basic features but l also use it on my iPad when I am teaching online. It is nice to be able to listen to music or a podcast on my phone on the train and know that I am not disturbing anyone else.

Like Blue54, I use the app minimally to adjust the volume levels and see how much battery life I have left, but I wouldn't say either of those functions is essential.
Sorry to original OP Watermelon for going off-topic x

Oticon hearing aids will connect to some Android phones or you can buy a clip that will connect between the two I've never bothered so can't say how well it works

Grandma600

That's a surprise...they told me that mine (Oticon) only work with Apple. I have tried to prove them wrong but no luck yet 😕
Are yours a different make, perhaps?

Many Oticon hearing aids are designed to work with Android phones, but the compatibility and functionality can vary depending on the specific Oticon hearing aid model and your Android phone.
There's info on the website.
It may mean you have an incompatible phone/aid duo.
When one is upgraded/changed you could try to get them to be compatible.

Grandma600 mine are Oticon too and I have an Android phone. I dowloaded the app and I can bluetooth to adjust the volume on my hearing aids and use it to find them if misplaced but I can't bluetooth the phone or radio. They told me the same ... that they hope in the future to have it compatable with Android.

They are Phonak.

That's a surprise...they told me that mine (Oticon) only work with Apple. I have tried to prove them wrong but no luck yet 😕
Are yours a different make, perhaps?

@Grandma600, my phone is android and my NHS aids are compatible with it.

Watermelon, go back to your Audiology department and make sure that your hearing aids are set at the right levels for your needs, and that you have the right size tubes for your ears.
I have had mine for almost three years and wouldn't be without them now. I cried the first time the Audiologist switched them on; I could hear birds outside, the clock ticking - and brushing my hair was a revelation!
My phone is Android, so unfortunately not compatible with NHS hearing aids, but I'm sure the link will be possible in the future
No, hearing aids won't restore your lost hearing but they will make life easier by enhancing the hearing you do have left. Keep trying!

I’ve had my NHS ones a year now. I love that their Bluetooth I listen to so much more now, radio, podcasts etc.The tv is much better but not perfect. I’m still missing some speech which I’m disappointed about, and still have to lip read.
I can still hear my tinnitus, but it’s much better, and all one dull tone now, where as before it was mixed tones and louder.

@watermeadow this is why your aids are not working for you. You need to practise wearing them even when you are on your own - when watching the television or listening to the radio is a good way to start. The reason they are amplifying other sounds when when you are talking to others is that you have not heard these sounds for a very long time and, because your brain has adjusted to this, they are much more noticeable at the moment. As you get used to them, they fade into the background more. Amplifying background noises is a problem but the benefits of being able to hear your friends and family again far outweigh this. You then notice other, enjoyable sounds that you haven't heard for a long time. I was out walking the dog this morning and I could hear birds singing, which I can't without my aids. Similarly, I can now hear a clock ticking and l am like a five year old in the Autumn when the dry leaves are on the ground and I stamp on them because, until I had my hearing aids, I didn't know they made a noise. Perseverance is key.

I need hearing aids only when trying to talk with other voices or noises around me. I don’t need them when home alone. This is exactly when they don’t help, because they’re amplifying the surrounding sounds so I can’t hear the person next to me.
Why can’t they just work within a few feet of my ears?

Yes, loopyloo, I did ask, but was told the opticians (Leightons) weren't doing rechargeable any more. Seems I was sold a duff product.
V3ra, thank you for your info about NHS aids. That looks like the way to go.

I have had nhs hearing aids fir nearly two years and while they're not a panacea they do help
One thing I don't think has been mentioned is that wearing aids helps prevent further hearing loss and also yes definitely helps with my tinnitus

V3ra

OldFrill thank you for your interesting reply. I wonder if the audiologist disabled that feature for me as I'd said I didn't like it? I'll ask next time I go.

Yes, l suspect the audiologist disabled the feature. Sometimes it's just as well to keep it simple.

Indeed so - why people fork out a fortune for private ones I do not know!

Musicgirl

Yes they are. I am very grateful for them as they would cost £££ privately. To be honest, I get annoyed with people like the OP who have expensive hearing aids free from the NHS and don't wear them. They could be of benefit to others. Also, if we have new hearing aids, we can take back our old ones as they can be used for someone else - very often they are sent abroad to African countries to help people there in the same way that old pairs of glasses are reused there. We are so very fortunate here, aren't we?

Indeed we are; I could hardly believe that the expensive computer programmed aids, the consultations, even the batteries, are completely free. How many could afford private aids, and the ongoing costs of servicing and batteries?

Yes they are. I am very grateful for them as they would cost £££ privately. To be honest, I get annoyed with people like the OP who have expensive hearing aids free from the NHS and don't wear them. They could be of benefit to others. Also, if we have new hearing aids, we can take back our old ones as they can be used for someone else - very often they are sent abroad to African countries to help people there in the same way that old pairs of glasses are reused there. We are so very fortunate here, aren't we?

Musicgirl, are yours NHS?

I was offered rechargeable aids but actually prefer replaceable batteries so that I’m not tied down to nightly charging. I always carry batteries and wax filters with me and they are easy to replace on the go.