Double trouble- help !

As others have said, you could go for an NHS hearing test and aids. However, depending on where you live, there may be a long waiting list and you might consider private aids are worth it. If you have a moderate hearing loss, you have lost a significant amount of hearing - at least 40db and, while you think you can manage fine without them, you are probably missing a great deal more than you realise. Wearing your hearing aids only in public is counterproductive and does not give you a chance to get used to them. You need to wear them all the time. If your television is turned up to 40/50, your family, friends and neighbours, unless your home is detached, will all thank you.

If I understood you correctly, you had your hearing tested the day before coming down with a bad cold.

If this is so, what you were told was hearing loss, might just be due to the cold, so before buying a hearing aid that you might not need, do get your GP to refer you to an ENT specialist.

Most people who use hearing aids find them little or no help in a large gathering - a fact you should also take into consideration.

Nothing wrong with NHS aids, my partner has hearing loss and has got on fine with them, plus batteries are free, local Boots hearing centre quoted him £2000 plus, another centre £1800 but £1200 if ordered on the day.

I was diagnosed with hearing loss by Specsavers in 2018, as the test was free, unfortunately not every NHS health trust in the UK works with Specsavers so they didn’t provide free hearing aids, I took the results to my GP who referred me to my local hospital’s audiology department, and was seen by them and supplied with my aids within 3 months, my newest set are Bluetooth compatible and can tune into my iPhone and iPad to give you clearer sound, you can also get add ones to your tv that will send audio to your hearing aids and other gadgets too. To my mind these aids are as good as if not better to what you’d pay for privately and free, unless you lose of break one then you have to pay circa £130 for a replacement, also note that generic one from the internet will most likely not be turned to the pitch depths that you need and will just increase the volume of everything you hear and not make speech any clearer for example

hollysteers

Why don’t you use National Health hearing aids?

This would be my solution. I have NHS hearing aids and they are great. The audiology nurse added 2 extra programmes for me. One to use in a group and another for the hearing aid loop in places like the theatre. I get free batteries and there is always someone at the end of the phone if I have any questions. Cost? Nothing. What's not to like.

I have got free hearing aids from the NHS but I rarely wear them. I find them impossible to put in and I have to ask my husband to do so.

I would never buy a hearing aid. They are free on NHS. And the batteries, test and all follow up are free.
Referral via GP will either take you to hospital audiology or to Specsavers who are agents for NHS in most areas. All free. And NHS aids are no different to private unless you want something mega fancy. They are small, up to date, and connect to app on phone.
Cataracts ... wait time depends entirely on where you live.

Can I add, the only time I foresee using the hearing-aid will be when I am in a large group. I have no problems talking on the phone or watching TV, no doubt with the volume turned to about 50/60.

You will be advised to wear your hearing aids all the time (except in the shower!!) so that your brain adjusts to them being there, a process that can take up to six weeks.

kittylester

I was just saying that this site is not just for ladies. It's not very encouraging for men to read a question to 'lovely ladies'.

Well, the site is called "Gransnet" which does sort of indicate that its primary focus is on those of us with XX chromosomes. I have been addressed as one of "you guys" by an American, without taking offence, so I think that any chap who is upset by being addressed as a lovely lady should just get over himself.

Ashcombe

^Can I add, the only time I foresee using the hearing-aid will be when I am in a large group. I have no problems talking on the phone or watching TV, no doubt with the volume turned to about 50/60.^

You will be advised to wear your hearing aids all the time (except in the shower!!) so that your brain adjusts to them being there, a process that can take up to six weeks.

I leave mine in for a shower. I just put my shower cap completely over them.
Not when washing hair of course.

I was referred by my GP to Specsavers, they did the hearing test and supplied me with the hearing aids that are free through the NHS, they are a Phonak Bolero, behind the ear (battery powered) The batteries are also free, just go back to the store with your details and they give you a new batch. To be honest they are quite small and hardly noticaeable. I suppose once you are comfortable with wearing them you could always upgrade by paying for a the latest high tech versions. I have heard of people ordering online but I'm sure that it would to be better to have them fitted by an expert as ear canal sizes vary etc. plus the after service would be an advantage.

Would never buy hearing aids, NHS every time. Heard a few stories about shop audiologists who aren't all that good at the audiology but really good at selling.

I had my hearing tested at Specsavers, , hearing aids fitted there and then, no charge! I definitely did not go through my gp, just walked into Specsavers and fortunately they had a slot available only waited 20 minutes!

Re cataracts...who knows anywhere from months to years.. Why don't you get NHS hearing aids?

I got High Street hearing aids for over £3000 nearly three years ago. They have never worked well and the support has been unsatisfactory at my local branch. I have just got new Hearwell hearing aids online that work very well from gethearwell.co.uk, usually £300 but half price this week. I've just posted a 5 star review on Trustpilot as well as on the Hearwell website. There is no need to spend thousands of pounds on overheads, and the online support here is good enough for mild to moderate hearing loss. And no app to faff around with!

NOOO! NHS.
My aunt has paid £3000, couldn’t get on with them. Now lying in the drawer & back to the NhS ones.
With private ones, do you need to pay each time they need calibrated?

I have had hearing aids for more than 35 years all via NHS. My husband only 3 and he was referred by Doctor to SpecSavers who provide NHS hearing aids.

My optician referred me to Optegra, which as noted above, work for the NHS as well as doing private work. I had my first appointment within 2 weeks and had both done within 3 months. The second one could have been done earlier but I had a terrible cold. So all NHS.

From my parents' experience - dad private, mum NHS. My mum gets a much better service from NHS audiology and has paid nothing. Radio 4 did an in depth a while back that was interesting listening
BBC Radio 4 - Sliced Bread, Hearing Aids share.google/SXg7W4x5E9NM8NLhs

My mother started off with expensive private digital hearing aids when she was on a long waiting list for an NHS clinic. Once she'd been to the clinic and had NHS aids provided she found that they were far better then her more expensive pair.

Crazy H, I wasn’t referred by GP to NHS hearing aids. There was an ad on Facebook talking about free NHS hearing aids and a number to ring. I rang & was seen a a clinic of my choice within a matter of days (in South London). I was expecting them to show me NHS ones but also having private ones there to persuade me to go for the ‘higher spec’ private ones. But no, was truly NHS, she fitted them there & then & I have a number to ring to order new batteries, wires or anything else.

Definitely go for nhs hearing aids. My husband and I both did this and within six months we had them fitted. We are just getting hard of hearing not deaf and our private quote was for £6000 for both of us. Worth the six month wait and audiology are excellent, checking up on you afterwards.

The newer NHS hearing aids are apparently excellent and you don’t have to pay for batteries. I have a bone anchored hearing aid and I am given new up to date ones every 3 years. I think it’s similar with in ear hearing aids! If you are only going to be using them occasionally I would definitely go down this route. As for the cataracts, my late husband only had to wait 5 weeks! The NHS also use private clinics to help keep the waiting list down. I live in the midlands. Good luck with both

Go down the NHS referral route crazyh for hearing aids - my older family members tell me they are much improved in the last few years.
The railcard discount sounds great for those who like to get out and about.
No advice for the (cataract surgery).
Come back and keep us updated .

Our Boots use a local private clinic for Cataract surgery, which is still paid for by the NHS, we only waited a couple of weeks for the initial consultation and another 10 days or so for the surgery. Although I'm sure this will depend on where you live

I'd contact your surgery to get NHS aids. Just be aware that not all areas will refer people to Specsavers. Mine didn't and I'm still waiting to hear (pun not intended 😁) from them more than 6 months later. Knowing the NHS wait is ridiculous in my area, I had no option but to buy private as I'm bordering on severe hearing loss so can't manage without aids. I wouldn't buy online because there can't be the back up like you get buying locally ie they usually need some adjustments no regardless of the level of hearing loss. Good luck either way though.