I’ve worn my new Oticon aids for 3 months now and I’m still picking up more sounds as my brain adjusts. So what’s new?
I was amazed yesterday when I walked my dog Smudge along a fairly quiet road, it was quite hot, and I realised I could hear him panting. Wow. I must have looked so silly, walking along with a huge grin on my face.
Recently, I was cooking chicken in the pan and could hear the crackling as it cooked. I didn’t realise that frying food would make a sound. I’ve been yelled at before for overcooking things – ‘can’t you hear that? it’s burning!’ – does it get louder as it burns? does it sound different? or what? I’m curious. Now I will have to burn something and find out. (Yep, you guessed it, I’m a super cook these days!)
My experience of digital aids is getting much better. I listen to my iPod on the way to and from work almost every day. I think this has helped me to get used to things sounding a bit different. I’m picking up instruments in musical pieces that I hadn’t really noticed before, just that nice little beat in the background, that extra rhythm, boom chicka boom boom – don’t get me started! Voices sound ‘normal’ now and I can follow people just as well as I used to, and I don’t have problems with understanding anyone. I was horrified however to find I can’t understand my dad. Is it the Belfast accent? The low voice? We’re experimenting!
I’ve discovered something useful. My aids have a volume control dial. I have a program which quietens background noise so I can concentrate on speech frequencies, but I don’t hear much difference. What works better is to turn the aids down to level 1 and I can still pick up speech (although it is quieter), whilst background noise is greatly reduced. I can turn the dial past 1 and it will click to ‘off’ if I want absolute peace.
I’m pleased I’ve stuck with them. All I need now is to be able to hear Smudge steal food wrappers out of the bin and when he farts in business meetings – I can only tell by a nasty smell….
I look so I can hear.... 
I hate my digital hearing aids! More lately I’m getting headache and what more the tinnitus is getting worse than ever!
I’m glad you’re have a good experience. I often hear about people who get aids and cannot stand the increase in noise they pick up. My friend Ben has one, he hates it. He says his mind isn’t used to processing all the background sounds and filtering them to get what he wants, or ignoring everything when he needs to concentrate on something else. I don’t think he wore it for more than a few days.
Congratulations,
Dennis
Hi,
I just got new Oticon hearing aids, too. It does take time for the brain to adjust to the hearing aid. The biggest thing is that my hearing seems to be getting worse so I need hearing aids that are more powerful. Oh, well. It’s amazing to be able to pick up things that you once heard and forgot or oh, did the soda always fizz like that when you open a can?
Take care.
Dennis –
I had trouble with the increase in noise at first. They hadn’t done the hearing test correctly and needed to redo this and reset the aids. They also put the aids setting on a lower setting, so my brain wouldn’t be hit with so much sound. I am going back soon to have a little hike in the sound levels programmed in. Would Ben consider going back for readjustment? It often takes as many as six visits for adjustments before you get the setting that’s just right for you.
Hi,
Glad you got a pair of digital aids & they’re marvellous. I used to wear my old BE52, which were awful & very loud plus garbled so you can imagine how happy I was to have my first digital aids last year! 🙂 It’s like wearing my first commercial body aid, I had when I was little, so much clearer plus I can identify more sounds with them.
I can hear Taz’s metal tag, hanging from his collar, making music as he eats or drinks out of his metal bowls! As for panting, Taz is very quiet! But can hear my sister-in-law black Labrador Helix’s panting & it’s really loud, so loud I thought he was going to have a heart attack!
Take care