Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 Lee, At the time I received my Oticon digitals (summer of 2001), they had just come out on the market a few months prior. My hearing was continuing to get worse and since I couldn't function without hearing aids (i.e. not being able to rely on visual communication), my audi suggested that I try the new digitals so that I'd have a back up in case something happened to my analogs. If I remember correctly, the DigiFocus II's were the only digital hearing aids available at the time with a volume control. If my audi hadn't suggested that I try the digitals, I would have continued wearing analogs. If I had thought of it, I would have tried to find another pair of Oticon 380Ps. I sure do like those aids... Mine are already 14 years old and haven't required a single repair. My Oticon digitals are 3 years old and required one repair to replace a microphone that had gone bad after being exposed to below zero temperatures in the middle of winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 how lucky! My aids are 3 each having been in once for repair and the left one twice. If I get new aids which i may do until some other things in my life settle down, I may try for digitals with programs and btes with the hope that they will sound good with music although mine arev ok, and thayt they have more accessories and i hear have to go in for repair less often than the in the ear ones i currently wear. Re: digital vs analog > Lee, > > At the time I received my Oticon digitals (summer of 2001), they had just > come out on the market a few months prior. My hearing was continuing to get > worse and since I couldn't function without hearing aids (i.e. not being > able to rely on visual communication), my audi suggested that I try the new > digitals so that I'd have a back up in case something happened to my > analogs. If I remember correctly, the DigiFocus II's were the only digital > hearing aids available at the time with a volume control. > > If my audi hadn't suggested that I try the digitals, I would have continued > wearing analogs. If I had thought of it, I would have tried to find another > pair of Oticon 380Ps. I sure do like those aids... Mine are already 14 years > old and haven't required a single repair. My Oticon digitals are 3 years old > and required one repair to replace a microphone that had gone bad after > being exposed to below zero temperatures in the middle of winter. > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 Tina, I don't think you can go wrong with BTE aids. They're quite versatile and allow for other features to be added/used such as FM system compatibility, direct audio input and the ability to add more amplication if needed. When you decide to look into BTEs, make sure you try several different models. What may sound good to one person may sound terrible to another. Also, remember that you have a 30 money back guarantee. Good luck in whatever you decide! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 not really. you just skipped a step that I went through =D I went from analog of 20 years (of course my insurance paid for new analogs throughout the 20 yrs) then I bought digital hearing aides at 21, and not even a month later I decided to get a cochlear implant. So, these digital hearing aids are spanking new and my dad worked overtime for these digital hearing aides (which my insurance wouldn't cover) I don't know what to do with the digital hearing aids now. Now... why wouldnt insurance pay for digital but will pay for analog and cochlear implant? Strange. My hookup is tomorrow!!!!!! I'm excited and at tears at the thought of it. spottedlee@... wrote: In a message dated 9/6/2004 12:32:31 PM Pacific Daylight Time, lisak70@... writes: My insurance wouldn't cover the cost, so I decided to look into a CI after knowing that I couldn't get any more powerful hearing aids that the ones I was already using (Oticon DigiFocus II super power and Oticon 380Ps). This had me wonder............ am I the odd one, going from analog HA to CI? It seems most of you had digital HA prior to CI, something I never had. Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 Hey well I'm still thinking about surgery but may look at aids too for a whle especially since az rehab will help with them as an acomodation for my next job and i've already thought about the hatis which it sounds like would do nicely with my cell and with a cordless since it is nice to havehands free and be ableto yack on the phone too. I figure even if I dd surgery whether it is next year when i'm settled on the job and have timhe i can take offor even a little latter, that new aids will be good and especially next year or 1 later Arnold and I should be really solid so hopefully could go throug whatever changes surgeery would bring hopefully no aids at all! Re: digital vs analog > Tina, > > I don't think you can go wrong with BTE aids. They're quite versatile and > allow for other features to be added/used such as FM system compatibility, > direct audio input and the ability to add more amplication if needed. > > When you decide to look into BTEs, make sure you try several different > models. What may sound good to one person may sound terrible to another. > Also, remember that you have a 30 money back guarantee. > > Good luck in whatever you decide! > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 , You said: >> " Now... why wouldnt insurance pay for digital but will pay for analog and cochlear implant? Strange. " << I think this varies from one insurance carrier to another. It could also vary from one audi to the next depending on the brands they (audis) are contracted to sell and repair. Analog hearing aids are less expensive than digital, so I can see why insurance would be more reluctant to pay for digital. I would also think that in the long run, cochlear implants are less expensive than hearing aids especially when you consider the short life span (generally 3-5 years) and repair that is necessary to keep hearing aids in good working order. Of course, I could be completely mistaken but that's the way I understand it. <smile> >> " My hookup is tomorrow!!!!!! I'm excited and at tears at the thought of it. " << I can't wait to read all about your experiences tomorrow. Good luck!!! <hugs> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 Nope... I only had analog HA's. Never had a digital one. susan & hobbes michigan At 03:53 PM 9/6/2004 -0400, you wrote: >In a message dated 9/6/2004 12:32:31 PM Pacific Daylight Time, >lisak70@... writes: > >My insurance wouldn't cover >the cost, so I decided to look into a CI after knowing that I couldn't get >any more powerful hearing aids that the ones I was already using (Oticon >DigiFocus II super power and Oticon 380Ps). > > > > >This had me wonder............ am I the odd one, going from analog HA to CI? >It seems most of you had digital HA prior to CI, something I never had. > >Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 Hi , I've always used analog aids. I tried the digital ones but they were not powerful enough for me to hear with. So, I kept my trusty Oticon. I only became a candidate for a cochlear implant when my one remaing ear I could hear with stopped working. Maybe I'm the exception but that's how it was for me. Gayle > > >In a message dated 9/6/2004 12:32:31 PM Pacific Daylight Time, > >lisak70@t... writes: > > > >My insurance wouldn't cover > >the cost, so I decided to look into a CI after knowing that I couldn't get > >any more powerful hearing aids that the ones I was already using (Oticon > >DigiFocus II super power and Oticon 380Ps). > > > > > > > > > >This had me wonder............ am I the odd one, going from analog HA to CI? > >It seems most of you had digital HA prior to CI, something I never had. > > > >Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2004 Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 It is good to know I was not alone, I bought my last analog 2 years before i got my implant. I did asked about CI at the time but was told that I was deaf too long to be helped, yet I feel so insecure in complete silence, so got another analog.. the last of " lost count how many analog i had in my life " (think it was about 7 or 8 over 43 years)...... Glad I didnt listen and went to directly to CI center 2 years later! Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2004 Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 Gayle, My experiences are similar to yours. Many people have asked me why I continue to wear a hearing aid in my left ear when I have no speech understanding and can only hear loud environmental sounds. I tell them that aided hearing in that ear gives me more of a binaural sense of sound. My CI audi mentioned the same thing when we discussed which ear I wanted to have implanted. She suggested that even though my left ear will be implanted, she'd like me to continue wearing a HA in my right ear: 1.) to give me more of a balanced, binaural sense of sound, and 2.) my right ear doesn't atrophy due to lack of auditory stimulation/non-use. This is what I would have chosen to do regardless but it's still nice to know that we feel the same way. Also, as someone who is totally blind, I rely on auditory information for mobility and communication. This is one reason why I wear an FM system with external microphone at all times. The FM system doesn't help me understand speech but it does give me access to environmental sounds I cannot hear with my hearing aids alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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