I’m so very happy with my hearing aids. I had no idea I was missing so much.
My right hearing aid has a larger ear piece because that ear has more severe hearing loss.
When I first put them in everything sounded so loud. I could hear my own voice way too loud, but within just a couple of hours I wasn’t noticing my voice, and I was enthralled by all the little sounds I could now hear. The audiologist told me that I might find some noises annoying, and she could program my hearing aids so they wouldn’t bother me. Some people find the clicking of typing too loud, or high heels on the floor, or even news paper. I’m more fascinated by the fact that I can now hear these things. However, I have found one noise that is bothersome.
I told my husband a few days ago, “My hair is too loud.” (he laughed and said it sounded as if I dyed my hair pink or something) Seriously though, I hear my hair brushing against the hearing aids. It makes this swishing sound that makes it hard to hear other things. When I got my hearing aids I had my hair in a pony tail, I didn’t know my hair would be such an annoyance. I hope she can program them so I don’t hear that as much. The microphone is at the top of the part of the hearing aid that goes behind my hear, so when my hair is down my hair covers the microphone.
Hearing aids are expensive, and unfortunately they weren’t covered by my insurance. However, they are worth every penny. I’m so thrilled with them already.
Next week I will be getting an iCom, it’s a device that makes it possible for my hearing aids to be able to interface with a diverse range of communication systems like telephones, televisions, MP3 players, computers or other audio sources. I can’t wait to see how different talking on the phone will be. I’m still having a bit of trouble with that. It’s possible, but not ideal. With this device my phone will ring in my hearing aids, and I can answer it by clicking on device and I will hear my calls in both ears through a blue tooth.
I’ll let you know how it works after I’ve tried it for a little while.
Oh, the things I can hear!
Picnic with Ants 
Holy smokes, that is COOL! I need to get on that soon, too. I have been putting it off b/c my doctor told me some of his patients experience dizziness from them so he suggested I wait until my balance was fully compensated before I got them. I think I am about there.
Next week I am going in for allergy testing. I never thought of myself as having allergies, but the past two months the brain fog has been terrible and I also noticed a sense of pressure across the middle of my face in the sinus region. Just for the heck of it, yesterday I took one of my husband’s Claritin and I felt like a new woman! I took another today and still feel good. I will be very interested to see what, if anything, I might be allergic to. The bad part is, I have to stop the Claritin for 5 days before testing. Small price to pay.
One more thing: I passed your blog along to my friend who suffers terrible gluten intolerance. I briefly told her about your experience with the rogue baker and she was very interested in reading your blog. She recently found that vegetable oil (not canola, olive, safflower, others?) can have gluten in it. She was have a terrible flare of symptoms despite doing everything “right”, then her husband did a little research and found that vegetable oil can contain, or be contaminated with, gluten. Have you heard this?
Angelea
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Angela,
I’m loving my hearing aids. My doctor didn’t recommend them before because my hearing was so unstable. When I first put them in I got a little dizzy, but it didn’t last long. It was gone in just a few minutes.
I have allergies. I was tested when I was in high school, and had allergy shots. I don’t feel like they really helped. I saw an allergist a few years ago, and he said if I was getting relief from allergy meds then that’s all he’d be giving me anyway. I have a friend who has delayed allergic reactions. (it’s more common than I thought, but a lot of allergist don’t consider it.) He can come in contact with his allergen, but won’t have symptoms until the next day. When he had the scratch test it showed nothing in the office, but the next day he was all inflamed. Allergies are curious.
thank you for passing my blog on to your friend. I hadn’t heard of the Vegetable Oil contamination. I can see where it might would happen, but I’ve not had a problem. But I only use olive oil, and butter as a fat really. Maybe that’s why. If your friend has any questions about the gluten free lifestyle, tell her she’s welcome to email me. I’ll help all I can. I’ve been doing it for a long time. Now the fructose thing is a different matter. I’m still so confused.
Good luck! wendy
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Hi Wendy,
Honestly, I am quite skeptical of allergy testing for all the reasons you cite and more based on my professional experience, which is why I have never done it. A lot of people with Meniere’s swear their symptoms improve when they treat their allergies, which makes sense, and I could just go on taking Claritin. But I figure I should at least make an effort. Maybe something useful will come of it. Maybe not.
My friend has been gluten-free for a few years now and is so much happier and healthier than before. You guys really have a challenge! And the fructose! How is that going? That seems to be one of those things that maybe is maybe a lot more trial and error. I hope you’re feeling better overall, though.
Hope you’re safe down there tonight! I have been hearing about the storms and tornadoes going through that part of the country and you’re on my mind.
Take care,
Angelea
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Hi Angelea,
Don’t worry we really didn’t get too much more than just a storm here. Not far from us there was a tornado, but I wouldn’t have known it if I hadn’t heard people talking about it on Facebook. Just rain here. Gave my garden a good watering. : )
Good luck on the allergy testing. I hope you can get some answers. I’ve read that people have improved Meniere’s symptoms when they treat their allergies. I didn’t really notice. This time of year I have to take Zyrtec and Flonase. And still I’ll be sniffy some days. My hubby has seasonal allergies, and he can’t take much, just Flonase, all allergy medications knock him out. He suffers much more than I do. Hope you can get some relief.
The Fructose is a challenge. It’s not like they can just tell you to not eat any fructose. I wouldn’t be able to eat any vegetables or fruit. I told my husband I was going to get scurvy. 😉 I’ve still had some symptoms, but it’s better. I can’t figure out why I was running to the bathroom yesterday. Can’t think of anything I had that should have caused it. And the weight isn’t coming off like I thought it would. But I feel better most of the time.
I’m so glad your friend is feeling better. Changing my diet drastically changed my life. Before I went GF I was in pain all the time, and completely exhausted.
Thanks for thinking of me.
wendy
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Wendy, that is fantastic! I am so happy for your next step in this journey to recovery.
I just wrote a note on my blog about finally getting the money for the Meniett. At first they said no way, but I kept at them and they finally gave up, instead of me 🙂 So….keep trying. You never know. Perhaps there is a loop-hole somewhere so that you could get some coverage!
Deb
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That is so awesome! I love it when technology opens new doors for people. You deserve it!
Maureen
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that is so wonderful! i am so excited for you! i so want to try a hearing aid out in my bad ear. my doctor has put it off over the years for various reasons. mostly that my speech discrimination has been so bad. also, i’ve gotten by so well without one, i just never pushed it. you’re right that insurance won’t cover it so i figured why spend the money. but now that the gent injections seem behind me and the last hearing test showed good discrimination (and hopefully the one on may 6th will as well), i’m really getting the bug to try one again. i can tell my hearing in my bad ear has gotten worse lately so it’ll be interesting to see where everything falls on that day. still hoping my good ear is indeed in the good range and i haven’t lost anything there.
but…congrats again to you!!! wonderful, wonderful news!!!
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Nicki,
You were so right when you compared getting hearing aids to getting glasses for the first time. I remember when I got my first pair of glasses, everything was so much clearer, and bright. When I got my hearing aids I became aware of so much more around me. I used to jump at so many things because I didn’t hear them. Now my hubby doesn’t accidentally scare the mess out of me just by walking in the room. Life is so different now.
I sure hope your hearing has stabilized, and you have good word recognition. We expected the hearing aids to cost more, especially since I got them through Duke. But it was less than we expected. We got a 0% credit card so we can make payments over 15 months with no interest. In my opinion, it’s the best $4000 we’ve ever spent. (I just had a thought, we didn’t spend that much on our wedding. ha. I just think that’s humorous for some reason.)
hope you are doing well.
wendy
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hey wendy,
just wanted to check in and see how you all fared with all the tornadoes that came through. hope you are okay.
~nicki
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