Hearing Aids WTH??

[Jettech1]

So I'm 57 plus now and have worked in a noisy environment my whole career.  36 plus years of working on commercial aircraft and everyone's heads nod like yes....lol.... It's not like I didn't use ear muffs or ear plugs all of these years to protect my hearing, I did.  But you soon realize no matter where you go in my world, everything is noisy.  Yup got fitted for them and will go get them on the 14th, my valentines gift to me...lol..End result was 40% hearing loss.  Another end result is 7k for those damn hearing aids.  Fortunately Delta will pay 4k for them, but damn, that's still over 3k out of my pocket.  Wow....mostly for tinnitus of which is fun as hell to deal with....not... and for noise cancelation of which I'm looking forward to.  Damn...It makes me feel officially like I joined the old man club...hearing aids at 57....holy hell....lol... 

[richard wysong]

I hear ya! LoL. I'm 68 and been wearing them for about 10 years. Same here, race cars, rock and roll, home made fireworx, the ringing never stops. The hearing aids I get thru Medicare are good for about 5 years but don't have all the fancy stuff yours will have. They cost me $0

[Jettech1]

Just now, richard wysong said:

I hear ya! LoL. I'm 68 and been wearing them for about 10 years. Same here, race cars, rock and roll, home made fireworx, the ringing never stops. The hearing aids I get thru Medicare are good for about 5 years but don't have all the fancy stuff yours will have. They cost me $0

Thank you for your reply.  I'm glad they cost you 0.  That's awesome!  My dad who just turned 80 last month will not get new ones because he said medicare won't pay for them.  Please educate me here so I can pass your knowledge onto him.

[richard wysong]

I have Medicare Advantage plan that pays for a lot more than basic Medicare does. Part C I think 

Edited February 6, 2024 by richard wysong

[Jettech1]

15 minutes ago, richard wysong said:

I have Medicare Advantage plan that pays for a lot more than basic Medicare does. Part C I think 

Thank you sir.  I will ask him this weekend of what he has.  Unfortunately he's gotten quite grouchy these days...lol.... He's knows I've got his back though.  Again thank you sir!

 

Edited February 6, 2024 by Jettech1

[Jettech1]

17 minutes ago, richard wysong said:

I have Medicare Advantage plan that pays for a lot more than basic Medicare does. Part C I think 

I just noticed your location is in Beverly.  I lived in Chelmsford while going to tech school back in the mid 80's.  

[richard wysong]

East Coast Aero-Tech?

[Jettech1]

1 minute ago, richard wysong said:

East Coast Aero-Tech?

Yes....how did you know that?  That's amazing....no one knows about that place.

 

Edited February 6, 2024 by Jettech1

[richard wysong]

I remember the ads on TV. I think they still exist but the name has changed

[Jettech1]

12 minutes ago, richard wysong said:

I remember the ads on TV. I think they still exist but the name has changed

Right before I graduated from there back in early 87 Wentworth college bought them out.  So they changed their name to Wentworth institute of aircraft something....lol...  Wow, that's amazing....I was a mall cop at the burlington mall for a while then got hired by Budweiser as one of their guards for the Clydesdales...lol...I would drive up route 3 to Nashua every night to protect their Clydesdales...It was an amazing experience.  Best part of watching over the Clydesdales is that they were ok with me studying for my exams while I was at work.  I had to do my walk arounds but yeah, they were totally ok with my studying while I was there.  Best experience ever!

Edited February 6, 2024 by Jettech1

[KARNUT]

I have 50 percent hearing loss in each ear since I was 7. As it turns out it’s higher sounds mostly. Over the years I subconsciously learned to read lips. Most people can’t tell as long as they’re looking at me. Loud music and exhaust made me sensitive to loud noises overtime. So crowd noise I can’t deal with very well. I had hearing aids for awhile they were just annoying. I use close caption on tv sometimes if needed, it isn’t always. Strangely enough I can hear some things like a train a mile away or a car pulling in my driveway. While other people don’t notice. Can’t explain that one. People who don’t know me may think I’m ignoring them. That’s ok I don’t want to talk to them anyway. 

[Grumpy Bear]

13 hours ago, Jettech1 said:

So I'm 57 plus now and have worked in a noisy environment my whole career.  36 plus years of working on commercial aircraft and everyone's heads nod like yes....lol.... It's not like I didn't use ear muffs or ear plugs all of these years to protect my hearing, I did.  But you soon realize no matter where you go in my world, everything is noisy.  Yup got fitted for them and will go get them on the 14th, my valentines gift to me...lol..End result was 40% hearing loss.  Another end result is 7k for those damn hearing aids.  Fortunately Delta will pay 4k for them, but damn, that's still over 3k out of my pocket.  Wow....mostly for tinnitus of which is fun as hell to deal with....not... and for noise cancelation of which I'm looking forward to.  Damn...It makes me feel officially like I joined the old man club...hearing aids at 57....holy hell....lol... 

 

Refineries are noisy places. Thermocrackers run about 130 dBA, compressor houses louder yet and I wore plugs and muffs and still...... tinnitus. Most of my hearing loss is right at the female speaking frequency. Why would I want a hearing aid.

 

Odd or not, my loss is significant BUT over a very narrow frequency range. Like a doughnut hole. I don't read lips, but it is easier if you're looking toward me for me to hear clearly. I mishear similar words. 

 

For TV the wife bought me a headset. Amazing clarity and with very little volume. Kills the background that hinders my ability to separate sound sources. Don't go to theater. Rarely listen to radio in the truck. Wear muffs to mow or other power equipment. The only place I have trouble is in crowds. I've taken to wearing plugs in those situations. More than I wish to hear anyway. 

[customboss]

19 hours ago, Jettech1 said:

So I'm 57 plus now and have worked in a noisy environment my whole career.  36 plus years of working on commercial aircraft and everyone's heads nod like yes....lol.... It's not like I didn't use ear muffs or ear plugs all of these years to protect my hearing, I did.  But you soon realize no matter where you go in my world, everything is noisy.  Yup got fitted for them and will go get them on the 14th, my valentines gift to me...lol..End result was 40% hearing loss.  Another end result is 7k for those damn hearing aids.  Fortunately Delta will pay 4k for them, but damn, that's still over 3k out of my pocket.  Wow....mostly for tinnitus of which is fun as hell to deal with....not... and for noise cancelation of which I'm looking forward to.  Damn...It makes me feel officially like I joined the old man club...hearing aids at 57....holy hell....lol... 

Been wearing hearing aids for 10 years and wish I had them when I still flew for the airlines. I feel your pain Jettech1. Machine guns,helo gearboxes and turbine engines, working the flight deck, refueling, repairing, being overpressured by explosions while I was underwater, then 5 more years in army flying turbo props and helos. By the time I made the majors a walk around without hearing protection was oddly comfortable! LOL   The neck surgery seems to have lowered the tinnitus some but it may just be pain meds helping the nerve pain.  

[Jettech1]

52 minutes ago, customboss said:

Been wearing hearing aids for 10 years and wish I had them when I still flew for the airlines. I feel your pain Jettech1. Machine guns,helo gearboxes and turbine engines, working the flight deck, refueling, repairing, being overpressured by explosions while I was underwater, then 5 more years in army flying turbo props and helos. By the time I made the majors a walk around without hearing protection was oddly comfortable! LOL   The neck surgery seems to have lowered the tinnitus some but it may just be pain meds helping the nerve pain.  

That's an impressive history right there....wow....Initially I went to see a Neurologist.  He confirmed I have nerve damage in both ears so the guy put me on Klonopin to help the nerves relax.  That lasted about 4 days before I was like hell no!!  That stuff messed me up.  I don't do well with any medications unfortunately.  Most are like candy and do nothing and then some have very bad side effects.  That one had very bad side effects...oh well.  Off we go into hearing aid land, if all they do is reduce my tinnitus I'll be a very happy camper!!!  Thank you for your response sir!

[Grumpy Bear]

6 hours ago, Jettech1 said:

if all they do is reduce my tinnitus I'll be a very happy camper!!! 

 

I was offered a hearing aid that used a signal embedded in music to retrain the brain to dismiss the internal sound tinnitus makes. I was game. Insurance was not and I did not have $7K of experimental money to play with. That was years ago. Perhaps????? 

 

Funny, the ENT's first question after the hearing test was, "Do you ever thing about killing yourself to get away from it?" 

 

I guess it's a real thing. To me, it's just life now. Crazy what you can get used to.