Losing my hearing - concerned

Kymaly

Hi! I am new to the board but reading through your posts I was relieved to find you all. I am 51 but have had hearing problems since my 30s that have become overwhelming. I have an unusual sensorineural hearing loss and wear hearing aids but am really struggling to understand what is being said even face to face with someone. Everyone sounds like they are talking through a broken fast food speaker. Some days are worse than others. Some days I get up and I literally cannot make out what is being said unless the other person is over-enunciating with pauses between their words. I have been to several ENTs and there is nothing that can be done and I am just so frustrated. They act like no big deal and tell me I have a mild to moderate hearing loss. I agree that in terms of hearing sounds it's probably mild to moderate but making out what is being said is another matter. My job as a health unit secretary is on a extremely busy, crowded, noisy unit and I am wondering how long I can continue. What happens when you loose your hearing to the point that you cannot continue in your job? I am very worried - I have to work and to change to a more appropriate job would mean to start over and I can't afford that. My job is very stressful and with the added hearing problem it's been almost unbearable. The things that people have said to me sometimes are so insensitive. I'm sorry about going on and on - it's just that I'm at a loss as to what to do.

SupaDupaFly

Hi, just read your post and can totally identify with how you are feeling. I'm in my twenties and my hearing has been getting worse since 18 year old on. I finally saw a ENT in July and he diagnosed me with otosclerosis. Basically told me there was nothing that could be done and I had moderate hearing loss. I was shocked because it sounds like there is a faulty speaker in my head and if I'm in a noisy environment its much worse. Like a static bass-y sound- hard to describe. Anyway I don't think you can get disability etc unless your loss is severe/profound. Sorry I can't provide much info just said I'd write as i know how devastating living with hearing loss is. Hope you find a solution.

looksee

OP, I am sorry to read of your frustration. I can empathise with your dealings with ENT - in fairness I think there is not the technology to deal with perception of sound, they can only read so much from the equipment. The first ENT I attended I was told that I did not have any significant hearing loss 'no more than you would expect at your age'. I did eventually manage to establish that I had moderate loss, which is enough to make life difficult.

Have you been back to your audiologist? How long have you had your hearing aids? It may be that you are ready for adjustments or even new ones.

The other thing is that when you are stressed any tinnitus can get worse and that can really mess with your ability to pick up conversation. Mine has been LOUD recently and I have to really concentrate to pick up what people are saying.

Kymaly

Thanks so much for replying! I agree that it is probably the tinnitus that causes my hearing to fluctuate. I sometimes have to turn on a noisy fan at night because the noise is so loud that I can't get to sleep. I have an appointment to see another ENT in 2 weeks and my last visit was about 2 years ago. I have had my hearing aids adjusted numerous times and it just doesn't seem to help. They are three years old and cost $4500. I can't afford a second pair since insurance doesn't cover them. In fact my hearing aids cause my tinnitus to be worse at times. Seems like when I take them out for the night that the ringing is obnoxious. Maybe it just seems that way. My husband says we are perfect for each other because he can't see and my vision is good and I can't hear and he has great hearing!! So I guess everything will turn out all right in the end!

SerialComplaint

I'm sure this is a stressful time for you. Can I just confirm if you are in Ireland (I noticed the $ sign for the hearing aid costs). If you are in Ireland, you are entitled to any 'reasonable accommodation' from your employer to accommodate your disability. You could ask them to provide an induction loop system, if this would help you to cut out background noise, using the T-switch on your aids. If you work for a large organisation like the HSE, this could include transferring to a different job at the same grade where your hearing is less critical.

Hope this helps.

jamesjustjames

I have moderate hearing loss and have been wearing hearing aids for about 4 years. I wear them mainly in work. They have helped me at some meetings and in face-to-face conversations. However in large rooms or where there are many people in a room, I am having increasing difficulty in hearing what is going on. I have frequent meetings, and this is becoming increasingly stressful. Up to recently, I was fine on the phone, but my "good ear" has deteriorated and phone conversations, while mostly still ok, are becoming difficult. (I have given up watching TV- even with the volume up high, I miss too much)

I have not gone to Personnel as I would find it embarrassing to say that I am having difficulty because I have "moderate" hearing loss- it does not sound too serious and, to be frank, I think that they would just regard me as a problem.

However, if my hearing continues to deteriorate (and there is a family history!) I will be in the moderate/severe category in another 5 years or less.

Are there any posters out there in that category who can advise on how likely it is that I can continue in a normal office job with that level of hearing loss? Or should I be going to Personnel and asking if they can accomodate me with a keyboard-based job? I work in a large organisation, so some jobs are more desk-based than others.

I will be seeing a consultant shortly, but I would like to hear from people with personal experience.

SerialComplaint

I don't mean to be fickle about such an important issue, but I saw this article today, and thought it might help to reassure some folk that hearing aids aren't the end of the world.



http://www.designworldonline.com/articles/8115/4/Reversing-Perceptions--How-to-Make-Hearing-Aids--Cool-.aspx

ongarboy

Hi Kymaly, Sorry to hear about your dilemma. Do you have in the canal aids or behind the ear ones? I used to have in the canal but for the last few months I have the behind the ear model identical to the link that SerialComplaint just posted before me. Because I had good low frequency hearing but poor high frequency, my audiologist said that in the ear canal aids can act as an ear plug and impair your good hearing if the aid is tuned (as in my case) for high frequency enhancement as the plug like nature of the aid adversely affects you from picking up the frequencies that you have adequate hearing for (eg the low freqs). I also find my newer set is far more comfortable, less itchy and handy for adjusting to different noise environments. Just a light touch will change it from one setting to another. They also have that trendy look like an IPOD accessory so do not give off that diddery old person style so I am less self conscious about wearing them than I may have with my older in the canal aids.

My hearing is still not perfect and I do miss certain words still and certain voices can sound mumbly but the fact I can watch dvds without the subtitles is a joy again!

nealcassidy

Hi

(sorry to bump the thread)


i have hearing loss. i cant even hear with the hearing aids. I can hear face to face. But have to see the face. i cant hear if someone is at my side.

the_syco

Kymaly wrote: »

Everyone sounds like they are talking through a broken fast food speaker.

Sounds like a problem that changing the bass settings may fix?

Kymaly wrote: »

They are three years old and cost $4500

What's the make and model, and what sort of company did you buy them from?

nealcassidy wrote: »

Hi

(sorry to bump the thread)

Ugh. Just copped this thread is a bit old. I wonder how the other posters have fared?

nealcassidy wrote: »

i have hearing loss. i cant even hear with the hearing aids. I can hear face to face. But have to see the face. i cant hear if someone is at my side.

What hearing aids do you use, and are they in the ear, over the ear, etc? Also, can you not hear from both sides, or possibly only from one side?

nealcassidy

the_syco wrote: »

What hearing aids do you use, and are they in the ear, over the ear, etc? Also, can you not hear from both sides, or possibly only from one side?

i have in the ear ones which arent great and the over the ear which is better but still not perfect. my hearing is symmetric in that one ear is better than the other but both are bad.

ive found the hearing aid is good in certain places but bad in others. For instance in a pub i cant hear a thing someone is saying because all the background noise is being picked up.

I need to lip read also. If someone is behind me, i cant hear what they say.

Polar Ice

nealcassidy wrote: »

my hearing is symmetric in that one ear is better than the other but both are bad.

asymmetric?

nealcassidy

Polar Ice wrote: »

asymmetric?

sorry yea thats what i meant