Hearing Aids

[PLTM]

Hi guys wondered if anyone had any advice on hearing aids. I have an AN, had gamma knife in 2021, doing ok but hearing pretty much gone on affected side. Tinnitus too. Have basic NHS aid which can't say does much. I know there are 'pens', blue tooth/ wifi aids and tools but not sure if our issue on the nerve rather than the ear would benefit. Any ideas, suggestions, experience welcomed. Take care all stay strong xx

[whitefishbay]

I have a vestibular schwannoma and have much reduced hearing in my right ear (watch & wait situation). I have NHS hearing aids and they are not perfect (they can send a man to the moon but we still have these hearing aids...). Anyway you have to build up wearing them and fiddle around with them. Sometimes they seem to not work. Also you have to clean them regularly. I think you just have to get used to them and important to try. Maybe the £££ are better. It would be good to know if the expensive ones are better. Good luck.

[LikeBillyo]

I have total hearing loss on my affected side, which is how they found my AN. at first I was given normal hearing aids, but they never worked, so I saw a different NHS audiologist who immediately gave me CROS aids.

My hearing is far from perfect with them, but it's better for socialising, loud places and things like hearing where traffic is coming from!

[Karbob]

I can tell you that bluetooth hearing aids are available on nhs.. So far I haven't been able to get any. But will keep trying. I'm sure I would find listening to my mobile much better. I do use bluetooth but have to put it in my other ear for my mobile then take it out again so I can hear clearer.

[Moorside89]

I had my neuroma removed 20 years ago and have coped with the hearing loss quite well. However I have decided to try the CROS hearing aid from the NHS. I’m trying them for 6 weeks before possibly going to Boots to get a newer model privately.

So far it has been amazing. Hearing things from the right for the first time was weird. But I am getting used to it. Not having to constantly stand in a particular direction to hear conversations is so liberating.

The audiologist said that their CROS aids weren’t the latest model so he would be interested to see if the next generation ones were any better. So I may see if Boots allow a trial before you buy!

I have tinnitus as well. And occasionally balance issues when light intensity is low But I’m still working full time and have an active life so feel quite lucky Good luck with your journey

[Ballantyne56]

Hi, I have a AN in my right ear plus tinnitus in both.

My hearing in pretty much gone in the right ear but my AN grows on the hearing nerve so my consultant says a hearing aid is no use to me.

My son has the hearing aid that you are talking with the blue tooth he says it’s a life changer.

Margaret

[Silversmith2000]

hi, my AN was operated on in 2019 and I am fully deaf in my right ear with good hearing in left ear. I recently got a CROS hearing aid on the NHS and it was set up incorrectly on the first visit and wasn’t much good, they said I had to get used to it so I tried and wore them a lot. Last week i went back for follow up appointment and he said the ones I had were broken!! And gave me new ones and set them up properly, they are now amazing!! They don’t make everything better but they help loads, I don’t have to turn round to hear people with my good ear, i can hear my partner when walking down the street and don’t have to swap to my good side every time.

They take a bit of getting used to, the CROS aids do really help me, transferring sound on my right side to my left good ear. Nothing will ever give me back directional hearing but this is such an improvement!

Good luck on your journey and keep persevering, don’t give up, I hope you find something that helps you.

[Steve_04]

hi I only have hearing on one side. Tried cross aids nhs phonak ones and I didn’t get much benefit of them. I use a airpod pro in hearing side with amplifier feature which enhances the sound around you, this helps me so much more. Also you can test the feature on them in Apple Store before buying. They also have a live listen feature on them where it uses your phones mic as a receiver if it’s placed further away from you and closer to the people you want to hear better.

[Lorosco62 in reply to Steve_04]

The Airpod pro sounds amazing. Something to check out for the future. Thank you for sharing.Lozx