Hearing aids

[Sportsman]

I'm told that I am deaf. I think that I hear perfectly well, but I do seem to have a problem hearing my wife's voice.
For the sake of marital harmony I am thinking of getting a hearing aid. I have looked at some available online with no requirement for testing etc.
I don't think I will need to use it much as it is only to listen to my wife telling me what to do, so will probably be looking at the cheaper end of the market.
Has anyone tried one like this and do they work?
Thanks

 

[ukzero1]

What?

In the end you get what you pay for, but I wouldn't buy untested. There are some sounds that you still might not hear with buying 'off the shelf' so to speak because of the sound waves. I must admit though, a 'wifey' on/off switch on hearing aids sounds appealing.

 

[Wise Owl]

Hearing aids so ya can listen to the wife FFS whatever next ?

 

[160642fishing]

Go to Specsavers,they will give you one or two National Health aids after a proper test,I've got them and they are marvellous,insist on NH ones as they are free.

 

[Barbelcatcher]

Better still, go to your doctors. Tell him that you are concerned about your hearing and could he refer you to a local audiology NHS hospital. Once in the system you could ask for retest every (say) 3 years and upgrade. You will also get batteries, and all other bits free. Recommended this to a few friends and all where highly pleased with the result.

 

[Barbelcatcher]

My latest hearing aids would have cost £600 + privite. Controllable by app as well. PM me if you want further details.

 

[John Step]

I have one for my left ear. Its NHS. Works fine. You do need a proper test. It may be different pitches that you can't hear and hearing aids are tuned to you individually.
Often the NHS are farming the job out to Specsavers nowadays. I hope the hearing aids are better than their specs.

 

[PAB]

why pay National insurance and not at least try the NHS ones I pay insurance for my car and would claim on that if I needed it not get a private job done.

 

[ukzero1]

Go to Specsavers,they will give you one or two National Health aids after a proper test,I've got them and they are marvellous,insist on NH ones as they are free.

The thing is..@Sportsman lives in France.

 

[Sportsman]

The thing is..@Sportsman lives in France.

Very true. I have to be honest, I hadn't considered the NHS. That would be the way to go if it is available.
I can probably get fitted with one for a reasonable cost, the government refunds about 80% of what it costs me, I have had many audio tests over the years as part of my job, it was part of the annual medical we had and I know I have some nerve loss in my left ear from shooting without hearing protection when I was younger.

 

[Dave Spence]

I have worn a hearing aid for the last 20 years and never got on with it; it amplified everything, not only the conversation you want to hear and it was more sensitive to higher pitchd noises. As a consequence I stopped wearing it about 3 years ago. However a few months ago my wife convinced me to go for another assessment; they told me that I now needed a pair rather than just one. It has given me a new lease of life, sounds are still a bit 'tinny' but they are comfortable and simple to control. The advances over the last few years have been tremendous and this was all free on the NHS.

Even though you live in France would you not still qualify as a British Citizen for free NHS?

 

[Chervil]

I was totally deaf on my left side, which was sorted by an operation about 10 years ago. my advice, go private.

 

[Somersetlad]

I have worn a hearing aid for the last 20 years and never got on with it; it amplified everything, not only the conversation you want to hear and it was more sensitive to higher pitchd noises. As a consequence I stopped wearing it about 3 years ago. However a few months ago my wife convinced me to go for another assessment; they told me that I now needed a pair rather than just one. It has given me a new lease of life, sounds are still a bit 'tinny' but they are comfortable and simple to control. The advances over the last few years have been tremendous and this was all free on the NHS.

Even though you live in France would you not still qualify as a British Citizen for free NHS?

Not if you vote for Boris!

 

[spark1]

Sportsman
Have you always been tight with your money ? I thought you run your own business but always seem to be doing things in the cheap. It's your health and quality of life ffs

 

[Arry]

I got diagnosed with poor hearing a couple of months ago... went to specsavers after being told by our local NHS theres a 39 week waiting list... got a pair of hearing aids, £1700 rechargeable and quite unobtrusive... certainly helped and worth the cost in marital harmony alone... downsides...? Windy days affect the microphones and putting on and taking off jumpers has to be done with care...

The Audiologist said my hearing loss was severe on the right and moderate on the left, they tailor the aids to the frequencies that you are deficient in and the wifes now happy that the telly is back to volume no 8 instead of 14...

 

[Dave Spence]

I got diagnosed with poor hearing a couple of months ago... went to specsavers after being told by our local NHS theres a 39 week waiting list... got a pair of hearing aids, £1700 rechargeable and quite unobtrusive... certainly helped and worth the cost in marital harmony alone... downsides...? Windy days affect the microphones and putting on and taking off jumpers has to be done with care...

The Audiologist said my hearing loss was severe on the right and moderate on the left, they tailor the aids to the frequencies that you are deficient in and the wifes now happy that the telly is back to volume no 8 instead of 14...

Been there Aitch, some of the responses I have made to the missus are hilarious, and like you she is happy that the telly is now normal volume. The only downside is that she tells me I am now talking too quietly whereas before I shouted everything. Can't win can we

 

[Arry]

Been there Aitch, some of the responses I have made to the missus are hilarious, and like you she is happy that the telly is now normal volume. The only downside is that she tells me I am now talking too quietly whereas before I shouted everything. Can't win can we

Yup getting that too... they're never satisfied are they...?

 

[Sportsman]

Even though you live in France would you not still qualify as a British Citizen for free NHS?
[/QUOTE]
I don't know to be honest Dave, it is not something I would consider. I moved to France with no regrets and I am happy so abide by that.
If I get one through the French health service there will be a mountain of bureaucracy to wade through, as well as quite a delay. As I have never worn one before I am not sure if I will take to it. Previous experience suggests that I will use it for a week and then consign it to history, so I was interested in an inexpensive one off the shelf to see if it was worth pursuing.
It hadn't occurred to me that people in the UK wouldn't think about buying an off the shelf item.

 

[Sportsman]

Sportsman
Have you always been tight with your money ? I thought you run your own business but always seem to be doing things in the cheap. It's your health and quality of life ffs

No, I wouldn't say so. I could pay several thousand for one and then never use it after a week, so wanted to try one out.
It is true that I am not interested in paying more than I need to though. I don't buy anything because of the brand name, I buy it because it is what I want. Most things these days are made in the far east, so why not pay far eastern prices in the first place.
As for my health, it is one of the major reasons for coming to France, I am looked after very well indeed thanks

 

[Dave Spence]

Even though you live in France would you not still qualify as a British Citizen for free NHS?

I don't know to be honest Dave, it is not something I would consider. I moved to France with no regrets and I am happy so abide by that.
If I get one through the French health service there will be a mountain of bureaucracy to wade through, as well as quite a delay. As I have never worn one before I am not sure if I will take to it. Previous experience suggests that I will use it for a week and then consign it to history, so I was interested in an inexpensive one off the shelf to see if it was worth pursuing.
It hadn't occurred to me that people in the UK wouldn't think about buying an off the shelf item.
[/QUOTE]
What you say makes sense mate but, in my experience, a bad hearing aid will put you off for life. My first ones were consigned to the back of a drawer and it was only at my wife's insistence that I went for another. But, as I previously posted, I am glad I did.