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Back in October of last year I had surgery on my right ear because I was diagnosed with otosclerosis. I was diagnosed with the issue two years prior and opted for a hearing aid, which I kinda sorta hated because of how expensive it was (1500 dollars.. was one of the cheaper models). Also, I didn't like having to wear such an expensive device on my ear all the time because I was getting nervous about breaking it, losing it, etc, that I just gave up and said screw it I am going to get a stapedectomy.
My stapedectomy surgery was a failure. The surgeon told me that it wasn't just the stapes bone that was all fused, and although he put in the prosthetic stapes bone during the surgery, all the hearing tests I had after it showed that my hearing loss was worse than before surgery. Btw, they claim there's like 1% chance your hearing will get worse after surgery, so don't let my story deter you from getting the surgery, there are MANY great outlooks. It just turns out that all the bones in my inner ear are a mess and the surgeon said he would have to do another surgery.
I spent October until just last week totally deaf on the right side. I was VERY deaf before the surgery, but there were sounds still coming in and I didn't have that dead feeling on the side of my head.
Well I purchased a 20 dollar ear amplifier at the drug store on a whim last Friday. I charged it up (no batteries needed!!! one of the things I HATED about my old hearing aid. They run out SO fast and they are expensive). It works. It works just as well and possibly better than I remember my old 1500 dollar hearing aid working. I have conductive hearing loss, but after the surgery if I held my finger in my good ear I can't hear a single word anyone is shouting in front of me a foot away from my face, that's how bad it got/was.
It's not the cleanest of sound, but neither was my expensive hearing aid. I contacted my surgeon to ask if this was safe, okay, but he hasn't gotten back to me yet. If I could just purchase one of these 20 dollar devices every few months versus a 1500 dollar plus (on the low end) hearing aid, i'd be very happy. I was so excited about getting the stapedectomy to have natural hearing back in both ears and when the surgery was a fail (like I said, a fail is like 1%.. grrrrrr), I got very depressed. It's a really creepy and isolating feeling going through life with only hearing from one ear (it makes not knowing where sound comes from common) There is nothing more frustrating and embarrassing than when someone shouts to you or calls your name and you have no idea where the sound is coming from you start circling around :/ There are sick people out there who LOL @ seeing someone struggle. I've experienced it, it's humiliating. I understand what the disabled go through. People are jerks sometimes.
Anyway, this has been a long post, but has anyone else used these cheap versions of hearing aids? They FDA approved, but seem to be frowned upon by the medical industry. It's basically the same technology in a 20 dollar piece that a cheap end 1500 dollar medical device hearing aid has. No frills, but not budget ruining.
I highly recommend trying them out if you have bone conduction hearing loss, not neuronal. I did, and I am SO happy right now. I can actually hear in 3D.
My stapedectomy surgery was a failure. The surgeon told me that it wasn't just the stapes bone that was all fused, and although he put in the prosthetic stapes bone during the surgery, all the hearing tests I had after it showed that my hearing loss was worse than before surgery
So sorry to hear that Aquarius. I have had 2 stapedectomies and both were successful.
Quote:
If I could just purchase one of these 20 dollar devices every few months versus a 1500 dollar plus (on the low end) hearing aid, i'd be very happy
Why would you suppose you needed a new one every few months? You just change the batteries.
I did very well for 25 years between stapedectomies, basically hearing in only one ear. Only problem was directionality...I could not tell from where a sound was coming. There was also a blessing: with one ear hearing and a snoring partner, you can just rollover to put your good ear into the pillow. Now I have no escape from the snoring.
The markup on hearing aids is obscene...must be near a million percent markup/profit.
I tried the $20 jobs long ago. I found they went through a battery a DAY...that was a non starter so I returned them.
Last edited by Kefir King; 01-28-2016 at 08:36 AM..
WHAT? I'm new to the hearing loss game and trying to figure it out. It feels like quite a loss. I remember when a dripping faucet or chirping crickets kept me awake.
I should be wearing hearing aids, but they're expensive.
For professional hearing aids, if a qualified veteran, first go to the VA. They give FREE hearing aids and keep free batteries coming.
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I'm new to the hearing loss game and trying to figure it out. It feels like quite a loss. I remember when a dripping faucet or chirping crickets kept me awake. 
