I will spare you the gruesome details, but after 1 1/2 years of frustration with my hearing aids and being referred out to a university audiology clinic, and back to the VA, the issue seemingly is resolved. At the university I got a young doctor who actually listened to me, determined my hearing was salvageable with proper hearing aids and sent me back to the VA with the admonition to ask for a classmate of hers whom she knows works at the VA clinic. I saw that young woman today at the VA and after listening to the tale of woe, check my hearing aids and determined that not only were they not set according to the factory recommended settings, but that someone, not her, had them adjusted totally wrong. She tested me and had me watch as she set them according to her computer readings of my deficit. She aligned the output to match my deficit and WOW, I can hear now. She apologized profusely that I had to go through such a lengthy and stressful experience and I quickly countered with the statement it was not her fault but thanked her for her concern for my well being. Unfortunately a doctor of that quality won't stay at the VA for long so unless I go back within a year for an adjustment, I will likely never see her again.
A word of advice for anyone getting hearing aids, make certain they have the latest equipment and doesn't just hand them to you believing the factory setting is adequate. They need to be tuned to your deficit. And don't let them tell you louder is better, it's not.
