“Poorly adjusted hearing aids nearly ended my career, but the right aftercare changed everything”

“I thought I’d finally found a solution. I assumed it would be like wearing a pair of glasses, with my hearing improving instantly. But that wasn’t the case at all,” Karen remembers.

Instead, the hearing aids added to her problems. Dancing and music were Karen’s life and livelihood, yet her hearing remained so distorted that performing and teaching became a daily battle. 

“The hearing aids totally threw off my perception of sound. I couldn't follow the rhythm of the music during rehearsals, and I couldn't dance or direct the productions the way I needed to. Choreographing became a nightmare.” 

Communication difficulties at work

Her students often struggled to communicate with her.

“The children I taught would try to ask questions, but I’d have to get them to write things down or ask a colleague to help me understand. I felt inadequate and that my high standards were slipping. I felt guilty that I wasn’t living up to my expectations for myself.”
The constant effort to teach and organise rehearsals without reliable hearing left Karen exhausted. “It was destroying my work, my confidence and even my love for music,” Karen says.

Impact on home life

The impact affected Karen’s home life too.

“I was struggling to hear my husband, constantly asking him to repeat things and often misunderstanding what he’d say. I even had to ask my mother to speak slowly. I felt isolated from the world.”

Despite frequently returning to her audiologist, the difficulties continued.

“I went back many times, but very few adjustments were made, and my problems were never fully resolved. I desperately wanted my devices to work, but they never did, and I was beginning to give up hope that my hearing would ever get better.”

Personalised aftercare in action: Karen’s hearing aids adjusted to her husband’s voice

Getting the help she needed

After nearly two years of struggling, Karen sought support from Hidden Hearing in early 2024 – a decision she describes as ‘life-changing’.

“Sam Liddington, my audiologist at Hidden Hearing, was brilliant. I felt like I was finally being listened to, and she really understood my frustrations. Sam fitted me with new hearing aids, talked me through the process and made the right adjustments. I finally got devices I was comfortable with.”

After this, everything changed for the better, from her work to her home life.

A warm welcome at Hidden Hearing Maidstone for Karen and her husband, with audiologist Sam

Karen still had slight difficulties hearing her husband, especially in noisy environments, so she went back to Hidden Hearing. Her audiologist Sam used the latest diagnostic tech, ACT™, to measure exactly how well Karen could hear speech in noise. Karen now has a customised program in the hearing aids specifically set up to hear her husband’s voice (she’s even been able to label the program on her phone as ‘My Hubbie’!) 

“Now I can hear everything brilliantly: the music, my husband, my students. I feel alive again. I didn’t realise how much of myself I’d lost.

“The moment I knew just what a difference these new hearing aids made was when I came home one day and opened the door to our kitten. He let out a quiet, soft meow which I had never heard before. I wonder how many times I’d missed that?”

Don’t give up

Tony Blackburn says, “The difference between having a good experience and a bad experience with hearing aids is basically time and the right support!”

And that’s exactly why our new educational programme – Fitted Isn’t Finished – is so important.

Karen urges anyone struggling with their hearing aids and thinking of giving up to speak to their audiologist.

“To anyone who is not happy with their hearing aid – please don’t give up. Go back to your audiologist and ask for help and adjustments. They can make the tweaks you need, and it will make a world of difference.”

Expert guidance on adjusting to hearing aids

If you or someone you care about has had any difficulty in adjusting to hearing aids, visit our Fitted Isn’t Finished hub today. There you’ll find free, expert advice, and real-life stories of people (like Karen, and Tess Sanderson CBE ) who’ve overcome early hearing aid challenges. Plus you can download our free guide packed full of tips on how to get used to hearing aids, and a printable planner to help keep you on track.