My Journey Of Obtaining New Hearing Aids

When did all of that start? Was it seven months ago right after coming back from Sri Lanka having been broken up with? I had a lot of questions regarding my hearing loss. I didn’t know where to seek answers. A friend suggested I could join some hearing loss groups on Facebook. I did and that was a 180-degree change.


I got various answers and points of view. Everyone had a different experience and perspective. Some liked BiCROS hearing aids while others hated them. Some preferred Oticon or Phonak whereas other options worked better for others. I kept reading and asking questions. My head was spinning for several weeks. Eventually, I learned that my left ear qualified for a cochlear implant but I couldn’t afford the cost. Alternatively, getting new superpower hearing aids to help a bit with my deteriorating hearing was the best available option. I tried a pair of hearing aids but returned them in a week.

After reviewing other different types of hearing aids and checking feedback from many hearing aid users, I decided which one I needed to buy. The price was a big issue. Someone on a hearing loss forum mentioned “new” cheap hearing aids offered on eBay. That was a great deal which I grasped. Buying hearing aids from abroad meant there were some compromises.

First of all, there was no warranty so I had to dive into DIY-related topics. Also, it meant that I needed to download fitting software and buy a wireless device to program them. Then, I had to find a secure way to receive the devices and to cut through the red tape of the customs department in Egypt. Looking for people coming to Egypt who didn’t mind bringing the devices with them was the solution. The hearing aids were sent from the UK to someone in Switzerland who later traveled to Safaga and from there, they were shipped to Cairo. As for the wireless device, it was sent locally within Germany, then brought by a German expat living in Cairo.

I travelled from Luxor to Cairo to have the earmolds done and to receive my devices. On my way to the hearing aid company, I almost got lost twice while navigating the metro station and got sexually harassed in broad daylight within the crowd. I was shaking like a leaf. I couldn’t scream or shout. All I could do was to run away when I got a chance.

Finally, I got the hearing aids, the wireless device and the earmolds. I fitted them though I might not have done it perfectly. I know this is not the end. I still have a long way to go. I have to keep learning about my hearing loss, hearing aids and how to make the most use of them. Down the road, I need to read more about the cochlear implant and save money for it.

If someone told me a few months ago that I was going to buy my hearing aids from eBay and program them by myself, I would have said, “Impossible! You must be dreaming!” It was quite difficult but not impossible. And nah, I’m not dreaming.

In the end, I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who helped me in one way or another. Thanks to those who supported me and didn’t hesitate to answer my questions. Thanks to those who didn’t chicken out bringing my devices with them to Egypt, knowing it might have been risky. Thanks to those who gave me tips on hearing loss or just shared their personal stories with me. Thanks to those who lifted my spirits when I felt down and exhausted. Thanks to those who are still messaging me privately on how to get optimal results from my new hearing aids.