Hello, I'm new here, and I hope you all can give me some advice. I'm a 37-year-old woman whose mother and aunt are deaf. My aunt started losing her hearing as a teenager, was diagnosed with degenerative nerve deafness in her early 20s, and was totally deaf by her late 20s. She is now 50 and got a cochlear implant two years ago. My mother's hearing loss was more gradual, but was the same type. She has very limited hearing but can function with hearing aids.
A few years ago, I began to notice my own hearing loss, and, terrified, I ignored it until one night I finally broke down crying and admitted it to my mom. She of course made me promise to see an audiologist right away, which I did. The doctor I saw told me that I had mild hearing loss in my left ear and moderate in my right, that I was missing the upper frequencies, and that it was the same type as my mother's and my aunt's. She told me that a "gain reduction" hearing aid would help. I'm going in a few weeks to be fitted, but I just wanted to ask about your experiences with these types of hearing aids and if you had recommendations for me. I just started a new job where I sometimes have to work in a large room with high ceilings and a TV or radio usually on, and when I'm in there and someone tries to talk to me I have to walk up to them and ask them to repeat themselves. This is the first time my hearing loss has ever affected a job, so I'm taking it kind of hard, because I watched both my aunt and my mom quit jobs as they went deaf. Anything you can tell me will be greatly appreciated, as this news has been tough for me and I'm trying to be as positive and proactive as possible. Thank you!