Have you considered the possibilty that it might, at least in part, be due to simply getting older ?

No doubt hearing gradually deteriates as you get older and most of us here are reaching that age where the first signs of ageing start to appear.

I haven't noticed any change in my hearing, but I have noticed other signs of ageing occuring. I have been short sighted since I was in my late teens, but I have started to notice that I need to take my glasses off to read small print, so bi-focals can't be far away.

The surprising change that I have experienced, that I wasn't expecting, is the change in how quickly my body heals. A few years ago if I banged my shin and picked up a graze/cut it would only take a couple of weeks until there was no sign of the injury at all. Nowadays while the initial wound heals just as quickly, the remains of the scar stay visible for many months afterwards.

On the plus side, I am now the lightest I have been for ten years. Now at 217 lbs, still a way to go to get to my target of 190 lbs though. I finally found a change in diet that had the desired effect (I just don't eat too many carbs after 3pm, simple eh ?).

Hmmm, that got kind of off topic...