Can I still Sneak Up On Folks?

[R&N Brown]

Hello All,

Not that I often lurk around but it will be nice to know if I take up the habit...After my valve replacement will I still be able to sneak up on folks in a quiet room?

I am having an On-X valve installed in a couple of weeks, one of their selling points is that they are quieter then some of the other valves produced today. Is that true?

Rob

 

[Ross]

Everyone is different when it comes to accoustics, but I think so unless they have bionic ears.

 

[Freddie]

You won't know until you try.

 

[Nancy]

"Can I still Sneak Up On Folks?"

Probably-

But you can also play a neat trick on people if your valve makes a ticking noise. Joe always had fun with his valves which would tick. I couldn't hear it in a crowded place, but people with keen hearing could, and they would ask others if they heard funny ticking noises, even asked Joe. He always told them he didn't know what they were talking about.

Got them kind of worried.

 

[Susan BAV]

In regard to noisy valves, I have read that mitral mechanical valve replacements tend to be louder than aortic mechanical valve replacements; and also that smaller valve replacements tend to be louder than larger valve replacements.

 

[ctyguy]

I have an On-X valve and while I can't hear it my wife can in a quiet room. I've also had a few people at work hear it when we are in closed quarters and the room is quiet. I can feel my heart clunking along at times which I assume is the valve because I never had that issue before. Its actually re-assuring, certainly not something troublesome.

 

[dtread]

There was one young nurse who could hear my On-X from about two feet away. That was a day or two after surgery. She was the only person to have ever said they could hear it without a stethescope. The first time I heard it was after I got out of the hospital, and that was just a real faint ticking. It got quieter over time because I could only hear it if was real quiet, and only for a couple of months after surgery. I cannot hear it at all any more. So, at least based on my experience, you should be able to sneak up on folks.

 

[njean]

You can probably sneak up on people but not on animals!

My husband is an avid hunter & one time (the last & only time!) he took me hunting w/him. I was suppose to be his lookout! Yeah, right!!!

We sat & sat for hours & nothing ever came within sight range & the only thing we could figure was because of the ticking of my valves!
Needless to say, I was happy because I didn't want any animal to come within shooting range anyway!

He never took me hunting anymore!!!

 

[R&N Brown]

What? No Delta Force!

Other then you folks I have yet to speak or stand beside (that I know of) someone that has a mechanical replacement valve.
One of the guy?s on the football board I serve on tells me he can hear his Uncles ticking away when he falls asleep in the chair with his mouth wide open. One of those things I do myself on occasion!
I?d hate to wake up some day finding that my kids are using me as a sideshow! Not that I am all that concerned about it so long as they get a fair trade for the performance!

Rob

 

[SHEEPDOG]

I Sneak Too!!!

I Sneak Too!!!

I hope I can still sneak up on the Crack Heads when I get back to work.I too am having ON-X on 07-09 and I love to catch people smoking whatever recreational pharmaceutical they happen to have an affinity for.I have found they are too into their drug to notice me riding up on a bicycle, so I think i'll be safe.

 

[Joe Cool]

My daughter has very good ears and can hear me ticking if the room is fairly quiet from a few feet away. She will say, "stop ticking"! I tell her that that is not a real good idea! I can hear it when it is perfectly quiet and actually find it comforting, sort of like a wind chime

 

[Bina]

My St.Jude is noticeable if I am standing in front of a glass window or door.

 

[Faye]

My On-X ticks and several folks have heard it. They often look at my wrist as if looking for a watch...I just smile - unless I feel like telling them what it is.

My hubby hears the ticking at night and tells me it is a comforting sign. When I travel for work, my hubby says he can't sleep - my ticking is better than counting sheep!!

One of the best things about my new "ticker" is that my grandbabies love to cuddle to me. No matter how upset they are, they instantly snuggle in and quiet down! It is soooooooooo sweet!

 

[sue943]

I don't have On-X, I have a couple of ATS and a few days ago I was unwell and saw a different GP to my normal one as it was out of hours. He listened and was somewhat surprised when I said my valves were mechanical, he said they sounded like tissue to him, much quieter than any mechanical ones he had heard before. He commented on the sound to the cardiologist he telephoned for advice.

So I could sneak up on people in a quiet room I guess.

 

[Bridgette]

I have an On-x (mitral) and the only one who has heard it, besides me, is my partner.
He comments that it is loud and irritating ...but I tell him that it's better than not hearing it at all - he'd be worried then

Bridgette

 

[MNmom]

great question!

great question!

I think you could if there were other noises in the room. It depends on the room, too. I can always here mine in the bathroom (tile floor- bare walls) and at night before bed. During the rest of the day it fades out. My kids can here it when they snuggle with me and read books, but I think I could still hide in a game of hide and seek! Sometimes I think it is really loud, like during an intense part of a movie- but since the movie is on no one else can hear it Kinda funny.

 

[Elcarim]

I went on holiday with a friend last year and one night we were sitting looking at photos on her laptop. The room was very quiet and she said 'I can hear your watch ticking'. I replied, 'mate, that's not my watch, that's my valve'.

Then today I put my ear to an egg that is due to hatch to listen for the chick tapping. I thought I could hear something, but after a few moments I realised it was in fact my valve

 

[TammyM]

One of the favorite games of the kids at church during lock-ins is called Underground Church. It is similar to hide and seek except it is done in pitch dark with one person hiding and everyone seeking. If you find the person who is hiding, you "join the church" and hide with them until there is only one person left seeking.
At the last lock-in, I had to quit playing, because I kept giving away the hiding place with my ticking!
I have a St. Jude Mechanical and tick loud and proud.

 

[catwoman]

I'm so surprised that none of you got the Stealth Option (TM) with your shiny new valves.

It muffles the sound so that you can sneak up on your spouse/partner when he/she raids the refrigerator in the middle of the night, when playing hide-and-seek with your kids, etc.

It can be turned on and off.

Best not to turn it off when queing up to board an aircraft or other public transportation.

 

[Plumber1]

My valve is pretty noisy but never bothers me. I have actually echo-located a door in an unlit hall way at night. I call it my new super power. Two young neighbor girls asked me just yesterday why I had this noise and I told them it was my hearts way of saying I love you to family and friends.

Mark