How loud are the mechanical valves?

[Graveheart]

Hi,

I'm new here on cusp of needing AVR at age 40, and all indications are I should go mechanical. (Next to my fear of coumadin) I am concerned about the noise I and others will hear from a mechancial valve.

Any guidance on how/when I will hear this?

Thanks - and thanks for this forum.

 

[Dirk]

You can listen the sounds of the different valves:

http://www.carbomedics.com/patients_how_ticking.asp


There are some studies claiming the ATS valve as the most silent.
Other studies found out, that there is no major difference between the valves.

Greetings

Dirk

 

[JimL]

I rarely hear mine, except in enclosed places. But when I do here my valve, it is a very comforting sound: It's still ticking away. I do find it helpful to have a fan on at night for sleeping.

 

[ChuckVSP]

Tick, Tock

Tick, Tock

I swiped a saying from Lt. Commander Data of Star Trek TNG fame by referring to my tick-tock as my internal chronometer, or as I told a much younger co-worker one day that it was just my biological clock ticking. That shut him up , and taught him a lesson about harrassing me about being 20 yrs his senior (I had my first AVR just after he was born in 1982!)

The tick-tock tells me that my AVR and MVR are working OK. Any variation could be a bad thing! Does not keep me awake anymore, but they did when they were new five years ago... Had these two St Jude valves for 5 years and 2 weeks. I have a bit of a sensitivity to the coumadin, only takes 2 mg daily to keep me in my range of 2.5 to 3.5. But, it is still better than not taking it and having a stroke. Been there, done that.

I joke about the ticking noise with people, which I think helps keep me at a constant level of sanity (or insanity, ain't sure which).

Anyway, Good Luck with whatever you decide. I hope these mechanical valves will last me another 50 years or so.

 

[Mike C]

I think you will find that it depends not only by valve but also individual. I hear mine ticking like a watch, when in quiet rooms. My wife hears it frequently as well.

I have had it for 6 months and noone without knowledge of it has seemed to hear it or at least have not said, whats that sound.

It is most noticable at night, sleeping, I use a fan as well.

 

[Karlynn]

I rarely hear mine.

And for your fear of Coumadin - start reading our posts on the subject. It's a serious drug, but there is an incredible amount of disinformation out there about it - even in the medical community. It is a life-saving drug, not a life-changing drug.

We also have the great benefit of having a member that is a registered anti-coagulation specialist, runs his own clinic and travels widely speaking to medical groups on the subject. We highly recommend his site www.warfarinfo.com (warfarin is the generic name for Coumadin)

Welcome to our little family. We've "been there, done that".

 

[hpuehler]

I got a St. Jude mechanical valve on 1/4/2006 and I hear it ticking most of the time, when I'm not busy. I think when I go back to work and I have something to fill my time I won't hear it as much. When I lay down I hear it and when I get out of the shower it is the loudest?! It gets really loud at church when we have praise and worship (loud music and singing).

I was very overwhelmed with the ticking at first, caused alot of anxiety. I took Ambien to get to sleep and Xanax during the day. It is week 7 and I am getting use to it and it is not such a bother, but it is always there when I consciously think about it.

Others say that they don't hear them at all.

 

[Dennis S]

Ticking

Ticking

I had my AVR August 4th of this year and received a St. Judes mechanical Aorta valve replacement. I have better hearing than anyone I know. (When our border collie has been out exploring the mountain behind the house & is sprinting back for dinner, I can hear her jangling dog's tags 15 to 20 seconds before anyone else). I was very worried about the ticking sound. I have found that I normally don't notice it, and when I do, I find the sound re-assuring, and somehow soothing. I hope this helps.

 

[sue943]

I have two ATS valves and to be honest I scarcely ever hear them. Sitting here at the computer I can hear nothing. I have just been to a silent room and could only hear them when I bent my head down. I can hear them in bed, but not loudly.

When the surgeon asked me if I wanted tissue or mechanical I said that I supposed mechanical as I was 57 and wanted to avoid, if possible, further surgery at about 70. I told him that I cannot sleep in a room with a ticking clock or a person breathing (I live alone), perhaps that is why I have ATS.

Anyway, they do not disturb me at all and unless the room is very quiet, no one else can hear them, and if they can it will be because they are listening for them.

 

[lance]

Tick tick tick and warfarin

Tick tick tick and warfarin

Hello Braveheart

The tick tick of my mechanical has never bothered me at all--it's like a watch held close to your ear and I find it very soothing when I'm going to sleep.

Make sure you learn all you can about warfarin/Coumadin prior to implant. You will need the services of a reliable blood lab/anticoagulation clinic to keep you in range. A lot of primary care physicians are not as well informed as they should be about this drug.

You should familiarize yourself with home testing. There's lots,of info right here on this site.

Cheers

 

[twinmaker]

WELOME! For the first several months, you'll probably hear your valve ticking a lot. I think part of this is because you know you have it and may be listening for it. I had my mitral valve replaced back in 1981 with a St. Jude mechanical. I remember hearing it most at night while I was laying in bed asleep. I can't really remember hearing it much during the day....probably because we had a 5 year old daughter and 3 year old twin sons at the time of my surgery. After all these years, I don't hear it unless I listen for it or have done some strenuous exercise (like when I come off the tennis court)...I'm 53 now so tennis is pretty strenuous for me. I think you will come to view the ticking as comforting because you are assured it's still doing it's job. I've also been on Coumadin for 24 years and am still here to talk about it. It's not nearly as bad as you've probably been told. It is a drug to be respected but as Karlynn said, it's lifesaving. And home-testing makes things so much easier! We're glad you found this site and again, Welcome! LINDA

 

[PamO]

My husband can't hear his but I can, especially at night when it's quiet. It's very comforting to me hearing his St. Jude's ticking.

 

[tommy]

it was just my biological clock ticking

Great line! Can I use that myself?


I only hear my St Jude Mechanical when it is very quite.
Even then, with the slightest distraction, I don't hear it.
It's not an issue for me.

I have met a rare few people with such acute hearing that can hear my valve across a very quiet room.

I take my resting heart rate in the morning without moving a muscle.

Once had a nurse ask me about my loud my watch.
My watch was ticking at exactly my heart rate - 72 bpm.
Imagine that!

 

[Christina]

Graveheart...

I am on my second mechanical valve, the first one being a Sultzer Carbomedics. That one was really loud and would have been really something to get used to. But it so happened that something went wrong and they had to re-do the surgery. That time the surgeon decided to put in a smaller valve and implanted a St. Jude's. This one is a breeze compared to the Sultzer Carbomedics. I only hear it when I lay on my left side and when it is completely quiet in the bedroom.
Coumadin is not the monster it is made out to be. Just get educated about it and start monitering your own protimes as soon as possible. I believe people doing their own Protimes saves lives. I've been Protiming for over 5 years without any problems. (knock on wood)
Wishing you all the best.

 

[Blanche]

My husband got his St. Jude's in 1990. Except for the first week or so, I've heard nothing. He say that he never hears it. But, our cats have always loved it.
Blanche

 

[Graveheart]

WOW! Thanks for all the responses!

WOW! Thanks for all the responses!

I was shocked to see so many thoughtful answers from so many of you. It's comforting to know at this early stage for me that you are out there.

Now if I could only sleep at night...


Thanks again to all of you.

 

[Rich]

I've had my St. Jude for almost ten years.
I have never heard it to this day.
A lot of people have talked about the 'clicking and ticking'.
I must be like Blanche's husband.
It is interesting that it seems a lot of us, who had our valves replaced a number of years ago with a older model St. Jude don't seem to hear them.
On the other hand those replaced in more recent years do hear the clicking and ticking.
I often wonder about that.
Rich

 

[KAJ]

I hear my valve the majority of the time. Sometimes I even hear it while driving. After almost a year since my surgery, I am finally getting used to it. The bright side is that it is a constant reminder that I am very fortunate and thankful to be allowed to live another day . It would not have been possilbe without the new valve.

As you can see from the other posts, we are all different. There are no guarantees

As far as the coumadin, I also feared it. However, it is not at all the monster I thought it would be for me.

Karl

 

[Georgia]

I can only hear my valve when in a very quiet, resonant room (bathroom). I've known a couple of people with very acute hearing at that range who've heard the valve, otherwise it's really a non-issue for me.

If you're not sleeping and are very worried, I suggest you contact your doctor and request tranquilllizers and/or sleeping aids. Your heart doesn't need the additional stress of constant worry or depression. Many of us have used some chemical help prior to surgery: this news has been a huge shock to you and it's completely understandable that you need a bit of help to relax.

 

[geebee]

Been ticking since 1980 but rarely hear mine anymore. My St. Jude is much quieter than my old Bjork-Shiley so that helps, too. Usually other people hear my valve more than me but my SO doesn't hear it much anymore either.
Sound machines really help if you do hear it initially and it bothers your sleeping.
I have more than often found it a comforting sound rather than annoying. It reminds me that I made it.