How Many Click?

[Jkm7]

Being in the process of deciding about valves in the event my surgeon is unable to repair my mitral valve, I hope you don't mind my asking........


Those who have mechanical valve replacements for Mitral, do you hear it click? Does it bother you a lot? A little? Did it take you long to get used to it?

I am leaning toward a pig valve because of my unease about clicking. I am just about old enough to think my surgeon might agree.

Thank you all for your patience with my endless posts.

 

[cherbam]

Jkm7,
I have two mechanical valves, so my clicking is a little louder than I would expect one to be. I didn't hear mine until a couple of months after the surgery. It takes a little getting used to but I don't hear it now unless it's extremely quiet. But after three years I don't focus on the clicking. I also have a bovine valve. I really didn't get a choice. They kind of just told me that being so young (39) mechanical was what I needed and did it. I have never felt better and luckily have had no issues with them. Good luck and I'm sure you will make the best choice.

 

[halleyg]

I have a mechanical mitral valve (carbomedics) and I do hear it tick, but it doesn't bother me. It did bother me a lot for a while right after surgery, especially while trying to fall asleep. It has quieted down quite a bit, though, plus I have just gotten used to it to where I don't really think about it even when it's quiet and I can hear it (I don't hear it a majority of the day). I am 39, so for me personally, a little bit of ticking is well worth not having to keep replacing a tissue valve.

 

[Freddie]

I too have a mechanical mitral valve (carbomedics), and I don't hear it tick or click 98.5% of the time. Only if I lean over the kitchen counter when its really quiet I can hear it or sometimes when I'm laying on my left side in bed.

BUT, its not loud! No worse than you trying to hear your wrist watch go tick tock when you bring it to your ear. HONEST

 

[Sherry]

I have had my St. Jude's for ten and a half years. Yes, I hear it every day, not every minute of the day, but definitely every day - when I'm in front of my mirror in the morning getting ready and when I'm lying down at night, but it doesn't bother me one bit. Honestly, I don't remember not hearing my heart beat since it's been so long since I've had this thing implanted. Once you're used to it, you can't imagine anything else.

 

[zipper2]

jkm7

jkm7

Hi to your question regarding clicking,im new to this sight but old to the clicking its like freddie stated a watch ticking,although i had a aortic valve relacement will be 16 years on march 24th i still do hear it tick but hardly notice it after so many years.I really need to pay attention to notice it had it so long , by the way my valves a carbomedics also........join the club Freddie i had my surgery in saskatoon in 1992.Does anyone recall being told how long these valves do last........lifetime? years? Glad to be able to join you all bye for now zipper2 signing out

 

[Lisa in Katy]

I also have a St. Jude's. I can sometimes hear mine if I stop and listen. I can also hear it when I'm sitting or standing near a pane of glass or a glass-topped table. Other times are in the bathtub when I'm reclined and in bed. I could usually hear my murmur, so this was just a different noise. It doesn't bother me and I sometimes use it to help me fall asleep (like counting sheep).

 

[Susan BAV]

Sorry--my personal experience doesn't fit your question--but I read that smaller mechanical valves can be noisier than larger ones and I have also read that mitral mechanical valves can be noisier than aortic valves.

 

[netmiff]

I click

I click

and am glad that I do, because it sure beats silence !

I'm only 5 months out, and clearly remember waking up in ICU and hearing an alarm clock ticking on a table out of my site. I was moved about 2 days later to the floor, and as I was falling asleep, was surprised to learn that they had moved that clock with me, until I realised it was ME that was doing the ticking. After a few weeks, I can only hear it at certan times, my surroundings have to be really quiet. Right now, I am alone in the house, only thing on is the computer, and I can't hear it.

If my DH gets close enough, sometimes even just touches my left shoulder/upper back, he can hear it click through his hand. But, he could hear/feel my murmur under similar circumstances. No-one else has said anything about being aware of it.

Personally, I would not base my decision on which valve to get solely on whether it will click or not; at age 52, I did not want the possibility of any more surgeries,and decided (with my surgeon's complete agreement) to go mechanical.

 

[PathFinder]

every clicking is a live

every clicking is a live

Clicking - yes, it does... Bothering - NO, it does not. Neither my friends. Another people think it is my "Swatch". My girlfriend sais, she can never hear it, if I don't tell her to. May be inter-noises of the valve are more hearable then the outer ones.

Ivo

 

[AgilityDog]

I've got a big 31mm St Jude's mitral valve. It ticked loudly when first implanted, but once we got my meds settled and lowered my bp I stopped noticing it. That was about 6 months out, and I think it had to do with the blood pressure, as much as getting the valve settled in. At first I thought I sounded like Cap'n Hook's crocodile. But now, it has to be very quiet, with lots of hard surfaces nearby, and/or a small room, and a somewhat elevated heart rate (80+, my resting rate is in the low 50s) before I hear it or feel it.
Now, my watch is louder. When discussing it with my surgeon, I didn't want to even think about replacement of a tissue valve! I'll take clicking and coumadin any day!

 

[Ross]

It just depends on your body accoustics. Some people can hear them no problem, others can't hear them at all unless encased in a totally silent room, then they hear a faint tick. I can only hear mine in a total silent situation or when a girlie gets me all excited.

 

[PathFinder]

To Ross

To Ross

The girls always make noise! That is their nature, one more or one less doesn't metter so much

 

[netmiff]

I thought I sounded like Cap'n Hook's crocodile.


ROFLMAO



I'll take clicking and coumadin any day!

As I said, it beats the alternative. If I didn't click, I probably wouldn't be here at all.

 

[Jkm7]

Thanks, everyone. Really helpful reading everyone's personal experience and comments. I most assuredly don't want to even think of a third OHS down the road but the sound of a ticking clock drives me crazy so it's a hard choice.

 

[Trish]

Not bad

Not bad

Cherbam visited me last night to give me moral support for my upcoming surgery on Monday. We had to go into a quiet room and I had to put my head right next to her chest to hear her clicks. She has two mechanicals and they beat together so she thinks they may be louder but they sure weren't at all bad enough to not choose them. I've heard louder watches on people and what about people who live with cuckoo clocks, or grandfather's clocks?

Lucy in Katy says she could hear her murmur. I've always been able to feel my heart pounding away so a click wouldn't bother me.
I just want to keep on beating anyway, anyhow.
Trish