Mechanical Valve Noise

[fwillson]

The first coherent question I asked my surgeon after my Aortic Valve Replacement was: "Am I going to hear this clicking forever?"

His response was: "...YOU BETTER HOPE SO!"

What has gone from a funny story at parties is now a genuine issue that still keeps me up at night, six years after my surgery.

Does anyone else have this problem?

I've heard all of the suggestions about "white noise" but, unfortunately, that keeps my wife up as well (and when Momma ain't happy....)

New to the board and thought I'd ask what others do to deal with this problem.

 

[wes]

ticking

ticking

have you tried putting a bunch of different clocks in your room? that way, there would be a symphony of clicking noises throughout the room, and you'd never be able to tell which one was your heart! i'm not sure how that would do for your actual sleeping, though.

I think the truth is, some of us are very light sleepers and wake up at the faintest sound. If you are one of these people, then I'm not sure what advice to give you, other than sleeping pills.

I'm sure others with the ticking sound will be able to give better advice, but I just wanted to say, "Hang in there" and don't give up trying different things until you find a solution. Good luck!

 

[geebee]

Welcome to our home.

I can't help with the valve noise thing. I do not hear mine or I have gotten used to it since I have been ticking for 27 years.

My significant other can hear it tho but he says it is not an issue.

 

[Bina]

When I came home from hospital, we had several ticking clocks around the house.....that almost drove me right out of my mind. I made hubby go around the house yanking all the batteries out of them.
Now it is not an issue.

 

[Freddie]

Okay, so I really don't have an answer, only a few suggestions.

1) Wear a heavy night shirt to muffle the ticking
2) Some heavy weight blankets
3) Hugging a pillow
4) Use ear plugs
5) Use all the above

I don't have this problem (I've only heard my valve twice in early post-op), but I DO wish luck on combating this problem

 

[MrP]

None of the suggestions in the reply above will work....a noise maker may help mitigate the issue.

 

[fwillson]

Thanks for the input guys and the welcome.

The problem I have is the noise travels up through my jaw and into my left ear. It's much more internal than external.

What I found with the noise machines is that it simply added to the noise.

99.9% of the time I don't even notice it. But when I thinking about it (like right now) or at night, I hear it. If I wake up in the middle of the night it sounds like a clock taped to my right ear. 2 weeks ago I woke up at 2:00am and was up the rest of the night.

I've felt great since my surgery and it's given me a new life, but the ticking is MADDENING!!!!

I don't know who started this board (I just stumbeled upon it) but it is very cool!

 

[hensylee]

welcome to VR.

I bet before long you will have some advice from a bunch of members. I don't have a clicker, so can't help, but most members do and I am sure there are quite a number who have sensitive hearing or loud valves who will give some good information.

Thank you for bringing up this question as it is one that needs new discussion from time to time.

Blessins..........

 

[Cooker]

Same as Gina (not in years ). I don't hear it or am just use to it. Sorry you are having this problem.

Welcome to the zoo.

 

[Ross]

Mine really annoyed when after surgery, but I don't notice a thing now unless I'm in a totally quiet environment. If the suggestions above don't or can't help, I'm at loss for ideas to offer. I use a 20* box fan when sleeping.

 

[geebee]

I don't know how crazy an idea this is but have you considered seeing an ENT doctor? Although I realize this is not ear related, there are devices that exist to help with tinnitus (sp?) which is sound/ringing in the ears. Not sure how these devices work (something to do with masking sound) or whether they would in your case but, since this is affecting your sleep (and thus your overall health eventually), it might be worth looking into.

 

[plexxer]

After 6 years, I don't know if any device is going to work well enough to keep it out of your mind when you sleep. I don't know if you buy into this, but perhaps a hypnotist? Maybe you can be convinced to ignore the sound... I must admit I don't know anything about them or their success rates, but if I was running out of ideas after 6 years, I'd sure be willing to give them a try

 

[NewValveNY]

Ticking

Ticking

Dear FWillson,

I have my mechanical valve since Jan '07. The first time I heard the "tink tink" noise was my first night home and I was looking all over my bed and nightstand for a watch. I then realized that the sound was coming from inside me and I knew I had to learn to sleep. It took a few weeks to be able go back to sleep if I woke up in the middle of the night. I noticed that the sound changes volume and softness when I changed position. There are times I "feel" it and hear it in my lower neck as well.
As time has progressed, I do not notice the ticking as much.( or it bothers me less) It is there, but I only hear it when I am tired or when I am in bed just about to fall asleep. Instead of geting upset and sad about having a constant" tink tink", I think that the noise means my valve is working, my heart is getting stronger by the month, and I marvel at the fact that a mechanical valve allows my heart to pump normally.
Good luck with your recovery and try to remember that the clicking is a "good noise" .. a noise that may give you comfort that your heart is happily pumping as it should.

 

[Harpoon]

The tell-tale heart...

The tell-tale heart...

Talk to your cardiologist and/or heart surgeon or your regular doctor. There might be another issue beyond just the ticking keeping you up at night and that possibility should be ruled out.

I've always found my ticking a comfort. it's there, it's constant, it speeds up and slows down with my mood. If it wasn't there, I'd be dead.

Since the first few days after I became aware of the ticking from my chest, in my ears, all around me, I recognized that it was a sound of life, a sign that I had survived what was one of the most horrific periods of my life. I had a rough time with my tricuspid valve replacement and subsequent recovery and the ticking was a sort of validation that I would live to tell the tale...

That was four years ago and I still hear it. The only time it ever bothers me is when I'm trying to take someone else's blood pressure (I'm an EMT, among other things.)

Talk to your docs, maybe a sleep study is in order, if only to rule out other possible causes to your sleep deprivation...

 

[Lisa in Katy]

I'm guessing that you're thin? I know that I've heard that thinner people have more of a problem with the noise because the bones are closer to the surface and bones conduct the sound. After 6 years, I don't know that there's any advice, except maybe the hypnotist. I hear mine sometimes, but it doesn't bother me, so it's probably a mind over matter thing, in which case the hypnotist might work??? If you are thin, you could try putting on some muscle or fat mass in your chest to act as insulation!!!

 

[maestrorn]

None of the suggestions in the reply above will work....a noise maker may help mitigate the issue.

This is not true. It all depends on your sleeping ability as well as the physical conformation of your body. I have a St Jude's valve that is very loud. But I am also 6' tall and very skinny. So I have a thinner chest wall. Those who have a thicker chest wall naturally won't have as loud of a ticking as the bone and muscle absorb the sound. You will get use to some degree of the ticking but for added sleeping ability, use some of the methods on this board. I use ear plugs, which help great since I am a light sleeper. Sleeping pills are ok but are only meant to be used occasionally as an aid.

Bottom line, try a few things and see what works for you.

 

[halleyg]

I can hear my valve at different times (listening to it right now) but mostly it bothers me when I am trying to get to sleep. One thing I have noticed is that it quiets considerably or muffles completely when I breathe with my mouth closed. It's amazing what a difference it makes, I guess my esophagus makes for some really good acoustics. I know you said you heard it more internally, but just thought I'd offer that to try it out if you are a mouth breather. Some days my ticking can be an annoyance, others not so much. Some nights I wake up and can't hear it at all; I actually worry for a second but realize I'm still breathing! Anyhow, good luck, you got some good advice here as I've read in the previous posts.

 

[Bina]

Maybe? the AVR mechanicals are more noisey than the MVR, since there is more pressure on the aortic. If I am on my side with my ear on the pillow, then I can hear a slight "twang" in the beating, on my back its fine.

 

[Sherry]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I'm ten and a half years out and hear mine all the time. I'm very thin, and I suppose that exacerbates the problem. To be honest, it only bothered me a bit immediately after the surgery, but I've just learned to deal with it over the years. Someone earlier mentioned mind over matter, and I would have to agree. Good luck to you.

 

[aussigal]

I also hear mine quite alot (my Cardio reckons I also have one of those thin chest walls)...Somehow I convinced/taught myself to listen to the ticking at night in order to get to sleep (instead of counting sheep!)...I found that concentrating on the sound of the valve itself very useful and I now change position if I cant hear it clearly enough .

good luck and welcome to the family.