Mechanical Valve Noise

[netmiff]

newbie here

newbie here

in more ways than one ! AVR almost 2 months ago, my first thought on getting moved to the floor from ICU was that somehow it must be the BED that was ticking, not me lol I can still hear it, but t does not bother me much any more - am aware of it, mostly in my right ear area, when things are real quiet. DH can hear/feel it, even if just put my left hand on his shoulder or chest - I think that must be really wierd

I forgot about all the stuff the rest of you put at the bottom, gues you do it as a signature, I will get to it soon.


Jeanette

 

[Magic8Ball]

Not sure if this will help but.....

I find that it is quieter on a harder matress.
I find it quieter when i lie on my right side rather than my left.
I find it quieter when i hug a pillow.
i find it quieter under a heavy duvet/sheets.
I find it quieter when my mouth is shut .

It was a problem for the first few weeks postop and i spent those weeks sending myself to sleep listening to music and waking up early but that suddenly stopped and i think it was due to a change in beta blocker drugs at the time and my body cleansing out the anesthetic.

I have a 35mm St Jude Aortic and its loud when the environment is quiet....i hear it in doctors waiting rooms, the bedroom etc....i have had on 3 occasions someone say "thats a noisy watch".

I'm also 6ft4ins and 120kg (19st) so the small chest/thin person thing isn't the reason for my loud valve.

As i type i can feel/hear the ticking of the valve in the back of my neck.

It doesn't bother me either, i've gotten used to it and my wife finds it quite comforting as it reminds her of the old grandfather clock her nanna used to have in her lounge when she was a child.

Best of luck.

 

[just1gary]

I can easily sympathize with you, I had my St. Jude only 15 months ago but I usually only hear it from time to time when I'm having trouble trying to sleep. Like you my ticking sound is from an internal direction. Sometimes if I change positions the sound changes or goes away, but sometime it doesn't. I just chalk it up as being an stress indicator because I notice that when I'm bothered about something I start hearing that tick-tick-tick.

If this is a consistent sleeping issue I would maybe try an treat this as a sleeping disorder, like grinding your teeth at night.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

I have two clickers - my advice would be to embrace the clicking. I always tell people who are noticing it for the first time to tell if they *stop* hearing it

 

[Gnusgal]

I've had my valve for 5.5 years and I hear mine all the time as well. And sometimes it does bother my sleep. The only solution I've come up with is to USE the ticking. I count them like sheep. That way I'm blocking all other thought from my mind (like "dang, that ticking is annoying!"). Sometimes I have to count VERY high (and eventually get up and get out of bed), but other times it works like a charm. Wish I had a better solution.

Good luck!

 

[KAJ]

I am also one of those that hear my valve most of the time. I asked cardio for a sleep aide but he refused. He stated most of them do not work. I now run a fan at night. That has helped to a degree. However, there are some nights when I wake up for various reasons and the valve noise keeps me awake. All I can do is live with it.

Karl

 

[donnamarie]

I wonder if an Ipod or MP3 player with soothing music might help? I don't hear my valve, so cant help there, but when I have trouble sleeping, I love listening to classic music (mine has nature sounds in the background). Puts me to sleep pretty quickly.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Interesting to know that there are others who sometimes count the ticks to help them sleep. Although I don't usually notice mine, if I focus, I can always hear it, so if I am having trouble sleeping, I use it. I also count stairsteps when I am walking up or down, count steps when I am walking (not always, but often when I am walking the dogs, walking for exercise, or just bored), count brushstrokes when I am drying my hair, etc. I always wrote this off to being slightly obsessive/compulsive when it comes to numbers. I am a Math teacher after all! Now I know that counting ticks is just a normal thing for valvies!

 

[temp69]

try bio feedback

try bio feedback

? just a thought. my on-x was totally quiet in the hospital, then i began to hear it. i have a fan going, and well, it's going to be a hell of alot easier for your wife to get used to the fan than you fighting the ticking.

that which you resist persists. so...tick away. if you let it, it will put you to sleep. good luck and think of yourself as a Rolex.