mechanical valve noise

[Boomanchu]

Has anyone with a mechanical valve noticed that sometimes you can't hear it no matter what and other times people nearby can hear it. I went with a St Jude's being a couple weeks shy of 55.......was hoping it will take me through till I check out. It doesn't seem like it should differ. Sometimes it keeps me awake but its handy to take my pulse with only a stop watch.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

I have a mechanical valve, I hear it when its quiet and when I'm still (like working at my desk or going to bed). Others can notice it if its quiet enough but normally nobody does.

If I focus on it I can "feel it" even when I can't hear it.

But when I'm working (say mowing, reno, carrying stuff) I am not aware of it, and when I cycle or go jogging or skiing I don't notice it either.

I suppose I could focus on it and get my self worried about it, but to be honest I've got other things I need to do ... so 90% of the time I'm unaware of it.

 

[tom in MO]

For me the sound comes and goes, mostly its either not there or out of mind. Other than me, pretty much only young people can hear mine, and then only in quiet small rooms.

 

[Boomanchu]

I've been going to physical therapy for a back injury that happened before I got the endocarditis that left me with my valve job. Today the therapist kept thinking that she could hear a clicking sound..........I just grinned. I guess some parts of this aren't all bad.

 

[Boomanchu]

I went home on day 7 and was back in the hospital 5 days later with afib/sinus flutter......heart was topping out near 200 per minute and it sucked. I was home alone all day and didn't want to call anyone but the clicking was REALLY loud at that pulse. Four days in the hospital and they got me to convert. Have to take Amioderone now and it makes me dizzy which makes driving to work kinda suck. Never forget the sound of 187 beat per minute clicking away.

 

[RobThatsMe]

Mine also seems to be louder at time, I have fun with it, especially when getting onto a crowed elevator.
If you open your mouth a little it acts like a mini-speaker, and the sound resonates even louder.
Just stand in the back of the elevator and watch the look on peoples faces.

 

[Boomanchu]

Oh yeah.......opening your mouth really makes it easier to hear. My girlfriend says it helps her fall asleep. like a metronome just letting her know I'm still ticking. Its pretty convenient taking your pulse without feeling for a pulse.

 

[MrsBray]

I get so mad when I can't hear ticktock but my doctor can! The first post-op visit to my gp went like this:
Doc: "Hello MrsBray, it's great to see you. Wow, your valve is loud!"

Me: "Um...I actually can't hear it right now..."

My nephews thought it was pretty cool. My father is creeped out by it. It's just part of my life now. Sometimes it really REALLY gets on my nerves, sometimes it's reassuring, sometimes it's just...there. Kinda like my husband

 

[Peter Jay]

I love the sound of my St. Jude's valve! I have had complications with arythymia and have a defibrillator as well. I feel reassured when I hear it on rythym, I call it chopping wood. I am also a high school teacher and my valve actually serves a dual purpose as a true test of who has ADD. An interesting component of ADD is that those who are truly afflicted are highly attenuated to sound. The most ADD kids get distracted by my valve if it is quiet and I am near them while they are taking a test.

 

[honeybunny]

Oooh! Not sure I want to deal with ticking! I was recently diagnosed as needed AVR within a year and will meet with a surgeon on August 3rd. After reading up on the valve types I had decided on a mechanical valve because it would last longer and I don't want to go through this again. After reading about ticking on another thread I found this one and am not sure I could handle hearing a noise. I hate when my head is positioned in such a way that I can hear my pulse, and I have never liked listing to a heartbeat, not my own or a loved one's. Now I'm concerned that the mechanical valve would creep me out and/or make me anxious if I couldn't hear it.

Can anyone better describe it?

 

[pellicle]

To be honest the "ticking" is inaudible to me but I can more prominently feel my heart beat. I normally am unaware of it, and when working (labouring around my house, fixing things, cleaning) I'm usually unaware of it. I suppose that if I fixedly focused on it that it would bother me. But that is a choice and I choose to be as happy with my life as I can.

To me its a small side effect ... it has the benefit that when I pause training (like jogging or XC Skiing) I can get a great reading of my heart rate.

small price to pay to avoid the onset of stenosis again (that's already happened to me twice now).

Best Wishes

(PS: oops, I see this is a revived old thread, well my opinion still reflects what I currently feel sorry for the restate)

 

[Agian]

I hear the ATS (?) is particularly quiet.

 

[Paleowoman]

I can't tell you what it sounds like as I chose a tissue valve, but one of the two reasons I didn't want a mechanical valve was due to the ticking noise. I have exceptionally good hearing, I hear my heart a lot of the time and I'd hate it to be louder in any way. Presumably some of the noise may depends on your individual anatomy ? I have a thin chest wall which obviously would make it easier to hear the ticking. I'm also not the sort of person who would feel reassured to hear that, I mean I don't like hearing my heart beat, never have. I think it's a very individual thing though. A lot can depend on your age too what sort of valve you have - I was 60 when I had my BAV replaced. I'm not so worried about a "re-do" now I've had my AVR as I feel that now I am in a better position to know what to expect and what problems might occur and what to do about them. Obviously it would have been better not to have been born with a BAV so we wouldn't have to go though this surgery or make these choices ! But that's what we've been dealt !

 

[honeybunny]

Thanks Pellicle and Paleogirl. Good feedback.

 

[Heart Of The Sunrise]

Immediately after surgery I was more aware of the sound. Now, occasionally very late night if I wake-up I may hear It. But for the most part I do not. Admittedly it was a concern pre-surgery once I decided that a mechanical valve was the right choice for me.

 

[MrsBray]

I haven't thought about my valve ticking all day long! When I can hear it (less than half the time? I don't know, I don't keep track), it sounds like a watch ticking. Seriously, I just had to get up and leave the room with a ceiling fan and two computers running and go stand in front of a glass door to hear it. No kids, no pets, no AC running. I was super-anxious about hearing it ALL.THE.TIME. because once I hear something, I can't unhear it. And I'll fixate on it. And start counting. DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU START COUNTING HEARTBEATS? Sadly, nothing. I usually get bored about 45 or 46 and find something else to do.

Sometimes I tick really loud in the car or at my work desk. I can't hear it when I'm watching TV, or eating lunch with friends, or dinner at home, or taking a shower, or swimming, or kayaking, or riding rollercoasters. Pretty much I can hear it in a bathroom without an exhaust fan, if I'm sitting up extra straight in my car, and if I'm standing directly in front of a window or wall that can reflect the sound back to me.

I was also worried about the anti-coagulation therapy - aka warfarin, coumidin, blood-thinners. whatEVER. I just eat like I've always eaten and the nurse adjusts my dose if needed. If I have a hankering for a cocktail or two (makes blood "thinner") than I also have a spinach salad or an extra serving of broccoli (makes blood "thicker"). I'm not going to bleed to death due to warfarin!

What else?

 

[W. Carter]

I have noticed that doctors (not cardiologists) love to listen to the clicking, even calling other doctors over to take a listen. I don't hardly ever notice it anymore. I do still feel the thumping time to time, its not bad tho.

 

[rge177]

I can hear my valve (ON-X) ticking when I'm in a very quiet room. It does seem younger people hear it more than others also. The ticking doesn't bother me at all, and is a handy way to get my pulse.

 

[Heart Of The Sunrise]

Immediately after surgery I would hear my ON-X valve. This was usually late at night when it was very quiet. Now I very rarely am aware of it.

 

[cldlhd]

I realize this isn't exactly the same as I had my valve repaired not replaced but right after surgery I heard it a lot more then before but now 7 months later it's pretty much as quiet as before. I do notice it when I'm exercising or exerting myself and it does sound and feel different then before. During my one month follow up my surgeon ( Dr Bavaria, same as you if I remember correctly heart of the sunrise? ) listened to it and said "now that's good spaghetti sauce " so I guess it sounds different in a good way.