Mechanical valve ticking

[SatoriFound]

I love my 25mm St. Jude Masters HP so far! (4 1/2 weeks post AVR) Third AVR.

The cardiologist told me he thought I should get a tissue valve. It absolutely blew me away. He said tissue valves are better for those with BAV.

 

[ChuckM]

Hello everyone I am 41 and 6 months post surgery. I opted for the mechanical valve for the durability but sometimes I struggle at night with the ticking sound I hear. Does anyone have any advice on what you do to drown it out a bit? So glad I found this page.

I'm late to the game, but have weighed in before, so just to reinforce what's said. I'd previously said that I actually take comfort in hearing it, because I know my rhythm is fine. Only real scare I had post surgery was some palpitations in the middle of the night, which I'd have likely not known about had I not heard it.

Toss around in bed a bit and eventually you'll find your sweet spot where you don't hear it. Mine is flat on my back with my arms to my side, its almost completely silent. Otherwise, I find that unless I think about it, I don't even pay attention to it. I do have a sound machine at my bedside though, in case it pops into my mind and I start to worry about hearing it. Sound machine knocks it out.

Also, I have the chest thumps, but that seems to be hit or miss as some people have it and others dont. I only feel it in when I sit a certain way or take really deep breath. More worried about "breaking" something than I am it hurting. It doesn't.

 

[pellicle]

Also, I have the chest thumps, but that seems to be hit or miss as some people have it and others dont

Only if the above is "irregular" it might just be worth getting an ECG done to test for intermittent arrhythmias ...

Best Wishes

 

[Chuck C]

The cardiologist told me he thought I should get a tissue valve. It absolutely blew me away. He said tissue valves are better for those with BAV

This is the same cardiologist who was of the opinion that your condition of being severe AS, with symptoms, was not urgent and could wait several months to see you, correct?

Please get a second opinion. Those with BAV are better going with tissue valve? I would recommend asking him for the medical literature on that. I can tell you that, almost certainly, it does not exist. Don't take my word for it, get a second opinion. If he can provide evidence in the medical literature that BAV patients do better when they get a tissue valve, vs mechanical, I will gladly stand corrected.

If he gave a darn, he would have seen you when your echo showed severe AS, along with the severe symptoms which you described. He blew it off and waited months to see you. Now he makes this claim that tissue is better for patients who have BAV? Think about it. When you get surgery, they cut out your BAV valve. I can see no reason why being BAV would tilt the scales for a person to get a tissue valve or mechanical valve. Age is the primary driver in every guideline in the world with respect to valve choice. As I noted above, if he can provide data to support this, I would be happy to be corrected. Again, please get a second opinion. Per some of your previous posts, you already have initiated getting that second opinion, so best of luck with that.

 

[SatoriFound]

This is the same cardiologist who was of the opinion that your condition of being severe AS, with symptoms, was not urgent and could wait several months to see you, correct?

Please get a second opinion. Those with BAV are better going with tissue valve? I would recommend asking him for the medical literature on that. I can tell you that, almost certainly, it does not exist. Don't take my word for it, get a second opinion. If he can provide evidence in the medical literature that BAV patients do better when they get a tissue valve, vs mechanical, I will gladly stand corrected.

If he gave a darn, he would have seen you when your echo showed severe AS, along with the severe symptoms which you described. He blew it off and waited months to see you. Now he makes this claim that tissue is better for patients who have BAV? Think about it. When you get surgery, they cut out your BAV valve. I can see no reason why being BAV would tilt the scales for a person to get a tissue valve or mechanical valve. Age is the primary driver in every guideline in the world with respect to valve choice. As I noted above, if he can provide data to support this, I would be happy to be corrected. Again, please get a second opinion. Per some of your previous posts, you already have initiated getting that second opinion, so best of luck with that.

Yes, the same doctor. Apparently He didn't realize that I had to wait two months for this appointment. He said the office has had some of the sickest people in the past month, that it has been crazy there and that if it had actually been emergent he would have sent me to the hospital as soon as he got the results, blah blah. He said that the conversation warranted more than a phone call or a quick video visit and that is why it took so long. Whatever. I am moving forward now and am setting up two appointments, one with the surgeon he referred me to, as he has a very good reputation and practices at one of the heart centers I already chose, and one at the other heart center.

As soon as I got home I searched for material from research specifically related to tissue vs. mechanical for BAV patients and I found none.

 

[3mm]

when I lay on my right side to go to sleep the ticking is really loud. When I lay on my left side I hardly hear it.

I occasionally hear the opposite. Sometimes when I lay on my left side I hear my On-X mechanical aortic valve; if I roll to my right side, then the valve is almost silent. I have premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) about 20% of the time on average which may lead to the noisy valve on nights when the PVS are particularly prevalent.

 

[tom in MO]

My initial ticking went away with time. I don't hear it anymore. I found that rote prayer helped my mind ignore the noise (also helps to relieve anxiety) and I fell asleep within 5-10 min. If you don't pray, you may want to try meditation or guided imagery meditation.

 

[Protimenow]

My St. Jude is 33 years old (that is, unless I got a 'pre-owned' valve). The ticking was loud for the first 10 or so years. It didn't take too long to get used to it.
At first, I had some problems:
I couldn't play 'hide and seek' with my daughter - even if I stood on the other side of a door, she would hear me 'hi dad.'
When I got a cheap, Ingersoll Mickey Mouse watch, my wife thought I was having tachycardia because she heard the 6 times a second ticking. She appreciated my click - it told her that I was still alive.

There was an advantage:

I went to a trade show, sat in the second row of a press conference, and one of the people in the front row was obviously annoyed by the clicking. He turned around, looking in my direction a few times, seeming more annoyed each time he turned back. I opened my mouth and pointed at him - as if this would transmit even louder towards him. After a few minutes of his increasing annoyance, he finally asked 'who's got the loud watch?'
This was my chance: 'It's my heart you're hearing.' It was enjoyable watching him shrink into his chair.

I don't hear the valve unless I want to - if I pay attention to it, I can hear the click conduct through my bones and into my ears. Otherwise, I really don't hear it.
Laying on my side doesn't normally transmit any of the sound to me.

After a while, you may not really be troubled by - or even hear - your prosthetic valve.