new aortic valve loomin.....choices

[rib305]

Hey people,

for what its worth, and to any people with the choice to make.. my homograph valve is now on its way out after nearly 25 years of good solid work, from the age of 15-40 years...which from the info i have found to date seems as good as it gets tissue wise.... so there are some choices to make next... after years of following threads on here and my own research my doc preference is mechanical this time...so originally i liked the ats -the open pivots just make sense, however more and more its all seams on-x ....so troops i could do with some feedback from on-xers and ats-ers and even st-juders.... how do you find the noise..."isnt that always the first question"... and in general do you feel any restrictions when exercising.... ive been on warfrin before for a year for af so got the idea with this.... however all and any info on you mech valvers is all greatly welcome..... LLAP People

 

[Duffey]

A member from England just posted this reply in another thread. It addresses your question about valve noise.
http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/showthread.php?36267-Mechanical-Valve-Question&p=471392#post471392

 

[ALCapshaw2]

There seems to be a LOT of variability in Valve Noise, depending on body accoustics and how hard your heart is accustomed to beating to deal with your defective valve.

Member "dtread" is an active cyclist who spends a lot of time training / conditioning his body after receiving his On-X valve. Check out his posts / member profile.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[hook]

I am a St Jude mitral valve, and I can certainly hear it. After a while it is no big deal. If the on-x offers better hemodynamics, needing less anti coagulation, I would ask your surgeon if he is comfortable with that one.

 

[scott.eitman]

I just replaced my Homograft after 12 years with an On-x valve. That was 7 weeks ago. I know that over time it will be quieter and most of the time it is pretty quiet. Currently, as my heart adjusts, it can be pretty noisy at times. Right now, I I type it is as quiet as can be.

I suggest, if it is at all possible, you get real close to a person with a mechanical valve and ask to hear it. I had no idea what to expect as I had never heard one before.

Good luck.

 

[neil]

just wanted to say good luck with what ever you pick

 

[Philip B]

Choices

Choices

As others have noted, experiences vary.

Valve noise isn't really a problem for me. I've never had any issues with restrictions or limitations when it comes to activities or exercise. My cardiologist actually put me in a cardiac rehab program at two weeks post-op to slow me down.

As I've stated in other posts, I would've preferred an On-X rather than my St. Jude Regent because the On-X seems to do less damage to red blood cells. I opted for the St. Jude to save me a few minutes while I was on the heart/lung machine.

-Philip

 

[dtread]

I had concerns initially when exercising with the mechanical valve. Was it going to keep up? Was it going to fail if I pushed it too hard and would I be laying on the bike path dead?

I've worn a heart rate monitor for years while exercising so I can track my workouts. What I did post-op was gradually push it a little harder each week, over a period of several months. It took close to a year, but eventually I was able to complete workouts that were comparable to pre-op workouts. Without all the chest pain that I had before surgery. I've had the heart rate up into the 170's many times on hills, which is not bad for my age (61). The On-X has never faltered. Not once. I consider it to be comparable in quality of functionality to the valve that you were born with (a good one, not a bicuspid one).

I just did 18 miles on the bike tonight. It was a beautiful night, and the ride was therapy for the soul. Great stress reliever, and great for the cardiovascular system. Everybody needs exercise. Nobody is exempt. Not the Pope. Not the President. Nobody.

The "noise" of the valve is a non-issue. I can hear a light tapping noise once in a while in a quiet room. Doesn't bother me at all. I have to concentrate if I want to hear it, but its so faint its pretty hard to hear.

Hope this helps.

Good luck whatever you choose.

 

[Protimenow]

I have a St. Jude, circa 1991. The tick seems to have softened over the years - I won't even begin to wonder why. When it was louder, it was almost fun to sit behind a group of people and see if any are annoyed by the ticking. I seemed to be able to AIM the tick at this person and one guy looked behind him, rather annoyed, and asked 'who's wearing the cheap watch?' I answered that it's my heart, and watched this guy slink down in his seat.

If you're a detective and do a lot of undercover work, it may be hard to hide if your heart is ticking, but beyond that, the ticking really stops bothering you unless you start to think about it. My wife finds the tick to be reassuring to her - she knows my heart's still beating.

 

[hook]

Another cool thing is you can simply look at your watch and calculate your heart rate. After a while you will be able to simply listen to the click rate and know your heart rate when exercising. It also let you know when you are in a good sinus rythm.

The thought of it being in there has become no big deal. Your mind will adjust to it if you let it.

 

[Protimenow]

I once got an old, cheap, mechanical Mickey Mouse watch. I had it on my wrist - and my wife heard its ticking, six times a second, and was afraid I was having tachycardia. I stopped using THAT watch PDQ.

 

[Gail in Ca]

I've had 2 aortic mechanicals now. This latest one is the loudest, as it is the largest, too. The only person who seems to be able to hear it during the day and from a few feet away is my cardiologist. He also says my heart beats really strong. I am on the thin side, and the clicking at night took me a long time to get used to. I used to feel like my fellow musicians would hear it while I played in the orchestra during concerts, the really soft passages. But, my clarinetist buddy who sits next to me has never heard it. Sometimes it feels like it beats in my throat.
It all just takes many months of adjustment. Mine is a Carbomedics valve, 25mm. Now that my heart has decided to beat irregularly, it is very annoying at night, hearing the clicking so irregular. But, I am getting used to that, too. Now that my docs have said not to worry about it, off to sleep I go. I exercise no problem with this valve. My heart feels good.

 

[Bob in Colorado]

Scott, we had almost the same experience at CC, including a reoperation with Dr. Pettersson and an ON-X. To the original poster. I have an On-X and a dacron aorta. Initially my clicking was pronounced, but not really a problem. After a year now the clicking is quieter as my heart has remodeled and gotten smaller with less forceful beats. All is good.

 

[malibu82]

I have a St. Jude, circa 1991. The tick seems to have softened over the years - I won't even begin to wonder why. When it was louder, it was almost fun to sit behind a group of people and see if any are annoyed by the ticking. I seemed to be able to AIM the tick at this person and one guy looked behind him, rather annoyed, and asked 'who's wearing the cheap watch?' I answered that it's my heart, and watched this guy slink down in his seat.

If you're a detective and do a lot of undercover work, it may be hard to hide if your heart is ticking, but beyond that, the ticking really stops bothering you unless you start to think about it. My wife finds the tick to be reassuring to her - she knows my heart's still beating.

hahahaha! that's funny!

 

[malibu82]

the noise thing is interesting. i received a tissue valve in may and my heartbeat is so LOUD that I sometimes wonder if it's the same volume as a mechanical valve would be. recently i have had to get hearing tests for another issue and my heartbeat is so loud that sometimes i can't hear the "beep" in the hearing test because of it!

 

[OldManEmu]

Malibu can others actually heart your heart beat??
I was aware of my heart beat presurgery and could "hear" it, however no one else could so it was more likely my ears sensing the blood pressure changes with each heart beat.
I was also very aware of a pounding heart beat at times in the first few months post surgery until my heart got used to operating at lower pressures and remodelled.