Worried about ticking

[jennyr]

Hello. I'm new to this forum. Lots of really good info - thanks.

I had an AVR just under 4 years ago at Harefield hospital (UK) with Meditronics freestyle tissue valve. This is now leaking and I'm due for re-do surgery shortly, just waiting for the date. I'll have to have a mechanical valve this time and I'm getting more and more worried about the ticking these valves make and how much that's likely to interfere with my work - I'm a music teacher and horn player and hoping to train as a teacher of the Alexander technique starting next year. This involves working in a very quiet environment. How much of a problem will this be? Will people hear me ticking? Does it matter? It seems to me that everyone has a different experience but any advice would be gratefully received. Thanks.

 

[Emma]

Hi and welcome!

We're in the UK although I'm not sure how much use my advice will be as my 7 year old daughter has the mechanical valve. However she is quite small and her ticking is only noticable now if you are very close to her (she's on your lap), in water (swimming pool) or at night when she's sleeping. And that's without much... flesh?... covering her chest area so the sound is fairly quiet. No-one has ever said they can hear it at school and that has to be a very quiet environment at times when they're working. I don't know if it varies in adults or in different valves.

Chloe had her On-X valve at Southampton General in 2001.

Good luck with your replacement!!
Love Emma
xxx

 

[Cooker]

Hi Jenny and welcome to vr.com. I have a mechanical valve and I can say with the utmost confidence that it will NOT be a problem. I play guitar and it has never been an issue.

Glad you found us,

 

[cherbam]

Hey Jenny,
Welcome. I have two mechanical valves (Aortic and Mitral). I agree with Cooker it will be no problem. You may hear it a little at first but once you get used to it you won't hear it anymore unless you really concentrate

 

[Karlynn]

HI Jenny and welcome.

I'm a music director for a church and I can tell you that the ticking doesn't interfere with my work at all. I don't even hear it while working. The only time I can hear my valve softly ticking is if I'm in a quiet, small, tiled room, or at night - sometimes. I've never found it to be bothersome. I sing with a mic every week at church and it's never been heard.

Sometimes during rehearsal I'll hold the microphone up to my mouth, and if everything else is silent - everyone gets a big kick out of hearing a faint ticking through the sound system .

The ticking will be more noticable for you in the beginning stages of recovery. But as you heal, you will hear it less and less.

 

[ClickerTicker]

Jenny,
I'd think it unlikely that your ticking would be audible to an Alexander patient unless you were very close - my wife can only hear mine from a foot or so away, and then only when the ambient noise is very, very quiet.
Anyway, what does it matter if they do notice it - would make something of an interesting talking point.

 

[bvdr]

Jenny, I can only hear my St.Jude mitral valve if I'm in a small room with mostly hard surfaces. I can hear it in the bathtub and sometimes when I'm sleeping on my left side. It is not a problem for me whatsoever. My grandchildren have mentioned it a few times but it doesn't bother them at all. When I do hear it it is more of a reminder that I'm enjoying life that I wouldn't have had otherwise. I hope your surgery goes well and it will be the last one you ever need.

 

[WayneGM]

Welcome to the VR Community, Jenny. Glad you found us. I don't have a mechanical valve, so can't offer any insights, but I wanted to welcome you. Best wishes on your up-coming surgery.

 

[sue943]

Hello Jenny

I had my two ATS valves installed in a hospital in Surrey. Only once has anyone heard them without having their head on my chest and that was the Cardiac Rehab sister in a very quiet room a month after they were 'installed'. I only hear them myself when I am sitting on the loo!

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Welcome Jenny,

The "Latest and Greatest" in Mechanical Valve Technology are the relatively new (10 years old) valves made by On-X. Their 'claim to fame' is reduced potential for clot formation and less damage to blood cells. Clinical trials are underway to evaluate lower levels of anti-coagulation medication. Even without lower A-C levels, the convincing point to ME was the lower potential for clot formation.

The "Gold Standard" for Longevity is the STANDARD St. Jude Mechanical Valve with a 30 year track record. Personally, I would NOT consider their latest introduction, the St. Jude REGENT, for reasons I don't wish to post publicly. Note that I DO have a Standard St. Jude Aortic Valve but have chosen On-X as my first choice when I eventually will need a Mitral Valve replacement. The Standard St. Jude is my second choice.

For information on the On-X valves, see www.onxvalves.com or contact Catheran Burnett [email protected] via e-mail or telephone at 512-339-8000 ext 265.

Catheran is a former Cardiac Surgical Nurse and has worked for 3 of the Major Valve Manufacturers in her long career. She can send you an EXTENSIVE information package on all types of valves and answer just about any question you might have.

'AL Capshaw'


'AL Capshaw'

 

[Taylor]

No worries

No worries

I'll jump on the "no worries" band wagon. I rarely can hear my relatively new St. Jude ticking away and when I do it is barely audible and I kind of like it. Others can't hear it at all. My wife initially claimed that she once heard it when we were in our tile bathroom but it turns out she couldn't hear it but just thought I wanted her to!

 

[Marty]

Al, I'm curious. St. Jude claims the Regent has superior hemodynamic quality compared to the Standard. If you don't wish to go public, send me a private e-mail and I will preserve your confidence.Thanks Marty

 

[jennyr]

Thanks

Thanks

Thanks to everyone for the replies - really helpful and reassuring. I found out today that the surgeon will give me a CarboMedics valve and I've had a listen to it click on the website. Having the op hopefully on 24th Sept.

 

[ClickerTicker]

Jenny,
Glad you found the responses reassuring.
I find the clicking itself reassuring - the time to really start worrying is when the clicking stops

 

[Freddie]

Thanks to everyone for the replies - really helpful and reassuring. I found out today that the surgeon will give me a CarboMedics valve and I've had a listen to it click on the website. Having the op hopefully on 24th Sept.

Welcome Jenny, as a fairly new comer here, I have had MVR on March 30/07 and was given a CaroMedics valve. Since recovery, I have only heard my valve 3 times while in bed laying on my left side. My son has heard it once from about 12 inches away........but that was when I was REALLY ticked off and I was standing behind him. My husband can only hear it when he puts his ear to my chest.
Not to worry this valve is rather quiet.

 

[Jackie]

I only hear mine when I lay on my left side. My Angel, 11 yr old Grandson, always puts his head on my chest to make sure it is still ticking. He is the only one that has heard it and it makes him happy. My son and Grandson were at the hospital when I got the word that an AVR was necessary, the doctor told us that if I didn't have my surgery in a couple of days he could not say how long I would last... needless to say, we are happy that it is still sticking.

 

[Philip B]

Clicking

Clicking

Have you watched "Peter Pan" lately? Checkout the croc...

On a more serious note, I was concerned with clicking and ticking as well when we made the decision to replace my defective aortic valve with a St. Jude. I can hear it, but my wife can hear it only when she puts her head on my chest.

Body acoustics vary from individual to individual so it is difficult to predict how loud your valve will click. Chances are pretty good that the only one who will notice the click is you.

Most of the time, I only notice my valve clicking when I go to bed. I hear it in my head. My cardiologist tells me that I'll eventually become less sensitive to the clicking.

-Philip

 

[greg]

Jenny,
I'll join the 'don't worry about it' group. I can hear my St Judes Regent any time I try. The catch phrase is I have to 'try' to hear it.... Acknowledging that my opnion is based on personal use, the St Judes REGENT is a quality product from the "Gold Standard" people.

 

[Arthur]

Two issues are important for the closing sound of mechanical heart valves: 1/ age: as you get older acute sounds are less audible (2) body weight : a tiny persone may hear more acute sounds. If your are a music professional I would suggest you to consult a medical acoustic specialist.

Arthur

PS quite surprising that the tissue valve did not last more than 4 years. How old are you ?

 

[jennyr]

Hi
I was 46 when I had the tissue AVR. I'm now just 50. Both the cardiologist and surgeon were surprised it had only lasted for 4 years and the cardiologist could only suggest the valve used was 'a Friday afternoon job' and just slightly defective in some way. Neither had any other explanation at all although the nurse who ran the pre-op information day a fewweeks ago didn't seem to be that surprised. I am pretty active and do have a bit of a stressful job, so don't know if that has any bearing on how long a valve lasts.
I'm due to go into hospital on 23rd and have to say I'll be glad when its all over. Waiting this time is far worse than before - maybe its because I know what its going to be like!
Jennyr