White noise generator or fan to help with mechanical valve sound

[kenkahle]

I am 52 years old and am planned to get an ATS mechanical valve implanted at my surgery Oct 11th. I believe it is one of the quietest. Does anyone use a fan or white noise generator to mask to ticking sound from their mechanical valve to get to sleep? How well does it work? Does it completely mask the sound?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[njean]

I never had a problem with my valve(s) ticking....I have two, aortic and mitral mechanical. And they never bothered my husband or kept either one of us awake. I actually found the ticking quite soothing in itself and reassuring.

I'm sure that you too will get used to your ticking as time goes on.

Wishing that all goes well for you come Oct. 11th.

Godspeed!

 

[kadzbraveheart]

Hello! had my AVR-St.Jude 21mm last May 26...I am now 3 months old ticking. My answer is YES! on my first month after surgery was really difficult for me to sleep listening to the ticking sound of my mechanical valve. fortunately it was summer in Israel so i used the fan almost every night. but now i can sleep without the help of the fan..it's just a matter of getting use to it. anyway, the ticking sound makes me feel relax...meaning it's working. without the ticking sound i'll be worried sick i guess
By the way Sir, goodluck and be strong! You can do it! GBU...

 

[dg_moore]

I don't have a mechanical valve, so clicking isn't an issue for me. But my wife and I have always slept with a sound machine (she claims I snore, which I steadfastly deny). We tried several brands but found Marsona to be the best
http://www.amazon.com/Marsona-1288A...e=UTF8&qid=1378831839&sr=8-3&keywords=Marsona.
It's programmable so you can select from a wide range of sounds (we prefer white noise) and you can adjust the volume as needed.

 

[tom in MO]

My valve was noiser before surgery than after. Before surgery I could hear the valve surging with each heartbeat, afterwards it was quieter with a gentle "tick." After about two months, I don't hear it in bed at all. A lot depends upon your size, I am about 6' 220lbs.

 

[Jkm7]

Funny but my surgeon told me he never could tell in advance which patient with a mechanical valve would have a louder or less loud tick when it was implanted. He said petite little ladies might have little ticking audible but a large barrel chested man might have a louder tick. He said he never found a correlation with body size/shape.

 

[kenkahle]

Thanks for the replies. I am 5'10''.

My question really though is whether anyone knows whether or not a sound machine or fan will cover up any ticking sound for my wife and I when we are trying to sleep. We have been using a sound machine for years for other reasons that aren't mechanical valve related. So wondering if it will also mask the sound of a ticking heart valve

 

[ski girl]

Ken-

My little fan masks the sound of my valve quite well. And mine is very noisy! (the valve I mean)

 

[pellicle]

I'm a fan of field recording, I've done some 3 and 4 hours recording of the surf in the background ... much nicer than white noise and has the occasional "guest appearance" which is sort of cute.

You could play something like that ...

 

[clay_from_nj]

Even if it were louder, I couldn't hear it over the wife's snoring. (No, she doesn't read this forum. :wink2