G
Guest
I can hear my mechanical mitral valve clicking almost all of the time and it makes me very anxious. Everyone says I'll get used to it. Any advice on coping with it in the meantime? My surgery was 6 weeks ago.
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Ross
Well-known member
Some people can hear them, others can't. Sounds like yours is loud. You may not think so, but pretty soon, you won't even notice it. My buddy has a St.Jude that he calls hammermaster. I can't hear mine unless I'm in a totally silent room.
G
geebee
Welcome, friend.
As Ross said, you will get used to it. You may even get to the point where you can't hear it at all. I have had mine for 13 years and I only hear it on rare occasions. Others hear it more than I.
As Ross said, you will get used to it. You may even get to the point where you can't hear it at all. I have had mine for 13 years and I only hear it on rare occasions. Others hear it more than I.
The clicking sound will muffle and you will get used to it and eventually the sound goes away. That's my experience. I do not believe I've been conscious of the valve sound for years, nor has my wife.
Hello Friend,
Yes, you will get used to it and it well lessen anyway. I used to feel mine in my throat, and the more I worried about it the more I felt it. Ticking clocks made me crazy...... I tried hard to distract myself with TV, sudoku puzzles, etc. It gets better!!! Now I'm glad when I feel it pumping and doing its job.
Yes, you will get used to it and it well lessen anyway. I used to feel mine in my throat, and the more I worried about it the more I felt it. Ticking clocks made me crazy...... I tried hard to distract myself with TV, sudoku puzzles, etc. It gets better!!! Now I'm glad when I feel it pumping and doing its job.
O
OldNick
I've had two St. Jude mechanicals since 1993. I was surprised early on by young nurses in doctor's offices who had very sharp ears and picked up on the valve sound before knowing that I had them. I agree with others that the sound gets less noticeable as time goes by. No one has commented on them for several years, and I quit noticing them years ago.
Hi friend:
It's good to see you here on the board after you met some of us on chat. Regarding your question, my husband, the valve recipient says that the noise was uncomfortable for him at first. Later he learned to ignore it, especially because the cats seemed to love it. Imagine that. My dear one is a cat magnet.
I also found a recent thread from the end of April that you might find helpful.
http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20628&highlight=Valve+Sounds
Kind regards,
Blanche
It's good to see you here on the board after you met some of us on chat. Regarding your question, my husband, the valve recipient says that the noise was uncomfortable for him at first. Later he learned to ignore it, especially because the cats seemed to love it. Imagine that. My dear one is a cat magnet.
I also found a recent thread from the end of April that you might find helpful.
http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20628&highlight=Valve+Sounds
Kind regards,
Blanche
SumoRunner
Well-known member
I can hear mine if I listen for it, but it's been with me for 15 years, so it has become part of the natural background noise of life, like the breeze or rustling leaves. Every now and then a coworker tells me he can hear it. I say it only would worry me if they couldn't.
KAJ
Well-known member
Hi Friend,
It has been slightly more than two years since my surgery. I thought the noise was annoying. I still hear my valve more often than not. When I would comment to others about the noise in a casual converstation, a typical response I would get was " well, at least you know it is still working." Although I know no harm was intended, I was not looling for sympathy and often resented the remark. I am just now getting to the point where am finally getting used to it and have accepted it as a way of life. It is now hard for me to imagine life without a valve that makes noise .
Karl
It has been slightly more than two years since my surgery. I thought the noise was annoying. I still hear my valve more often than not. When I would comment to others about the noise in a casual converstation, a typical response I would get was " well, at least you know it is still working." Although I know no harm was intended, I was not looling for sympathy and often resented the remark. I am just now getting to the point where am finally getting used to it and have accepted it as a way of life. It is now hard for me to imagine life without a valve that makes noise
. Karl
Ticking away
Ticking away
Hi Friend,
Following my surgery I could count my pulse by listening to the clicking, persons standing next to me could hear it, too and I enjoyed the sound while falling asleep. I found the ticking soothing and it never caused anxiety--the feeling of wellness confirmed by the steady clicking as the valve opened and closed.
Slowly over time the sound faded and now I seldom hear it even when I listen for it. Darn!
I think most people experience the same diminishing of sound over time.
Ticking away
Hi Friend,
Following my surgery I could count my pulse by listening to the clicking, persons standing next to me could hear it, too and I enjoyed the sound while falling asleep. I found the ticking soothing and it never caused anxiety--the feeling of wellness confirmed by the steady clicking as the valve opened and closed.
Slowly over time the sound faded and now I seldom hear it even when I listen for it. Darn!
I think most people experience the same diminishing of sound over time.
I am one of the few who can still hear my valve loud and clear 5 years later. Most of the time I'm able to ignore it and it becomes a part of every day background noise. But if I want, I can always focus my attention on it and count my pulse... The only times, for me, that it's really bothersome is when I'm having a hard time getting to sleep (my solution is to count the clicks instead of sheep), and when I have a nasty headache.
I'm not going to be one of those people who says "Oh, you'll get used to it" or "It will fade with time" simply because that's not how it happened with me (I'm sure it did for them, and does for nost people). But please take comfort in the fact that you're not alone, and the sound of the clicking will become a part of you no matter how much you hate it. I've often told this story:
When I was 5 I had a shunt put in which resulted in my hearing a constant "whoosh" sound with every heart beat. When I was 6 I stayed at my grandmother's house by myself for the first time and after being put to bed went into her study to tell her I couldn't sleep because my heart was "too loud." Fifteen years later I had open heart surgery and the shunt was taken down. For the first time I could remember, I couldn't hear my heart. It was a pretty scary feeling. For a while, it was difficult to sleep because it was TOO QUIET! Then, another 4 years later, I got the mechanical valve and was loud again. While it does drive me crazy, I know that if I went back to quiet there would certainly be an adjustment period...
Don't know if that helps, but I hope you feel better just knowing you've got others who have gone through the same thing.
I'm not going to be one of those people who says "Oh, you'll get used to it" or "It will fade with time" simply because that's not how it happened with me (I'm sure it did for them, and does for nost people). But please take comfort in the fact that you're not alone, and the sound of the clicking will become a part of you no matter how much you hate it. I've often told this story:
When I was 5 I had a shunt put in which resulted in my hearing a constant "whoosh" sound with every heart beat. When I was 6 I stayed at my grandmother's house by myself for the first time and after being put to bed went into her study to tell her I couldn't sleep because my heart was "too loud." Fifteen years later I had open heart surgery and the shunt was taken down. For the first time I could remember, I couldn't hear my heart. It was a pretty scary feeling. For a while, it was difficult to sleep because it was TOO QUIET! Then, another 4 years later, I got the mechanical valve and was loud again. While it does drive me crazy, I know that if I went back to quiet there would certainly be an adjustment period...
Don't know if that helps, but I hope you feel better just knowing you've got others who have gone through the same thing.
S
Sandy SHields
I have had my mechanical valve for 24 years. mine is a Bjork shiley and I am glad I can hear it. I don't notice it unless I am listening for it but others can. I was in a class room taking a test and my class mates thought I had a loud wrist watch on. I am now 51 years young and sometimes if I get real tired I can hear the valve pretty good as long as the room is quite.Other people notice before I do. I just remarried 5 1/2 years ago and my husband would wake me sometimes because he couldn't hear because of the postion I would be laying in. Now he doesn't even pay any attention to it. Hope your valve is as good to you as mine has been to me. Have a blessed day.
T
TrophyWife
Tick Tock!
Tick Tock!
Had my AVR before Easter and didn't notice the sound til I got home.
I love Peter Pan and the whole Captain Hook thing - so I just lay there in the dark and imagine the crocodile circling and removing all my pain, all my anger, all my sorrow (and a few folks I really really dislike!)
Having the cat-attracting tick tock is knowing you're ALIVE and you'll never be alone!
Before my surgery I had an extremely rapid bpm - 125-140.....now it
s a regular thump tick thump. Yup you get used to it......
Tick Tock!
Had my AVR before Easter and didn't notice the sound til I got home.
I love Peter Pan and the whole Captain Hook thing - so I just lay there in the dark and imagine the crocodile circling and removing all my pain, all my anger, all my sorrow (and a few folks I really really dislike!)
Having the cat-attracting tick tock is knowing you're ALIVE and you'll never be alone!
Before my surgery I had an extremely rapid bpm - 125-140.....now it
s a regular thump tick thump. Yup you get used to it......
A
Adam 12-21-05
friend said:
Hey there,
I'm curious to know, what brand of valve did you get as your replacement?
Cheers,
Adam
C
chez
I have had my Bjork shiley now for 27 years, and can still hear it, and i'am glad i can as least i know its working, but it it did take a while to get used to the noise, but i was alot younger then and found it hard to get to sleep.Sometimes other people notice the noise and i cant, but you will get used to it.
Chez
Chez
blessed1416
Well-known member
Friend...
Friend...
My St.Jude's is relatively new, 16 months, but I continue to hear it just as loud as the day I got home from the hospital. Of course it's more noticeable at night, so I simply run a small fan on the nightstand next to my side of the bed. It seems to drown the noise better than other sleep machines. Good luck!
Friend...
My St.Jude's is relatively new, 16 months, but I continue to hear it just as loud as the day I got home from the hospital. Of course it's more noticeable at night, so I simply run a small fan on the nightstand next to my side of the bed. It seems to drown the noise better than other sleep machines. Good luck!
G
Guest
mechanical valve sound
Thanks for all the responses! I have found one reclining position where the sound isn't so loud and I can more easily ignore it.
Also, I've found that using my ipod with relaxing music almost totally blocks the valve sound.
I've even learned to use the ipod in dr's waiting room and places like that where I'm sitting still with nothing to do but listen to my valve.
I'm having trouble reading.....or any kind of focused concentration, so my normal pastime in such situations isn't available for me. I'm trusting that this condition will improve as I get off of some of the meds. (It's just 6 weeks since surgery)
friend
Thanks for all the responses! I have found one reclining position where the sound isn't so loud and I can more easily ignore it.
Also, I've found that using my ipod with relaxing music almost totally blocks the valve sound.
I've even learned to use the ipod in dr's waiting room and places like that where I'm sitting still with nothing to do but listen to my valve.
I'm having trouble reading.....or any kind of focused concentration, so my normal pastime in such situations isn't available for me. I'm trusting that this condition will improve as I get off of some of the meds. (It's just 6 weeks since surgery)
friend
P
Persianlady05
value clicking
value clicking
Hi this is normal there is a sack around the heart and when we have a value replaced it is removed and we hear the beat more the clicking of the value working . my kids say to me mom your clicking i can hear it i said to them hey that means its working otherwise i would be dead it takes time to get use to take care chris
value clicking
Hi this is normal there is a sack around the heart and when we have a value replaced it is removed and we hear the beat more the clicking of the value working . my kids say to me mom your clicking i can hear it i said to them hey that means its working otherwise i would be dead it takes time to get use to take care chris
G
Guest
mechanical valve sound
I haven't heard about this "sack" that is removed. Does anyone else know about this?
friend
I haven't heard about this "sack" that is removed. Does anyone else know about this?
friend
Persianlady05 said:
S
Sandy SHields
Hi the sack around the heart is called the pericardium and the only timeI have heard of them removing it is if it becomes excessively thick and constricts the heart. if the constriction is significant they will remove the thickened pericardium and release the the constriction of the heart.The operation is known as a pericardiectomy. I am not saying it doesn't happen when they remove a valve just can't find it anywhere.
