White Noise Machine for Valve Clicking?

[Nancy]

I know I've told this story before, but maybe you haven't heard it

Joe two valves can sometimes be kind of noisy when it's quiet. If people make a remark about hearing ticking, he never tells them what it is. He just says, "what ticking, I don't hear any?". Of course they know it's coming from him, but most people don't know what it is. And they do move away, like you experienced.

He just thinks it's so funny.

 

[Harpoon]

Heehee... Was just reading the posts here out of curiosity.

When I first became aware of the clicking in the hospital it kept my full attention for a long time and i just couldn't get it out of my head for a few days. After awhile I only noticed it when I thought about it. When I got home my wife was doomed, she was so happy I was home and sleeping beside her in bed but she coudln't sleep for almost two weeks because my 90 something beats per minute valve alternated with the 60 beats per minute of the clock on the wall....

On May 31, almost a month after I got home from the hospital, one of my closests friends got married. Being at his wedding was one of my goals before I went in for surgery. During the ceremony my brother looked over to me and mouthed, "Is that you?" I had to pause for a second then responded, "Yeah" with a giggle. His wife, who was sitting between us, couldn't hear it though.

I catch quite a few people with it now. Whenever it's quite and I'm talking to someone they'll stop me, usually with a "What's that ticking?" question... I just say it's me.

My three year old son is accustomed to the "thump-swish" my heart used to do before I had surgery. The swish was from a baffle that's part of the Mustard repair for the transposition. Now he asks me what's wrong because my heart sounds totally different.

It's there, I don't notice it as much as I used to but I have noticed the volume can change from time to time, I haven't really heard tht it might be BP related but I kind of suspected as much.

 

[Mark Wagner]

I use the Homedics. You have your pick of Ocean Waves, White Noise, Streams, (may want to stay away from that one. I'm afraid if I play that one I may wet the bed! ) Summer Sounds, and more.
I got use to it after around 8 months after my surgery. We had a water bed, but got rid of it, because the clicking echoed off the water.

One thing about it; if it's clicking we know their working!

 

[Andrea]

Noise

Noise

Wow I guess I got lucky. I sometimes cant even hear my valve even when I try. I used to panic when I would listen for it and couldnt hear it LOL

During certain pulse raising activities (wont be too specific) the valve can be heard my me AND my spouse! The first time we laughed about it and now we dont even notice it anymore.

I bet you would find tons of stuff at a Sharper Image.

 

[Raverlaw]

This is something I have been wondering about. I don't think the ticking will bother me, but my wife is very sensitive to these kinds of noises, and we have never been able to keep a ticking clock in the bedroom because it keeps her awake.

I joked with her and told her that if I tick after the VR, she won't have to wake me up to see if I'm alive...but I can tell she is worried that the sound will drive her crazy.

Is it really that loud? I went to the carbomedics web site, where you can compare valve sounds, and the St. Jude Medical valve doesn't sound so bad. Here's the URL if you haven't seen this site: www.carbomedics.com/patients_how_ticking.asp

Andrea's comment made me laugh: I do sensitive negotiations every day, and I not sure that I want something that may give my pulse rate away to the other side!

 

[Nancy]

Joe has two valves clicking away. I can't hear them unless it's very quiet or his heart is beating fast. Joe pays very little attention to the clicking. He does have a white noise machine for sleeping.

I find it reassuring that his heart is working and so does he.

 

[Andrea]

Bill - honestly Jason swears he cant hear it at all when we are just laying in bed to sleep. He has tried to listen to it and cant locate the beat. The valves nowadays are much quieter. I wouldnt worry much about the sound being noticed by others but it may bug you for a few weeks until your mind writes it off and then you wont hardly ever notice it yourself

And unless your 'serious negotiations' are taking place in bed, I wouldnt worry about it if ya know what I mean. LOL

 

[Harpoon]

In a quiet room my valve is audible to just about anyone, though not everyone.

It's volumn can change at times, and I'm not sure why that is, maybe BP changes?

I have to sit and think a moment before I can hear it. Most other people that can hear it notice a faint clicking then ask if I can hear it too....


Sometimes I mess with their heads, sometimes I smile and say it's just my "tell tale heart"...


I'm not allowed to make the "ticking time bomb" joke anymore, my wife REALLY doesn't like that.

 

[Marge]

omigod. I AM doomed!!!!

I went to that site Raverlaw linked and played the St. Jude Mechanical Valve sound along with my ITunes.

Could hear the clicking very clearly -- even over Roberto Alagna doing the tenor aria from the last act of Lucia.
If it's that loud over an opera singer backed by full orchestra I hate to think what it would sound like to people next to me at a chamber music concert. Dear Dr. C, PLEASE tell me again you can do a REPAIR!!!! LOL.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

I'm skeptical of trying to use those sound files to get an idea of what the valves sound like in the "real word". How loud are you supposed to turn it up? How were they made? They sound like they were made through a stethoscope. I think they may be good to use for comparing *relative* sounds between valve types.

I have 2 SJM mechanical valves and neither one of them sound anything like what I hear on that site. Mine are so much more delicate sounding, unless I use a stethoscope. People have noticed the sound, but it's very infrequent and the conditions have to be perfect. I can't even hear them myself, right now. (Insert funny jokes here)

I'm curious what others think - how do these recordings sound compared to what you can hear from your innards?

Your mileage may vary, I'm not a doctor, etc.

 

[heartyone]

Hi all,

Just went to the valve site and listened in. Wow, they must have put an amplifier in my wife's chest when they installed her valve. Her St. Jude's is sooo much louder than the one on the site, and really is a completely different noise. Has much more of a thump than a click and it is loud. I think they are all different, even when by the same manufacturer, as I met someone who's had a valve for 8 years and I stood pretty close in a quiet atmosphere and didn't hear a thing.

Since my short-term memory is shot, I can't remember the name of the valve on the site that's the middle one on the bottom row, but that one makes a very interesting noise, indeed.

My wife is thrilled with the white noise machine and uses it nightly and is sleeping like a log.... but the white noise is making me crazy and I've taken to wearing ear plugs!! I much preferred hearing her click away all night long. But, as long as she's comfortable I'll just keep my plugs in.

To anyone involved in valve selection that reads this thread--don't let the fear of the mechanical noise put you off of one. They are a miraculous invention that have saved the lives of so very many people, all who learn to appreciate their unique music.

 

[Harpoon]

You know, I've been thinking about this white noise generatior thing for people who've just recieved mechanical valves and their significant others who have to adapt to sleeping next to the $%&# clicking all night long....


I guess it's important, especially when you first get home from the hospital, to be able to have a good, comfortable, and long night's sleep every night for at least a while. You need the rest and having something as distracting and CONSTANT as your heart vavle banging away all night long doesn't always help matters so go ahead and get the noise maker.

However, it might be a good idea to, at least after a while, ween yourself off of it. Your spouse might thank you for that the next morning.

You could try having it on one night, off the next. Or maybe put one of those 24 hour light timers that plug in between a lamp and the outlet and set it to be on for an hour or two as you get to bed, then cut the power to the white noise generator after you've been well asleep for a while.

I'd rather get used to my clicking and be able to sleep without assistance than be reliant on a noise generator for the rest of my life, especially when travelling.

Any thoughts???

 

[mtrcp2]

Every time I hear it clicking, I Know that it's doing what it is suppose to be doing and that is keeping me alive. It was loud when I first got home form the hospital but now it has become pretty quiet and it doesn't bother me at all....4 weeks post-op.

 

[kevin21]

The medtronic Hall one is a joke!! It sounds horrible compared to the other ones!! Too "clicky".

I seem to be on the other side of the fence when it comes to "I like hearing it because I know it is working and keeping me alive." I'd just assume never hear it ever. I'm a don't ask don't tell person I guess. I just like to assume everything is good otherwise I panic and worry about it too much.

If they make mine with a silencer on it I'd be fine with that. My heart is still pretty strong and youngish (27 yrs) so I imagine strong beats will reinforce the "click."

Oh to be "normal" and not have to worry about this junk!!