What is the most quiet of valves

[William McQueen]

As a person who interviews persons on camera and in extraordinary circumstances, often very quiet places, is there any valve which is considered more quiet than others?

Bill in Toronto, Ontario. Canada

[richie rich]

welcome bill

a tissue vavle will be more quiet than a mechanical valve. i have a tissue valve. in all honest i don't think anyone will be hearing your valve while you are interviewing them. my understanding with the mechanical valves is that the only time you can hear them is when you are lying down in bed and everything is real quiet or when there is TOTAL silence in the room and you are trying to hear the valve open and close. if you are doing an interview, there is bound to be background noise that will drown out any noise that your valve makes.

rich

[William McQueen]

I have a feeling you're right in general, but when I put on a lav mic it's going to be about two inches from the valve. I could switch to a hand mic, but I can just hear my camera operator the first time.... (even if I tell him before hand).

I'm trying to work out a routine, but won't really know 'till I get there, I guess.

Still, I wonder if I should talk with the surgeon before hand (only a week away, though) and the preop seminar is on Tuesday.

Cheers,

[Nancy]

Hi William-

This would be a very important thing to discuss with your surgeon. Some valves do make more noise than others. One of our members has the unique position of knowing firsthand about one valve versus another. Her name is Christina. You could private message her, but I think she's traveling right now. She threw a clot shortly after her surgery and had to have another valve replacement. Her first valve was very noisy and the second one is much better. If you go to the main page and look at the personal stories, you could read about her experience.

[djacq]

Hi Bill,

Isn't this group great? I found it prior to surgery in December. It made a difference in my pre op jitters and post op fears.

Your questions are interesting and I will be looking forward to the replies.

Maybe your partner will get involved in reading the posts. I had my husband do some research for me. Maybe there is something you can include your partner in...exercise or diet planning or something that suits their level of interest or skills. Or is it complete denial, fear that they may lose you?

I have a new St Judes Valve. I have been told that the newest model is more condusive to easy blood flow across it and the sound is minimal.

I have also been concerned with interviews etc and the noise but ALL swear to me they cannot hear it. In fact, Doc's I work with tried very hard to hear it and could not without a stethoscope. I hear it on rare occassions when it is extreamly quiet or in bed at night on my left side only.

I have also obtained an INR checking machine. Hopefully, I will find out if I should keep it as insurance is processing my claim this week. Sure makes a difference in ones feeling of security and lifestyle! To say nothing of saving my blood vessels. Also, per my surgeon, lowers any risk factors of anticoagulation. I just need to get my PCP on board with it. He does not feel it is necessary.

Valve selection is a tough aspect of resolving this heart problem.

Hope you will keep posting as you go along,
Donna

[Johnny Stephens]

Hello and welcome, Bill

I have 2 St. Jude mechanicals, and the noise they make is somewhat variable...most of the time you can barely hear them even if you are trying to (in fact I can't hear them sitting here at the computer right now). Other times they are somewhat louder, and this seems to be related to whether or not I'm retaining fluid. In any case, most of the sound seems to come out more on my left side, like under my left arm, rather than out of the center of my chest.

If you were hanging a lavalier mic on me (I used to work in TV engineering), I seriously doubt it would pick up the sound. I tried unsuccessfully to record my clicking once so I could post a sound file on this site, but none of the mics I own picked up anything other than my stomach growling :D .

In any case, the sound when you CAN hear it is very delicate, and since I have 2 valves it really does sound like a watch, with one having a "tick" quality and the other a deeper "tock" kind of sound. I have been told by more than one nurse or technician that I have "noisy" valves, and I've met a few people whose mechanical valves I could NOT hear no matter how hard I tried.

[hhardt]

Concerning the tissue valves, my cow valve is very quiet.
I do understand that pig valves raise such a noise around Bar-B-Q shops. Welcome to the club. And be sure you have a good pillow. You won't leave home without it for awhile.
I am a physicist and my wife an artist. She thinks the computer is something to keep me busy when it is too cold for golf. But they all know more than you'll ever believe. Sandra knew just what, when and how to help me make it through the process. Wives are all wonderful and you will be just fine.
You both are in my prayers.

[Rain]

When my heart beats hard is when you can hear it the clearest.

[Ross]

I'm sorry Rain, I didn't mean to make your heart race.:D Or did I? :confused: :D

[Rain]

What?! You don't even remember it?! :p

[Granbonny]

Ross..I have told you a thousand times. NO internet S__talking with Rain...:p :p :p Your Therapist

[Rain]

I'm thinking you and Ross may be doing a little too much therapy on each other! :eek: :p

[Granbonny]

Hush..You are blabbering again..:D :D Bon Bon

[William McQueen]

I have a really serious problem here. If the valve replacements make enough noise so I can't work afterwards, I will be in difficult straits.
If anyone can impart some practical information about their specific mechanical valves and their experience, I would greatly appreciate it.

I have spoken to my surgeon, but he says he has not had experience with my specific "noise" problem before and I'm not sure who his resources might be.

Thanks for any collective wisdom.

[Nancy]

Why not do a show on valvers with different valves? Their life stories would be interesting and you could shed some light on the surgery. Then you could test their valves on air.

[Nancy]

I had another couple of thoughts. Quite a while back someone posted a site that had heart valve sounds of different manufacturers. I don't have time to search it, but maybe someone can remember that post and resurrect it.

I found this site:

http://members.evansville.net/ict/heart%20sounds.htm

Also see if you can talk with an echocardiogram technician. They do Doppler flow testing on valves and will probably know which ones are the quietest, or might be able to direct you to some sound wave files used in medical training, maybe at a medical library.

Failing that you could ask that question of an online cardiologist. Hensylee knows one who is wonderful at answering questions. Private Message her and ask about Dr. Rich and how to contact him.

Do a search on Google about "heart valve sounds" I came up with some sites which led to accoustic labs which do testing on various valves. I don't have the time to do a deeper search into those sites, but maybe you could.

[Granbonny]

Unless you are interviewing someone under the sheets at 2 a.m. I don't think you will have a problem. I believe 80% of us with mech. valves say that is the only time we can hear it. My hubby has never mentioned it. The only other time I hear it is when I take a deep breath.then only for a second. Bonnie

[Kevin M]

Any biological valve will be the same as your heartbeat in terms of loudness.

I've had both a homograft and a stentless. You can't tell the difference. I can't imagine a stented valve being any different.

The reason mechanical valves click is the leaflets. Biologicals do not have hard materials to produce any notable clicking sounds. I'm not a doctor, but the only thing I can imagine that would make a difference would be a slight whoosh sound from reduced hemodynamics, but it's certainly not going to be any louder than your own heartbeat.

I have a bad murmur from an enlarged ventricle, as well as an aortic graft and it still is not perceptable to my wife unless she's got her ear right on my chest.
Kev

[Kim]

I have a St. Jude's mechanical valve in the mitral position. I can hear mine at night and when I am in the bathroom where there is no other noise. I can hear it also in public restrooms. Funny euh? When I went for my echocardiogram last month, the tech asked me which position my valve was in because she could hear it clicking in the exam room. She had not even opened my chart.

My daughters also say they can even hear it when they are in another room if our house is fairly quiet.

I have a friend who just had a St Jude's aortic mechanical valve put in in April and I was visiting with him in his living room and could hear this constant clicking and was trying to decide if it was me or him! I think it was him. His seems extra loud. Maybe because of the aortic position?
Personally, I didn't think I would ever get used to the noise. The doctor said it would eventually be like white noise, but I think I finally can say that often now I have to concentrate and really listen for it. (except in the bathroom!!)
Hope this info helps.

[Johnny Stephens]

William, find a pocketwatch with audible ticking, and put it in your shirt pocket. Mic yourself up and see if it hears it. I'd bet the pattern of most lav mics wouldn't pick it up. Try it in several positions.

Maybe your surgeon can hook you up with someone who has a mechanical valve(s) so you can have a listen? Perhaps there would be privacy issues here.

I think there was a site some time ago that had a comparison of the various valve brands with sound files that you could play. These were recorded in water tanks, I believe, and NONE of them sounded anything like my valves. They sounded much more "thumpy" and loud, so if you find these, don't conclude that they necessarily sound like they would in your chest.

[wlaldridge]

I have one of the "new" St. Jude" regent valves in the aortic position.



Like Kim, I hear it in the confines of a small ceramic lined bath room and interestingly when I stand close to the window in our back door waiting for the dogs to come back in. The sound is "reflected" from smooth hard surfaces is my guess.

I think Johnny has a great idea try a ticking watch in your shirt pocket. I doubt that you will have it picked up by the mic.

My echo tech has told me she hears people with valves in supermarkets, etc. She is tuned to these things.

My family have all heard my valve since I take them to a quiet place and have them listen for it, but it is not real loud.

Last weekend I was helping my son open his computer and as I bent over him he heard the valve but initially thought it was a watch.

Interestingly, all of the times that I hear the valve, I have no shirt on or only a light tee shirt. Layers of clothing probably muffle the sound a lot.

I bet your microphones will not pick it up. I will see if I can get mine recorded.

[terry40]

My kids and I can hear it, I can hear it all the time, they say you get use to it, or are able to ignore it, whatever, it hasn't happened yet.

I think that's why they give you a medical card with your valve info, incase you're sitting next to a stranger, say on an airplane, and they hear you tick-tick-ticking???

Terry40

[Cleojoan]

Hey William,
I have a St. Jude valve in the aortic position that was recalled the first year that it was implanted. The noise in minimal except in the pool. My family says I can be heard ticking under water.
About the recall, I have it checked every six months. So far, so good. I think mine is okay.

Take care,
Joni

[lcwhitney]

From what my doctor Coselli told me these new St.Jude valves a very quiet. The old one could be heard across the room without a stethoscope. I have a ST. Jude valve and unless you get right above it you can't hear it. Try putting your mic a little to the right and see if that keeps you from picking up that very small clicking noise. I also have a homograft pulmonary valve that cannot be heard at all.
Lettitia

[TSH]

William,

I have a St. Jude valve (one of the recalled, Silzone ones) in the aortic position. It is very quiet. I rarely hear it except under the circumstances mentioned by some of the others.

I have an interesting story about a lav mic. I have a friend that has a St. Jude valve in the mitral position. She and I have shared our experiences relating to our surgeries, coumadin, ticking, etc. My friend was the mayor of a small town. She told me that one time she was hooked up to lav mic one time for some sort of press conference. The audio people did pick up the "ticking." But she said the problem was easily remedied, probably by simply repositioning the mic.

[Ticker]

Hello, this is my first post but something I can relate to.

I had a St Jude mechanical mitral valve put in in May of 1998, when I was 32. It is loud. There is no other way of putting it. My wife can hear it across the room with a general conversation going on. I have trained people at work who have asked what kind of watch I am wearing that is so loud (you should see their faces when I tell them what it really is), I hear it all the time and I cant even play hide and seek with my kids (son 7 and daughter 4) cause the just listen for the "clicking" and find me every time. This also goes for sneaking up on my wife or the kids............they can literally hear me coming.

Just my .02 worth

[Bill Hall]

Ticker - Just wanted to welcome you to the site. In contrast, I have a homograft in the aortic position and a mitral repair. Can't beat that for quiet.

[Les]

My 27mm St. Jude is loud as hell...and I wouldn't have it any other way. Lets me know every moment it works for me.
_____________________
Les AVR '93 / '95

[Ticker]

Barrett, I know excatly what you mean.
When I am not feeling well, my kids will come up an dput their ear to my chest, tell me to be quiet for a few secods and then say, "Dad, you're still ticking. You're all right."

It does have it advantages as well, after our daughter was born and she would be crying for no known reason, I would simply lay her on my chest and let listen to the "click, click, click..." she would calm down, relax and go to sleep. Similar to placing a wind up clock under a pillow/blanket for a new puppy.

[wlaldridge]

Jim, Funny you should mention it.

A couple of months back I put up a thread about a mission to rescue a pup from the shelter for my wife as a lap dog.

Interestingly the little dog prefers my lap and I mentioned in one of the posts how she attends to my ticking and I volunteered as a substitute clock for lonsome puppies.

The little dog still likes to lay her head near my heart but she also has a strong attraction to action shows on TV. Never had a dog that actually "watched TV" before.

Anyway the ticking is relatively minor and comforting to me and the pup.

Les, I think my St. Jude must be quieter than yours, very seldom does it seem "loud" and since my heartrate is about 60-67 is seems like a clock or watch and is timed similarly.
I do agree with you 100%,
As every one says, "it sure beats the alternative" no pun intended regarding "beats"

Best.

[wlaldridge]

BTW, Jim,

Welcome to the site,

I almost missed the fact that you were new here. wonderful place and people you will find.

I am a fugitive from Michigan, Dundee was my hometown and lived in Ann Arbor, Flint, Lansing and then Marquette and Iron Mountain becoming a real frozen ice pop. Anyway you will find many here that share your experience and understand where you are coming from.

Thanks for joining in and sharing your experience and knowledge with this great community.

Best,
Bill

[epstns]

Hi to all and a comment for Bill:

Yes, dogs do watch television! We used to have a wonderful little Shih-Tzu and his fovorite program (no kidding!) was Benji!

Little guy would sit at attention and watch, wandering around the rec room during the commercials, looking for "snacks."

Gotta Love 'em!

[Gail in Ca]

I am thinking that my carbomedics valve is pretty noisy. However, my husband can rarely hear it.
The porcine valve I had for 11 yrs has no sound at all, just like your own human valve.
Sometimes when lying in bed I still feel like I'm in an echo chamber it is so loud.
When I had to play a solo in my wind ensemble, I thought the musicians next to me must've heard my loud valve, as it was sooo loud to me, ( I was nervous and it was ticking, thumping,ugh)
But, they didn't hear it. So, maybe it just sounds loud to my ears, like it's in my throat sometimes, and no one else hears it.
Gail

[OldNick]

When I had my surgery in 1993, I was told I would hear my valves, aortic and mitral, but I only noticed the sound for a few days, and then, only when lying in bed. Now, the only people who comment on the sound are the nurses at my cardiologist's office, who have been trained to recognize the sound. I have St Jude mechanicals, vintage 1993, in both positions.

[Andrea]

My Doc just told me I am getting a St Judes for my Mytral in 3 weeks.

TICKING ACROSS THE ROOM DURING A CONVERSATION? :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: And not being able to play hide and seek with the kids?

I had no idea this thing could be so loud! ugh.

Can I change my mind now? Hmm I bet Lazy Boy wont take back the $700 recliner. LOL

Geez and I guess ear plugs wont help either. Well maybe I'll just have 'TIMEX' tattooed to my forehead LOL.

[Ticker]

Andrea, dont fret it. I was concerned about getting the mechanical valve for that reason as well as having to be on coumadin for life. (I am not a fan of pill popping and dont care to see doc's for myself). After thinking of the alternative, a tissue valve that would most likely have to be replaced every 10 years, ie... at 42, 52, 62, 72 and perhaps even later. With all that scar tissue and surgical hassle, I can stand being a walking model for Timex.

It does have its advantages. You can take your pulse by counting to yourself the clicks. The nurse can take your pulse from across the room. If you wake up in the morning and hear the "ticking" you know you have to get up and go to work again. (Compaired to the alternative, this latter pro is not that bad;) Not to mention the wife knows when she is getting to me as the heart goes from"tick, tick tick" to sounding like a motorcycle, "varoooom...."

[Randall Beckwith]

I have a Medtronic Valve and I think it is very loud. Many "Lay-people" ask me what that ticking is? But My heart surgeon told me there was less chance of infection with a Medtroinc vs. a St. Jude in the first 5 years. Go figure. Regardless of what you believe or have been told, I'd rather be alive and ticking than…

Despite your career choice, the type of valve doesn't matter. Living matters. So you tick. It's a conversation piece. Don't worry and have your procedure and come back and tell us how your're doing. We're waiting on the edge of our seats!

Randy

[Herb M]

I have had a St. Jude mechanical since 1988. I do not hear the valve. When the room is quiet my wife can sometimes hear it when she is standing very close.

I think that one way for someone to see how load it is, is to visit someone with a mechanical valve and get first hand hearing.

[Tom Harrison]

I have a Sulzer Carbomedics valve and coming up on my one year anniversary. Someone on the site said they have a reputation for being noisy but are very reliable. Reliability seems good so the noise does not bother me. I can hear it at night as can my wife, she says it is soothing to her. It can also be heard in a quiet room by anyone standing near (I did some teaching to computer users and could be heard when I came up behind people) When I exercise taking a pulse is easy. The sound soon becomes a part of you and is a reasurance.

[medtronic of borg]

Mine is three years out and is very quite. I can't hear it at all.