Comments on: Gail’s Pounding Heartbeat Question Triggers A Memory

By: Steve Wilson

Steve Wilson — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:33:41 +0000

I am 64 years old,live in York UK, and it is now 5 months since I had an aortic valve replacement. Whilst things have been going well in recovery I have developed a very heavy pounding heartbeat whilst in bed. It wakes me on occasions. I cannot lie on either my left side or my right without an occurance of this – the heart beat is not fast or even erratic, I have no pain with it, but is very annoying. I have a metal valve and my GP thinks that he has never heard such a loud heartbeat! He thinks that the cause is mechanical and tells me not to worry. Anyone else had this trouble so late after surgery, and if so, how long did they have to wait before getting back to normal? STEVE W

By: Michael Massaro

Michael Massaro — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 23:19:03 +0000

Since I had an Edwards tissue valve replace my native aortic valve my heart rate now at rest is 95. Prior to sugery it was 72. What has caused it to increase some 23 beats@minute. My surgery took place on May 7th 2010

By: Dan Norwood

Dan Norwood — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:47:12 +0000

Dear Gail:
It’s so nice to find people on the web with these experiences. I did all the research about the actual heart surgery but did no research about how they open your chest, bend back your ribs and pull the stomach muscles.

My wife just had aortic valve transplant on 10/30/09 and she has an OX-N. Kaiser did the surgery and did a great job but she left 18 pounds heavier after 3 days. They never told us about the blood blister on her stomach and said we were mistaken about the fluid gain. A week later she was in ER for heavy pain (the blood blister) and sent to Kaiser LA who kept her their for 12 hours then released her. My wife has no threshold on pain and has asthma and is a shallow breather. 3 days after ER she has Conjestive heart failure. I get her to the ER before any damage is done then our local Kaiser Hospital takes over and gives her lasix and she drops 8 pounds of liquids but her heart rate is eratic, not stable. 88, 90, 112, 100, up to 139 then down – it’s very volatile. Our local Kaiser is taking good care of her and watching her but she is on constant Vicadin and still breaths shallow. Kaiser will be sending a breathing maching home with us to help. From what I have been reading an erratic heart rate appears to be the heart recovering from surgery and experiencing the new valve. I was surprised because she is on a pacemeaker but apparently the heart is now having a mind of it’s own. I love to hear your comments

Dan

By: Christine

Christine — Sat, 23 May 2009 00:41:22 +0000

Yes I had the same experience. I had a very fast heart beat and a very strong one. I would have trouble getting to sleep as a result of this and I would feel it in my neck. After several months it subsided. No scientific explaination from the Doc’s. Chris

By: Jean Karloski

Jean Karloski — Fri, 22 May 2009 04:32:54 +0000

Since my aortic valve replacement in Nov of 2008, I have been hearing my heartbeat…at first it was kinda concerning, but it is especially noticeable when it is quiet at night. It is good news to me to hear that I am not the only one who experienced this. Thank you for bringing this up. I never heard my heartbeat before surgery. Even as I am sitting writing this email, I can hear every beat.

By: Mike Hodgson

Mike Hodgson — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:20:32 +0000

I had my ascending aorta replaced and my bicuspid aortic valve repaired (not replaced) on 07/24/08 and I hear my heart pounding in my chest on a regular basis and it feels very strong and sometimes I swear I feel it vibrates my teeth. My heart rate has now returned to my pre-surgery rate of in the low 50s but I still hear my heart but not as often. I have gotten used to this and do not worry about it too much and it helps knowing that others are experiencing the same thing.

By: Rosemary Geraci

Rosemary Geraci — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:12:48 +0000

I experienced the same thing for several weeks. I was hospitalized again so that medication could be started to regulate my heartbeat. After a month on the medication (Cordarone), it is better.

By: David W

David W — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:38:57 +0000

Hi everyone,

It’s fascinating reading about your experiences. I was diagnosed with a moderately leaky aortic valve four years ago which has been very stable since. If it hadn’t been diagnosed following an appendectomy I’m not sure I would know about it? The only symptoms to speak of are occasional mild aches in the region and vary rare bouts of dizziness that last a minute or less but seem to take a while to completely wear off?

Can anyone relate to this? I get it checked out once a year…I am most interested in recovery times, getting back to work and life style post op?

By: chris roxburgh

chris roxburgh — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:07:17 +0000

I had heart surgery 2 months ago on my aorta and aortic valve , I can constantly feel and hear my heart , sometimes it beats so hard it feels like it wants to jump out of my chest.

By: Rodney

Rodney — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:09:51 +0000

I had Aortic replacement on 04/07/08, and the first thing I noticed was the clicking of the valve, especially when I opened my mouth.

I also have had the loud, irregular pounding heartbeat, to which I still get. I was prescribed Toprolol for atrial fibliration (prob spelled wrong), at first the beating would subside to about normal within a few min of taking my daily dosage, but of late, I have the same beating and now am experiencing a sharp pain in the top right part of my heart