“Dizzy After Heart Valve Surgery?” Asks Rick
I just received a very interesting question from Rick about dizziness after heart valve surgery.
Rick writes, “Adam - On August 7, 2009, I had mitral valve repair surgery. Two weeks after surgery I am home and walking four times per day around our neighborhood. Everything feels good except when I first stand up from a sitting position. I get dizzy even when I stand up slowly. Do other patients experience this? Thanks, Rick”
To answer Rick’s question, I can share that I too had bouts of dizziness after heart valve replacement surgery. The dizzy spells were very similar to how Rick described it… When standing up, I would become slightly off-balance for one or two seconds.
To learn more about dizziness after heart surgery, I did some research. According to MedHelp, “Dizziness is not a common post-operative problem in patients who have had heart valve replacements, so this problem may be unrelated to the valve surgery.”
That said, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) suggests that “being dizzy” after heart surgery may be related to medication. The STS notes that medicines used in the hospital can cause several side effects. The STS then lists a series of side effects (shown below) which explicitly includes “dizzy or lightheaded when standing”:
- Excessive nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or stomach pain
- Vomiting
- Dizzy or lightheaded when standing
- Confusion
- Tingling in hands and feet
- Extremely slow or fast pulse
- Skin rash
- Unusual bruising or bleeding
If you are reading this and you already had heart valve surgery, I’m curious… Did you experience any issues with dizziness following heart valve surgery? Please click here to leave a comment!
Keep on tickin!
About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of 135 former valve surgery patients to help patients and caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.
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September 9th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
I get dizzy too, not when standing up from sitting but when standing up when bending low (like when I examine something on the bottom shelf.)
I had that before the surgery, and my various docs have attributed it to both the ace inhibitor (enalapril) as well as the beta blocker (metoprolol) that I take.
I wish I could say the cure for me was to really get into it, like back in the days I really enjoyed the playground merry-go-round. But I don’t enjoy it the dizziness, not at all.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:14 am
The only dizziness I experienced was when I was taking Lortab/Vicodin while in the hospital. I just needed to take it on a full stomach. After a couple of weeks, I would only take Vicodin just before bedtime (even on an empty stomach) so I didn’t experience the dizziness then.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
I too have been slightly dizzy when getting up from a squating position since my mitral value replacement Dec ‘08. My cardiologist says it may be a drop in blood pressure (I am not on any BP meds). I did not have this prior to the surgery. I initially thought it was vascular, as I through a clot to my leg and had to have surgery there as well, but they assured me that was not it. Cardiologist said to keep monitoring it.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
I’m 8 weeks out of aortic valve replacement. For the first several weeks I experienced dizziness when standing, as described. I have always associated it with coumadin, but the further I get away from surgery I have fewer and fewer instances of dizziness, and am still taking coumadin, so I believe what the STS is saying is accurate. That is it is a side effect of the other drugs used during surgery etc.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
I definitely experienced dizzyness after my heart valve repair. I had about 5-6 really scary episodes lasting just a few seconds each time. I lost my balance and felt really weird. This lasted for several months and then one day it just stopped. I was told that it wasn’t a typical side effect, but have read about a lot of people having this problem after the surgery. Hope this helps. Debbie Berman
September 10th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Yes - I am 4 months out from mitral valve repair surgery and I am still experiencing regular bouts of dizzyness/light headedness. It is not too severe but more of an annoyance than anything else. It could be the cozar medication that I am taking, my eyes or something else. Just not sure. I exercise regularly and have no other symptoms. So I’m just not worrying about it but will mention to my doctor next time I see him.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
I have had several dizzy spells since aortic valve replacement surgery. I am taking atenolol for blood pressure and it is a listed side effect. One trick the physical therapist taught me is that before standing up or sitting up after an extended time in the position is to move your legs and arms, flexing and unflexing the muscles before standing. The contraction of the muscles force the blood to circulate and raise your blood pressure. This should ease the dizziness.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I also got dizzy after my mitral valve repair. But the reason for me was that the beta blockers had my blood pressue pretty low. The trick is to move slowly specially when getting out of bed also when standing up from a sqatting position. It has been 6 weeks and while I am still on the meds the dizziness is less.
September 10th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
hi, i am one year post surgery and i still have some dizziness especially when im looking up and my eyes are closed. sometimes its bad when standing up from sitting at the computer.it does seem less and less each month though. is anyone experiencing any vision problems too? like changing from far and near with bluriness? jeff jeffstoveken@yahoo.com for any questions or comments, thanks!
September 10th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
I had dizzy spells for about 6 months. Now at one year post aortic valve replacement, I look back and don’t think I have had an issue for six months or so. There was a string of questions about this issue sometime last winter (February or March) that was pretty informative. I was told it wasn’t a typical side effect and that if the feeling was of the room turnign around me, it was more likely an inner ear imbalance rather than a side effect. Either way, they got less and less and seem to have disappeared about six months post surgery.
September 10th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
I was “unsteady” and felt light headed when I was finally able to stand and walk during physical therapy at the hospital after my mitral valve replacement surgery. I was told this was normal. At home, I did feel a bit dizzy when I got up from bed after resting, but that was due to the pain medication I was taking. Since then (its been almost 2 1/2 months since the surgery) I have not had a problem. Sounds like blood pressure (high or low)?
September 10th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I am also having bouts of dizziness when standing up from a kneeling position. I have been told that it is a side effect of the beta blocker metapropyl which acts as a governor on the heart to prevent it from speeding up quickly. I can go out for a six mile run and never get dizzy but everytime I stand up from a squat position I have momentary dizziness.
Four and a half months after bicuspid aortic valve replacement things are going well though. i am working full days on the farm but still get very tired.
John O’Neill
September 10th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
I am one year post-op for aortic valve and root replacement, and I still get dizzy once in a while, but only for a few seconds. It was much worse soon after surgery - for the first few months. The only medication I’m on now that I wasn’t on before surgery is Metoprolol (50 mg). I absolutely blame my dizziness on that medication! But… better a little dizzy than…
Sean R.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:33 am
I had some MAJOR dizziness after my AVR. After a couple of weeks of misery it was found that the lasix I was taking to prevent the fluid build-up in my legs was making me extremely de-hydrated and my B.P. went way down. The lasix was stopped completely and in a couple of days the dizziness went away. Of course, my legs then swelled up like giant sausages (there’s always something new and exciting!!) but I started on a much reduced lasix prescription which got things back to a manageable level. Now, 8 months later, I don’t take lasix, I don’t get dizzy and I only get slight swelling of my feet, so things DO get better, it sometimes just takes a while.
September 11th, 2009 at 10:01 am
I had mitral valve repair surgery on 9/3/09 (annulus repair) using the Davinci Robotic minimally invasive procedure. I have had a few spells of light headedness but I have not experienced any dizziness, in fact, I used to experience dizziness quite regularly when rising from a prone position and that seems to have gone away.
September 11th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
At nine months out from AVR I still experience a few very slight dizzy spells. It’s less frequently now than the first few months. I am not on any meds related to the surgery and don’t take anything for blood pressure either.
Very infrequently I would notice something strange like dizzyness, and by the time I stopped to wonder what it was, it would go away within a few seconds. Very strange. It wasn’t when standing, sitting, or anything I could tie it to. Just out of the blue, maybe once a week. My cardiologist couldn’t suggest any causes since I’ve been in perfect health otherwise.
Yes, things like this are a little scarey until you get used to them and decide it’s nothing to worry about. It’s nice to see I haven’t been the only one with odd goings on, but I feel bad for those who have had it much worse than me.
Joe
September 13th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
I have experienced dizzyness while standing up after have mitral valve repair. Outside of the repair I have not had any other health problems. It is now more than four weeks after the surgery and it seems to happen less , but it is still happens enough to be disconcerting. When I tell my healthcare professionals they kind of shrug and say, hmmm, but there does not seem to be a clear answer why. Anemia? Dehydration? It also seems from their reaction that this is not common. My wife points out that I’m getting a lot stronger with time but the light headedness is a little worrying and it would be good to know what other people have experienced and what the explanations they may have heard.
September 14th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
I was told by an electrophysiologist the other day regarding my dizziness (for 9mos now) that there are a lot of unexplained neurological symptoms that can occour from exposure to anesthesia, being in the ICU, and being attached to the heart lung machine. He seems to think most issues resolve with time, but no one knows for sure why people are affected so differently. I am adapting to my dizzyness, and it can happen at anytime, so I am very aware of my movements, nothing too quick, and monitor my surroundings at all times (I have tripped over curbs and stairs with my disorientation). My doctors said they wish there was an easy answer for everything, but unfortunately that is not the case.
September 17th, 2009 at 5:34 am
Hi Adam,
First of all, thank you for this blog. I was beginning to think (three weeks after aortic valve replacement and single by-pass) that I was nuts. Now, I know that I may still be nuts but I have company.
Secondly, yes, I was dizzy in the first week after surgery. I had had high blood pressure before the surgery and came home on a beta blocker. I suspect that it was the medication that left me dizzy and sometimes lightheaded. I also had one episode of double vision that was very frightening but may have been caused by stress.
Thanks for the chance to help others. Joan
October 9th, 2009 at 12:29 am
yes I had dizziness when I am walking around my neighborhood, which I am almost over, my next question is did you have sever aching in your side, after 6 mnths has passed? why am I having this issue now.
October 10th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Yes, Adam, I too have been dizzy/lightheaded/spacey since my aortic valve replacement at the end of July ‘09 It seems to happen at random times. A couple of times I’ve had double vision which is alarming, but doesn’t last long. Also other visual annoyances - hopefully this too will eventually just go away?
October 22nd, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Hi Adam
I am 22 days post-op for MVP with regurgitation. My valve was repaired. I just started getting dizzy spells a couple of days ago and have been searching your site for some answers. My spells happen when getting up from a resting or sitting position and sometimes they are severe enough to have to hold onto something and wait for them to go away. Sometimes I feel just like I’m not all here. I am on very few meds now and am taking no painkillers whatsoever. My BP seems normal. They were worrying me but I can see I am not alone. Cheryl, Ontario
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:13 am
Hi Adam
Two weeks ago I installed a new kitchen floor in my daughters house. It was made up of sixteen by fortyeight inch composit board pieces cut and then snapped into place. After kneeling down and getting up thousands of times to measure, cut and place each piece I soon realized I was no longer dizzy when I stood up. This would of been five and a half months after aortic valve replacement, anerism repair and one bypass. I have not had any dizzyness since then. I am still on the same dosage of Metoprol (correct spelling) so my body must finally be compensating for it. Maybe this is one of those things time cures?
Thanks again for allowing us to share our experiences to help each other.
John O’Neill
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:38 pm
ADAM,
I AM GOING TO CLEVELAND CLINIC WEDS,10/28, FOR AN AEORTIC ANEURYSM [GROWN FROM 5.1CC TO 5.6CC IN 3 MONTHS ] LOCATED BEHIND HEART, A REGURGITATING AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT & THREE BLOCKAGES.
THANKS TO YOU, YOUR BOOK & THIS SITE, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SURGERY BECAUSE I’VE LEARNED WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE INFO PRESENTED.WE FEEL BLESSED TO HAVE FOUND THESE PROBLEMS EARLY ENOUGH TO REPAIR THEM.
I WILL GET BACK TO YOU AFTER SURGERY & HOPEFULLY ADD TO YOUR OTHER RESPONSES.
THANKS AGAIN,
COACH BILL DAVIS, ESTERO,FL
October 25th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Hi Adam,
My mom had a valve replacement and a by-pass procedure done nearly six weeks ago. Over all she has been recovering nicely. The one thing that has been bothering are these coughing attacks that she gets once a day. She says she feels a flutter in her chest which them makes her cough uncontrolablly. Once she has finished cough she needs to rest.
This fear of coughing has caused her to stop going out for fresh air and at time stop from exercising. Is the cough a post procedure side effect?
November 14th, 2009 at 1:14 am
Hello Adam,
I have a question for the panel?
I had my mitral and aortic valves replaced this past July ‘09 and have been dealing with dizziness for the past few months. Most of it seems to start when I walk or exert myself in a sustained activity. My original valves were damaged from Endocarditis and I now have two St. Jude mechanical valves. My problem is that I am suffering from dizziness spells. This is frustrating because I am very active, 35 years old and work in wood shops for a living. Dizzy is not a condition you want when you work with power tools all day. What I would like to know is what to expect from recovery 6 mo. to a year post surgery and if anyone else has encountered this issue?
I am currently on no medication except blood thinners. (warfarin)
any input would be great.
Thanks
January 1st, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Hi Adam,
I’d first like to thank you for your website. It was very helpful before my aortic valve replacement in February 2009. I too have been experiencing intermittent bouts of dizziness and being lightheaded. This is the last troubling item from my surgery. I have been attributing it to my recent change in medication. I developed a retinal occlusion related to my surgery. As a result, I am now on coumadin. But now that I read that others have experienced it, I am rethinking this. Out of curiosity, are any of the other suffers on warafin as well?
Thanks you!
January 13th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Yes, I’m experiencing mild dizziness 3-1/2 months after mitrala valve surgery. I also have vision issues, ie, light sometimes causes gray spots which disappear quickly. I’ve also experienced sudden changes in focus causes problems.
February 9th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Hi all,
I have constant dizzyness since a prostrate bi opsy turned septiic last week (Feb 2010) I spend 3 days ICU and 4 days in a hospital ward although thankful to be alive I have this horrible dizzy feeling and room spinning 24/7 when out of bed. Has anyone had this same complication as me and do you know is it as a result of all the medication (anti bio,s etc) how l long did it last.
Kindly,
Martin (Australia)
February 19th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your website, It has been very helpful as was your book.
It has beem 6 months since my aortic valve replacement and for the past few weeks I have been experiencing dizzyness and chest tightness. I am not sure whether or not the chest problem is the result of opening my chest or something else. My blood pressure is also higher than it has been for years 140/80. I am travelling and presently in San Diego. Anyone know a good cardiologist out here?
March 14th, 2010 at 10:40 am
I have had all of these except vomiting and skin rash at one time or another since my surgery.