Why am I so loud?

[ruth]

I wonder if it depends on the valve.

I remember my surgeon mentioning that mitral patients are used to hearing their own hearts pre-surgery which was true for me. I can still hear it, not too loud, when I lay on my side. I think I'm getting to be a bit less aware of it as time goes on.

Might this be a thing with aortic replacements, after all the blood flow through the aortic valve is faster and stronger than through the mitral.

Ruth

 

[HeartDawg]

No Ticking!

No Ticking!

I am 17 mths post op.....no ticking, but I hear pounding/ thumping in certain positions; like leaning over the sink.
After dinner my heart seems to work harder to get the digestion going...I eat very basic meals, low fat, no salt.

Hey! Bina! ... wow ... no ticking for you with the St. Judes. I am only seven weeks out, but I surely tick. Did you never tick, or has it faded away.

I was told you would hear it ... I just never knew it would be inside my head ... I'm getting used to it.

 

[Gnusgal]

Let me tell you a little story about heart sounds...

When I was 5 years old I had a BT shunt put in, after which I heard a constant "swoosh" sound with every beat. As a matter of fact, people in the room could hear it too if it was quiet and my mouth was open. When I was 6 I visited my grandmother by myself for the first time. After putting me to bed, I came back into the study and told her "I can't sleep. My heart's too loud."

Anyway, I thought it was a bit annoying, but obviously learned to live with it. Fast forward 15 years. I had surgery to correct my ASD and VSD, and they took down my shunt. For the first time that I could remember I couldn't hear my heart! And it was disturbing. I told my mom "It's too quiet. I can't tell when my heart is beating."

Then, 5 years after that, I got a mechanical valve... I long for those quiet days again. People have been known to comment on how loud my "watch" is when we're in a moving vehicle with road noises and the radio on, when they weren't even sitting next to me!

We'll see what I think when I end up getting a brand new heart and there isn't a mechanical valve in there anymore (I assume). I'll probably say it's too quiet again... Never satisfied.

 

[Susan BAV]

Hi Niki -

Am I reading this correctly; do you need a heart transplant? I'm sorry if I missed that information elsewhere. Have you been given a time frame? I sure hope everything goes well for you. Take care.

 

[GeorgeM]

It's getting louder !

It's getting louder !

It's almost 8 weeks since I had my mechanical valve fitted.

I've noticed it has got louder over the weeks - particularly at night time in bed.

As long as it keeps ticking !!

Best Regards

George Montgomery

 

[Nan]

Mine (my AVR) really bothered me at first, especially when lying down on my left side. But After a while (years?) I realized it wasn't bothering me anymore. Just part of the normal background noise of life. I haven't noticed much difference with my MVR...not too loud. But it is sometimes audible to others near me.

But, hey, I figure it is a good sound. So long as it is ticking, it is working!

 

[Gnusgal]

Hi Niki -

Am I reading this correctly; do you need a heart transplant? I'm sorry if I missed that information elsewhere. Have you been given a time frame? I sure hope everything goes well for you. Take care.

Yes. But not for another 5-10 years (we hope).

Thanks,

 

[Susan BAV]

Wow Niki -

Just a few nights ago on the local television was a show featuring a San Diego hospital and the show included a heart transplant by a surgeon (who operated on Brian -- Briansmom, Deanne's son -- two weeks ago). It was very interesting to watch and the surgery went very well. Really amazing.

May all go very well for you too, Niki. Take care.