Lou,
Sometimes weight loss or weight gain may play a part as far as hearing it louder or otherwise (Less fat/ more fat to stifle the sound)
Also, we tend to get used to it...so we don't hear it like we used to....Just a thought.
I stumbled onto this site and WOW, amazed that I'm not alone! I was so young (21 Years old) when my first MVR unexpectadly occurred. I was injured at a car wash and got very sick....leading to endocarditas and had to replace my Mitral valve. 16 years later, my porcine got tired and that was...