Beating making me crazy and sad - HELP!!!

[Cherie']

Hey all - I kind of wrote some in the "blue" post the other day. Yesterday I went back for my follow up with the cardiothoracic surgeon. He says incision looks great, that heart and lungs sound great (lung collapsed a couple of days after surgery) which is all great. Then I had him put his hand on my chest up near my throat. You can feel my heart beating very strongly when you do this. He told me that mine was one of the most pronounced he has ever felt. Said there is nothing they can do about it. Several people even came in the room and felt it. You can feel it beating on my back. I hear it constantly in my right ear (I only have partial hearing in this ear). I feel the beating in my throat, ear, chest, back, and stomach. Not sleeping because the sound is driving me crazy. I am 3 weeks, 3 days post-op. I am very frustrated - tired- cry sometimes, etc. I cant live like this. Has anyone else experienced this? What suggestions do you have? How do you get through this? I feel nauceous sometimes and sometimes have tingling in hands. My apetite comes and goes. My blood count is slowly rebuilding. My hematocrit level was very low at 19 - Now up to about 26. How do I get through this beating? How do I sleep?

 

[Nancy]

It's pretty common after this surgery. I think if you do a search on thumping or hard beats, or something like that, you will find a lot of posts about it. I do think it will slowly go away, and that most people feel it is caused from the situation prior to your surgery when your heart had to beat very, very forcefully to get all the blood pushed through your body. The heart gets quite muscular and then after surgery, at first, it is still beating that hard because it is so muscular. The surgery helps to correct this problem and also some of the meds they give you help. But it does take time. It is what is referred to as heart remodeling, and that is what your heart is going through right now.

Once it calms down and changed its muscularity, it will feel much better. It will be changing cell by cell, so the change is not immediate. Slowly, slowly is how it will happen.

Be patient with yourself and with your heart and trust in your body being able to heal itself.

 

[caterb85]

My husband had the same thing after his surgery for several months. It was really bad right after surgery for about 5 weeks, I'm sure yours will get better in time. Try not to get to discouraged your emotions are still pretty fragil due to all you have been through. There are better days ahead, hang in there.

 

[kfay]

Cherie, It is common after this surgery for us to have the "sensation" of our hearts beating more forcefully after this surgery. It wasn't clear to me from your profile if you received a mechanical or tissue and what drugs you are taking. Some people are put on beta blockers afterwards to help reduce that feeling and give the heart a chance to heal. You are still really early in your recovery. I think it is hard to realize that the heart is going to need significantly more than 3 weeks to heal, not only from the surgery, but from the problems that lead to neeeding surgery in the first place.

If you have a mechanical valve and it's the clicking that is bothering you, I gather from others on here that have them that eventually you'll get used to it and I think a few have mentioned using a white noise machine or a fan to help the sound at night.


Kim

 

[Marcia58]

Maybe you could check with your doctor about having something like Lunesta available if you need it. I did that for a while, post-op, 'cause I just felt so "keyed up"! (not habit-forming)

 

[Bean Counter]

I noticed that I had a heavy heart beat the first few weeks after surgery, but it has since resumed to a more normal level. My resting heart rate was running a bit on the high side as well.

 

[Nancy]

Cherie-

My husband had two mechanical valves and he used a sound spa machine when he slept. It helped him a lot. They are pretty easy to find, here's one from Walmart

http://tiny.cc/qnyjj

 

[Cherie']

I got a mechanical valve On-x - on 25mg of Metatoprol (sp). I have tried ipod, tv, etc. Thumping is 24/7. Getting more and more anxious.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I see from your profile that you also had an Ascending Aortic Aneurysm.

By any chance, did you receive a St. Jude Mechanical Valve with a built-in Aortic Conduit?

We had another report of a Extreme Pounding Heartbeat from another member with that combination.
Doctors responded that his was the most extreme example of this phenomenon they had ever seen.

You can find his posts starting by doing a Search for keywords "water hammer" or maybe just "hammer".

He was from California and some professors were going to try to model the behavior.
Unfortunately, I've not seen any report on their progress.
There were a few other similar stories from other patients with similar exaggerated Poinding Heartbeats,
one from Europe as I recall.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Cherie']

I received an On-x valve which is supposed to be quiet. Doctors and nurses were all feeling the pounding. My doctor sewed a conduit to the valve.

 

[nngbwh]

I see from your profile that you also had an Ascending Aortic Aneurysm.

By any chance, did you receive a St. Jude Mechanical Valve with a built-in Aortic Conduit?

We had another report of a Extreme Pounding Heartbeat from another member with that combination.
Doctors responded that his was the most extreme example of this phenomenon they had ever seen.

You can find his posts starting by doing a Search for keywords "water hammer" or maybe just "hammer".

He was from California and some professors were going to try to model the behavior.
Unfortunately, I've not seen any report on their progress.
There were a few other similar stories from other patients with similar exaggerated Poinding Heartbeats,
one from Europe as I recall.

'AL Capshaw'

Member name is Seth. You might want to do a search on his post.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I received an On-x valve which is supposed to be quiet. Doctors and nurses were all feeling the pounding. My doctor sewed a conduit to the valve.

Interesting. As an Engineer, I'm suspicious of a 'Mechanical Resonance' in the Conduit that may depend on the physical dimensions of the conduit (length, diameter) and the characteristics of your heartbeat which can cause the pounding "water hammer" effect.

The member I was thinking of is named "Seth" from Los Angeles, CA

Here is a link to one of his posts in July 2009 after he got a second opinion from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
http://www.valvereplacement.org/for...rip-to-the-Mayo-Clinic&highlight=water+hammer

You can find ALL of his posts by clicking on his Member Name and going to his Personal Profile.
Scroll down until you find the line about finding All Posts and All Threads started by the member.

BTW, when doing general searches, it is wise to scroll down to the bottom 'option box' and selecting "Any Date".

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Cris N]

Mine pounded pretty hard too, but it did eventually go away. Besides a sleeping aid you might want to discuss an anti-anxiety med with your doc. Depression and anxiety are quite common after OHS too. This might help a great deal. It did for me.

 

[Bina]

Yup....the pounding drove me C R A Z Y......it made me a nervous wreck. BUT it does calm down alot over time.
Take slow breaths, eat small healthy meals, drink water, walk around. Napping helps too.

 

[Bill B]

Right now sitting at the computer, I can hear and feel my St Judes "thumping" too. Somehow I've learned to ignore it 99% of the time, but it is there 24/7. Mine is probably over all quieter than yours. It was more annoying early on when my heart rate was elevated in the 80s and 90s, but now I generally run in the 50s and 60s. When my heart rate was elevated and the beating was driving me crazy, I was put on metoprolol and the dose was adjusted until my heart rate came down. I had hypertension too, so this all fit together well.

If your heart rate is at all elevated, youy may inquire about increasing the metoprolol. You are on a very low dose. For me, the reduction in heart rate was a great relief. It has even gotten down into the high 40s, and fortunately I have never felt dizzy or weak from this. The slow heart rate is very comfortable. If this is not your issue and this problem continues to bother you, I'm sure there is some form of therapy that can reduce your awareness and anxirty over the thumping valve.

 

[NealR]

Mine too.

However, I felt this to be more comforting. I thought it sounded strong and forceful, and my thought was that "I am still working,,,and working well!".I guess a different way of looking at things. A strong beating heart should always be better than a heart that does not beat at all.

 

[vtbecca]

My son is 9 and his is like that. He had his surgery at birth and then at 18 months though, so I think for him it's nothing different. I can feel the beating/vibration on his chest. When he was younger I would lie next to him when he was falling asleep and could actually hear it. Not always but sometimes. That freaked me out a bit and I can't imagine actually hearing it all the time. I hope it settles down some, and I guess that you will probably get used to it at some point.

 

[scott.eitman]

I am 4 weeks with an On-x and 25 mg Metatoprol. I thought the quiet On-X would be quieter too. So far, no. It is close to driving me crazy as well. I have many of the same symptoms/noises that you have. I did notice that after overdoing it yesterday, that my heart seemed to beat harder this morning. Keeping busy helps to ignore this. I returned to work on Monday and as long as I am busy I really do not notice my heart. Bedtime is the worst; I am glad my concentration is returning so I can read myself to sleep.

Having had a Homograft the first time, I do know that my heart went through changes as it adjusted to a good valve. Specifically, I know my heart reduced in size over the first year. Keeping this in mind, keeps me from going completely crazy. Prior to that surgery, I could feel my heart in my feet, but that went away.

It is also my understanding that as scare tissue grows around the valve, it gets quieter.

Keep thinking good thoughts and know it will get better. You are still early in the process. You have a good valve and life will be better with it.

 

[Cherie']

I think it is the vibration that is helping to contribute to my insanity. I feel it is my throat, chest, ear, and stomach. My husband says he feels it on my back. My head is pounding. Praying that this gets better.

 

[Robb Wilder]

One of the Cardiologist put it to me like this for the A-Fib and the Heavy HArd pounding Heart beat. Rob, your aortic valve has been resitrciting your blood flow for so long that your heart muscle has had to compensate and has grown very strong. Especially the ??Bottom?? Part (dont remember which is which). At this point I was injected with Versed and was given a Tee and Cardioversion.

Bascially he told my family that it would eventually even out in time.