"I did have severe LVH and it is trending in the right direction now that we have medications squared away" I suspected this was the case. With EF at 15% I would have expected severe LVH.
Ok. I do think we are talking about the same thing. For me, I would describe it more of a thumping than a ticking, but neither one describes it accurately.
@pellicle uploaded a recording of his which many seemed to agree that it reflected what they also hear or feel. BTW, mine is very light- I can't even hear mine unless I take deep breaths or exercise hard. I don't have LVH- got my surgery when my LV was near the LVH threshold but before it crossed into LVH territory. LV walls, septal and posterior were 11mm each just prior to surgery- very high end of the normal size range, but not LVH. Now they have remodeled down to 8mm and 6mm. I'm not certain if that is why I rarely hear/feel my valve, but I suspect it plays a role.
That is great news! Hopefully your LV will continue to remodel- I expect it will do so. If you manage to bring your EF above 40%, you should feel even better.
I'm curious as to why you did not get surgery until your EF was down to 15%? Is there a story behind that? You are fortunate that yours has recovered so much. Once EF goes that low, I believe that many do not recover. Being young helps in this regard- at 41 you are very young in the valve surgery world. Glad things have partially recovered and hoping that they continue in the right direction for you.
