Anyone with This Sensation?

[Peggy in Alaska]

For you pre-surgery members, I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced this -- When I first wake up [the alarm goes off] I feel a very strong pulse in my neck, I don't experience an increase in the number of beats, just that when I first wake up I am extremely aware of my heartbeat in my neck. The same thing happens when I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. It's a weird feeling. It isn't scary because the heartrate isn't changing, but it feels weird. Sometimes I feel the same thing in my chest, but more often it is in the neck area.

 

[KimC]

Peggy,

I feel a heaviness in my chest and neck which is a bit suffocating until I've gotten up and walked around. I think my experience relates to really low BP. It's an asthma-like sensation. I don't have fluid in my lungs, at least none that can be detected with a stethoscope.

I've read that neck pulsations are related to valvular insufficiency. Your heart's working harder than it should be.

Best,
Kim

 

[tiggerangelgirl]

Yes,I can relate

Yes,I can relate

thank you for being brave enough to ask the question,i am also pre-surgery waiting to get my tricupsid and mitral replaced,and i feel the same way ecspecially went i get up from the bed first thing in the morning,i have a pacemaker and its at a set rate so i know that my rate doesnt increase but that is exactly what it feels like ,i told the dr it felt like i was having butterflies or fluttering in my chest,and somtimes laying down i am way more aware of my heart rate,he told me that it was from the heart compasating for the sick valves and even though you feel like your heart beat is going to jump out of your chest your really feeling,how harder it is beating,i hope this helps because bothers me alot ecspecially when i'm laying down the drs did this test when i was laying down and pushed extremely hard on my left lower belly and let go quickly,it showed how my neck vein/artiries distended,compesating for the differenc

 

[Georgia]

Oh, yes

Oh, yes

That was something else I had. See, I had most all of the symptoms mostly everybody talks about (except tia's thank God for BIG favors). And the distended veins are yet another way the bod apparently tries to compensate. Mine went up the neck to my ear. And it occasionally ached. Told doc (who's now fired); said take antihistamine.

This, too, disappeared with surgery.

Have you told your doc, Peggy?

 

[Nancy]

"take antihistamine !" I hardly know what to say. What was he thinking????? Glad he went "down the road".

Duh, duh, and duh!


Joe's neck veins have been very distended prior to his mitral surgeries, and then again when his pulmonary hypertension was not under good control.

They have gone down now.

 

[Granbonny]

Peggy

Peggy

Remembering back now. I remember the strong vein in my neck beating hard...Started after my Mom's sudden death. Thought it was stress..I guess that is one thing you can see..to let you know..something is wrong with your heart.Something to ponder for pre-valvers? Bonnie

 

[LoraW30]

Hmm, I can't say that the feeling was a particular pulse feeling, but rather, my entire neck throbbed. Of course, now that my lung and rv pressures are up, that's an everyday feeling. Sometimes feels like my blood vessels are going to pop right out of my neck. I've been pre-op so many times in my life so far, that it's hard to remember what symptoms I've had and still have. My doc hasn't seemed to concerned about it and I trust her jugdment, so I haven't worried much over it.

Lora

 

[chilihead]

I get the same thing. Sometimes I have to get up at night and walk or just sit up in the bed. It seems to be better if I use 2 pillows and stay elevated. My heart is enlarging and the doc. says it's pressing against my vocal cords and throat.

Good luck!

Jim

 

[Peggy in Alaska]

sensation

sensation

Jim:

Thanks for your comments. At least I know it isn't all in my head, because so many here have responded. Since I was diagnosed, I am super sensitive to every little feeling that doesn't seem normal. I know that my heart is enlarged and it has been 18 months since my last echo. Maybe there is some pressure on my vocal chords and throat, too.


Take care.

Peg

 

[Bunny_Rabbit]

Hey Peggy

Hey Peggy

How come it's been 18 months since your last echo? Didn't they suggest one every year?

 

[Nancy]

Yeah-Peggy-

I'm with Bunny on that question re: your echo schedule. Sounds like something to start bugging your card about. 18 months without knowing what's going on can get you into trouble.

 

[Peggy in Alaska]

Echo

Echo

Bunny & Nancy:

I'm new to this game. Was diagnosed in 2000, had my 1st visit to the Mayo in 2001. Was put on an annual recall. Went back in 2002 and there had been so little change in the measurements, tests, and I passed my treadmill endurance test with flying colors, that I was put on a 2 yr. recall. So that is why it has been 18 months since the last echo which was done June of 2002. Will be getting the next one in June 2004.

 

[ticktock]

pulsing

pulsing

Found that sleeping with two pillows completely alleviated this symptom, until just prior to surgery. Always get up slowly during the night, sit on the side of the bed for just a moment. A low blood pressure can really make you woozy!

 

[Kenny F]

I can't believe I'm reading this! I lay there at night going to sleep with my face pulsing and was convinced that I was heart -paranoid. It has not interefered with sleep, but that's where it's headed.

Whenever I have second thoughts about this AVR I run across still another confirmation.

Thanks for posting!

 

[Ross]

Whenever I have second thoughts about this AVR I run across still another confirmation.

It's amazing at how all of a sudden, these little things start to really add up and make sense huh?

 

[Enudely]

Hi Peggy
I can definitely relate!! My pulse pounds like crazy in my neck, chest and ears. When I lie down to sleep, it is usually in my neck and ears (I can hear it!!). When I eat, or just at random, it pounds like crazy in my chest, to the point where if I put my hand over my heart, you can see my fingers move!
I have an insufficient aortic valve and my leak has gotten much bigger. I'm looking at surgery in the next few months (don't have a date set yet, ARG!)
Its weird how painstackingly aware of my heart beat I am these days. It's never too far from my mind.
Anyway, my Cardiologist said that the heavy pounding is not dangerous, it's just another sign of my massive leak (which IS dangerous!!!) He said it's just what it seams like... my heart is pumping extra hard to try and get it's job done. What an amazing thing.... I can't wait to give the poor thing a break!!

 

[MelissaM]

Umm. . .any of you guys trying Janie's Magnesium regimen (500 mg/day)? I had the heart pounding stuff going on POST-surgery until I got on the Magnesium bandwagon. . .it would be interesting to see if any of you pre-surgery folks responded to it.

 

[Birky]

magnesium

magnesium

I was on magnesium for 3 months after the surgery. My surgeon prescribed this and potassium since I was on Lasix for the same amount of time. I have a friend who just had a CABG and is not on any of these so I guess it is treated differently.

 

[Enudely]

Sorry!

Sorry!

Sorry about the obnoxious huge image that I've posted. I think I'm just going to give up trying to put my picture on the forum. I'm such a computer dunce!!!