Breathing deeply, 'heavy' heartbeat

[ajay_22_86]

I've noticed that when I take a deep breath I can feel my heart beating in my chest very heavily now. Strangely it comes from the centre of my chest (towards the top) so I wanted to ask is this because my sternum is still healing? How common is this in people post-op?

If I hold my breath it will just continue but when I breath normally I can't feel it. The best way to describe it would be soft clicking. It definitely doesn't feel like anything is going wrong or I should be worried about it.

 

[Kathy McCain]

Hi ajay!

Sounds like you are recouping quiet well, that's great!

I have the latest and greatest pig valve, so I don't hear clicking. For several months after my surgery though, my chest felt very heavy. My heartbeat was very strong and forceful. It was kind of scary. I though I would have a heart attack! It is my understanding that this is quiet normal. Your heart is readjusting/remodeling to it's new healthy valve! My stenosis was pretty severe. My heart finally figured it out, and decided it didn't have to work that hard any more! Maybe this is what is going on. To ease any anxiety that you may have, however, I would consult with my cardio.

Please keep us updated.

 

[Megan]

hey ajay- me too. i have the same feeling and got the same advice from my dr. she did say though it could be anemia-makes your heart beat harder . so maybe have your blood/iron level checked. mine was low so could be the cause. im having steak for dinner tonight!

 

[ajay_22_86]

Thanks for the info guys. I just realised I should have reworded my post a bit better - when I said soft clicking, I didn't mean the sound of the heart but the actual heart beat. But it's good to know this sounds 'usual'!

My iron levels were pretty low post-op and I've been taking Iron tablets since I've been home. On discharge around 2 weeks ago my levels were at 8.6 (pre-op it was 13/14 so in the normal range). I'll see what my cardiologist says when I see him in 3 weeks or so

 

[COLLEEN S]

I have this too. Hard beating of heart, st jude valve, aneurysym repair, deep breathing hurt bad at first, doesnt hurt now.

 

[Kathy McCain]

Ajay,

I neglected to say, I also had anemia very badly. Took extra iron for awhile. Maybe that was part of it. Yes, from what I understand, the clicking is the sound of the mechanical valve opening, and closing.

Take care!

 

[terodac]

I have had it from day one, mine is more like a thump when I take a deep breath, I went running to my surgeon after a few weeks and showed him he laughed and said that is your life ticking and that it was working just great! I told him he should have put a muffler on it, I have a St Jude mechanical valve!

 

[COLLEEN S]

Hahaha put a muffler on it! That's funny! I need a muffler too Terodac!

 

[suerose]

analogy that helped me accept the new noise...

analogy that helped me accept the new noise...

I too have a St Jude's. Was concered that it was so loud and strong. My GP finally came up with an analogy that helped me accept that this was okay.

He explained my heart beat was probably always this strong, but with my natural tissue valve, it was more like a curtain softly swishing open & shut when the blood pumped thru.

But now....this mechanical valve was like someone slamming the 'metal' door open & shut all the time!

He actually went to the examination room door and started opening & shutting and slamming it ....for the whole office to hear! His staff thought he'd lost his mind!

That analogy worked for me and eased my mind. The clickng & thumping hasn't decreased at all...I just consider it my new 'normal.'

 

[RobinH]

Yup, I am very familiar with this...a loud thump, thump, thump when I take a deep breath in. I am one year post-op and I still have it. Doctor says it could because I have a thin upper body with not much fat to insulate the sound.