Pounding Heart?

[Enudely]

Just wondering who else has experienced this. My heart starts pounding really hard, as if I were scared or running or something, at random times. My doc says it's adrenaline rushes. It's very annoying! And when that happens, boy, you can hear my valve across the room! Very strange! Anyone else gone through this? I am 2 weeks post-op. They said it would get better.

 

[AgilityDog]

Oh yes, that will get better. It's not unusual to have an elevated heart rate or even arrythmias for a month or more after surgery.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I see this is your second Aortic Valve Replacement.
I'm wondering what type valves your received and why your first valve needed to be replaced.

IF you had Aortic Stenosis, your heart muscles may have 'strengthened' while pumping against a stenotic (partially blocked) valve. After your replacement valve was implanted, those muscles may still want to "pump hard" until they recondition to the new valve with larger opening. This can take several weeks or even a few months. For most patients, this DOES get better. It just takes more time than we like. Walking and gradually increasing your exercise level helps. MANY of our members benefitted from Cardiac Rehabilitation programs prescribed by their Doctors (Surgeon or Cardio or PCP), usually 6 weeks or so after surgery. Cardiac Rahab nurses gradually increase your exercise level on various machines while monitoring heart rate and rhythm which many find 'comforting'.

Hope this eases your mind, if not your body.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[normofthenorth]

After getting my new pig AVR, I posted that my heart was "pounding out of my chest" so loudly that if I'd gotten a mechanical valve, I probably would have blamed it for making all that racket! For a while I couldn't sleep more than 2 hours at a time, and many times when I woke with a start, I could still remember the feeling that a baseball-bat-in-the-throat heartbeat had woken me up!

Mine's down to more normal levels with metoprolol (beta-blocker) now, following a foray up into the 140's (and to the ER!), but everybody assured me that it's perfectly normal for us resting-HR-of-60 folks to have to get used to living in the 90s for a while, while the traumatized heart "settles down" and "forgives us".

 

[Enudely]

That is sort of what it feels like, like my heart is just kind of freaking out! My doctor said it was adrenaline rushes. It's really hard. I was just trying to sing a lullaby to my 4 year old for the first time post op, and I kept getting distracted by the ticking! I'm a musician too, so I think that makes it even worse. I'm afraid that when I get to the point where I can snuggle my kids on my chest again, they will not be able to sleep for the ticking! I REALLY hope this goes away!!

 

[Dennis S]

You really needn't wory about the kids. They will just realize that is a new sound, and it can be very soothing.

 

[malibu82]

after surgery, mine was a constant pounding. i could feel it throughout my whole body. very annoying! it kind of drove me crazy at first. but now it has settled down back to normal!

things will get better, more normal feeling. i promise! it can be irritating though