Mechanical Heart Valve

[vegvisir]

Hello, posting for a friend who has been told he needs to have a mechanical heart valve and is currently in the waiting list for this.

He is a keen runner and would like to know others experience of recovery from this op and how long this took.

He has also heard that the valve makes a noise and would like to hear other’s experience of this (if anyone has had this).

Thank you for reading!

[Lucybird]

Hia,

I have a mechanical heart valve. Recovery for me was ok, although I have other medical conditions which are difficult to disengage from my heart issues. The first couple of weeks out of hospital I wasn't very mobile, but could manage getting a cup of tea or going upstairs to bed without any major issue, and I was only taking paracetamol. The main difficulty was lying comfortably and getting up from a chair or the bed. At first in hospital the pain was quite bad although I suffered more neck and back pain than chest pain (apparently this is normal). I had to have a pacemaker fitted too- it's easy to knick or stretch the nerves which regulate heart rhythm during surgery.

Probably a couple of weeks after I was taking slow walks of about ten minutes and walking a little longer or further each day, I generally chose flat routes where I knew there would be places to stop if I needed to. I also had some cardiac rehab sessions but tbh these were a bit late after my surgery and once I was back at work they were hard to get to so I didn't finish the whole course.

The noise is a very quiet clicking sound. I only generally noticed it when it was quiet and now (about 3 years later) I only notice it if I'm trying to. My partner could hear it too but I think that was mainly about me having bone related problems, nobody else has ever mentioned it

[vegvisir in reply to Lucybird]

Thank you so much for replying and sharing your experience, glad to hear you had a good recovery.

[Fredders]

Hi, I had a mechanical valve in November 2017. I was in hospital for a week and back at work after 12 weeks, but I’m a secretary so not a physically demanding job. First few weeks are hard but the painkillers help. I was driving short distances after 6 weeks. I’m a bit of a couch potato so can’t help regarding running, but your friend should be able to get back to running eventually, just mustn’t overdo it and try to run too soon, the body needs time to recover, breastbone fuse etc.

I have no problem with the clicking noise and only hear it at night when it’s very quiet, but I know it seems a bit louder for some people. I find the sound very reassuring - as long as it keeps clicking 😜

I’m on warfarin and have been stable virtually since I got home from the op. My clinic supports home testing, which makes it a lot easier. Just have to be aware of want you can and can’t eat, or can in moderation, and being careful about alcohol intake.

Wendy

[vegvisir in reply to Fredders]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply - it’s really helpful to hear of other’s experiences

[Hanibil]

Hi there I had a mechanical heart valve fitted in 2004 at age 48 brilliant piece of technology, there is a slight noise you can here when first fitted but I think some of that is physiological because you have heard they make a noise, as for recovery I was climbing stairs within 3 days. As for sports I ski and love mountain biking

[vegvisir in reply to Hanibil]

Thank you this is so reassuring to hear!

[Shar28]

Hi, my husband has a mechanical aortic valve manufactured by Sorin. He could hear it at first but as his chest healed and he regained some muscle the sound reduced. He can only hear it now if he’s standing closely to a mirror or similar hard surface and then only slightly. Our young grandchildren can hear it, but youngsters can hear so much more than adults.

Everyone’s recovery is different and I can only speak for my husband, who was fit before his illness. He needed an AVR because he has Dilated Cardiomyopathy which damaged the valve and that underlying condition won’t go away so it affects what he can do now. After surgery he found that once the opiates (morphine and codeine) we’re out of his system he felt so much better in himself and was able to move around easily. One valuable piece of advice he was given pre-surgery was to practise getting up and down from chairs, the toilet and bed without using your arms/hands to avoid putting painful pressure on his sternum. He was sent home with a booklet which included an exercise plan and he moved through the various stages much more quickly than it set out. His recovery was good and really self-guided as Cardiac Rehab isn’t offered to patients in our area who “only” have an AVR - if he had he bypass surgery too he would have qualified though.

All the best to you and your husband.

[Wigg2]

Hi there

I had a mech valve fitted last April and got taken in quickly so didn’t have time to think really but as the others say tell your friend to take his time and defo advise cardio rehab as they give you advise on what you can and can’t do and also speak to other people in the same position which is reassuring too before op I was active worked full time for myself walked twice a day and rode a bike so was keen to get back to being active ASAP but having had your sternum cut knew that it was going to be a while . Walking as soon as he feels he can and build it up and also breathing exercises are good too . If you look to related items on here they give good tips about that too I also had a bypass so not quite as straight forward but now all good in fact relaxing in Cyprus as I type so I would say steady does it but he will be back running before you know it and being fittter going into op will be to his advantage .

Good luck to your friend

Oh I too don’t the ticking it is reassuring and I don’t really notice it now just got used to it