Mechanical valve thudding

[HenningLob]

Hello. I'm new here. I have not had heart surgery myself but am seeking info to help my husband. He had a mechanical aortic valve replacement two months ago and although is fortunate to be physically recovering well is severely troubled by the pounding sensation of the valve. He says it's not so much the noise but the constant thudding that troubles him. Fortunately he is mostly able to sleep at night but during the day he is permanently aware of the pounding/thudding of the valve and feels that it is getting worse. He had no symptoms before he had the valve fitted - it was fitted whilst repairing his enlarged aorta - and so he feels very unhappy that he went in to hospital feeling fine and has come out having to take lifelong Warfarin and worse having to put up with a constant loud and thudding valve. He feels it is intolerable and whilst previously an optimistic person is spiralling into negativity as he feels his quality of life is so diminshed and can't believe he will ever get used to the valve. I have googled endlessly but still would like to ask is there anything at all that he can do to lessen the thudding sensation? Are there ways of thinking that help diminish an awareness of it? Any advice would be so gratefully received. Thank you in hope

[Shar28]

Hi. My husband had a mechanical aortic valve about 16 months ago. He says it can thud sometimes but when that’s thud irritates him it’s worse then when he just acknowledges it’s there and lets it be. Initially he found he could hear the valve too but as he recovered, healed up and regained muscle mass the sound has diminished. Hopefully in a few months’ time your husband will find that the thud has diminished too.

In the meantime, if he’s feeling down, he may find it useful to talk to someone - cardiac rehab, GP, BHF nurse or counsellor.

Best wishes to both of you. X

[HenningLob in reply to Shar28]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. It's certainly encouraging to hear that the thud may diminish in time. We talked about trying not to let the thud irritate him and trying to learn to accept it - particularly as your husband found that helped. One friend suggested trying to see the thudding senstation as a positive thing - a sign that in fact all is well. I agree with your suggestion to talk to someone, especially as he may well be fed up with my ideas on how to cope with it ...

So do you mind if I ask you is your husband on warfarin? I think you have to be with a mechanical valve. If so has the INR settled and visits to have blood tests lessened? My husband currently still has to go at least once a week if not more often for blood tests as the INR is usually out of range. We're hoping that it's all early days and that in time less frequent blood tests will be required.

Thank you for your time! xx

[Shar28 in reply to HenningLob]

Hello, yes, my husband’s on Warfarin. He had a time when it was unsettled and he had to go for weekly tests at our local GP surgery. There’s loads of advice about warfarin on the AF forum on here and on their website they have a couple of sheets about food and drugs interactions.

We were given the advice to adjust dose to meet your diet and not diet to meet dose ie everything in moderation and nothing in excess. I know some people restrict their leafy greens but we have green veg most days. It’s a case of being fairly consistent overall.

It takes time to settle as the body itself is settling down and can be easily out of range for no apparent reason at all but it does generally settle after a few months.

My advice would be to be kind to yourselves. Everything takes its own time to heal and settle. In 3-6 months you’ll look back at this time and find it’s much easier.

[HenningLob in reply to Shar28]

Thank you so much. We've had a tricky few days but it's so good to hear from people with similar experiences and learn that things hopefully should sort themselves out eventually. Your wise words do provide much encouragement and the concept of taking time to heal and settle is a good one. We thank you so much for taking the time to help us!

[kefalonia1]

Hi, my mechanical aortic valve was fitted 29 months ago due to sepsis and endocarditis which was a shock as there was nothing wrong with it before. lt has taken two years for my thudding to subside and the ticking is only noticeable at night my Husband informed me. l found it made me miserable and anxious at first and the lNR levels are a pain to get right l still have times after eating too many foods with vit K when they are all over the place. l don't worry about the thudding/ticking any more l use humour to accept that it means it is working just fine and l would be dead without it. l have given my valve a name its called "Steve" which sounds demented but it works for me. Things will get better honestly, ask anyone, it is such early days for your Husband l also found gentle walking at first made my heart stronger and my confidence grow. lt is a long road ahead but he will look back in time and be proud of how far he has come. Take care, Sue.

[HenningLob in reply to kefalonia1]

Thank you Sue. So glad that Steve has helped you out! I think we really need to realise from what you say that it is very early days and it's good to really believe from other people's real life experiences that things will get better. I admire you for your positive attitude and how far you have come. I know that it is not an easy road and you have done so well to progress along it.

[kefalonia1 in reply to HenningLob]

Thanks honey x

[Harrison4]

Hi All my Dad had a metal mechanical aortic valve fitted in 1986 in the Heath in Cardiff it lasted him until 2015

He could hear the ticking etc to start with as could we but gradually got used to it. The Warfarin testing became a pain but he eventually found a machine that did it through a finger prick and used to phone the results through to the GP, in fact the surgery also had one in the end for other patients.

So I guess what I am saying is be brave persevere do all that your advised refer back to the medics if your not happy, and your valve will last you as long as my dads over 32 years 😊👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿❤️

[HenningLob in reply to Harrison4]

Thank you for all your advice and helpful comments. Hearing how your Dad and other people get through this is so helpful and makes you realise you are not on your own and that you need to stay positive and things will get better. We are so thankful to you and everyone for taking the time to help us through this. xx

[twerds]

Hi,

I had my aortic valve replaced 29 years ago with a tissue valve and it was a completely new lease of life. However, it was always going to fail and so it did at the end of last year. 6 weeks ago I had it replaced with a mechanical valve, and although I had expected the clicking I had not expected the thudding associated with any amount of exercise. I feel your husbands pain. It is driving me insane and stopping me from doing anything. It thuds when I walk up the stairs; it thuds when I get out of bed.

This is the first site I have come across that even acknowledges this noise. I have tried the attitude of "it has saved" my life" but it is really depressing. Hearing that it might eventually disappear is a godsend. Like your husband, I can't wait.