first of all so many people on here have been fantastic and I really appreciate all the kind words that have been given.
I am now around 10 days post - op and I’m home. I am really struggling with sleep, mainly because I can feel my heart beating very strongly and I have quivering/neck pulsations (above collarbone) which are unsettling to say the least.
I didn’t feel my heart beating this strongly before surgery but did have neck pulsations. My heart was enlarged and I am assuming it will take some time to settle down again.
My new valve is an inspiris resilia 27mm reinforced tissue valve. My existing valve was 23mm and my surgeon did try to fix it twice but ultimately wasn’t happy. He put in a slightly bigger valve as I exercised a lot when I was fit and also to possibly accommodate TAVR in future.
Anyone experiencing or have experienced similar symptoms?
Many thanks and all the very best to everyone . Adam
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AdamJames157
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Forgive me if this is obvious…you are sleeping sitting up ?
I used five pillows, three behind and one each side. I then put a further pillow under my knees to reduce sliding down the bed.
You could try sleeping warmer or cooler. Try having a light on. If possible, try a different mattress and a different room. To get off to sleep I bought a tinnitus relaxer.
Try having a TV on. Or radio.
Pain killer tablets should be continued, in line with the prescription you have been given.
Brilliant that you have a new valve that will take a TAVi if needed.
Mine is a Resilia 26 but it predates the TAVi facility. I have had no problems with it at all.
Are your stitches out ? I was impressed when the nurse came to my home and took the stitches out. It didn’t hurt. My scar is hardly visible.
Hang on in there Adam. Better days follow. You can look forward to an active Christmas.
No valves at all but am familiar with the symptoms you describe and yes: unsettling indeed. However - more than ten days on, I am still here.
I think Sooty's ideas about experimenting with what works for you are good. I make sure if it's TV ,that I watch it somewhere else in the house other than bedroom. All the sleep audios I've listened to suggest leaving digital screens outside the bedroom.
I'm not sure how much of those symptoms , for myself , are awareness; it feels real. Perhaps someone else with the same treatment can be more specific . All the best.
Hi Glad to read you are doing ok. 10 days post surgery is very early days, but I know that an irregular / rapid heart rate can be a problem after OHS so can I suggest you contact your GP/cardiac nurse/ the nurses on BHF website just to be sure? I'm not a medic but have had OHS x 2 and I had sinus tachycardia post surgery second time around which was uncomfortable to say the least. If you are worried, best ask the questions then get on with a successful recovery. Let us know how you get on. Frances
Hi Adam, not a valve but a cabgx4, I actually called the cardiac unit about being aware of my pounding Hart and neck pulse.
Precious (her name really) said we have just spent 8hours with our hands in your thoracic cavity fixing it and now it's actually working correctly again, but you are used to the old sensation, so a sudden shift to a strong regular pulse is noticeable because it's different. She then said it's quite common to be aware of it, followed by something about worrying if it stopped suddenly. She was my wake up in Dreamland nurse and I have total faith in her, but she has a odd sense of humour.
Get in touch with your cardiac unit or nurse and ask them about it, your GP is another one, because you may have a issue and they will know, but odds-on it's your newly revised pump saying woohoo, but ask someone with some fancy letters after their name not a bunch of cranky survivers.
With the sleeping first if you are having trouble getting off, the old lying awake waiting routine get up, it doesn't take long for bed and the bedroom to become a place you dread being in. It becomes a trial to be in.
I went down stairs put on the tv quietly,low light and go comfortable on a chair watching the most boring things I could find, and quietly dozed off, after about five weeks I was catching zzz,s in the bedroom again.
Hi Adam, glad to hear you're back home. Re your neck, is it to the right hand side as the artery there seemed to be closer to the surface after my OHS and the pulse was obvious for a few weeks, stuff inside us does get pulled around quite a bit. My chest twitched at night when I first lay down, went on for quite a few weeks.
I still see my leg twitch with my pulse at times which it never did before and in general my heart beat is more obvious and that's over 3 years on, mechanical valve though.
Hello!! Yes, very familiar. First week Post op I was sleeping just out of exhaustion, but then the heartbeat in the collarbone kicked in (particularly at the top of inbreath) and stabbing backache for a few weeks.
You'll get used to the heart beat and it willl settle down, don't worry. It is the different way (correct way) your heart works and your blood now flows which makes it resonate on your collar bone.
I had a stent in May and I noticed my heart beating more after it as well. I think some of it might be because I was acutely more aware of my heart and constantly scanning for angina.
It has eased off now, but It did feel like my heart was beating more strongly for two months post-op.
This place has been a great support and so many people were kind enough to share their experience of surgery, post-surgery and their recovery.
I was a bit apprehensive prior to surgery.
The recovery has been okay - I am slowly getting there. I am walking most days. Nothing much. Around 5k.
The biggest problem I have felt post-surgery is how difficult I have found getting to sleep. Although this is getting much better. I’m sleeping for about six hours at night but it’s often interrupted.
When I was in hospital I struggled with sleep because of the machines, etc. I also went into afib for three days after surgery which was very annoying.
My energy is returning and the fluid on my lungs has gone now.
What I would say is take each day as it comes. Give your body time to heal. I can’t wait to get back to exercise as I used to run and cycle a lot. I am impatient lol.
I will get there hopefully.
If you want to private message me I can give you more details about my recovery, what was helpful, etc. . I am also on Instagram.
I wish you the very very best for your surgery and please keep me updated.
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