Warning signs and symptoms

Problems are rare following heart valve surgery but sometimes do occur. You need to be aware of certain signs and symptoms that require immediate attention. If caught early, potential problems often can be easily corrected.

If the following signs and symptoms occur, call your doctor immediately:

• Chest pain or light pressure that does not go away within a few minutes
• Sudden, severe or gradually increasing shortness of breath
• Temporary blindness in one eye or observing a gray curtain coming over an eye
• Weakness, clumsiness, or numbness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of your body even if only temporary
• Slurred speech, even if it only lasts a short while
• Unusually rapid weight gain, retaining fluid, or swelling of the ankles (to monitor this, you should weigh yourself daily).
• Loss of consciousness, even if only for a short time
• Fatigue, especially if accompanied with fever that does not go away in a few days (come physicians recommend you take your temperature twice daily for 2 to 3 weeks)
• Any chills or fever above 100°
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Stool that becomes dark or black, or dark urine. Always check for blood in urine and stool
• A sudden change or absence in the normal sound or sensation of your heart valve opening and closing, or in your heartbeat's rate and rhythm
• Redness, swelling, drainage, or discomfort around any incision
• Burning sensation or change in frequency of urination