How interesting about hearing the heart murmur without a stethoscope. I sometimes hear a clicking or hollow "dripping" sound in time to my pulse when lying on my back in bed. On at least 2 occasions it has suddenly (when I shifted position slightly) gotten very loud, like a clock ticking loudly inside me (think Peter Pan's crocodile!).
The clicks are sometimes followed by a kind of odd smooshy sound. Very weird.
At first I was sure the sound was coming from my chest via air conduction (that is, from outside my ears, not from inside them), but then I wasn't sure. But those very loud ticking episodes were bizarre.
Nancy T.
Thanks again Momto3....I know it is probably nothing...just bothers me to even have to think about this stuff. I am looking forward to the treadmill...I am in very good shape these days (about 9-12 miles a weeK)...and I am hoping everything looks good...I suspect it will.
Good luck to you...I'll let you know what I hear...
thanks again
I know what you mean about the "changes" we go through. "What was that?" "Why does this feel different?" "Why hasn't anyone mentioned that before?" We can drive ourselves crazy worrying and researching about conditions we don't even have. Try not to let the doctor's comments get to you. Maybe you were a bit dehydrated that day making the murmur easier to hear. Maybe the doctor has a keener sense of hearing...hard to say.
This may help you feel better. When my daughter was about 10 years old, she came down with a severe case of gastroenteritis and developed a heart murmur. Because she was so dehydrated, I could hear the murmur without a stethoscope from ACROSS the room. It was as if she had a pigeon inside her chest; it was like a cooing sound. Scared the daylights outta me! Off to the doctor and she was admitted...Tests revealed a heart murmur which has been followed for over 10 years. Last check - no evidence of a leak and a healthy heart valve.
I have mitral regurgitation and can easily hear a murmur with a stethoscope. It is pretty loud, but the doctors have reassured that its increasing "loudness" is not necessarily idicative of a change in severity. A stress echo is a good idea, and I'll bet you're gonna get some great results....Better start practicing for the treadmill. I'll be hitting the treadmill later this month also. Here's to excellent outcomes for both of us!
A new PCP (internist) once told me I had a very slight heart murmur. He said he wasn't surprised no one had mentioned it previously because it was hard to hear.
No doctor before or since has ever mentioned it (not that any doctor has listened to my heart in years, and when they did, it was very cursory, except for that fellow). I've never had any heart tests at all. (But no symptoms either, though my cholesterol skyrocketed suddenly in one year, from near normal to very high.)
Maybe they just can't always hear a murmur even though it's there all along?
Nancy T.
Thanks for the reply. I hate this...every little "change" seems to upset me. I liked that before no one was hearing it....I thought it was particularly good that the cardio had not heard it and he was looking for it. I don't now...I'm sure it's fine...it just scares me a little. If I ever have to think about this getting worse I don't want it to be for a long, long time.
This piece on Wickepedia bothered me as well...I guess I would still be a "1"?
Grade Description
Grade 1 Very faint, heard only after listener has "tuned in"; may not be heard in all positions.
Grade 2 Quiet, but heard immediatedly after placing the stethoscope on the chest.
Grade 3 Moderately loud.
Grade 4 Loud, with palpable thrill.
Grade 5 Very loud, with thrill. May be heard when stethoscope is partly off the chest.
Grade 6 Very loud, with thrill. May be heard with stethoscope entirely off the chest.
I asked my doctor is the loudness was any indication of the severity of the leak. He said, no. But, it's still weird to hear the murmur. When you see your doctor, ask if there is any way you can hear the murmur. It's interesting.