Heart valve surgery replaces or repairs a leaky or tight valve. The “symptoms” patients notice are usually post-operative changes or early warning flags that something isn’t healing as planned.

Chest soreness is expected. A deep, bruise-like ache along the incision and around the breastbone can spike with coughing, deep breaths, or rolling over; it usually fades over six–eight weeks.

New valve sounds are normal. A mechanical click or whoosh in your chest is the valve working; sudden loss of the click or return of pre-surgery symptoms is not.

Brief heart skips are common. The heart can feel fluttery for days while surgical irritation settles; sustained racing, dizziness, or fainting is not.

Shortness of breath that’s new or worse can signal fluid around the heart or a valve that isn’t seating well.

Low-grade fever and night sweats can pop up for forty-eight hours; high fever, chills, or foul-smelling wound drainage suggest infection.

Late alarms include chest pain that feels like the pre-surgery angina, a hard time breathing when flat, or a leg that turns blue—clues a valve or graft may be blocking again.