any ideas about this?

[katie1234]

Hi there,

So my mom had 2 of her valves replaced and a bypass on Monday, July 30, and she came home this Monday. In these early stages of recovery, it is so hard to tell what to be worried about and what is normal.

This morning something weird happened. My brother was sitting with my mom, and she all of a sudden started kicking her feet really fast, leaning back (which she normally can't do because it would hurt too much), making weird sounds (like moaning-ish), and her eyes were kind of rolling back. My brother said that after a few seconds, she looked right at him, but was still making sounds, kicking her feet, and leaning back. He asked her what was happening but she couldn't answer.

After ten seconds, the whole thing was over, and my mom wanted to know what the heck just happened. She said she felt like she was passing out, but she doesn't remember anything specific. The rest of the day today she has felt really tired (she said maybe more than usual), and just an hour ago she got an intense wave of heat over her and felt really dizzy and started sweating, which lasted for a couple of minutes.

We have a call in to her cardio. She saw her cardio on Thursday, and she did an echo (everything looks good), but said that her Lasix would have to be increased because she wasn't losing fluid at a fast enough rate. Since that day, she has lost weight and it looks like the fluid has gone down that we can see. Her pulse has been good today.

A friend whose mom has diabetes said that it sounded like low blood sugar to her. My mom hasn;t been eating much, and she did have some low blood sugar in the hospital.

My step-dad doesn't think it is anything to worry about, but I am.

-Katie

 

[Phyllis]

Katie- never hesitate to call the cardio or surgeon with any questions- better not to second guess anything!

 

[Nancy]

If you don't hear from the cardio. call her Internist. It sounds like some sort of seizure, but I'm no doctor. She needs to get in to see someone pronto, even if she feels better.

 

[Ross]

Could be low sugar, but I wouldn't fool around. That would be a trip to the ER for anyone I saw doing that.

 

[Bina]

Early in my recovery I had some sweats, some dizzy spells, but it also sounds like your mom had a mini seizure. Try to check her BP and pulse and mark it down.
Do NOT wait.
I was able to call my hospital and cardiac nurses would be available to talk.
Find someone to discuss this with.

 

[WayneGM]

Ditto what's been said....it sounds like some kind of seizure. I would recommend a trip to the ER asap. Best wishes.

 

[katie1234]

Thanks for all of the responses- makes me feel like I am not crazy to be worrying. We talked to her cardio on the phone, and she said that it sounds like the rate at which she has been losing fluids (dropped 8 lbs since Wednesday) in the past two days is likely the cause of the episode she had this morning. She said that if it happens again tonight, to call her or to just head straight to the ER. She is going to have her blood checked tomorrow, and was told to hold off on the Lasix until the blood results are in tomorrow afternoon. Then we will take it from there.

Thanks again everyone. I will keep you updated.
-Katie

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Another thought that comes to my mind is that her electrolytes may be low which would be consistent with fluid loss.

Bottom Line: Get to the ER or PCP ASAP if it happens again.

And NEVER take "unusual behavior or symptoms" lightly, especially in the early stages of recovery. At the very least, call SOMEONE who might know what to do / expect such as Surgeon, Cardio, PCP, or Hospital's Cardiac Nurses.
Don't stop asking questions until you have a plausible explanation.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[katie1234]

next issue: fluid

next issue: fluid

Mom had her blood tested on Saturday morning and her levels all looked good. She is having her blood checked again today, as well as a chest x-ray, because although her weight has dropped a lot since she has been home (pre-surgery weight: 102, immediate post-surgery weight: 122, now down to 107) it hasn't dropped quite enough that the docs are happy. Also, she had an echo last wednesday and while the heart looks great ) ), she has some pleural effusion(s?). The surgeon wanted to put her in the hospital to drain it, but her cardio asked if they could give her some time to see if the Lasix and incentive spirometer would help. In any case, the chest x-ray should help them decide what to do, and she has another cardio appt tomorrow. What a weird time recovery is: there is the underlying sense of gratefulness and relief, with little contradictory peaks of frustration and anxiety. Confusing.

 

[Ross]

Yes it is frustrating. The heck of it is, some people never have a secondary problem and think the rest of us that did, are nuts.

 

[WayneGM]

Thanks for the update. I had to be drained and was in the hospital for a week so I hope the Lasix works.

You are so right...recovery is a "weird time", full of ups and downs. Personally, I thought recovery was the worst part of the OHS experience. That said, it doesn't last forever so it is a small price to pay for brighter future. All the best to your Mom, and to you. Hope she gets past this bump in the road soon, and has a smooth recovery going forward.

 

[brd]

Katie, Glad to hear your mother is at least stable regarding the shaking spell etc. You expressed so well what I have heard so many others reference during the recovery period. For the patient and the family it seems so important, as was just said, to remember that this too shall pass and it will be better.

All the best to Lorraine and all of you who are on this journey with her.

Barbara

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I remember having some fluid between one of my lungs and the chest wall. One of my Doc's told me to use the incentive spirometer for 10 minutes every 2 hours.

I would push so hard that I could actually feel the fluid being squeezed out, little by little. Eventually it drained and I did not have to go the needle route.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[maka]

Katie
Yes, recovery is full of ups and downs....hope everything works fine at the next appointment. Keep us posted

 

[sonavogel]

Katie
Yes, recovery is full of ups and downs....hope everything works fine at the next appointment. Keep us posted

Yes! Hope things go well, Katie~