1 Year Checkup.....

[Foxxy74]

Had a check up with my Cardiologist yesterday. It has been over 1 year now since my surgery and everything has been going pretty good I think. I havent been doing as much exercise as I should and probably havent been eating the absolute best, but certainly alot better than before.
I have had one major concern since my surgery, and that is my Transient Blindness and extreme dizziness that occurs every once in a while. It is unpredictable and doesnt appear to be triggered by anything. My INR's have been stable around the 3.3 mark although last week it dipped to 2.8, still, that is more than acceptable.
Discussed this with the Cardiologist, and he said the Echo I just had was fine, no drama's, valve and aortic graft looks good. I think I may have convinced him to order a MRA of the Brain and Aortic Arch just to rule out any further anurysm or clotting in the remnants of the flap. He has also started me on half an aspirin a morning and hopefully this will have a desirable approach.
Has anyone else experience this? It is quiet unnerving, last thing I want now is to kick the bucket of a stroke at home on the lounge room floor. They would never get the smell out .

Chris.

 

[Ross]

Hi Chris, I went through that before I had my valve replaced, but I've been fine since. Mine was all blood pressure related. Could yours be also?

 

[Foxxy74]

Hi Ross, not sure.....I have been on Beta Blockers (Atenolol) since the op and my blood pressure now hovers around 110/60....sometimes a little higher.....sometimes a little lower....and around 60 - 65bpm. From all I have read, it is more than likely 'Emboli' from the Mechanical Valve or the Aortic Graft / Dissection area. Not sure.....I have read of people experiencing it for about 6 months post op until INR levels stabilse, but mine are relatively stable and certainly for the last 6 months they have been. I am wondering if it in some way may be stress related and have told the Cardio I will keep a diary of the occurences to try and identify a trigger, other than that, hopefully the Cardio agrees on the importance of the MRI/MRA. Be dammed if this is going to get me after surviving the main event

 

[Ross]

I don't think it's clot related, but rather a sudden blood pressure burst. I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time. Hope you get it figured out soon.

 

[aussigal]

You have that fighting Aussie spirit Chris...

it wont get you like its not gunna get me...

wont let it!

I am interested to know more about these transient-blindness episodes, can we have some more info. please ?

 

[BDMc]

Blindness?

Blindness?

Chris, I have migraine auras pretty frequently, and occaisonal wierd very brief incidents when I lose part of my field of vision for a split second. I like to think that the migraine auras are stress related as my migraines were when I was younger. I have wondered about clots explaining both... Thankfully no permanent damage that I'm aware of. What is your "blindness" like? Do you lose all your sight? How long do the episodes last? Wishing you well, Brian

 

[Foxxy74]

The blindness certainly starts as if I am getting a migraine. My vision goes 'splotchy' and then it is like someone drags a black / grey curtain accross my eye, from one corner to the other. Sometimes I only get partial blindness, 1/4 of my field of vision, sometimes 1/2, sometimes fully, but only ever in one eye at a time. Can vary in time from 30 seconds to 3 or 4 minutes, but never longer than that. It started off only being in my right eye, but I have had the bouts in the left eye as well. It is more prevelant in the right eye though.
The Dizziness is even more of a mystery, has only happened a few times since the Op, but certainly comes on quickly and lasts for only a 1 minute or so, if that. Still pretty scarey though.
Chris.

 

[OldManEmu]

well done on your first year

well done on your first year

Chris this partial blindness you describe sounds very similar to what I experienced in the months before surgery. I wouldn't go splotchy, I would just feel strange and as you describe it was like some one drawing a curtain across your eye. I also experienced it more in the right eye than the left. It never completely obscured my vision only 1/4 to a 1/2 and strangely sometimes in a vertical and others in a horizontal, however always from the outside or the bottom of the field of view. This would last from a few seconds to several minutes. I had never had this happen before I contacted Endocarditis and have not had it since surgery 11/2004. I had a brain MRI as part of the Endocarditis investigation so this ruled out anything structural with the brain. I have since put it down to something associated with the blood supply and the failing valve. I hope you can get to the bottom of this.

 

[BDMc]

No Boredom!

No Boredom!

Chris, You think maybe someone upstairs just doesn't want you to feel bored? I don't know what the explanation for the blindness is, but I think it's worth pursuing. I think it could be like the migraine auras, or perhaps as Ross said related to some brief blood pressure change. The dizziness might well be brief spells of lower blood pressure, or perhaps inner ear? I had some dizzy spells during the first year after my surgery, two were inner ear related, and the others were drops in blood pressure. The inner ear times, the room would start to spin and I couldn't stand up. The blood pressure times I felt like I was losing my balance and felt faint. Those are some unnerving symptoms. I sure hope you either find a remedy, or they just go away! Brian

 

[Jim]

Ocular Migranes

Ocular Migranes

I have been getting these off and on for 15 years. It freaked me out the first time it occured when I was driving. They usually subside after about a minute. You described it exactly. It is like a brown curtain that slowly obstructs your field of vision and may be accompanied by slight dizziness. I found that my neighbor had the same thing and he went to see a doctor about it. He said it is called an "ocular migrane".

 

[Foxxy74]

Thanks for the feedback Jim. I am not convinced that it is a migraine, even though there are similar symptoms. The first reason is that I dont have a headache at the time of the blindness and quiet often will continue on as normal. The second is that these episodes only started occuring Post Surgery. I had never experienced anything even remotely similar to this prior to Surgery. I am convinced it is directly related to the surgery, weather it be an 'Embolic Event' from the Mechanical valve, or related to the Aortic Dissection.
I am determined to get some answers though. Once again, I appreciate the information.

 

[MarkU]

I was having ocular migranes fairly frequently prior to my AVR. Since my surgery five years ago, I've only had a couple - maybe two or three total.
By blood pressure was in the pre-hypertension range prior to my surgery, so I feel that may have been a contributing factor.
Mark

 

[KathyH]

I have more ocular migraines post op than I had preop. Many times I have the visual changes that last up to 1/2 hour and I do not have a headache. They are definately stress induced in my case.
Kathy

 

[Jim]

Ocular Migraines

Ocular Migraines

Foxxy, just to clear things up, I did not experience the pain you would normally experience from a "migraine" headache. Most of the times, this occured when I was going through a stressful time at work. It would probably be good to check out to see if there is any correlation of this to post surgery.
Let us know what you find out.

 

[Foxxy74]

Had a phone call from the Hospital on Tuesday and am booked in for an MRI on Thursday (Today) Morning. Hopefully this will rule out anything seriously dodgy and will also provide some nice high quality pictures of my Dissection Repair .

Will keep you posted on how it goes.

 

[BDMc]

Migraine Auras

Migraine Auras

Like Kathy, I only get the visual symptoms of the migraine, and mine last for about 30 minutes, and are stress related most of the time (that is I'm conscious of the stress most of the time). The other briefer episodes involve a much larger part of my field of view. Chris, I was told to stay away from MRIs with my valve, what sort of scan will you get? Have I been misinformed? Best of luck! Hope you have a wonderful holiday free of worry! Brian

 

[Foxxy74]

Well had the MRI/MRA on Thursday, but have no idea how it went. I imagine if they had found anything dodgy that either a) They wouldnt have let me go home or b) I would have had a call from the Cardiologist by now. I havent received either so I am guessing (fingers and toes crossed) that they didnt find anything too out of the ordinary.
Regarding the MRI and the Mechanical Aortic Valve. I imagine that they have evolved over the years and may not have been suitable for an MRI in the earlier forms. Mine on the other hand was fine, and though the contrast that they used certainly felt alot different than the contrast used in a CT, all was good. Does anyone know if it is a different form of contrast? This one felt as if it 'washed' over my face / neck alot more than the contrast from the CT, I was also told not to swallow for a few seconds, I imagine this was more due to the images that they were capturing.
I am going to try and get a CD/DVD of all of my imagery, I wonder what sort of luck I will have.

Chris.

 

[aussigal]

Hi Chris

You are correct, they use a different dye in the CT to the MRI/MRA. The CT one I hated it almost burnt the back of my throat in taste YUUUUKKKK!
The one in the MRI is less toxic sort of and didnt quite have the same effect but it was similar. the MRI one is alot milder I would say . I remember the CT one went straight to my bladder and I thought I had wet myself The nurse smiled and said "no you havent its just the dye , go home and drink lots of water to flush it out!"


And the not swallowing or holding your breath for periods of time is so they get GOOD CLEAR pictures its like staying still while you say "Cheese" for the photographer!

I havent had any of these blindness things but do get weird auras with migraines and also without migraines where I kind of feel disconnected and like I am in the twighlight-zone , other-times I cant hold my eyes open they are so heavy and I am feeling so exhausted even when doing nothing.


As for metal going in an MRI machine, I had my gold bangles on cos I couldnt get them off (Nursey said it would be OK) when I had a scan recently and they got quite warm so I am guessing thats what happens to metals in an MRI.

someone-else may have a better explanation than me but thats my experience.

And YES ! do ask them for copies of your scans even the CD's I have all mine. I am a private patient , dunno if that makes a difference . I also asked for copies before they did them too. I have all my scans and films from all my stuff I have had done

Hope you get some answers soon especially if it becomes more frequent,. Have you thought about getting an eye-test? just an idea might show something...sorry I am not much help mate.