brief vision loss/tia??

[tcorner]

Vision Loss

Vision Loss

Hello everyone, I just had a aortic valve replaced (2/5/04). I am 33 and have done okay. My levels are great....but I am having a GRAY Sheet come over my right eye. This does not happen everyday or even every week. It has happened about 5 times. I have read the post but am still concerned. I have spoken to my doctor and he said that it could be several things, like dehydration and a couple of other things. I was taken off some of the meds and did not have any for about 3 weeks but today I had one and it seemed to last longer than the others. I am on Coumadin 7.5mg five days a week and 5 the other two days. My level is 2.5 and has been since coming home from the hospital. I was just wanting to know if this was okay and would go away or should I be alarmed? This is all new to me and I feel like I am complaining all of the time. So please tell me if there is more Gray Ghost out there.

 

[Sherry]

found a website

found a website

Hello, All,
I have done some research on the internet and found a website addressing the grey curtain episodes. Sounds like there are so many of us who have suffered from this. The name of the phenomenon is a strange one: amaurosis fugax. Here's the website
http://www.apma-nc.com/PatientEducation/amaurosis_fugax.htm

 

[bvdr]

Sherry,

That was an excellent article. It certainly makes one pause to think.

 

[Gisele]

Thanks Sherry

Thanks Sherry

Wish I had that artilcle to refer to when my doc told me it couldn't be TIA's althought I don't get the grey curtain, I just get a "feeling" and then start seeing double. I wonder if the two are related?

Thanks for posting that link..............it was very useful..........

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Hi Sherry...yep it's me.

Hi Sherry...yep it's me.

What an interesting thread. Thanks for starting it Sherry. The website has come a long way, hasn't it..

Now, as I was sitting at my computer the other day, here comes the 'brownout'. Same location which is lower half of my right eye. I immediately wondered what my INR would be during that time. Took it and it was in range.

Marge had an interesting question as to whether the brownouts are common among mechanical folks or do the biological folks get them too? Just another reason among my extensively developing list of reasons for a biological valve VS mechanical.

Bill -- I also have the ocular migraines, but with no pain. Do you experience pain with yours?

Chris -- What treatment did your doctor prescribe for yours?

Rich -- Isn't it great what Hankypoo has done in the past (almost) 5 years now.

Rush -- I really don't think 'eyestrain' causes these brownouts. But who
knows???

Gail -- my ophthalmologist told me the same thing....eyes clear as a bell.

Gisele -- I think I'm jealous. Glad to see you with your new biological valve!

Tcorner -- what meds were you taken off? And a big NO, you're not complaining. Cause this is the one place where we all 'gettit'...!

 

[ccrawford]

Just as an FYI - If any of you plan to go through various diagnostics to get at the source of your Amaurosis Fugax, the procedure that found mine was an angiogram of the blood vessels in the head. My clot was found in the upper carotic artery, just where it narrows down significantly and makes a sharp turn. I went through four or five diagnostic procedures before they found it and would hate for someone else to have to do that (but I can't be sure your problem would be similar to mine either) Anyway, keep that in mind if you talk to your doc about it. Chris

 

[TSH]

This is a great thread. I have mentioned visual problems a couple of times before, but not seen this sort of response. I believe I have had the "grey curtain" episode only once since my AVR in Aug. of 99, and that was shortly after surgery. However, I experience the migraine visual symptoms on an almost daily basis. Adding an aspirin a day and avoiding caffiene certainly helps, but the thing that has helped me the most is a drug prescribed by my neurologist. It is called Topamax. It is an anti-seizure drug that can be effective against certain types of migraines. Some doctors believe a TIA is a form of a seizure. Topamax has really kept my visual symptoms under control. While I still see gold flecks across my field of vision almost every day, I now only get full blown migraines once every couple of months.

Ted Hutchins

 

[ccrawford]

Janie - After mine was finally diagnosed, my Doc started me on Coumadin (yes - before I had heart surgery-so my choice of valves was easy), 81 mg of Aspirin, and we began trying various cholesterol drugs to find one that didn't cause leg cramps -(I'm sorta satisfied with Zocor but I do reduce my dosage if I start to have cramps) He also spent a lot of time talking about diet and exercise. In my case, he also prescribed a couple of different blood pressure meds. I home monitor and self dose my Coumadin and have been fairly successful in keeping in range. I carry a water bottle with me almost everywhere, and try to keep as hydrated as I can. I love my coffee and a good glass of wine before/with a meal but I try to keep both in moderation - if for no other reason to help insure hydration. Before all this happened, I seldon worried about dehydration - I'm pretty religeous about it now. Hope this helps.

 

[Birky]

headaches

headaches

This helps me think I might be getting paranoid with all these things going on. What really bothers me is that I did not have these the 1st 6 mos. after I had the surgery. They started when I had the 2nd surgery to remove the wires. I had it on a Thursday and spent Fri and Sat in bed with an extremely bad headache which I assumed could have been from the anesthetic. Now I wonder if it was something else since I was off the coumadin 5 days prior to surgery. Who knows, I am glad that mine are getting farther apart. I did have a cat scan on my head and there was nothing there. Imagine that.

 

[ccrawford]

Ted - I'm not a doc, but -- a seizure is an electrical event within the brain where the firing of the synapses gets out of control. By definition a tia is a temporary insufficiency of blood flow/oxygen to a specific part of the brain. When the part of the brain that processes the signals sent to it by the optic nerve is short on blood flow and therefore oxygen, it ceases to process the entire signal correctly-like turning down the brightness knob on your TV. I can't in any way see how this could be called a seizure.

 

[Christina L]

I have the exact same type of episodes as Gisele. Got my first one about four years ago (and have had them about 2x year until surgery and have had about 4 episodes since my operation in November). I had an MRI and other tests (four years ago), to check for MS - they were negative, thank God. I then was checked by my ophthalmologist and she told me she gets these episodes herself and they were diagnosed as ocular migraines.

I will get that "funny feeling" and then I will get double vision or the feeling as if I am looking through a prism. This only lasts for less than a minute or two and then most times after the vision clears up, I will get a VERY slight headache that goes away immediately. I don't have anything like the gray vision you all are describing.

I have always wondered if the ocular migraines are hormone related, but it seems from this site that some men are getting these symptoms also.

Christina L.

 

[TSH]

Chris- I certainly not a doctor either. But the way it was explained to me (a long time ago) is that TIAs are neurological events. And if its neurological, it involves nerves and the passing of electrical impulses. Somehow, the Topamax, although an anti-seizure drug, does seem to help with these sorts of migraines and TIA-type episodes. They seem to be related in some way.

 

[Sherry]

Thanks everyone

Thanks everyone

Thanks to all of you for your replies. I never thought I'd get this much feedback, but I tell you, it makes me feel at least semi-normal to hear of other's similar problems with visual disturbances. I too have had those occular migraines others have mentioned for many years. In fact, several of my co-workers and many of my students have admitted to having squiggly lines and the like. The seizure link and occular migraines mentioned earlier is an interesting concept that I've never thought of. The grey curtains, however, still have me anxious, as the website I mentioned, and a few others, clearly link them with a stroke. Don't know what to make of all this... It's just a hazard we valvers have to put up with, I guess. I would agree with Janie from some earlier correspondence, that if I had a choice at the time of my surgery, which I didn't, I may choose a tissue valve instead. Have a great day you all.

 

[Granbonny]

Bill

Bill

You really need to wait at least 6 months before adjusting your lens..I wasted $500.00 on 2 pair of glasses. I told BOTH eye doctors I had just had VR. surgery..They couldn't understand why I was having a hard time reading the eye chart....and they both gave me new scrips. I am back to using my old glasses now. As I said in my earlier post. I had 2 grey curtains..shortly after surgery...sitting on the Potty.. and 2 double visions. One jumping up to fast and one out riding (thank goodness, hubby was driving) The double vision only lasted a few seconds. Two years post-op..now I am having dryness in eyes, red sometimes in corner and broken out around skin. Use Vit. E for skin and alubricant eye drop..when I get up in mornings. Had them checked out by doctor..he said could be from new makeup, ect..which I have not changed a thing.. I have never had an allergy in my whole life. ......Would like to hear from more new valvers..if they ever start experiencing these vision problems....Maybe we should start a poll? Bonnie

 

[SHerrin Hutt]

Tia

Tia

Hi Ted
I have been on topamax too! They couldn't decide if my vision problems and passing out was do to the valve or not. This was before surgery I was on topamax. I stoped taking it about a year ago. Still having the vision problems but not as much though but have not passed out but once since surgery.

 

[Tony]

This is a copy of a previous post

I experienced my first optical migraine at age 19. I would get maybe 4 or 5 each year until my valve surgery in June 2002 at age 69. Since then I have about 5 each month. Mine start near the center of my focus with a small aurora, and then move to the outer limits of vision while the aurora increases. They typically clear in 30 minutes. No pain although I may be sensitive to light for another ½ hour.

My ophthalmologist said, “ I do not treat this. For treatment see a neurologist.”

 

[SHerrin Hutt]

Hey Hank
Happy Fifth Anniverasary. I wish you many more to come. Thanks so much for making this sight possible for all. You have a angel for alot of us. I don't know what I 'd do if I hadn't find this sight.
Love you for all you do!

 

[xalg]

Double Vision Episodes

Double Vision Episodes

I am one month post op- Mitral Valve repair, and I have had about 5 episodes of double vision.

They only last a minute or two, and have no accompanying headache.
If I close either eye, the double vision goes away.

Friday 4/2, at my first follow up visit to my local cardiologist, I told him about this.

He prescribed DIPYRIDAMOLE, and told me to get an appt. with a
Neurologist, and Opthomologist, ASAP.

Is he overreacting, or could this be something serious.

Thanks for any advice,
Al

 

[ccrawford]

Dipyridamole, which is also called Aggrenox, is used to reduce the stickiness of the platelets in blood so the blood will flow more smoothly. Small doses of aspirin alone will also do this. The visual problems are indeed a serious byproduct of another problem. Basically, one part of your brain is not getting enough blood flow, and this could be a precursor to a stroke. I'm personally not convinced that a neurologist or opthamologist will be able to do a thing to help, but maybe they can. If you are taking coumadin, make sure you are within your range, and make sure you do not get dehydrated. I would take your cardios suggestion seriously.

 

[queenofhearts]

Vision disturbance after OHS

Vision disturbance after OHS

I'm new here and haven't yet had a chance to introduce myself, but I find this subject interesting.

I had OHS on March 17th to remove a benign tumor from my left atrium - tumor was growing next to my mitral valve, but the valve didn't need repair or replacement. For the first couple weeks after surgery I also had vision disturbances, both the kaleidescope vision and a grey/brown "curtain" coming down about 1/2-way. The first couple of times it happened it lasted almost a minute or two, enough to make me worried that it wasn't going to go away.

Last August I had a TIA that also included vision problems - no peripheral vision and what I could see was flashing - but it faded away along with the rest of my symptoms.

Both my surgeon and cardiologist have no explanation for the vision problem, but have had it described by quite a few patients. Interesting subject.