Problems with aortic valve replacement ?

[Paleowoman]

Saw cardiologist and had echo this afternoon - the valve is okay !! The echo is virtually the same as last year’s echo !

Cardiologist said the results showing on the ECG are just reflecting that I have left ventricular hypertrophy which I’ve always had. He still thinks it’s TIA that I had and is referring me to a consultant neurologist he knows for his opinion on whether it’s TIA or perhaps something to do with migraine. I will probably have a CT Angio, then I will see my cardiologist again, perhaps have Holter monitor, but meanwhile carry on with the aspirin.

When I went to the eye clinic the day before yesterday the eye doctor and the senior eye doctor looked at the back of my eye and looked at the OCT scan which had been done last week just a few hours after I had had the last episode of transient partial loss of vision in my right eye - I wrote down what they said, there were “no retinal artery or vein occlusions”.

So I am most relieved that at least my heart and aortic valve replacement are still okay

 

[Chuck C]

Saw cardiologist and had echo this afternoon - the valve is okay !! The echo is virtually the same as last year’s echo !

That's great news!

Did he have any comment regarding the right atrial enlargement found in the ECG?

 

[Paleowoman]

That's great news!

Did he have any comment regarding the right atrial enlargement found in the ECG?

The comments on the ECG are machine done apparently so don't take into account my valve replacement or the LVH which I always have. The right atrial enlargement is positional, my right atrial size is actually normal size

 

[Seaton]

Fantastic to hear, Anne!
And great they've offered you a CT Angio... plus a possible Holter monitor. The more data, the better!

All the best with your neurology appointment. Hopefully, that will be soon.
Keep us posted!

 

[tommyboy14]

Brilliant news. Very happy to hear this and also personally relieved for you.

 

[Paleowoman]

Thanks for posting this info.

I too have experienced partial loss of vision in my right eye. Seems like once every few months. Also have had some balance issues the last couple of years. No AFIB. About a year and a half ago I had a brain scan, carotid arteries checked, eye doc visit, EKG and echo, and ears checked out. All of the tests came back OK. A couple of weeks ago my annual echo and EKG both were fine.

I was thinking maybe ocular migraine. I wonder if what I occasionally experience is what you have described here.

Hi @Croooser - I was also thinking like you that it might be ocular or retinal migraine, I'm not sure which is the correct name. It would seem a person can have the usual migraine with aura which is in both eyes (which I've had since heart surgery like some others here) as well as the retinal migraine which is in one eye.

I keep reading on 'migraine with aura' websites that people with a history of migraine with aura may be at higher risk of stroke, I wonder why ?

 

[carolinemc]

Within the past two weeks I have had three episodes of partial loss of vision in my right eye which lasted 1 minute each time. On advice of GP I went to the local hospital eye unit day before yesterday - had lots of tests and a doctor at the end who surprised me by saying he thought I had TIA (ministroke). He arranged some blood tests: CRP, ESR and full blood count, and prescribed baby aspirin, and made urgent referral to the TIA clinic which I went to yesterday (all very efficient of the NHS). Had brain MRI, ultrasound of carotid arteries and an ECG and saw TIA doctor. The brain MRI was fine and shows no damage, and the carotid arteries are fine, no blockages, the blood tests are all normal, but my ECG is abnormal, especially in that there is right atrial enlargement - on last year’s echo the right atrial was of normal size.

The TIA doctor said she thinks I had blood clots in the right eye and that I should bring forward my scheduled appointment with cardiologist for echocardiogram. I'm to see the eye doctor on Monday again and I’ve an appointment now fixed with cardiologist for next Wednesday. I wonder if this means the valve which had its eleventh birthday last January is having problems ?

I am just now here and seeing your post. I had a blood clot go to my left eye. I am also diabetic and if you are one, it is common and not so common with getting an eye stroke from a blood clot. Good thing you went and had all the testing done. Hope you are doing better. I am legally blind in the left eye. But I was applying for SSDI when it happened in my sleep. Weird stuff our bodies go through.

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi @carolinemc - sorry to hear you are legally blind in your left eye after you had a clot go to it. Thankfully my right eye is fine, there were no retinal artery or vein occlusions but still the neurologist thinks it was a blood clot in the right eye artery but a TIA clot, if that makes sense...it recoverd within a minute.

 

[Paleowoman]

Update on my issues - last week I saw the neurologist the cardiologist referred me to for an opinion on whether it’s TIAs or migraine symptoms I’ve been having. The neurologist says it’s TIAs. In addition, when he learned that I’ve been getting episodes of double vision since heart surgery, that those too were TIAs. Since heart surgery I’ve been getting both migraine auras and episodes of double which I thought were connected. My cardiologist was aware, btw, that some people get migraine auras following heart surgery.

I had a CT Coronary Angiogram earlier this week and saw cardiologist again today. The CT Angio was fine and shows that my coronary arteries are clear, that’s despite my cholesterol always being very high, recent lipid profile: total cholesterol 8.6 mmol/L (332 mg/dL), HDL 3.14 mmol/L (121 mg/dL), Trigs 0.32 mmol/L (28 mg/dL) and LDL 5.44 mmol/L (210 mg/dL), and there is no evidence of vegetation on my aortic valve and everything else okay on the CT scan.

I’m now wearing a two week ECG monitor - it’s called a Zio monitor, no leads ! It’s just stuck on me ! When that’s done and the results are analysed my cardiologist is planning to do a ‘bubble echocardiogram’ to check if there is a small hole, patent foramen ovale, in my heart.

 

[dornole]

Did the neurologist say anything about an anticoagulant given the TIAs? I remember Vitdoc brought that up as something that should be addressed.

When I had my TIA I was already on Eliquis and stayed on it till I had valve surgery (mechanical so switched to warfarin). However I note now that many guidelines rule out Eliquis as not good enough for rheumatic heart disease. Maybe I’m a good example why, given I still had a TIA on it.

After my valve repair back in 2002, I kinda had a manmade PFO from where they poked the valve balloon thru the atrial septum. That was one of the reasons for putting me on 325 mg full strength aspirin. Risk of stroke from clots sneaking through that hole and off to the brain.

Anyhow just hope they’re on top of making sure you have the right anticoagulant cover during these investigations.

 

[Chuck C]

I’m now wearing a two week ECG monitor - it’s called a Zio monitor, no leads

Those are great devices. My cardiologist had me wear one for 2 weeks prior to letting me get off amiodarone, to make sure my post surgery afib was gone.

 

[Paleowoman]

Did the neurologist say anything about an anticoagulant given the TIAs? I remember Vitdoc brought that up as something that should be addressed.

Hi @dornole - I've been on low dose aspirin since the eye clinic diagnosed that it was TIAs.....so that's been for the past three and a half weeks. The neurologist said to carry on with the aspirin, so I assume that's the right anti-coagulant...well it's an anti-platelet med.

 

[Paleowoman]

Those are great devices. My cardiologist had me wear one for 2 weeks prior to letting me get off amiodarone, to make sure my post surgery afib was gone.

Hi Chuck - I keep checking that it doesn't come unstuck...that's my only worry with it ! Much better than having leads all over the place

 

[Chuck C]

Hi Chuck - I keep checking that it doesn't come unstuck...that's my only worry with it ! Much better than having leads all over the place

I agree. It was really easy to wear and nice to not have the wires. Both my parents have also used a Zio monitor. It worked great for my dad, but my mom has severe dementia and she kept taking it off wondering what it was and why it was on her.

 

[Motozona]

Within the past two weeks I have had three episodes of partial loss of vision in my right eye which lasted 1 minute each time. On advice of GP I went to the local hospital eye unit day before yesterday - had lots of tests and a doctor at the end who surprised me by saying he thought I had TIA (ministroke). He arranged some blood tests: CRP, ESR and full blood count, and prescribed baby aspirin, and made urgent referral to the TIA clinic which I went to yesterday (all very efficient of the NHS). Had brain MRI, ultrasound of carotid arteries and an ECG and saw TIA doctor. The brain MRI was fine and shows no damage, and the carotid arteries are fine, no blockages, the blood tests are all normal, but my ECG is abnormal, especially in that there is right atrial enlargement - on last year’s echo the right atrial was of normal size.

The TIA doctor said she thinks I had blood clots in the right eye and that I should bring forward my scheduled appointment with cardiologist for echocardiogram. I'm to see the eye doctor on Monday again and I’ve an appointment now fixed with cardiologist for next Wednesday. I wonder if this means the valve which had its eleventh birthday last January is having problems ?

I went through things and occasionally get the same thing from time to time. It only lasts a minute or two max. A cloud that starts small and covers the line of vision and goes away as fast as it came. Corneal cramp maybe... heck I don't know. It's a bit scary but now I just relax and breathe 4/7/8 a few times. Mine is after exercise or a moment of tension. Weird. I'm 67 and my bovine valve is 9 years old. This has been happening for 7 or so years.

 

[Paleowoman]

I went through things and occasionally get the same thing from time to time. It only lasts a minute or two max. A cloud that starts small and covers the line of vision and goes away as fast as it came. Corneal cramp maybe... heck I don't know. It's a bit scary but now I just relax and breathe 4/7/8 a few times. Mine is after exercise or a moment of tension. Weird. I'm 67 and my bovine valve is 9 years old. This has been happening for 7 or so years.

Hi @Motozona Have you discussed this with your cardiologist ?

Mine didn't start small and cover my vision, it was instant and covered half the lower vision in my right eye, it went as instantly after a minute or so. I understand that it's the fact that it lasted only a minute which indicates a TIA (mini stroke). The neurologist I saw said that also the very short episodes of double vision I've been getting since AVR also indicate TIAs. I'm now having lots of tests to look for cause of blood clots causing this.