Went blind in my left eye for 2-3 minutes!!! WTH?

[deek]

Did they give you aspirin, heparin (Lovenox), or Plavix in the ER?

They may be saying TIA because you insist on a diagnosis. TIA is a pretty popular diagnosis right now, and the only evidence of a TIA is that there is no evidence left behind (otherwise it's a regular stroke). Keep your mind open to visual/occular/atypical migraines, which are very common in valve patients and also fit your incident. Some doctors tend to like TIA diagnoses better, because there are pills for TIAs, and it looks like they can do something about it. For VMs, there isn't anything except patience.

People have chased things like this for years with neurologists and come up with diagnoses that essentially mean that they get spots or visual obstructions on occasion. It's been put down to vasoconstiction (vascular spasms), TIAs, showers of tiny calcium specks, brain injury, all sorts of things.

So, if you are offered something stroke-preventitive for it that is life-altering, consider your risks and options and discuss it carefully with your doctor before taking the plunge.

Best wishes,

They did give me asprin and my cardiologist wants me to take it daily. I may be put on Lovenox too. They "think" TIA because of my other symptoms - numbness/tingling...especially in my left limbs, af and odd feeling in my head. Plus my hypertensive issues...I had near malignant hypertension for two years...went down post surgery but was up as high as 189/115 yesterday. I am being referred to an Opthamologist too. Prior to my surgery, I saw a neurologist that ruled out migraines or neurological issues as the cause of my unresponsive hypertension. Not really sure. what's going on here???...but thank you for your knowledge and advise. Certainly hope it is just something optical.

 

[escargome]

Well Dee, I sure hope that the doctor's can come up with concrete information. You sure have been through the wringer. God Bless You

 

[Hot Rod Harry]

Dee, I've seen you mention hypertension, and palpitations. Aren't you drinking coffee? I know you said it was only one cup, but I would eliminate that to see if it lessens any of these other symtoms that you have mentioned.

It all sounds scary. I hope you can figure this out.

 

[bugchucker]

Well here I lie, still in the hospital. My INR had dropped to 1.7 on Monday got it up to 1.9 as of yesterday evening. The on call cardio seems convinced I had a TIA due to: low INR and that I stopped Aspirin due to gastro bleeding from Crohn's flare up. I'm on Heparin and back on Aspirin (81 mg) along with Coumadin (7.5 mg, up from 3.75 mg). They are drawing blood every 6 hours to test PTT. Hoping to get to 2.5 today to get home, but the doc said to plan on being here 48 hrs. They did not do a CT scan as the vision episode is "over".

What gets me is that I was due to go off Coumadin in about 3 weeks?!? In fact my cardio consulted with my gastro doc a few weeks ago and suggested it would be OK to go off Coumadin now due to the bleeding issues. I'm going to be one grumpy SOB if I chose a tissue valve to avoid coumadin only to have to be on it AND 2nd surgery down the road!

Ugggg! Are the docs just being overly cautious or am I being overly impatient?

Thanks all!

Dee, hope your feeling better!

 

[tobagotwo]

Bugchucker, most 81mg aspirin are enterically coated, so that they don't dissolve until they hit the colon. That doesn't sound like where you want the aspirin to hit. Ask if the aspirin they're giving you is enterically coated, and whether it should be in your case. Keep your gastroenterologist tightly in the loop.

Get to an ophthalmologist for the eye issue. Search this site for "migraine" for visual or occular migraine threads. Use the advanced search you can get to from the blue bar. You will see many references to the curtain or half-curtain effect. And get another opinion from another cardiologist - one who has worked with more valve patients. You're 36, no other indications.

Best wishes,

 

[psalmist]

I had this happen before and checked my INR just to be sure and was in the low 3.'s. I had this happen before surgery and did not think much about it. Maybe I should be more attentive. I chalked it up to some major drugs still in my system.

 

[Karlynn]

Deek - how long would you be on Lovenox? Just wondering why Lovenox (an injection with a 12 hour "life-span") instead of Coumadin? If they're planning on using ACT (anticoagulation therapy) on you for a time, Lovenox is much harder to control than Coumadin and is responsible for more bleeding issues. (not to mention having to give yourself shots 2 times a day.)

Really glad to read they're being proactive on this. Best wishes!

 

[deek]

I was just wondering IF I should notify my surgeon of this?

 

[deek]

Deek - how long would you be on Lovenox? Just wondering why Lovenox (an injection with a 12 hour "life-span") instead of Coumadin? If they're planning on using ACT (anticoagulation therapy) on you for a time, Lovenox is much harder to control than Coumadin and is responsible for more bleeding issues. (not to mention having to give yourself shots 2 times a day.)

Really glad to read they're being proactive on this. Best wishes!

I'm not certain. In fact, I'm waiting to hear back...I "think" she's just going to have me take the Asprin for right now??? I had to give myself Lovenox injections when I was pregnant...my only understanding of the drug is that it's typically used short term.

 

[Reddog]

Bugchucker, most 81mg aspirin are enterically coated, so that they don't dissolve until they hit the colon. That doesn't sound like where you want the aspirin to hit. Ask if the aspirin they're giving you is enterically coated, and whether it should be in your case.

Just reinforcing what Tobagotwo is saying here. I have Crohn's as well, and enterically coated aspirin caused me major woes. Since my cardiologist mandated low-dose aspirin, I'm taking the old children's chewable aspirins to good effect.

Red

 

[bugchucker]

Thanks Red and Tobagotwo. I appreciate your input. Getting discharged now, just shy of 24 hrs later. They had me on 3.75 mg Coumadin daily except Mon and Thurs when I took 7.5 mg. Now they are bumping me to 7.5 daily with protime check on Monday...

Thanks again all!

 

[tobagotwo]

Deek, if they want to start you on ACT right away, they give you Lovenox (low molecular weight heparin) injections to keep you anticoagulated until the warfarin (Coumadin) can take over. Coumadin takes three days to become fully effective. You would begin getting the Coumadin as well.

Once you've left the hospital and have your stitches out, the surgeon is just a (hopefully) grateful memory for you. This is aftercare.

You've got other symptoms that may make this a TIA, so it's best to be safe. I hope it wasn't one and that this is unnecessary.

Be well,

 

[BDMc]

Dee, Hoping you get some answers and that your health improves. Brian

 

[COLLEEN S]

Wow Dee that has to be very scary! Let us know what you find out.