How does fatigue affect you?

[martinandamanda]

Hi everyone

Its been a while since we posted here as things have been getting pretty much back to normal and life is moving on quickly since the valve repair january last year. We have been very busy packing as we are moving house next week so life is keeping us busy.

Hubby is Ok but still under observation for the possibility of tia's. he is on aspirin and plavix at the moment. He is seeing the cardio in the morning for a general check up as he had an endoscopy thing to check and see if his valve is clot throwing. Up to November last year he has a number of grey curtains and eye crossing episodes and we thought it was occular migraine, but our local GP was not happy and referred us back to the hospital. He has not had another grey out since november but is still dizzy from time to time. This has been with him since the operation. His BP is fine and heart rate OK.

I was hoping to once again get some advice from you guys as a couple of things have happened that I am worried about, I can get martin to talk to the cardio in the morning but he keeps telling us not to worry and just get on with life. Thats easy for him to say but I cant help but worry.

Last week we visited my parents 3 hours away, and martin drove us home. 2 hours into the journey, he stopped the car as he went dizzy and felt like he was 'Shutting down' for a brief moment. I took over the driving and he was OK after a couple of minutes. He drives all day at work and is normally OK. He has occassional hard Ectopic beats but again has been told they are OK.

WE have been busy this weekend doing the garden and packing ready for moving and martin has been really quiet tonight. He kept falling asleep and I have sent him to bed.

I hope that it is just fatigue as I can deal with this and get extra help or do more myself. Its really hard because the doctors tell us to just get on with life but when we try, these little problems keep appearing and I worry about him.

Sorry to ramble on, I guess I am just anxious.

Hope you are all fine.

Amanda & very tired and in bed Martin

 

[debster913]

Amanda,

Sorry to hear about Martin's latest "bend in the road." I also had a valve repair last June, and have had several "interesting" episodes since, as well. I have practically a shopping list of all the strange things that have happened to me post-op. I've felt bad about bothering my cardio, but he tells me to call him anytime things don't seem right. All the same, I had let things go, thinking that I needed to just move on with life and not worry. Unfortunately, I allowed a narrowed artery in my leg (a minor complication from my surgery) to progress a little too much, and ended up needing a femoral arterial angioplasty a couple months ago. I was having a cold foot and blamed it on the weather until the weather warmed up, and my foot was still ice cold.

In my opinion, I think that perhaps you should solicit another cardio's opinion about Martin's symptoms. Despite the monthly visits I'd had to my cardio's office with one thing or another, he never once told me I was being overly worrisome. If anything, he's always wanted to stay on top of me and check things out, just to make sure. I'm hoping that I'm done with my crazy symptoms and that I won't need to see my cardio until August. Your cardio should be more proactive about Martin's health and not dismiss what he's feeling. It is true that in my experience, I feel fatigue and stress differently than I did pre-op, but my cardio and I attribute my tiredness to my beta-blocker. Maybe the fatigue is related to his medication?

I wish you the best with your move and new life post-op. Let us know what happens at Martin's appointment.

Debi (debster913)

 

[Trinityheart8891]

hey amanda,
debi's advice is great, you probably should seek another opinion, my pediatric cardiologist actually enjoys when I call him, and encourages me to do so whenever I see fit, I have issues intermittently, and usually end up calling my cardio for something at least once a yr, I have been seeing this doc since I was dx'd as a baby in 1987

I have had surgery twice (vsd, and LVOTO) and I am in the "waiting room" for my aortic and mitral valves so to say, but fatigue hits me pretty hard, as I am sitting here, I am having TONS of PVCs I have been working like a maniac lately
between school and 2 jobs, I have also been sick lately borderline bronchitis, but usually at least once every couple of weeks I will have a night where I will go to bed really early like 5 or so, and sleep right through. The last time I called I ended up going in, and they d'xd me with ventricular bigeminy, I notice that I have more episodes of this when I am tired, as well as more shortness of breath.

I am not sure, but it sounds like your hubby may be having some rhythm issues?
anyways, not sure where this is going, but I do think you should at least get an appointment with your cardio, and in the mean time search out a second opinion incase they dont want to deal with his issues
anyways, I hope this helps

 

[debster913]

I hope that it is just fatigue as I can deal with this and get extra help or do more myself. Its really hard because the doctors tell us to just get on with life but when we try, these little problems keep appearing and I worry about him.

Another thing, as you said in your quote above, that it's hard to just get on with life and have all these problems appear. I remember when my cardio told me right after my surgery to live because I had a bright future ahead of me, I was excited, but then I had all these minor occurances that seemed to keep me from enjoying my "new" life, and strangely enough (I can laugh now), every single month there was a new symptom. As I said before, I hope that my "monthly appoinments" with the cardio are over now and I can enjoy the next four months problem-free before I need to see him again.

Wish you lived near me--I'd refer you to my cardio. He's a real gem!

Hope you get to the bottom of Martin's symptoms soon--
Debi

 

[Susan BAV]

Hi Amanda - I've had a few goofy vision things occur, but very few since the new valve (when I was physically exhausted/stressed) and many more with the old valve. You might want to do a search here on occular migraines and also your husband's grey curtain episodes; there have been some threads in the past year or two on those specific things, including the crossed-eye sensation. Sorry for what you're going through; hope it gets better. I think we worry more for our mates than we do for ourselves. Take care and post again.

 

[Marguerite53]

Last week we visited my parents 3 hours away, and martin drove us home. 2 hours into the journey, he stopped the car as he went dizzy and felt like he was 'Shutting down' for a brief moment.


Amanda & very tired and in bed Martin

As Susan just remarked, some of us do have that pulling behind the eyes sensation just before the vision goes all screwy. I don't know what it is, but with several of us reporting it, at least we're not alone! It is the oddest thing...to feel the loss of normalcy coming on. He has probably learned to cope with it since he is driving so much.

Moving is highly fatiguing. Keep an eye on him and once you are feeling as if all should be settled, see how he is doing. If he still seems overly tired to you, push him to see a new cardio if possible.

I forgot to look to see what meds he is on. Some meds can make you very tired. Also, it is spring. Perhaps there are stronger allergens floating about this year (there are here in the states) and those are making him tired. It might be that an antihisitimine (non-drowsy) would be a help.

Try to change your worry into concern and just keep those antenna out. I'm sure that your instincts will help to guide you.

Best wishes. Marguerite

 

[Mary]

As Susan just remarked, some of us do have that pulling behind the eyes sensation just before the vision goes all screwy. I don't know what it is, but with several of us reporting it, at least we're not alone!

I saw my eye doctor this week and mentioned the similar type episodes. He did a thorough exam and said that when one eye is continually compensating for the other, (left eye is very weak, right one strong) it's not uncommon for eye strain to occur. I've ordered new glasses, so hopefully the issue will resolve.

 

[rwsp768]

How Does Fatigue Affect You

How Does Fatigue Affect You

Has your husband had his carotid arteries check? I to had the same episodes of the graying out and crossed eyes. Found that the carotids where plugged up and once they where cleaned out, no more problems. Eye surgeon said that problem can be the sign of a stroke.