2 months out questions

[Richard33]

Hi everyone.. i had AVR on sept 14TH. Seemingly everything went well. Received a 29 mm Edwards bovine model 3300. I didnt gain any fluid weight at all. 2 hr surgery. I'm 44 and mostly otherwise healthy. I am taking metoprolol, about 35 mg a day to slow the common higher heart rate. Since the surgery i have had a couple constant issues.. 1) i feel my pulse being very strong. I feel it often in my head, neck, shoulders and in the chest wall itsself while laying, sitting or standing. My cardiologist said it was nerve endings healing and it could last around 6 months. I saw a video on Adam Picks wedsite with him interveiwing a N.Y. cardiac surgeon who said its vety fommon and " he thought " it was due to fluid around the heart from surgery and it amplifing the percussion felt. He said when it solidifies it will cushion the beat and it will be normal again and it could take 8 to 12 weeks to happen but sooner for many... This tells me " they " dont really know for sure what causes it and i would think any fluid could be seen on x ray, as far as i know i dont have any fluid left behind... but my question is how common is it and if it is so common why dont i see any posts here about it? I think its very unnerving and it seems more would complain about it... for those who experiencex it, how long did it last and did it slowely go away or all at once?

2) Since surgery ive also seen spots and bright flashes. The surgeon said to wait 2 months and if im still having them to go see an eye dr... thats all i was told. The follow up visit his assistent said he had never heard of the issue before.. so i patiently eait but decide to do a search and i find i could have my retina being torn away.. so i finally call my eye dr and cobfirm it could be very serious... i think my surgeon thought all i had was blury vision.. not enough communication! If its a tearing retina i guess eye surgery is needed before i go blind... not a good thought.. anybody have any experience with spots and flashes after surgery? Thank you for your replies!

 

[Richard33]

The surgeon also said that i'm taking aspirin so micro clots dony break off my new valve and lodge in the vessals of the eyes. It would be nice to know why things are prescribed and the importance of it.

 

[Duffey]

Richard, several have complained about strong pulsations in the months post-op. I had it myself, and it felt like I had a metronome ticking in my head. My cardiologist had no inkling of what it might be. I did have post-op fluid build-up around the heart so perhaps that is the answer. The pulsations have stopped, but as I recall, they lasted for several years.
I had the spots and bright flashes pre-avr, but can't really remember when they stopped. I never considered them worrisome to have checked out by the eye doctor. I also take aspirin daily but it is a common recommendation, and one I don't think about.
I believe the lack of communication is due to the short time we are under the surgeon's care. After the 6 week visit, our care is given to the cardiologist, and frankly I don't know how much cardio thoracic surgeons and cardiologists actually communicate.:frown2:

 

[Richard33]

Richard, several have complained about strong pulsations in the months post-op. I had it myself, and it felt like I had a metronome ticking in my head. My cardiologist had no inkling of what it might be. I did have post-op fluid build-up around the heart so perhaps that is the answer. The pulsations have stopped, but as I recall, they lasted for several years.
I had the spots and bright flashes pre-avr, but can't really remember when they stopped. I never considered them worrisome to have checked out by the eye doctor. I also take aspirin daily but it is a common recommendation, and one I don't think about.
I believe the lack of communication is due to the short time we are under the surgeon's care. After the 6 week visit, our care is given to the cardiologist, and frankly I don't know how much cardio thoracic surgeons and cardiologists actually communicate.:frown2:

Thanks Duffey for the input... i supposably had some fluid too but the post chest x ray showed it was gone. Confusing.. I have my first post echo next week so maybe that will show some fluid.. Speaking of lack of communication my last pist surgery apot my surgeon asked when my baseline echo was scheduled. I told him my cardiologist didnt say anything about it.. he said for me to call them and if they dont schedule it than he will! This is the best cardiologist clinic and surgeon in the NW..

 

[Richard33]

So your eye issues started PRIOR to your surgery? mine started right after surgery so it doesnt sound like our issues had a common cause.. i have an eye exam next week so i ll find out then if any damage happened. I dont know how anyone can feel normal with the pulse thumping.. i get it in my head too but also in my chest when sitting so its usually always there. I hope it goes away in the 8 to 12 weeks quoted by the ny surgeon from Adam Picks video.. id only have up to 4 weeks left..

 

[Palious]

Hi Richard, I have discussed similar issues with my consultants. I had a mixture of vision problems the majority of which dissappeared after a couple of weeks. However, I am left with a small 'dead' spot apparantly caused by (possibly) a minute piece of debris (e.g. colesterol) finding its way to the visual cortex. I have also had symptoms of acute but short lived chest pain again put down to the fact that surgery goes straight through many nerves and 'turn on' as they grow connections back again! We all have varying post operative issues however when you consider the trauma our bodies have gone through its miraculous the way it heals! Give yourself plenty of time to heal and discuss any worries with your doctors (and this forum!).
Best wishes....

 

[Palious]

PS.
If it helps its quite normal to feeel sensitive to your pulse, especially whilst resting. Many of us can become a little 'fixated' by our heart beats, mine often feels very loud and its accompanied by load tinitus (see another thread!). Try some relaxing techniques, even a good book can take ones attention away from ones recent worries. That is my experience anyway, we are all different and we react differently as we heal.
PPS. To Duffy, indeed my surgeon and cardiac consultant communicated only when professionally required to!

 

[ski girl]

Richard-

I read somewhere before I had my AVR that I may get 'head wobbles' after the surgery. This is due to my heart beating as hard as it had needed to before to get blood around, while it learned that now there was no obstruction to blood flow so it didn't have to pump so hard. I had this for a few weeks, and my toes would move too. If I put a light pillow on top of my feet while I was lying down, it would actually get shaken off!

It takes some time for our hearts to figure out they don't have to squeeze blood through a straw, so they don't have to beat so hard - this time is no doubt different for everyone. I still feel my pulse thumping sometime and I just think 'oh yeah, go heart!' I'm now 14 months post-op.

 

[Rachel]

Hi Richard,

I too felt my heart thumping extremely hard right after surgery (in fact, for a few days right after surgery it felt like my heartbeats were moving my entire upper body)!!! My heart has since calmed way down, but it took about 6 months (getting back to running really helped).

I think I've read or heard something similar to what Ski Girl posted, that the heart is re-adjusting and needs time to figure out that it doesn't have to pump as hard after it's fixed.

I also had flashes of light - before and after surgery. Several years ago I went in for an MRI on my brain and the diagnosis at that time was ocular migraines without headache. These flashes happen again right after surgery maybe one a week for about 4 -6 weeks. It's been about 16 months now and I've not experienced them since.

I would get it checked out just to be safe.

Rachel

 

[DMS]

I had my surgery on Sept. 20, 2012 and have experienced many of the symptoms you describe here. The vision problems with light and flashes I have only seen a couple times and were more common before the AVR replacement. I attribute it to circulation anomalies, similar to turning your head sharply. As far as the heartbeat and pulse seeming to be so strong, mine has very slowly started to diminish (or at least I think it is). My surgeon explained that in my case, the stenosis had caused some left ventricle hypertrophy strengthening and now that the restriction is gone will slowly subside. That should contribute to the pulse returning to a more normal sensation. Time will tell.

other symptoms of post-op discomfort have been slowly going away. On the 14th of Sept. the surgeon told me I was unrestricted and could return to the gym and sensible weightlifting. Good to hear after a relatively short time.

Good luck to you and I think more communication with your cardiologist will make you feel more confident. Mine is pretty cool. When I asked what heart rate he would be concerned about all he said was; "...well zero is not good and I don't really care how high it goes as long as it comes back down". After that I quit being so paranoid about it.