B
Braveheart
Dear Friends,
First and foremost let me say how sad and sickened I am at the tragedy and loss/waste of life in NYC and Washington today. I'm deeply sorry and my thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.
Thank you all so much for your replies to my posting regarding Aortic Valve Replacement and Visual Disturbances. Your response was encouraging. Of course I do not wish anyone to experience these episodes, but it is somehow
comforting to know that I am not the only one in this World suffering these.
I thought I would take a few minutes to bring you up to date with what is happening regarding my episode last Monday. I did call my Cardiologist's office. Unfortunately he was out the Country at the time. However he
telephoned me at home Friday morning before I left for work. He explained that he was sorry to hear I had experienced another episode. He said he had called my Neurologist and discussed my case with him. He believes my circulation is fine as all the recent tests MRI and Echo at my last heart check-up with him were excellent. He said that I was to see the Neurologist because he felt it is something to do with the platelets. I have an appointment booked with the Neurologist this Thursday morning. I am going mentally prepared to get my point across to him. This is NOT a migraine. All the symptoms are identical to the episodes I suffered last year for which I was diagnosed as having TIAs.
Interestingly, yesterday evening I telephoned my friend Craig who lives in the North of England. I met Craig two years ago at a heart camp for young people with CHD. Craig is 23 and has had 2 or 3 heart surgeries for congenital heart disease. His last surgery was a homograft aortic valve. When I asked him how he has been he began to explain to me what happened to him a few weeks ago. He related how he was at home and suddenly his vision in his left eye began to disappear. He said it was like looking through a telescope and the vision graying out until he lost total vision. This lasted 4 minutes and then slowly returned in the same way it disappeared!
He was scared and the doctors at the hospital explained he had suffered a TIA. I couldn't believe it when he told me. The symptoms were absolutely identical in every way to my recent episode. I told him what had happened with me last week and last year. He was very understanding. I said to him that I was surprised he had suffered one as he has a tissue valve replacement. He said that the doctor explained they can still occur regardless of valve type. He's now taking low dose aspirin. It helped to know that I was not alone, that someone else was able to understand me. I am determined to get answers and get something sorted with this visit I have on Thursday with the Neurologist. I feel though that this is
something I am going to have to live with. I am hoping they may be able to adjust my medication to prevent the platelets aggregating. I am grateful for the information that was posted relating to a new, slow release version of Dipyridamole called 'Aggrenox'. I have a print out of the information and shall discuss this with the Neurologist. The biggest thing that scares
me is that I may get fobbed off by the doctors. I know my body so well and I know this was a TIA and I am not prepared to keep putting up with this. It needs to be managed. It's all very well saying it's nothing sinister, but I find it scary.
So, my friends, I shall let you know how the appointment goes and if any good comes from it.
In the meantime, thank you again for your kindness and concern. I hope that your problems get addressed too and that we all get the answers and treatment we deserve.
God bless - Jonathan
First and foremost let me say how sad and sickened I am at the tragedy and loss/waste of life in NYC and Washington today. I'm deeply sorry and my thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.
Thank you all so much for your replies to my posting regarding Aortic Valve Replacement and Visual Disturbances. Your response was encouraging. Of course I do not wish anyone to experience these episodes, but it is somehow
comforting to know that I am not the only one in this World suffering these.
I thought I would take a few minutes to bring you up to date with what is happening regarding my episode last Monday. I did call my Cardiologist's office. Unfortunately he was out the Country at the time. However he
telephoned me at home Friday morning before I left for work. He explained that he was sorry to hear I had experienced another episode. He said he had called my Neurologist and discussed my case with him. He believes my circulation is fine as all the recent tests MRI and Echo at my last heart check-up with him were excellent. He said that I was to see the Neurologist because he felt it is something to do with the platelets. I have an appointment booked with the Neurologist this Thursday morning. I am going mentally prepared to get my point across to him. This is NOT a migraine. All the symptoms are identical to the episodes I suffered last year for which I was diagnosed as having TIAs.
Interestingly, yesterday evening I telephoned my friend Craig who lives in the North of England. I met Craig two years ago at a heart camp for young people with CHD. Craig is 23 and has had 2 or 3 heart surgeries for congenital heart disease. His last surgery was a homograft aortic valve. When I asked him how he has been he began to explain to me what happened to him a few weeks ago. He related how he was at home and suddenly his vision in his left eye began to disappear. He said it was like looking through a telescope and the vision graying out until he lost total vision. This lasted 4 minutes and then slowly returned in the same way it disappeared!
He was scared and the doctors at the hospital explained he had suffered a TIA. I couldn't believe it when he told me. The symptoms were absolutely identical in every way to my recent episode. I told him what had happened with me last week and last year. He was very understanding. I said to him that I was surprised he had suffered one as he has a tissue valve replacement. He said that the doctor explained they can still occur regardless of valve type. He's now taking low dose aspirin. It helped to know that I was not alone, that someone else was able to understand me. I am determined to get answers and get something sorted with this visit I have on Thursday with the Neurologist. I feel though that this is
something I am going to have to live with. I am hoping they may be able to adjust my medication to prevent the platelets aggregating. I am grateful for the information that was posted relating to a new, slow release version of Dipyridamole called 'Aggrenox'. I have a print out of the information and shall discuss this with the Neurologist. The biggest thing that scares
me is that I may get fobbed off by the doctors. I know my body so well and I know this was a TIA and I am not prepared to keep putting up with this. It needs to be managed. It's all very well saying it's nothing sinister, but I find it scary.
So, my friends, I shall let you know how the appointment goes and if any good comes from it.
In the meantime, thank you again for your kindness and concern. I hope that your problems get addressed too and that we all get the answers and treatment we deserve.
God bless - Jonathan
