Post Surgery - little stuff

[dcc617]

I came home from AVR on 2/13 and things have been going great. However, I've noticed a few things and was wondering if anyone else had similar experiences.

Every so often, my eyesight goes out of focus. If I close the left eye, the right eye is fine and vice versa. It's the dual focus that goes out of whack. It only lasts a minute. I also get dizzy. Generally this occurs when I'm sitting. Then, last night, my right hand seemed to have lost strength for a short period.

All of these symptoms return to normal quickly. I have a followup visit with my cardiologist today and will be mentioning these things.

Comments from the group?

Dave

 

[escargome]

Hi Dave,
Well first I would say that the best thing you can do is ask your doctor. And now for my 2 cents. I am just about at my 4 year mark and my eyes still do some kind of funny fast blinking (fluttering) every once in a while. Mostly when I am tired. Dizzy after surgery was present for me, but with medication adjustments that went away. Don't forget your body is still healing and adjusting to being hit by that truck. Hope your doc has some answers and keep up the good work on your recovery.

 

[Bina]

Howdy Dave !
I don't want to say this stuff happens to everyone, but I had all those things happen and more.
Some of them continue (due to my past history of migraine auras?), some are related to my BB meds,
but otherwise it's just the way I am.
Always mention these quirks/blips to your doctors, better safe than sorry Best wishes !

 

[D.C.]

Dave,
I have the same thing. Sometimes double vision. But if I close one eye am ok and it usually lasts about a minute or so. Also the room will take a couple of spins once in a while, but not to often.

My father a valver since 1985 has always had the same thing. Thought it ran in the family.

Asked the eye doc the other day if he had any idea. He said my eyes naturally wanted to pull apart so to speak(not work in unison) and maybe it was a little blood pressure disturbance that caused it. I also get the auras once in a while, but have never had an all out migraine before or after surgery.

I have tried to tie it to different things but can't get a pattern.
OH the joys of life. Better this than the alternative.

 

[epstns]

Dave,

You're not alone in these things. I had the "spins" a couple of times in the first few months after surgery, but that has pretty much gone away. The "eyes don't play well together" thing has happened to me several times. It usually happens when I'm at work on the computer screen, and I just can't properly focus on the small type. It hasn't happened while driving, but if it did, my vision would still be good enough to drive properly, I just can't read fine print when it hits. This, too, seems to be lessening over time.

Hang in there. It's early in recovery and you're doing just fine.

 

[Greg a]

I had it so often at first I was so concerned I saw an optomitrist AND an opthomologist and was assured by both that my eyesight was fine .......I have concluded that every time I look at my wife my eyes cloud over with emotion........damn I wish she read these forums:biggrin2:

 

[DanielB]

I've had some similar issues as well, including a double vision episode while driving. I was able to do fine though by simply closing one eye until I pulled over. Cleared right up and have not had that issue since. Other than that, I have seen an increase in what I have seen called 'floaters' in one eye. Again, nothing major and they go away fairly soon after they start.

 

[Madsometimes]

I had a bad eye episode on Monday, which coincidentally was when my 12 week check up with my surgeon was scheduled. I was doing morning school run when the vision in my right eye totally disappeared. I pulled over, and my sight was back to normal after about 5 minutes. I get visual migraine, so I am used to temporary disturbances. Sometimes I also get a partial black out of my vision. Because these problems have always resolved themselves, I was not particularly concerned, even though I have never totally lost the vision in one eye.

When I mentioned losing my sight in one eye to the senior registrar I saw in clinic, he was really worried. At first he wanted me to go to A&E, because he thought I may have had a TIA. Luckily he made a few phone calls and I was fast tracked for a neck scan and saw a neurologist. She was less worried because I have had periods of losing vision dating back 20 years. I still need to go back and have an echo, and I may be referred to a neuro ophthalmologist. It is playing on my mind a little that it could have been a TIA, but I had my INR checked today and it was 2.9 which is a relief because it was 2.0 and falling last week.

I hope your cardio check went well today, and you got an all clear.

 

[njean]

I too have experienced these little episodes many times throughout my life. One doctor told me that he thought they were TIA's but had no solutions or the "why" these freak things happen. Many years ago, I was sitting at my desk at work, and I got a sudden, horrible pain in the center of my chest that radiated to my back and then my vision went out of focus too. I just sat there very quiet until it all passed! Another time that I had the distorted vision, I was driving to work and had to pull over and wait 'til it passed. Scary but sorry that I don't have any explanation for their origin either!

Take care and hope you get answers from your doctor.