Stroke? Neurological problem?

[ajc1991]

I was due to have my severely leaking bicuspid aortic valve replaced with a mechanical one (along with a possible aortic root repair) on October 23rd of 2014. The surgery has been postponed 5 times due to acne being on my chest. They did not want me to get an infection so they gave me Doxycycline alongside Clindamycin to help with the issue. FINALLY that red bump has cleared up and I'm scheduled for surgery next Thursday (January 15th).

On December 12th I was sitting on the couch and felt the left side of my cheek and my left arm get really tingly, almost felt numb, and I got dizzy. This lasted for approximately 3 seconds. I went to the ER fearing it was a stroke and they did a CT scan of my head. Results came back normal. They did a Carotid (ultrasound of the neck to check for clots and problems with the arteries and nerves), results came back normal. The doctor at the ER didn't know what to say. I had told him that I am a migraine sufferer and he said this could be a possibility. He also said it sounded kind of like a TIA (mini stroke). I had, cold turkey, quit caffeine a few days prior and had gotten a series of headaches that lasted all day for a few weeks after that hospital stay and noticed that one pain in my head had occurred whenever I titled my head back too much, as if a muscle in my neck was strained. This could have also had to do with it as well.

My cardiologist (love him) had said after I left the ER "No matter what anybody tells you, start taking low-dose Aspirin once a day right away and discontinue a week prior to your surgery." He also said he wanted me to see a neurologist before I have my surgery to get clearance. I did, the neurologist did the basic testing, having me walk in a straight line, checking my vision, testing my strength etc. and I did well. The neurologist said that before he clears me for surgery he wants to have two things done:

1. A TEE to see if I have any other issues with my heart beside my severely leaking valve, and to see if I have a hole in my heart, which can cause stroke like symptoms.
2. A VERY specific blood test that will show all kinds of blood disorders, including seeing if my blood clots easy.

My cardiologist agreed with the neurologist about having these extra tests done. He said, it's possible I could have a rare problem with my heart that could cause a stroke or stroke like symptoms, but that he doubted it. He also rechecked my angiogram that I had of my heart and said I'm at no risk for an aneurism.

I got the TEE done yesterday and I don't have a hole in my heart, and they also didn't find anything else wrong besides my leaky valve.
I got the blood test done and the results came back normal as well.

I've felt the tingling in my cheek off and on since my ER visit, just not as severe as that time I went to the ER. I guess I'm nervous about having a stroke during my surgery, if it was indeed a stroke. The first thing I'm going to do when I wake up after surgery is wiggle my fingers and toes to make sure everything is ok.

I have an appointment with my surgeon and my cardiologist next week, the week of my surgery.

 

[cldlhd]

Would a ct angio show if you had s hole in your heart? I've had occasional migraines for years and with bad ones I've had numbness on one side ( a hand for instance ) . I always assumed it was from pressure on the brain.

 

[ajc1991]

I'm not sure. I had a angiogram of my heart and he wanted me to have a TEE done since it provides better view of the heart, and the TEE showed that I don't have a hole in my heart.

 

[ajc1991]

Sorry for double post. Another thing I forgot to mention which further means this could be related to migraines. I get these occular migraines where I get a flashing zig zag line in my vision and it is followed by a migraine and nausea. It ALWAYS occurs in my left eye, and I'm feeling the tingling on the left side. That might have something to do with it.....but I'm not having the flashing zig zag line.

 

[cldlhd]

I get the visual aura before a migraine also ,I get the nausea also. Haven't had a TEE but had 2 ct angios and echos.

 

[skeptic49]

Hummm....after I presented with stroke symptoms in the ER I was admitted. First test relative to stroke was a CT brain scan which was negative. But neurology wanted more they ordered a brain MRI. Turns out I have evidence of stroke in five areas of my brain. My surgery is delayed until sufficient time passes between my incident Dec. 9 and my surgery...about eight weeks. I have an unusual growth on my BAV leaflets called Lambl's excrescents...they can break off and migrate all over including the brain. The valve has to go.

 

[ajc1991]

I'm sorry to hear that, I looked up the Lambl's Excrescents and it appers it's suggested that a TEE be performed to see if someone has it. Luckily, they did not find that on mine.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

Would a ct angio show if you had s hole in your heart?

if you mean this guy:

then I thought there were other observations which made it clear you had one of those much earlier in life.

with respct to migrains:

I always assumed it was from pressure on the brain.

I have heard multiple "theory" on this, but as far as I know its still "unclear" what the causes are ... interestingly I get them too and I wonder if there is any relationship with heart issues and this, as in my life I've never met a group who gets them as much. Meaning other "groups" I'm involved with (friends, work, hobby, sports) there are much fewer people in those groups that have the same migraines as me

 

[cldlhd]

I was thinking the same thing, seems to be a high percentage out here who get them.

 

[ottagal]

Hi



if you mean this guy:

then I thought there were other observations which made it clear you had one of those much earlier in life.

with respct to migrains:

I have heard multiple "theory" on this, but as far as I know its still "unclear" what the causes are ... interestingly I get them too and I wonder if there is any relationship with heart issues and this, as in my life I've never met a group who gets them as much. Meaning other "groups" I'm involved with (friends, work, hobby, sports) there are much fewer people in those groups that have the same migraines as me

Pellicle,

My cousin had a stroke and the cardiologist determined that it was a result of PFO (hole in the heart) which they 'patched'. Here is a link from Mayo clinic if of interest. :http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...n/con-20028729

 

[Agian]

I had a PFO, which was patched up with a mesh contraption (Amplatzer device), they threaded through a vein in the groin. This was after I lost the bottom half of my visual field in the left eye, for a few seconds.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

My cousin had a stroke and the cardiologist determined that it was a result of PFO (hole in the heart) which they 'patched'.

OK, so if y don't mind me asking, how old was your cousin at diagnosis and repair?

Not that I am any kind of expert, but in my mind I had thought it showed up earlier? Perhaps there are small holes which remain undiagnosed and life does not provoke symptoms?

Here is a link from Mayo clinic if of interest. :http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...n/con-20028729

Thanks for that link. Please do nottake this as ae statement about yourthoughtfulness in posting it, but sadly that link is what I find frustrating in most "information pieces"put out by hospitals and clinics: almost no information. Some general "could be-s" (which could also be from something else) and little or no data. Am I the only one who is not an emotional thinker who hungers for facts and reasons?

I would have loved to see something like stats (percentages, does it exist with over conditions, ages at diagnosis, ...) the wikipedia page has more data and knowledge than the Mayo page.

I must be such a savant

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventricular_septal_defect

 

[pellicle]

Hi

I had a PFO, which was patched up with a mesh contraption (Amplatzer device), they threaded through a vein in the groin. This was after I lost the bottom half of my visual field in the left eye, for a few seconds.

Interesting, how old were you?

I recall in my first surgery one other boy was in for a repair of a hole in the heart. My cousin was among the first operated on (he is older than me) at the (then called) Chermside Cardiac hospital (later renamed to Prince Charles) for I think that procedure. I seem to recall that was about 1969.

 

[Agian]

I wouldn't call it an operation. I went home the next day. It was December 2013 that I had it done. 45 years old.

 

[cldlhd]

Strange, as long as I can remember I've had a sort of blank spot in the field of vision in my right eye. The focus is spot on just like my left and the spot is filled in by my left eye so it's never been an issue but I've never known what the cause is. I figure as long as it never got worse ,which it hasn't, then it's not a problem. I did have a pretty good hit on the head in an accident as a toddler so maybe that did it, it could also explain a lot.....

 

[ajc1991]

Doing some research, I'm glad to hear that they use Heparin for heart surgeries to prevent clotting in the blood. I'm just nervous I guesss. Still don't know what caused this tingling in my face and sometimes arm that is still going on. It legitimately can be anything neurological. Compressed nerve, tense neck, migraines, so many possibilities.

I have an appointment with my cardiologist in two days and I also got a call from my surgeons secretary that he would like to see me before my surgery.

 

[Eva]

Does this happen when you are sitting/walking in a certain position! Could this be a pinched nerve?!

 

[ajc1991]

Does this happen when you are sitting/walking in a certain position! Could this be a pinched nerve?!

Perhaps. Neurologically it can be anything. I've been having a bit of muscle tension in my neck along with dull migraine like aches throughout my head as well so that may be connected to it. It could be anxiety, stress, migraines, neck tension, a compressed nerve etc. I'm just glad my CT scan as well as the carotid ultrasound and blood tests came out clean. No clotting disorder or anything.