TIA Stroke suffered - meet with surgeon next week

[Guest]

Wondering if anyone else here encountered something similar to what just happened to me?
I live in Victoria BC, Canada. I was diagnosed with BAV 5 years ago. Aortic root is at 5.1 and ascending aorta 4.9. I also have an ASD (hole in the heart). Valve is working fine with no major regurg or stenosis to report.

Three weeks ago I suffered a stroke I was lucky my wife was home to get me the medical help I needed. I have no major physical issues other than some minor speech related stuff that likely only myself and people very close to me may pick up on from time to time. I got very lucky!

So now the discussion of having my surgery sooner than later has come up mainly due to one theory that a clot somehow found its way through the ASD and made it to the brain. They haven't really been able to identify where the clot came from or what the root cause was/is.
Because of the mystery they've put me on cholesterol lowering meds, Lipitor, as well as the normal protocol for stroke prevention of the anti-coagulant drug. In my case I am on Apixiban (Eliquis).

Anyone else encounter anything similar while being in the "waiting room"?

Cheers
Cliff
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[Warrick]

Sorry to read of your stroke
I have the same defect and prior surgery and being anticoagulated on warfarin I had weekly visual disturbances which I identified as migraine related, now they have all but vanished (maybe 6-12 months since last one and I think perhaps my INR predominately between 2.5-3.0 in this period helps) I think they were a precurser to something more sinister such as you have suffered.
Also my cholesterol which was never checked until months after my ohs was thru the roof ( family trait I believe) and I’m now on atorvastatin