Comments on: Vertigo, Headaches & Vision Problems After Heart Valve Surgery… Can You Help Mandy?

By: Connie

Connie — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:32:53 +0000

From one who had heat exhaustion in the 80′s, hydration is very important for all time. Dehydration can cause dizziness, vertigo, nausea, vomiting and death. Also most medications can cause you to be dehydrated. Blood pressure meds take fluids from your body and potassium. I take potassium every day. Lack of potassium can damage your heart and other vital organs. I keep bottled water with me all the time.

By: Mke

Mke — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:39:26 +0000

Laurie and Richard, yes, it is incredible that the Doctors don’t warn you about this type of thing, since it is so prevalent. I am almost 2 years out, and must say that things have improved, so hopefully this will be the case with both of you.
One thing you should definitely check is the other meds you are on. This is particularly true of blood pressure medication. If you are on these meds, you may want to discuss an alternative with your doctor.
Also, I have found that it is important to keep yourself well hydrated. I’m not sure why this makes a difference, but I would recommend drinking some water soon after you wake up in the morning, and keeping some form of liquid in your system throughout the day.
Good luck, and stay positive!

By: Laurie Cantus

Laurie Cantus — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:53:39 +0000

Hi All! It does help to know that I am not alone in all the residual and unwelcomed physical issues following OHS. I had valve repair 6/29 and haven’t been the same since. Ocular migraines, blind spots, vertigo, double vision, abdominal pain, balance issues, weak muscles, anxiety….I am really bummed out. I was an incredibly active and fit 47 year old before, and have been reduced to someone I don’t recognize even 6 months later. All the doctors I have seen since surgery (cardiologist, surgeon, primary care, opthomologist, gynecologist, gastroeneroilogist) say it is part of the healing process and it will pass. I am not comforted and am angry that no medical professional gave me a “heads up” prior to surgery; knowledge is power and maybe this recuperation would have gone more smoothly if I had been menatally prepared. Cardiac rehab was very helpful, especially from the support aspect, but a struggle to persevere on many days as it’s difficult to run on the treadmill when dizzy. Well, goodbye to 2011 and here’s to a brighter 2012!

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:55:45 +0000

I had my aortic valve replacement (St Judes mechanical) in 2007 and since that point had many visual disturbances, floaters, periods of what looks like sun spots around the eyes which comes on slowly and last for several minutes. I also get spouts of double vision, and sometimes feel like the eye muscles slow down and strain. I had my first episode of vertigo on Christmas day, happened in the back seat of car while driving up a curvy road. I was a bit stressed that morning so I wonder if stress had something to do with the triggering the Vertigo. I was really scary as I thought I was having a stroke or something, as I never experienced vertigo before. I am so surprised to find so many other patients who have experienced the very same things I have after my heart surgery. How are we to know if its a stroke or something else anytime these odd episodes happen?

By: Carol Hay

Carol Hay — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:14:48 +0000

Hi Ursula and everyone, I had my aortic valve replacement (bovine…poor moo) plus bypasses on 5/23 and developed the visual problems pretty soon afterwards. They diagnosed ‘pump brain’, although there is no way to know for sure and if an MRI is done, what is to be done about it anyway? More likely is the information that I have arrived at myself (I’m an RN with lots of cardiac nurse and doctor buddies), namely that this is a form of migraine and that the sparklies are the aura. They can be followed by headache, although mine have not. The sparklies are not going away, although you just sort of get used to them. More disturbing are the temperature swings (not hot flashes…I know what those feel like) that just swamp me every day. I so wish those would go away. Most recently, dry eyes and mouth have developed, independent of how much diuretic I have to take. Has anyone else had that? In light of all of the aftermath of this surgery, I will likely NOT allow another when my leaky valves are deemed ready. I’m 58 and all of this was the result of heredity. Happy New Year everybody. Stay well! Carol

By: Ursula Browning

Ursula Browning — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:19:40 +0000

Hi there, I am glad to read about other people describing the same symptoms I am experiencing. What puzzles me is that the vertigo only really started in November this year and I had my operation (bovine heart valve replacement) in September 2010. From the first day after the operation I started having double vision and seeing flashing lights and that is not getting better. I am on no medication. Stress definitely makes it worse. I have just seen a neurologist who also thinks it might be related to migrane, an MRI is still to come. I wonder if other people have had these symptoms for so long. I am 59 years old.

By: Nancy Roberts

Nancy Roberts — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:57:39 +0000

Had AVR June 7,2011 with a mechanical aortic valve replacement, that left me with balance issues, waviness in the eyes (only sporadically) and weakness in right side. At one time, I was on Amiodarone, but that’s gone because of edema(sp?) in my legs and now I am on metoprolol (150mgs), norvasc, ramipril, lasix and Klor-con along with metformin for mild diabetes. Systolic BP still a work in progress–between 140 and 150. I finally got a neurologist to give a script for rehab for my balance and weakness in my legs, which I just started. I have only had two rehab sessions ( I did complete 12 weeks of cardiac rehab already.), plus at home assignments and it really seems to help. There is hope, but it comes with a lot of hard work. I also hired a trainer 3 days a week for an hour, which is helping me bring back my core strength. It’s definitely a luxury expense, but well worth it because he utilizes muscles, that I didn’t know I had. I know it seems late to work on this, but I thought it would go away after cardiac rehab, which it didn’t. Don’t give up!!! Do all the rehab you can, because sometimes only hard work can bring you back. Plus join Mended Hearts! It’s a great organization.

By: Randy

Randy — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:21:31 +0000

Hi everyone,

I had double bypass and mitral valve repair In January 2010 – I too have had visual disturbances since then. About a week after surgery I saw colored bright zig-zig floaters all across my field of vision. Went to opthamologist and they said I had ocular migraines (they only last exactly 20 minutes) but then I am left with a mild headache. I do believe that the migraines and valve surgery are linked. Good luck to everyone – stay well!!

By: Connie

Connie — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:06:29 +0000

George, Vicki and Mike, I had my surgery mid-March 2011. I have a pig tissue aortic valve. I am 66 and if I had it to do over I would not. I have dizzy spells every day. My eyes sometimes feel like they are crossing and I cannot see at the time because it makes me sick. I have to keep my eyes closed until it stops. Most of the time it dies not last long, it is just a terrible feeling. I also have the optical migraines also and the floaters. It has been 8 months, I am waiting for the year mark and praying they will stop. Just when they seem to be getting further apart they start up daily again. Good luck.

By: mike

mike — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:43:21 +0000

George and Vicki, as you will see with the other numerous posts, you are not alone in what you are experiencing. I had AVR in April, 2010 and have suffered from the ocular migraines you describe since then. Fortunately, they at last seem to be abating, and now I only have one or two per week, sometimes even fewer. Thus, if my experience is any guide, you can probably expect to suffer from these things for well over a year, but you can also look forward to them gradually decreasing beyond that.