D's Journal

Anyone with restless leg syndrome (RLS) had heart surgery with RLS complications afterward? There is a class of anesthesia drugs that can cause severe reactions of spastic uncontrollable jerking movements as the patient is brought out of anesthesia and remain an issue thereafter. I've read on a couple of cases which were very disturbing but the clinical reports did not address whether the patient knew beforehand that certain drugs were likely to adversely affect the RLS. I have experienced this event after maxiofacial surgery and found the drug family responsible. Some dentists who use those drugs solely have refused me as a patient. Luckily l have a very good mouth surgeon who knows what to use without complicating the RLS. It is a great worry with the length of time required to be under for heart surgery plus l have had a stroke, TIAs and narrowed airways from broncheacteses (sp). Sleep apnea as well. Migraines and vertigo. All possible complicating factors for heart surgery or back as my spine also needs fusing lumbar and thoracic, if possible after the heart. Experiences with such shared would be of great help. A surgeon and anesthesiologist will also look at all of it and recommend procedures. Has anyone had a mitra clip procedure due to complicating issues for open heart surgery?

Thanks for sharing your experience in surgeon options. I'm in a small town 65 miles from Huntsville and 170 to Birmingham. Our local med center has Dr A he's called, who used to be at UAB and l hear good things and happy experiences with him here. One wonders why an excellent dr leaves a program like they have at UAB and relocate to "Podunk". In his 70s now with tons of experience. Have yet to meet him. Everyone says use dr A or go where your procedure is done daily - with an experienced team in the OR backing up a great dr. I don't think there are many open heart procedures done here, more stents and such, ablation for fib are sent to Bham., I dug around and talked to friends and want to see a dr in Miss. who has very high scores for success, few re-admissions following surgery and few complications. A friend in Huntsville has a brother who was a cardiac tech, now retired, who highly recommended 3 guys there, one of whom was raised a couple of miles from us and from our community. All have better numbers for outcome, deaths, complication than dr A.. Sorry l can't think of the name of the rating site listing these drs but will look it up. One son is in Texas near the Plano Baylor heart clinic as well as all of Dallas area and has a MIL suite in his home as his MIL was sick when they built but has since died. There's an option for post surgery but at some point a 10 hour drive or 2 day drive with a stop would be necessary to get home.

This photo was made last summer, a month before l was told l needed mitral valve surgery lasting 10-12 hours. Other health issues continue delaying the procedure. I don't understand the nonchalant attitude cardiologists assume when discussing what's left of my life. It's like they're reading the back of a cereal box while eating it's contents. Fearful words when they apply to me and the spoken "we do this every day" fails to reassure all will be good after open heart surgery - that 'critical' findings on an echo report aren't alarming (maybe not to them) rather terminology given to echo readings as interpreted by a radiologist and not alarming at all if you're a doctor. "Critical" findings attached to my name on a medical report is very scary and crushing. There's no guarantee my heart will restart when those small paddles send their restart spark. At home l heard "so let them fix it". It felt cold, indifferent. So l don't talk about it. Am l too sensitive? Today the cardiologist said he wanted another echo done and he'd see me after he knew the echo results. Taken aback a bit, l failed to ask if he heard something indicating my heart was worse. August 12 was the opening for an echo? No. I told them to have my doctor say when he wanted it done instead of accepting the scheduling dept's 1st available and they came back with " he said to see him in 2 months" and someone would call with an echo date. Confused? Concerned about the level of care l get? Absolutely.