Could anyone help, please? - Complications during recovery from minimal invasive mitral valve repair surgery
Two weeks after my successful mitral valve repair ...Read more
Could anyone help, please? - Complications during recovery from minimal invasive mitral valve repair surgery
Two weeks after my successful mitral valve repair surgery last July I started experiencing dizziness and weakness/numbness in my right leg. By late October the weakness/numbness had spread across the right side of my body and I also started experiencing complete exhaustion, often bordering on fainting, which usually got slightly better after meals. I have undergone numerous examinations and tests (e.g. cardiology, neurology, endocrinology, gut biome test, various blood tests) and completely changed my diet (I used to be lacto-vegetarian for 26 years, alas, no longer) but the symptoms still linger, and no one has been able to establish their cause. The combination of the three symptoms (i.e. dizziness, weakness/numbness and exhaustion) have made a major negative impact on my personal life.
I would be very grateful for any guidance.
Susan Lynn George - I had minimally invasive mv repair. The numbness in your leg is likely related to the plac ... Read more
Susan Lynn George - I had minimally invasive mv repair. The numbness in your leg is likely related to the placement of the femoral cannula that connected you to the heart/ lung machine during surgery. I'm curious - did you have a longer surgery than originally estimated? My understanding that prolonged cannulation can affect the leg.
The dizziness is likely related to your blood pressure changes. A look at your medications may be helpful. I felt better after stopping my small dosages of metoprolol. There may be drugs that have fewer side effects that work for you.
If you're not seeing progression it might be time for another opinion. That's a long time not to feel well. Please keep us posted - hang in there. We're here for you.
George R Dear Susan, thank you for your thoughtful and heart-warming reply. Do you happen to hear about how to ... Read more
George R Dear Susan, thank you for your thoughtful and heart-warming reply. Do you happen to hear about how to treat the consequences of prolonged cannulation? Do you know anyone in the community who has had similar experience or any publicly available research on this topic?
Susan Lynn George - I don't know of anyone who had prolonged cannulation. My understanding is that it is more ... Read more
Susan Lynn George - I don't know of anyone who had prolonged cannulation. My understanding is that it is more common with full robotic repairs since they can take longer than the side incision mini-thoracotomy. I suspect that you are feeling nerves regenerating in your leg and chest. I felt alternating pins and needles to numbness on my right side. I didn't have issues with my leg, but that may be the cause as well. Nerves are desensitized during these heart procedures which is why there's little to no pain immediately afterward, but there are sensations that linger for awhile. They should become less frequent and less disruptive over time. If they're not improving, you may need to see if there's a way to treat this problem.
Please keep me posted. All the best.
Susan Lynn One more comment - if you begin to feel coldness in your leg or foot, pain, or experience paleness or ... Read more
Susan Lynn One more comment - if you begin to feel coldness in your leg or foot, pain, or experience paleness or discoloration, the problem could be vascular. These symptoms should be reported immediately to your doctor.
George R Dear Susan, thanks a million. Fortunately, I do not have any of the vascular symptoms. Best wishes, G ... Read more
George R Dear Susan, thanks a million. Fortunately, I do not have any of the vascular symptoms. Best wishes, George
The dizziness is likely related to your blood pressure changes. A look at your medications may be helpful. I felt better after stopping my small dosages of metoprolol. There may be drugs that have fewer side effects that work for you.
If you're not seeing progression it might be time for another opinion. That's a long time not to feel well. Please keep us posted - hang in there. We're here for you.
Please keep me posted. All the best.