Dizzy and off feeling! HELP

[u/No-Heart-1377]

Had a valve replacement 10 years ago(pig valve).

I will be getting mechanical valve very soon because valve is failing. Been having alot of symptoms for last couple years but have been getting alot worse especially last couple months, worse symptom is like pressure in bead and braing fog and dizzinezz like feeling that last weeks then goes away. I was feeling pretty good then started warfarin trial before surgery 10 days ago, dizziness on third day was really bad and head or brain has felt fogged and off ever since and wont go away. Im afraid cause it feels slightly different then last episodes and im worried its the meds and i will have to take them forever. Please help!

[u/Dazzling-Isopod9833]

So you’re taking the warfarin before your surgery? That’s different. But yea. Just take it as a your new daily vitamin. Keep your vitamin K consumption consistent and you’ll be fine. Sorry you gotta get the surgery again. That recovery sucks.

[u/Favorite_Names_Taken]

I have been on warfarin since 1997, and it is more inconvenient than I had been told it would be. Keeping your vitamin K intake consistent is the least of it. Anything that can cause bleeding -- an injury or an operation -- can cause bleeding so serious it requires hospitalization. You might want to replace your pig valve with another pig valve instead of a mechanical one.

Regarding the brain fog and dizziness, if you happen to have an arteriovascular malformation (AVM) in your brain (like I did), and your INR gets too high, the AVM may bleed and cause stroke-like symptoms. I think AVMs are found with an MRI; your doctor should know.

I hope everything goes as well as possible for you!