Headaches-Migraines following surgery

[Laura]

I've had migraines since puberty. I get the aura and the pain. There are many triggers; low blood sugar and bright lights are a couple of mine. I too had a attack in the ICU following my AVR surgery. I then had 1 or 2 attacks a day for the next two weeks. The whole episode ended abruptly for me when I did two things. I called my cardiologist and she reduced the frequency from 2 to 1 time a day on the Toprol XL beta blocker and I went back to wearing my mouth guard that prevents me from grinding my teeth at night. I don't know which step did the trick, but I'm thrilled to say that they finally stopped!

 

[realkarl]

Like I mentioned a while back, after my surgery, I started having frequent auras with no migraine. In the past I had infrequent auras with migraine. Sadly, the migraines eventually returned, as the auras occurred less frequently. However, I found something to help me, advise given by my PCP: a daily overdose of vitamin B2 (400mg/day). I was a little skeptical at first, but found several references via google. Here's one:
"Vitamin B2 (riboflavin, 400 mg per day) -- A few studies indicate that riboflavin may reduce the frequency and duration of migraines. In one study, people who took riboflavin had more than a 50% decrease in the number of attacks. Not all studies have found riboflavin to be effective, however. More research is needed."

In any case, after a couple of months taking 400mg B2 daily, I now have an occasional aura, usually triggered by low BP after exercise, or low blood sugar if not eating enough before my morning bicycle commute, but it doesn't develop into a migraine. I did get sumatriptan to try if I do get a full-blown migraine again, but I have yet had to test if that works.

-Karl

 

[Craig Timmer]

I also. Had 2-3 migrains a year, now daily, but the number seem to be decreasing. I am 2.5 weeks post op. Bio valve now

 

[mknuppel]

Right after my heart surgery, I started getting occular migraines, but it was really followed by a headache. It lasts exactly 30 mins each time. Totally freaked me out the first time. I thought I was having a stroke or something. I’ve tried watching my diet. I have gone weeks without one and then I’ll get one each day for several days? I have never gotten more than one a day. Still trying to figure it out after 3 years…

 

[jake]

Wow! Great thread!

I am one year post-op almost to the day and things went like this for me:

Before surgery, I never had a visual ora or ocular migraine ever. I did have infrequent migraine headaches to the tune of maybe once a month or so.

In the first month, I experienced my first visual ora of the rainbow squiggly lines in my right eye. Sure, it freaked me out, but because of this forum, I knew they would likely come and that those likely mean nothing.

I experience the visual ora about once every couple weeks or a month or so apart. It lasts maybe a few minutes and eventually goes away. Sometimes my vision will go dark on the top and bottom of my field of vision in one eye down to a small slit and than just go back to normal.

 

[Ovie]

What is the likeliness of a headache being a symptom of a blood clot? I had my first migraine in years today and was very painful, lasted about 5-6 hours off and on with the pain bei g a 10 than down to a 3 back to 10. I had 6 different times where my eyes acted up. I told my mom and she wanted me to go to the ER and thinks/thought its a blood clot. I told her it seems that migraines aren't uncommon after surgery, and without further pain or eye issues I wasn't going to go to the hospital for 4 hours just because of a headache, and I'm praying I made the right choice. This thread was very helpful in my time of discussion with my father on wether he was going to take me or not. But I'm still curious on if headaches are an automatic symptom of blood clots. I'm also hoping I'm lucky enough to only deal with eye issues as they become rather annoying.