Migraine with aura

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Gina-
That was interesting.
Remember there are some of us on here whose migraines went away after surgery and then came back after a second surgery.
Mine have not come back since my surgery.

I think there is strong anecdotal evidence between the link to migraines and valve problems. Now, if only we could get the scientists to believe us!
 
Mara.........

Mara.........

Agree Mara. I suffered Migraines in my late teens, early 20's. They subsided until my MVR some 10 years later. It appears that mine are hormonal and induced by such swings.

I do have some other issues in that department that may need surgical intervention if you catch my drift. ;)
Not looking forward to it by any means. Though, a few weeks of inconvenience will prevent a lifetime of suffering. At least that is what I am told by others.
 
Gina
I was told that my migraines were hormonally influenced and sometimes it seemed like it. I kept a headache diary for a long time. Now, since they have gone since my surgery, I am not so sure that is the whole story.

I'd be interested on what a neurologist would say about the whole thing. My cardiologist was stumped, he thought the migraines would have gone while I was on beta blockers pre-op.
I gave up on the neurologist I was seeing for migraines because all of his treatments just seemed like quackery, plus, before surgery, I couldn't take any of those good meds like Imitrex.

-mara
 
Hmmm....

Hmmm....

Hi Ladies,

My migraines began in my twenties...my daughters began in teens. My Grandfather and Mother also had them. Hereditary????

When I had my twins, I had to have an emergency partial hysterectomy, (leaving ovaries in tact). I had my AVR in 1998. No change throughout all this regarding migraines, other than decreasing frequency and often get 'aura' without headache following.

I've never found an answer or any 'meds' that worked. Very curious indeed!

Zipper *~*
 
Zipper-
My migraines began when I was 12 I remember the first one vividly, it was Christmas Day in the evening and I was watching t.v when I got that blind spot aura, i thought I was going blind and totally freaked out.

I had some success with magnesium, but never any of the drugs, except the narcotics for the headache pain because they knocked me out and I slept it off.

I have read that migraines might be hereditary, I don't know if anyone else in my family got them, I have never heard anyone say anything about it.

Hmmmmmm?
 
That was interesting Gina.
I know we have dicussed this in the past.
I never had a migraine in my life until after my surgery and they do include visual problems also.
The doctor has checked blood flow up my neck and says it's all normal.:confused:
 
I've been getting migraines since I was very young. I remember MY first one as well. It was when I went to see the movie "Honey I Blew Up the Kid" with my brother, sister, and 2 cousins. Suddenly, I could no longer see parts of the screen. It was very frightening. I went to the bathroom, feeling kinda queasy, and ended up throwing up all the chocolate I'd eaten. As I arrived at my grandmother's house after the movie was over, I threw up again in her front entry. It was horrifying. I slept the rest of the day. To this day, my uncle calls that movie "Honey, The Kid Threw Up."

I still get aura once in awhile. Usually, if I go to sleep right when I get te aura I circumvent the headache. Sometimes I only get the aura, but I try not to find out. My first day of my first "real" job (teaching, fortunately it was inservice) I got a migraine. It was AWFUL.

Anyway, thought I'd share. Thanks for the info, Gina.
 
It can be frightening...

It can be frightening...

I had migraines with aura for years when in my 20's and 30's. Then the headaches went away, but I still got the auta--from wiggling squiggly lines to total gray-over blindness in one eye. Had AVR surgery in 2/99 and still get the aura but does not seem so much as before--and no headaches to amount to anything. I think it is also sugar induced as it will sometimes be accompanied by a weak shakiness if it happens after eating a donut or some such on an empty stomach. It is all so strange. My daughter is a neuroscience major and she can't figure out all these symptoms either! Od indeed---:confused: Susan
 
Susan...I do think blood sugar plays a roll too.

Mara...you may have started the chain in your family....Hope not.

So we all have valve problems in common with migraines. Other factors seem to be frequent, ie: heredity, hormones, blood sugar. We all seem to feel the intensity has lessened over years. Maybe together we'll find enough common links and find a cure...hmmm....not likely, huh! Seems we all agree that dark and sleep are the only real way to get rid of this demon.

I agree like the others about the 1st migraines...my gosh.I remember how severe they were...and the nausea and sensitvity to light. As far as work goes..it's really fun to type, or write patient info on admit chart when you can only see parts of what you're doing!!! Also fun while driving...yikes!

To this day I am still very light sensitive and too much 'brightness' can actually set off an 'aura' and headache. Don't see me without tinted glasses very often.

Thanks everyone for sharing.

Zipper *~*
 
i just recalled another migraine incident. When I was in high school I got a migraine that lasted a full week!!! It was awful. I had to stay in my parents' bedroom (only one that could block out enought light) in the dark that whole week. There was NOTHING to do, since there wasn't light to read, the light of the TV hurt, and music increased the headache as well. Did a LOT of sleeping. Then I was taken in to have a brain wave study, to see what might be causing it. My dad had to lead me into the hospital while I closed my eyes and held a hand over them to block the light. I don't think we ever figured anything out. But the migraine FINALLY went away later that same day, amazingly enough. Fortunately, I have never had another like that one...
 
Aura vs. Gray

Aura vs. Gray

I have had the zig-zag blindness since high school. Usually the actual headache is not too bad. But when I cough I can feel the throb on the oppisite side of the brain up to 24 hours later.

One thing that I hear people say is a gray sheet or partial blindness. I do not think this is a migraine. I started having those AFTER my surgery. I spoke with the doc and he said it was due to tiny clots breaking free from the valve going to the optical nerve. He said they will dissolve and thats when your vision comes back. I have noticed a marked decrease in these gray-blind type incidents since I have upped my coumadin. (per the doc) my INR was low 2's and we try to keep it 3'ish+

Dave
 
auras

auras

Dave and others,
I've had the zig-zag line episodes with no headache for years, even pre-surgery. The gray curtain episodes began immediately after surgery. I would concur with Dave; my surgeon also said they were caused by tiny emboli breaking off from the valve and traveling to the eye. I had those frequently within the first year and now have one about once or twice per year. The doc said there was a name for it -- something like fujax or something weird like that.
Hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving!
Sherry
 
Had AVR op in December 99 at age of 43. Had a visual disturbance the day after the op and have had them frequently ever since. Always the same - lasts about 30 mins, zig-zag lines across vision, no significant headache. Never go longer than about three weeks without one and can be as frequent as three a week. My GP says he's heard of this phenomenon before and had me checked out by a neurologist, who diagnosed migraine, prescribed 50mg of atenolol daily, but assured me that there was absolutely nothing to worry about. Atenolol hasn't really helped but, hey, it keeps the blood pressure down so what the hell! Very interesting to read of others with similar symptoms. Good luck to all.
 
Hi Tom-

Just wanted to welcome you to the site. You'll love it here. We've got a few members from Scotland, so you'll feel right at home.

Hope to see lots of posts from you.
 
wow!

Never knew that anyone else had these. I'm learning soooo much about my self that I never was able to understand hanging around other people.

I have those zig zag things and they s*ck!!

I take one asprin (not tylenol) right when it starts and then it goes away. It usually beats the headache. I get the spots then the headache comes later, after the spots move across the eyes.

Soo cool that I know others have them now!!

I haven't had heart surgery yet, but my valve leaks (aortic).
 
Scintillating Scotoma

Scintillating Scotoma

Here's a link to a graphic of a "scintillating scotoma," which is what my previous doctor called my visual migraine aura.

http://www.upstate.edu/neurology/haas/hpmiaub.htm

I got these for years before my surgery, thankfully they've tapered off to almost never. Bet I haven't had one in 6 months.

I remember the first time I saw it, it scared the hell out of me!
 
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Interesting link, Johnny. Replicates pretty much exactly what I've experienced in the 3 years since AVR surgery. Except mine's in black and white! Still, the main thing is that the docs say it's an inconvenience and nothing more than that. There's a great old Scots word "wabbit" (meaning something along the lines of "washed out") which describes perfectly how I feel during and after such incidents. Good luck.
 
I just had one this morning...I woke up with it. Does anyone experience clarity after the visual goes away? Sometimes it seems I am more mentally alert after...weird.
 
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