migraines

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I was just getting ready to ask about optical migraines when I saw this thread.

Since my OHS, I have been getting the aura, but no headache, about 2 or 3 times a month. Pre-surgery, I might have had 2 or 3 a year.

Is there any link to the bypass machine?

Fortunately, mine only last about 10 minutes and don't affect me much. But it is weird to see this thread!

John
 
John: I'm not familiar with any studies that have been done about this phenomena. I've had migraines for years prior to my OHS but after my surgery they became much much more numerous, though usually really quite benign. I have little pain now, but often feel as though I'm in a cloud or a fog for a couple days afterwards, and sometimes I have other 'weirder' symptoms such as intense deja-vu. I think it's certainly possible there's a link as you mentioned but it could also be linked to the particulates in the blood stream that are stirred up (I assume) post-surgery.


67walkon said:
I was just getting ready to ask about optical migraines when I saw this thread.

Since my OHS, I have been getting the aura, but no headache, about 2 or 3 times a month. Pre-surgery, I might have had 2 or 3 a year.

Is there any link to the bypass machine?

Fortunately, mine only last about 10 minutes and don't affect me much. But it is weird to see this thread!

John
 
This is probably not quite what you're looking for, but I recently read that there may be a link between migraine and PFO (patent foramen ovale). Google "migraine pfo trial".
 
There probably is a link between Migraines and PFO. When they fix the PFO migraines in most instances go away. Three years ago I had a Tee and it showed a PFO. Someday when I get my courage uo or my mitral valve gets really bad such as sob and I have it hopefully repaired they will fix the PFO. If I were younger I would have the PFO repaired even if I did not have MVP. I have suffered from migraines since I could remember. Does anyone know what Ventricular Septal Defect is. It sounds like its the same as a PFO but its different. Think it has something to do with Pulmonary Hypertension but not certain. Would appreciate it someome one could tell me what VSD is
 
Harmony said:
There probably is a link between Migraines and PFO. When they fix the PFO migraines in most instances go away. Three years ago I had a Tee and it showed a PFO. Someday when I get my courage uo or my mitral valve gets really bad such as sob and I have it hopefully repaired they will fix the PFO. If I were younger I would have the PFO repaired even if I did not have MVP. I have suffered from migraines since I could remember. Does anyone know what Ventricular Septal Defect is. It sounds like its the same as a PFO but its different. Think it has something to do with Pulmonary Hypertension but not certain. Would appreciate it someome one could tell me what VSD is

A VSD is a hole between the ventricles, a PFO is between the atrium. But a FO is in every fetus, it just doesnt close in 25% of the people then is called patent. VSDs and ASDs (not including PFOs) are holes that shouldn't be there. PFOs and PDA ( ductus arteriosus is a tube between the pulm artery and aorta) are both needed in fetuses, but are supposed to close at birth or shortly after)
 
my experience and journal article on auras

my experience and journal article on auras

Hi, all. Just thought I would chime in here. I've had the auras (no headaches) since about 19. I had the vr at 32, and I'm now 44. They became much more frequent after the surgery. I even had one of those echos that they shoot the bubble solution in you to see if you have a hole in your heart, and I didn't. Don't know what causes mine. I try to track what I eat right before having one, but they seem to be really random. Sometimes bright lights, reflections off of a shiny bumper, staring at horizontal blinds, or even exercise will bring them on, but other times they just come on out of the blue. They always start with spotty vision and then progress to the bright jagged lines. I've read here and there that they can be pretty ominous signs, and then other sites will report them as benign. My general doc even said he gets them occasionally. I don't know what to make of them, but with all of us reporting these episodes, and this topic has been discussed many, many times over the years, I would have to say that there is some relation between the heart problems and the episodes.

By the way, I did post a link to a Cleveland Clinic journal article about visual episodes a few years back. Here's the link to any who are interested:

http://valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11418
 
I find all this talk about the relation between migraines and heart troubles very interesting, I've suffered with unbearable migraines since my early teens. The first cyst they found in my brain was right after I blacked out (it was really grayed out) but I couldn't see anything, but could still hear, then followed by the massive migraine. Anyway, this is also when I found out about my heart troubles, they ran the MRI on brain and checked out my heart, but said neither one caused the black out. I just thought that since I have 2 cyst in brain, one arachnoid cyst in left middle cranial fossa and a thornwaldt cyst, that all these things in my brain that aren't suppose to be there were the cause of my headaches. I have not specifically asked my cardio about it. It was then neuro doc who said neither condition caused my black out. I just found it interesting that so many heart patients have the same problem. God Bless and Best Wishes to all.

Sincerely,
Roundsgirl
 
Had successful AVR in December 1999 and been pretty healthy ever since, thankfully. However, visual disturbances without headache have become a regular feature. Checked out a few years back by neurologist who diagnosed migraine, probably linked in some way to the heart surgery.

A more occasional symptom is a sense of finding it hard to connect to reality, almost like continuing to dream when awake, or having flashbacks from dreams - an almost but not quite deja vu experience. This can happen either without visual disurbance at all or half an hour or so before experiencing one. Weird I know and difficult to explain but wonder if it rings any bells for anyone. Also related to having very occasional difficulty in finding the right word(s) - a classic migraine symptom.

Not desperately worried but it's quite upsetting and disorienting when it happens.
 
Just last week my son had an appointment with a neurologist for left-sided numbness which was thought to be connected to his complex migraines. To be sure and to rule out other conditions he was given an MRI of the brain and two MRAs (with contrast) of the vessels in the head and neck. These were all completely normal, so even though the numbness does not always appear with head pain or occular symptoms they are attributing it to...complex migraine. The point of this story-- It seems there is a high incidence of migraine in patients with a PFO/ASD--a hole between the right and left atria. It has been found that when the hole is fixed the migraines clear up in many patients. My son has been prescribed a "bubble study" where they perform a regular echo and then through IV, introduce saline into the bloodstream that has been shaken to produce bubbles. They observe if the bubbles pass between the two atria to see if a hole exists. Plugging the hole is done by catheter and is considered safe, as is the bubble study. I hope this story helps someone with the heart/migraine connection.
 
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