Daily Migraine with Aura

[RobinN]

I just watched a show on TLC. I believe it was called Life Surprises. It was a documentary about people with strange medical conditions. The last story was about a woman that had daily migraines. She was told by the ER doctors that there was nothing wrong. She eventually ended up living in the dark in the basement. Finally she was seen by a neurologist. Dri Messina
who suggested that it might be a problem with her heart. Her symptoms included and onset of bright lights.

They mentioned that recent studies have shown the association between the heart and migraine. She then saw a Dr Eugene Choo who did a TEE test. It was found that she had PFO. Didn't have time to write what that was (will look it up later). It is a hole in the heart. I guess it is a common thing that we all have as infants, which normally close, but in some cases it doesn't.
http://headaches.about.com/od/migrainediseas1/a/migraine_pfo.htm

Research has shown a higher prevalence of PFO among Migraineurs. Small observational and case-control studies indicate that patients with stroke of unknown origin have a higher incidence of patent foramen ovale. It's still under investigation whether PFO closure prevents recurrent strokes. It is also thought possible that blood without enough oxygen may trigger a Migraine when it reaches the brain. In the April, 2004, issue of Neurology, two groups of researchers from Belgium (Post, et al) and Switzerland (Schwerzmann, et al) studied whether percutaneous closure (closing the PFO by a technique that does not require a major surgical procedure) would lead to fewer Migraines.

I just thought that someone looking around with similar symptoms might want to have a similar test done to rule out this cause. She had no other symptoms.

 

[Meetz1064]

It was a

Patent Foramen Ovale......I saw the same show. Wasn't it COOL????

I LOVE watching that show.........when I get a chance. I'm actually up writing right now.....and heading for bed in a minute.

Toodles!

 

[Bernard]

It is also thought possible that blood without enough oxygen may trigger a Migraine when it reaches the brain.

I suppose that is the reason that oxygen therapy for headaches is so successful.

 

[RobinN]

Curious then... if this therapy works, do you then request to see a heart specialist? These days in the insurance red tape, you have to have an awful good reason to get a referral.

Luckily (not sure that is the right word)... we know that Rebecca's seizures and my migraines are hormonal.

 

[wants2know]

I have a pfo. I was tested every which way after I had a stroke and the cardiologist said the pfo is not contributing to my high blood pressure, weird feelings I get that are tough to describe, or any risk factors for anything in general. Yet. Almost every other doctor I see for whatever reason is always concerned with this pfo. I have a new doc now, so I will probably be getting a third opinion. I never knew the connection with migraines. I get migraine auras but no migraine pain. Apparently it's not so odd... but I never realized they were a "thing" until I had a seizure and did some research. I think I get a lot of auras, that I used to attribute to other things like blood pressure or being out of shape. Floaty things... smells... but especially these scotomas that I get often. So maybe all this is interrelated for me. I forgot .to mention the pfo to the neurologist.