Ladies and Gentlemen -
I am hear to report that I no longer have daily migraines.
On December 1, 2008, I had cardiac surgery to repair a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) in my heart. It was a long shot, but my cardiac surgeon and several neurologists agreed that it was the best course of treatment as I had exhausted all other preventative and abortive treatments.
Questions...please let me know! I would love to share more about my experience or point you to some great resources to learn more about PFO's, the potential link to headaches and my symptoms that are now in remission.
This is an experimental treatment for migraines that has received much press over the last few years. While there have been several trials to try to prove the association between the PFO and migraines, none have yet been successful. Why you ask? Well my doctors tell me for two reasons: 1) These trials are VERY expensive and they are tough to see through with enough funding and 2) the trials previously conducted measured success based on complete remission of all headache symptoms when a patients PFO is closed - not just a reduction or "almost" remission. What that means is if in a year after the closure, if a patient had even one migraine - it was considered a failure for that patient.
As a sufferer of chronic daily migraines, having only one migraine a year would be a complete success for me. Shoot - getting one migraine a month would be fine with me!
SO...what now? I get the opportunity to help educate others in the healthcare sector and anyone who reads this and wants to know more about my case. Hopefully we can inspire additional studies and research into this potentially compelling migraine cure.
Subscribe To My Blog - Life Despite Migraines
Posts
Comments
11 comments:
congrats! I am glad all went well and I hope you stay migraine free!! :D
I had mine closed on Nov 15 2008 for chronic migraine and my migraines are really improving in both frequency and severity too. Hope yours keep improving too
kiwigirl42 -
that is so great! I am glad you too are having such success. I haven't had a migraine in weeks now.
In fact - this weekend I get the amazing opportunity to be intereviewed by Peter J. Goadsby, who is one of the most knowledgable headache specialists in the world. He and a team assembled through Coherex Medical are conducting a panel of interviews with patients who have had PFO's closed for migraines.
Will blog about it when it's over if there is any more interesting info shared.
Best of luck with your migraines!
how did the interview go with Peter Goadsby? was he convinced that it was the PFO closure that had helped you? my neurologist does not believe in the link at all but I went ahead anyway as was desperate. Thank God I did!
I just ran into your blog, but I wanted to say congrats! I bet you are feeling so good right now, I know how happy I get when I got a whole weekend without having a migraine butt in and ruin it. How excited for you : )
I am interested in reading any updates and further information. Congratulations and glad to read it went well.
Can you provide some more information on your PFO.
ie.
Are you still taking any preventatives or are you off most meds?
Where did you get tested for PFO, was it covered by a medical plan.
Was the closure covered by a medical plan, if not how much did it cost?
Thanks
Haven't had a migraine for 3-4 Months now since having a PFO Clossure, Had my device fitted in January 2009. I had an amplatzer device fitted as part of the PRIMA Trial in the UK.
Interestingly I am waiting to see now if I am suffering from Meniers Disease which laso has an association with Migraine, Could the whole in the heart have been masking the meniers symptoms by triggering a migraine.
Katy T... I am desperately trying to get a hold of you to talk about your PFO as I have the same symptoms as you. My email is skimordiegirl@yahoo.com and my name is Candi.
Katy - Could you please provide your email address to Candi (skimordiegirl@yahoo.com)? She has very similar symptoms and would really like to get in touch with you.
Thank you!
Post a Comment