Headaches-Migraines following surgery

[deedub]

Hello all. I enjoy following up on everyones experiences and advice.
I have been suffering with headaches and from what I have read migraines since surgery. Interestingly enough I read that some people do have issues after open heart surgery. I had like a headache/year prior to and now I deal with it almost daily.

Anyone else with these symptoms?




Aortic Root Replacement, mechanical valve, anuerysym repair

 

[TXGal]

Yep, I never had a migraine before heart surgery. I started having migraines just a week or so post op and thought I was having a blood clot in my brain. I kept rushing into the E.R. and they scanned to make sure I wasn't having a clot, but I found out shortly after I was having migraines. I still have them unfortunately. I'm 10 years post op. I've heard different reasons as to why this happens, but I'm not sure exactly. I just try to do all the things to prevent them now, but still have one on occasion. Best of luck to you and I hope yours dissipate and not linger for years like mine!

 

[kschroed]

I had an episode every day in the hospital and more than I used to after surgery. I get the aura but not the pain every time. The doctor told me it's a vascular issue and I shouldn't worry unduly about it.
Kay

 

[realkarl]

I had migraines with an aura every few weeks before my surgery. When I got the visual disturbance (expanding zig-zag pattern starting in the center of my vision), I knew I would get a migraine 1/2 hour or so later, 15 minutes after the aura disappeared. Now, after my surgery, I have the auras more frequently, every few days, but no migraines. I just googled for it, and it's apparently called "silent migraines".. I hope they stay silent.

Karl.

 

[escargome]

Same here. I had migranes with aura since I was 12 years old. After surgery last year I get the aura but no migrane pain. Plus the aura only last about 20 minutes unlike before when the aura lasted hours plus the pain was enough to make me vomit. I'm not complaining at this point.

 

[DarrinDNelson]

I actually had a migraine in the ICU right as I awoke from surgery - got to enjoy the double whammy of surgery and a migraine (saw the aura as I opened my eyes the first time).

I used to get migraines (20 mins of aura then about 4 hours of brutal pain - had to be in quiet dark room to recover) 2-4 times/year before surgery.

Right after surgery, I was getting the aura (occular migraines) every day...but it was never really followed by the brutal headache....now I'm down to once/week...and still really don't have pain - I do feel a little groggy after the aura though. I've been trying to figure out what the new triggers were and have been avoiding them and that seems to help avoid them (since surgery, certain fruits and flourescent lights seemed to trigger them - ie when inspected what I had ingested or been near within 30 mins of the aura...each time it was one or both of these 2).

I recommend doing the same...inventory you environment when you get the aura - understand what you ate or were near each time and begin to try to avoid them - you can then add them back and see which ones actually trigger your migraines then avoid them altogether.

Are we having fun yet?

 

[hall]

I have had those zig-zag headaches as long as I can remember. Before surgery I had terrible headaches. Nothing got rid of them. After surgery, I am almost afraid to say it, I do not get those horrible headaches and I have only had one zig zag headache.

 

[bvdr]

Quite a few of us noted a real increase in migraine type headaches after surgery. Mine started while I was still in the hospital post-op and were quite a problem for several months. I had a history of migraines but not to the extent that I did post-op. I am now on Nortriptyline for both the headaches and some neuropathy in my feet & legs. I am very fortunate that it does make a difference.

 

[dsouter]

I started getting migraines when I was 8.
Large Aura then sometimes crippling pain, sometimes facial numbness and sometimes nothing but unease.
Happened every month or so until the year or so before surgery. Then almost daily.

After surgery, frequency went down to 1 every few months.
Now, almost 11 years later and surgery looming again, I am almost daily and sometimes several times a day.
At least this time, they are less painful.

 

[jax]

It seems like since surgery I have a slight headache every day that I have to work. I don't know why it is but when I get home and able to relax it goes away. Some days are worse than others when I have to take tylenol to get rid of it. And the other times it isn't so bad except that it is a nagging headache that won't go away until I have got home and am able to let my hair down and kick up my feet. Before surgery I didn't get headaches very often so this is a pain having to deal with a headache almost every day.

 

[Harmony]

I had my Mitral Valve repaired 8 months ago. I also had a PFO closed at the same time. I was told there was a chace my migraines would go away after the PFO was closed. I did not have a headache or migraine for two weeks then they came back. I guess 2 weeks for me were forever, The occular migraines where you have zig zag lightening are really bad. Before heart surgery I had occular migraines maybe 3 or 4 times a year. Now I have them as often as twice a day. I have been to several doctors and they all say it is not serious. Well I know people with migraines have a 50% greater chance of a stroke. So what to do I have been to so many doctors and had many tests headaches and nor migraines still here guess they always will be.

 

[DarrinDNelson]

Forgot to add - I also started a regiment of daily baby aspirin, since I was to stop Coumadin 6 weeks post op.

My occular migraine frequency has declined. Not sure how much was due to baby aspirin, trigger avoidance, or something else....

 

[deedub]

Thanks for the comments gang. What is funny is that I kept chalking the symptoms up to heart. Only thru reading about the prodome, aura, migraine did I stubble on to it. So ya, I am trying to find these food, enviroment triggers. Unfortunately exercise seems to be a big one.

DeeDub out.

 

[COLLEEN S]

Had em before surgery...and after...only now, I get the aura's more frequently than I used to, with the squiggly lines, etc. Used to get the headaches more often.

 

[TXGal]

Thanks for the comments gang. What is funny is that I kept chalking the symptoms up to heart. Only thru reading about the prodome, aura, migraine did I stubble on to it. So ya, I am trying to find these food, enviroment triggers. Unfortunately exercise seems to be a big one.

DeeDub out.

I get the aura with my migraines.. yes, exercise can trigger mine too... also stress, not enough sleep, strong smells of ANY kind(perfume, cut grass, gasoline, cleaning solution, etc), really bright lights, too much chocolate.. I find that strong smells are usually what trigger mine the most.. oh, gotta love migraines!

 

[terryguys]

No headaches

No headaches

I am just the opposite with headaches--none. I just mentioned to a friend the other day that since my AVR on July 22nd, I have not had one headache.
Pre-surgery I would average a headache once a week, if not more. I sure am not complaining though.
Seems I am the odd one with no headaches.

 

[DarrinDNelson]

Thanks for the comments gang. What is funny is that I kept chalking the symptoms up to heart. Only thru reading about the prodome, aura, migraine did I stubble on to it. So ya, I am trying to find these food, enviroment triggers. Unfortunately exercise seems to be a big one.

DeeDub out.

Be sure to stay hydrated while exercising. When I lifted weights, I would not drink water until the end of my 90 min workout...and found that several times I would have a migraine trigger while I was lifting. I changed my workout about 5 years ago to drink water between every exercise. Since making that change, I have yet to have a migraine triggered during lifting weights.

 

[tmaricev]

Frequent auras with and without headache

Frequent auras with and without headache

I had AVR 10 days ago. Since then I have very often auras like you see prior to migraine, flashing images, lightning etc. I used to have it before surgery around 3-5 times per year. It would start as kind of scotoma (blind spot) that would grow and leave sight and headache would start. Now I have it every day with or without headache, but most annoying is that centrally I have persistent blind spot (small but visible so I can read and watch) that would usually grow and leave but this one stays since I woke up in intensive care. I told this to surgeons and doctors but they ignored it (I presume they didn’t know what to tell). Anyone experienced something similar?

 

[Ross]

I had AVR 10 days ago. Since then I have very often auras like you see prior to migraine, flashing images, lightning etc. I used to have it before surgery around 3-5 times per year. It would start as kind of scotoma (blind spot) that would grow and leave sight and headache would start. Now I have it every day with or without headache, but most annoying is that centrally I have persistent blind spot (small but visible so I can read and watch) that would usually grow and leave but this one stays since I woke up in intensive care. I told this to surgeons and doctors but they ignored it (I presume they didn’t know what to tell). Anyone experienced something similar?

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Aura's themselves are common. They usually go away a couple months after surgery, but what concerns me about you is, the blind spot staying. To me, that sounds like a small clot has gotten up into your brain. The part that is controlling vision. I think you should press your doctor for a real answer. You should not have what you have.

 

[tmaricev]

Many thanks on the answer. What confuses me is why they would avoid answer (I mean avoid, they just didnt have answer) and what can be done about it if it is a clot. Can it be removed and how? Should heart surgeons do it or is it neurology job?