MIgraine headaches

[Transam75]

Hello All,

I have been getting migraine headaches since I was a teen. Sometimes a few in a month back to back. Sometimes one every six months.

Has anybody seen increase in migraine headaches from lopressor (beta blocker) even though its supposed to prevent them?

Has anybody seen decrease because of beta blockers?

Has anyone had more migraines or less after surgery?

Just trying to determine triggers.

Thanks all,

Trevor

 

[AgilityDog]

My only noticable change was on the Ace inhibitors. nearly daily migraines. They are triggered in my case by nitrates/nitrites. and the ace inhibitors breakdown into those. I also can't take nitroglycerine to synch my ventricals for that reason.

 

[kfay]

I definitely noticed a HUGE increase in my migraines after my surgery. And HUGE, in my opinion, is not a strong enough word. Now, being a woman, and being of a "certain" age, most of my Dr's love to say that it has nothing to do with my surgery but everything to do with my hormones (wonder what they would blame it on if I were a man? It must be nice to be a man and not have this convenient excuse to have your Dr's blame everything on). Anyway, I'm not buying it. They started while I was still in the hospital and didn't stop until I started taking 3 preventive medications a couple months ago. And while I'm not thilled with having to take that much medication daily, I am thrilled with finally having a break in an almost daily migraines. And so is my family.

I told my neurologist my theory about them which is this: I think that since I had lived with my crazy heart all my life with a hole and everything else that when they fixed all of that, the hemodynamic changes were so great, that it has just caused me to have these almost daily migraines. She told me she didn't disagree, but that there was no way to prove it and even if we could, there was no way to change it, so the only thing we could do was to hope to treat it. So even though she didn't like to use three different preventive treatments, in really severe, tough cases, it was called for. And so far, touch wood, it is working for me.

I hope you can get some help with yours.


Kim

 

[LisaD]

I had migraines several times a week after my mitral valve repair, I was not on a beta blocker, so cannot connect it to the medication. I did have some other autonomic nervous system dysfunction post surgery as well. Prior to surgery, I usually had headache every couple of months. At nearly two years out, I am rarely having migraines and the nervous system issue is almost resolved. I do not think the docs have a clue about why our bodies react to OHS in such strange ways, but it is major trauma. I have spoken to another who had problems with migraines after his MVR, but his resolved after a few months. I hope you get some help, time seemed to be my answer, it has been a difficult couple of years, but I am feeling great now.

 

[Bina]

My first migraine was probably around age 20.....visual aura with awful pain and nausea.
They continued off and on for about another twenty years, then tapered off with only the visual aura and not much of a headache and no nausea. Now, I will get the visual aura for 15 - 20 minutes and nothing else. It's only occasional. Wonder if being post op and/or menopausal has helped. No complaints here. and I take Metoprolol.

 

[joanie]

I had severe migraine headaches when I was younger (12-25) and the occasional one ever since. Since my surgery in May, I've had what Bina has . . . the visual aura but nothing else. I also take Metroprolol and I think that's what causing it. Since they recently reduced my dose of Metroprolol (it was causing all sorts of funky symptoms) my visual auras are far less frequent.

 

[Robb Wilder]

I had the migaraines pre op. Lightning in the eyes headache upset stomach everything. After the surgery I have only gotten the lightning once and no MIGRAINE style headache. Ive gotten headaches but not from migraines

 

[Sarah_Louise]

Hey
I suffer from migraine and have done ever since my last opperation 3 years ago,
I was on a tablet called prizotifen (i think thats how its spelt lol) and for a while it did work for me, but then it stopped working, there was talk of me going on beta blockers but they don't know if my cardiologist would allow it due to my CHD, i hope your igraines ease soon,
Luv Sarah xx

 

[nate_c]

Sorry to hear about your migraines. I started getting classic migraines (with auras) when I was a teen... Also had many silent migraines, which is where you get a visual aura but no headaches. Don't know if anyone's mentioned this before, but there's some relatively new research suggesting CO-Q10 supplementation can provide relief for many people with migraines (link below). Since I started taking it about a year ago, I've had virtually no migraines or auras. Prior to that, I would often get several in a month, and they tended to come in bunches. I know, I sound like a commercial, but you might at least give it a shot if you haven't already...

Link: http://headaches.about.com/cs/prevention/a/coq10_prev.htm

Also, I stumbled across this article a while ago on PFOs (small holes in the heart) and migraines. I've wondered since then how this correlation might relate to congenital valve problems and valve replacements.

http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/news/20090216/closing-a-heart-hole-may-help-migraines

 

[TXGal]

I've had migraines since my first surgery when I was 17... migraines with auras and sometimes silent migraines.. I've seen a small decrease since stopping Toprol, but still get them on occasion.
Thanks Nate_c, I'll have to check that out!

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Hi Trevor ~ I had my first migraine (aura and pain) in my early 20's and at age 55 had my aortic valve replaced and like a miracle the migraines now are only an aura for a few minutes. Yep, miracle to me.. I don't take Metoprolol