Had symptoms and MDs found a PFO

[ICURN]

I am a 32 yo female and started feeling quite dizzy with exercise late 2007.  I ignored it for the most part as I was in a SVT and thought maybe that was causing it (I am an ICU RN).  I later discovered that I was feeling extreme SOB and light headed while walking up stairs, but this time my heart rate was normal.  I have cyanosis of my feet and finger tips after exercising too.  Headaches are common for me too after exercising...

In January of this year I saw a Cardiologist...I went through a bubble study, TEE, stress test.  The bubble study showed significant right to left shunting and suggested a PFO.  The TEE confirmed the PFO to being small to moderate but with again, a significant right to left shunt WITHOUT VALSALA MANUEVER..

I am able to exercise 15 minutes only and here I used to run 1/2 marathons only 5 years ago..They tell me they only close PFOs if that patient has had a stroke.  My paternal grandmother died at 40 years of age from a massive stroke, her other piece of history is that she had migraines...go figure I have had those since I was 14.  

Anyway, please someone let me know that it is heard of to get a PFO closed if it is causing symptoms to changes ones life while also showing significant right to left shunting without bearing down.  I meet with a congenital heart defect MD tomorrow to find out what my options are, but so far I have hit dead ends.  


This discussion is related to Is my exercise intolerence related to my recently diagnosed VSD?.

[Karki]

Yes, I, too, had dizziness with exercise, and I, too, have SVT.  I had my PFO closed, and what a HUGE difference it makes in  my life.  I didn't know how badly I had started feeling until I felt better.  Wow.  

I'd get another opinion about the PFO closure.  If my experience is anything like "normal", I'd recommend the closure to anyone / everyone.  My migraines are GONE, my regular headaches are GONE, I can exercise without getting a headache, I can breathe without gasping (which I did now and then after slight exercise).  The procedure was painless - literally, and I was awake.  My Dr's used a clam-shell device for closure, and I had to take Plavix for 6 months.  That's it. (And I still take Inderal for the SVT -- they're unrelated).

Please get another opinion -- I think you'll find the PFO closure may be very good for your quality of life.  

[Momto3]

Vicky121,

My daughter had TERRIBLE migraines and the only thing that finally helped was the Inderal LA.  She tried Zomig, Imitrex, Advil -- nada!  But, several years ago, she was put on a daily beta blocker and it made a big difference.  She stayed on it for about a year, and then went months between headaches and they were not as bad.  Lately, she has had a few bad ones, but she is working a couple of jobs and taking classes, so I think she may be overextended.  Fortunately, classes are almost over and she can relax a bit.

I hope the medication works for your daughter.

connie

[vicky121]

My daughter is 27 and has been having headaches for a year.  We went through all of the test of the brain and nothing was found.  We had an echocardiogram yesterday and it showed mild PFO, mild mitral regurg., and mitral mitral valve prolapse.  Do you think her headaches are caused by the PFO.  They have been using different meds to try to help with the headaches and now she is on Inderal LA 80 once a day.  It helps some but what do we need to do?  Do we need to go through with the TEE or what?