PFO closure and recovery information

I am reading now, as I should be in bed..I am having my PFO closure done in the morning. I have expectations of this pain in my chest and the shortness of breath going away!!!!! I went from a training body builder 18 months ago, to a tired old feeling body. I can't even remember what it is like to not be short of breath and tired all the time. I am hoping to post that all went well and that I am feeling great....................................


to be continued................................

I am a 34 year old male and had a PFO closure on 10/10/2011, it was discovered after two TIA's and complaints of headaches as well as dizziness. The procedure went well, it lasted about 2 hours and since i was under sedation it was moderately painless i was put on Plavix and aspiring for 6 months. The recovery has been going well with some minor setbacks, two weeks after the procedure i had to go to the emergency room with tachycardia and arrhythmia. This was somewhat depressing for me since i was recouperating so well and was looking forward to start jogging and getting back into my routine. Now i can't sleep laying flat in the bed becuase after 3 minutes of laying down i start getting arrhythmias, i have to put a pillow against the backboard and sleep with my back againts the backboard. The doctor has since put me on Inderal (propanolol) and had a monitor install which i drop off today.

has anyone experience tachycardia and arrhythmia after having the PFO closure? If so do they go away?

Thank you so much to everyone the inputs and comments on this site really sooth and help those of us who have gone throught or are getting ready to have the procedure done.

 

Just joined today as I've just gone thru quite a bit.
Had a simple knee procedure at the end of Oct 2011, I'm 38, female marathoner experiencing some knee pain, so wanted to get it fixed. 48 hours later I had a heart attack, went into cardiac arrest luckily in the presence of the LAFD, CPR shocked 8 times, into ER shocked 3 more times, moved to ICU once I was stable, then transferred to Kaiser Sunset ICU 24 hrs later.

As it turns out a clot moved from my leg, to my lung, to the heart, thru the PFO I didn't know I had, to the brain causing a stroke. Two weeks in ICU, various tests, on heparin, then warfarin to get my levels up before I could leave.

I'm on warfarin for 3 months, while the haematologist is running 10 different blood tests to find out if I have a blood disorder. Haematologist might keep me on for 6 months, to be discussed at the end of January.

No heart damage, but back at the end of January to discuss whether or not we close the PFO, there is also the chance it could be too small to close.

Seeing the neurologist at the end of this month. The thought of closure and no longer having migraines is a wonderful option, as I've been having them with Auras since I was 16.

Concerns? Yes, the thought of another surgery kinda worries me. Would like to know if anyone else is with Kaiser for one, if there is a doctor in Kaiser that someone can recommend. I know they have a whole team discussing me, and I have a heart surgeon friend at St. John's in Santa Monica who I can talk to as a second opinion, but still overwhelming.

Is this a surgery that should happen quickly, or can I take some time.

I'm back at work part time, but if I do this procedure, how long would I be off work, when can I fly etc.

If anyone has any advice/guidance, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you so much.

Just wanted to share with everyone-
Im a 36 yr old female pretty active & some what healthy. On July 29, 2011 i had a full blown ischemic cerebellar stroke, i was immediately prescribed 3mg of coumadin. after one month of aggressive physical therapy and acupuncture For paralysis on the right side i was given the green light to fly to LA Ceddars Sinai for indepth research as to why I had a stroke.
While under going blood work and tests the neurologists and cardiologists confirmed I had a stroke from taking "oral birth control" pills and to top it off I had a PFO and I was protein S deficient.
With the grace of God there just happened to be an available slot open for the procedure and although I was scared, I did not want to experience a 2nd stroke.
On September 12, 2011 the procedure to close the PFO was done by dr. Kar. All went well, I believe recovery for everyone is different, the first 3 months I experienced headaches, migraines, weakness, difficulty breathing at times and heaviness in chest not life threatening just uncomfortable at times.
It is now February 11, 2012, 5 months post surgery and I feel much stronger and the migraines have lessened once we identified contributing factors to include certain foods ie, chocolate caffeine cheese MSG weather and other triggers. I walk daily for excercise, however when I go up hills I do experience slight difficulty breathing.
I'm still on 75mg of plavix for 3 more months and 325mg of aspirin.
In closing I like many others are on the road to recovery. I have no regrets of having the surgery and I am grateful i was given a 2nd chance.
With God, my husband children parents family and friends by my side I'm able to focus on getting 100% back to normal so i could help others in need.
Thanks for allowing me to share and please feel free to contact me.
God bless.

To all, its been 46 days since my procedure and i want all to know that chest pain, chest discomfort and fluttering has stopped for now. O2 levels now falling into mid to high 80s after walking up stairs. heart rate is starting to drop to mid 60s to high 70s at rest and 100 to 125 during exertion. still having difficulty breathing during exertion, but seems to be getting better.

hi sanja123456, did you have surgery or a device installed through your groin? do you have an elevated heart rate since surgery?

I never had a elevated heart rate. Since my procedure it is running high. Seems to be getting better at rest but still high during exertion. 100 to 130. My only sympton of the pfo was shortness of breath. Its been 53 days for me and am still getting short of breath, mostly when i walk upstairs. I am glad you are breathing better. I have not had any chest pain for 2 weeks now. The doctor did tell u your heart would shrink back? Did you get short of breath before procedure. If so at rest or exertion?

Hi! i am a 36 years old woman, having closure of POF on february 2011, before the closure I have shortness of breath during exertion since I had a liver stroke 4 years ago. Before that I used to practice sport ( Aikido, capoeira, swimming ) with no problem.

After the closure I felt shortness of breath, pain and chest pressure during exertion for almost 3 months after closure, chest pressure when flying (that I still feel), and palpitations and a kind of arritmia that disappered one month after the closure.

Then I have no symptoms so I start practicing sport 6 months after closure, and with that, shortness of breath and pain came again. Cardiologist told me that he has never had a patient with this symptoms, so that they Would be due to other causes not the heart, and he suggest me to continue making sport. On november 2011 I had a very intense heart pain while running, and from then, shortness of breath, pain and pressure during minimun exertion again.

So, I had to stop practicing sport because I couldn't go up the stairs of my house without pain. The cardiologist says that the amplatzer is in his place, and a little shunt appear again.

Now I am much better again, (3 months and half after the pain while running) I can walk and go up stairs with no problem, but I have not start practicing sport.
I read a doctor saying to wait almost one year to practice sport.

The only thing I continue feeling is the chest pressure while flying, does someone feels the same?

Thank you!

Hi to all just have an update to my pfo closure. its been 3 months and im just starting to feel better. My breathing seems to be getting better at exertion ( walking up stairs ). heart rate seems to be fallen too.

hi rrasmus 1. its been 13 months since your closure. just wondering how you feel overall. Did you have shortness of breath before closure and if so is it better. Has your pfo closed all the way? if so how long did it take? Its been 3.5 months for me and my 02 levels still fallen into mid 80's during exertion. But im starting to feel better overall. please let me know. thanks montanajoe

Hi rrasmus1, I had palpitations for a few days after the closure then they stopped. then I flew to florida on feb 6 2012 felt fine except for shortness of breath. then on feb 14 2012 I flew home and I had chest pain and papitations for one week straight. then they stopped and have not had one since. I just want my breathing to get better. my heart rate is just now { 3.5 months later} starting to go back to normal. 60's to 70's bpm. thanks for info its a big help knowing what to expect. By the way what was your main symptom from the pfo. mine was shortness of breath at exertion only. no other symptoms at all.

hi dwelz, what was total time before breating started to grt better? im at 3.5 months and breating still not good.

Hi montanajoe! Dont worry, for me it was 4 months to start having days without shortnbreatness, 1 day good, other bad, then a week good and some days bad, then 2weeks fine...6 months after the closure i had more good days than bad, now (more than one year after the closure, but almost six after it brokes a little) I am having almost all days without short of breathness, but if i do more than ususal i fell it. For example, 2 months ago i couldnt carry any shoping bag (nothing, I had to go out home only with the keys and the credit card because i couldnt wear a bag with wallet....now i can wear my bag, and i can go shopping carring 2-3 kg with no short of breath, but if I try a suitcase...it appears, any way, I think it is a long way to close it properly, and we have to give time with no efford situations to let our body to cover the amplatzer completly, if there is any part not well epitelizated there is some blood mix that makes us to feel the shortness of breathing. So steep by steep and celebrting the small things we can do better every week!