i was diagnosed with large pfo with asa. my dr. wanted me to see a heart surgeon to have it closed. i went to the heart surgeon and he said that he wanted me to see a cardiologist and have the procedure done as a groing cath procedure if possible and if that was not possible the he would do an
open heart procedure. i asked the surgeon if my symptoms- extreme tiredness, shortness of breath like i had a weight on my chest, dizzy and light headedness, nausea and sometimes vomitting could be caused from the pfo and asa. he said they could and that is why we needed to procede with this to see if this relieved the symptoms. i went to the cardiologist and he said no to the procedure. he said if i have a stroke that he would then consider the procedure. i said (i am 46) what kind of quality of life am i going to have for the rest of my life with these symptoms. he said those symptoms are not caused from the pfo or asa. he said maybe i was depressed and needed medication for that. i said does this increase m risk for stroke and he said yes it does but 1 baby aspirin will take care of that and if i do have a stroke then i could have the procedure done. but yet the surgeon said that these symptoms could be from the pfo and asa and it is better to have it fixed to see if this relieves the symptoms and gives me a better quality of life. i am so confused now i do not know what to do. i guess i will go back to my primary dr. and see what he recommends and wait to have a strok.
