Migraines & heart attck/meds???

I had a heart attack last month. Then a double bypass + aortic valve replacement. Am recovering at home now, taking meds coumadin (blood thinner), lopressor/metoprolol tartrate (lowers blood pressure), also stuff like aspirin, vitamin C, etc.

I've had migraines since I was a teenager but nothing I was unable to cope with. Usually have anywhere from around none to five or six a year at the most over the past 40 years. My migraines are the type where I have a visual "premigraine"/aura of shimmering wavy lines lasting about 30 minutes which is the worst part - after that fades away the headache, if any, isn't even that bad, although I do feel a bit off, & bright lights then are painful.

However for the past month, since I have been home, I have had a migraine, or MULTIPLE migraines, almost every single day. I've asked the doctors about this and they seem to have no idea why. Just today I had a "double" which used to be something I've only had ONCE in my entire life (after the aura goes away then a few hours later it comes back). I have had these "doubles" at least 5 times in the past 3 weeks :-(

Any other migraine sufferers out there that have had like a 5000% increase in their migraines post-op or after being on meds?

um YES! I am a congential heart patient, born with bicuspid aortic valve disease. I've had migraines all my life. Aura migraines, just like you described. Mine got worse directly following my aortic valve replacement 2 years ago. Then..... they disappeared all together.

Now I did change my diet about 3 years ago and my migraines became much less frequent. Then I got really sick two year ago with endocarditis on my aortic valve, and the migraines at that time came back and were doubly horrible. They continued after my valve replacement. Then about 3-6 months post-op, POOF they were gone. Now I occasionally get a very slight aura, but even it stops after a couple of minutes. No headache. It's totally crazy to me, but I'll take it.

Was it diet or valve replacement or both? I have no idea.\

I take Nadolol and like it a lot better. I took Metropolol and hated it.

jdiane said...
um YES! I am a congential heart patient, born with bicuspid aortic valve disease. I've had migraines all my life. Aura migraines, just like you described. Mine got worse directly following my aortic valve replacement 2 years ago. Then..... they disappeared all together.

Now I did change my diet about 3 years ago and my migraines became much less frequent. Then I got really sick two year ago with endocarditis on my aortic valve, and the migraines at that time came back and were doubly horrible. They continued after my valve replacement. Then about 3-6 months post-op, POOF they were gone. Now I occasionally get a very slight aura, but even it stops after a couple of minutes. No headache. It's totally crazy to me, but I'll take it.

Was it diet or valve replacement or both? I have no idea.\

I take Nadolol and like it a lot better. I took Metropolol and hated it.

Thanks for that info. I am (was) a bicuspid too! I think that condition must be pretty common. They replaced my valve not so much for that but because (supposedly) it had some "mild to moderate" calcification, that in conjunction with my coronary artery blockages warranted a replacement.

I wonder if there is some link though regarding our aortic valves, bloodflow, surgical trauma, etc and the migraines. So far none of the doctors I have asked about my new migraines has had any ideas as to why I have so many now (other than "your body is just reacting to all the stress/healing").

What did you hate about Metoprolol? Coincidentally my cardiologist just yesterday wants me to switch to a different blood pressure drug (Atenolol). He didn't really give me a reason other than possibly Metoprolol might be causing me to get so tired/sleepy in the afternoons (?).