Dwanamama, I too have the gore-helex device and am 2 years post-op. I also have residual shunting but mine is from left to right. My doctor says that since it is left to right the risks are much less...
I have had migraines my entire life. They started when I was a young child and at one point I was getting 3 - 4 migraines a week. I had my PFO/ASA closure done 2 years ago and I am quite happy to say...
withnail1969, I am two years out from my PFO closure and I still have some small left to right shunting. Because it is left to right and small they are not going to do anything but wait and watch. I...
mim50 - how did your second procedure go? Any different than the first? Did you have a large shunting remaining that caused them to do a second device? I'm two years out my closure and still have...
Hi everyone, I wanted to come back and update everyone. I had my PFO closed 2 years ago on the 22nd. I am one of those that had several complications with and after the procedure. I am happy to say...
Climbing4life, I'm so sorry you are having these problems. Yes, it is possible for your PFO not to be closed at 2 1/2 months. I am at 14 months post closure and my PFO still leaks and will probably...
Hi Dinby, I'm so sorry that your on warfarin for life! I really hope that once your clot has dissolved that maybe they can find something else that will help and still allow you to ride the way you...
Oh Dinby, I'm sorry that you are still having problems. Do the doctors think that you will continue to be prone to blood clots once this one has resolved? If so why do they think that is?...
Angielov, from what I've seen and read each doctor has his own version of follow-up. I couldn't drive for 3 days or exercise or lift over 10 lbs for a week. After that I couldn't lift anything over...
Good luck with your procedure PFO Airmen and I sincerely hope you are able to get back to the military. Lots of people having this done recover very quickly and go on to do everything that they had...
rf1, I sincerely hope that your PFO has closed by 1 year. If it means anything, my echo technician did tell me at the 6 mos echo that she has seen quite a few PFOs that were still open at 6 mos but...
rf1, I have the gore-helex device. We have no idea as to what contributed to my stroke. I wasn't on birth control, hadn't been traveling and had no other health issues what so ever. It just totally...
Wow, I'm amazed and sorry to hear so many that haven't closed. I had my closure done on April 28, 2008. At my 1 year echo/bubble study there was still a leakage so I went in for a TEE last Wednesday....
Good Luck today Beezy! Thanks WithNail....I had my TEE Wednesday and like we knew, there is a leak around the edge of my device. The device hasn't shifted though. It's not a large leak so my Cardiac...
Hi mrsreverend, I'm so sorry to hear about all of your strokes. You are so young. Just out of couriousity, has anyone checked you out for a PFO? A lot of very young, active people that have...
Hi pfoman. I am in the northern Chicago suburbs and also had a PFO and ASA. I had my closure done last April by Dr. Ted Feldman at Evanston Hospital. I was told he was one of the leading PFO Docs in...
Good luck breezy! My news may not be so good. Since my post year bubble study still showed leakage my cardiologist wants me to have another TEE. I'm going in for that next week and then he will...
withnail, I'm sorry your symptoms seem to be increasing. I hope the procedure helps clear them all up. I actually had very few symptoms. I had always had migraines with auras and I had always been...
withnail1969, I think each cardio surgeon has their own set of instructions. Mine did not worry about airplane rides. I had my closure done one year ago today and in July of last year I flew to...
PFOMom, I was totally healthy before my TIA so I didn't have a cardiologist until I was hospitalized. The cardiologist I was assigned in the hospital did my TEE and found my PFO/ASA but he does not...
Dejaboo and Greenhope, I'm so happy for you guys. It sounds like everything is going great. Dejaboo, you must be so relieved that it is finally closed. I'm so jealous! How do I deal with the bleeding...
I supposedly will be once my closure is complete. I'm at a year out and still on Plavix and 325mg aspirin....
mntlivin, Good luck with your procedure! One thing I can say is that even though I've had some complications, I have not had one migrain since my procedure and it's been a year....
Closed, I was originally put on inderal by the hospital but it did nothing for my PACs so my cardiologist switched me to Toprol XL. I was taking 50mgs a day before the PACs finally calmed down but it...
Hi Dejaboo, No one had to say anything, I could see the bubbles going through. I've had the same ultrasound person all along and she always lets me watch the screen and talks about what is happening....
Thanks Closed! I worry because some of the research I've read indicates a 4x greater chance of stroke if the PFO hasn't closed after a year. I did have a CT angiogram and every other test known to...
Closed, Congratulations on your PFO being closed!! We have very similar stories. One year ago I had a mini stroke. I too had no other symptoms other than having migraines since I was about 9 years...
Hi Cass, I think it's pretty normal to still be tired only 3 weeks out. I had my closure done last April 28th [large PFO/ASA] and it took me a good 2-3 months to finally start getting past the...
Tom, I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems. I had my PFO/ASA closed last year and it was covered through my insurance. I had only one TIA. I don't know if the addition of the ASA made a...
rf1, I had my closure done on 4/28/2008. At my 6 month follow up my hole was still open. I'm coming up on my 1 year and am hoping like mad that it did close because from what I've read if it's not...
Hi Tom, I was out during my TEE so for me it was a piece of cake. The worst thing for me was the taste of the nasty spray they put down your throat. Also afterwards you may have a mildly irritated...
Thanks greenhope! Dejaboo, my echo/bubble is on the 15th. Oh Dinby, I'm so sorry to hear about the TIA's. I had one before closure but haven't had any since. Have you had any testing to see if your...
Thanks Dejaboo!...
I'm really not a good candidate to answer you Tom. I was one of the unlucky ones to experience problems with the procedure and afterwards. It will be a year for me in April and as of my last echo I...
Congratulations Greenhope! I'm so envious that you are done and off the Plavix. That's such great news. I have to wait until April which will be my 1 year anni to see if I am finally closed. Please...
Hi Tom, What kind of tips are you looking for? Each Doctor seems to have small differences in procedure and device used. My PFO/ASA was closed with a Gore Helex device in April of last year. I had no...
If you have an echo done make sure it is an echo WITH bubble study. A plain echo cannot tell if the PFO is still open....
Hi uthusker, If you go over to the Heart & Cardiovascular Disease forum there are many threads on PFO's and there are several discussions around those of us that have developed irregular heartbeats...
Hi cogal, There are a couple of us here that still have open PFOs at the 6 month mark. In my particular case I was told by both my echo technician and cardiologist that it is not uncommon and that it...
Dejaboo, I'm so sorry you are having problems! It sounds very similar to what I had. At about 3 weeks post procedure I started having the pounding heart beats followed by skipped beats. It started...
Greenhope, I hope everything goes well with your echo and that your PFO is closed!...
Hi Olykate. It's not a dumb question at all! A PFO or Patent Foramen Ovale is essentially a hole in the heart or flap between the Atrial chambers. If the flap opens due to straining, etc. it allows...
salgal, I'm sorry your daughter is suffering so. I started having migraines when I was 8 or 9. Right before I started low carbing 6 years ago I was having 3-4 migraines a week. Going low carb really...
Dejaboo, I'm sorry you are having the bruising and monthly issues. I'm just happy that it's winter here because I can't wear short sleeves without getting looks like I'm an abused woman. I've brought...
rf1, I agree that if it closes the stroke risk is minimal. The articles I read on PFO's remaining open after a year indicated that there was a 4x risk of further stroke if open after a year. I think...
My TIA came out of the blue with nothing they could pin it on other than the PFO and ASA. I did some googling on second PFO closure devices and a couple articles came up regarding the second surgery...
gofindyoursaint, I had both a PFO and an ASA. My cardiologist described the ASA as a "floppy wall" that can balloon out. My PFO or hole is in the floppy wall. They are two different things....
Im sorry to hear you are going through the same thing rf1. I am trying to remain upbeat that it will be closed by 1 year. The technician that did my 6 mos echo w/bubble study warned me before the...
I didn't. My check-up was just a normal visit the Doctor type check-up although I did have an EKG. I had an echo w/bubble study done at 6 months and will have another at 1 year....
1. Was it Succesful? Did you have a Follow Up Test/Echo that showed it was Closed? At what Month was that? Not entirely. I had a 6 month follow-up echo w/bubble study the end of October that showed...