Hello VX'ers!!!

[ZEUS]

WOW! That is some crazy information - glad you are recovering well! Chicks dig scars!!!!!

[cyronman]

Welcome back Moncha,

Best of luck to you on recovery.

Cy

[VX crazy]

Wow Scott, glad to your doing better and that it helped your headaches!!

[Cyrk]

Glad you doing better... My bests. Good to have you back.
-Dave

[Tone]

Glad those damned headaches are gone - can't imagine how you've dealt with them as long as you have. Will you be making Moab this year? It ain't the same w/o you there.

[Anita]

%#(&@*#$@)(*$

... all those different doctors through the years, and no one saw that?

Happy day, Scott

xoxo

[JHarris1385]

I need more info on that. I have had migraines for years......

[bumblebee]

All the best to you! Get well soon!

[Moncha]

Thank you for the kind words and thoughts!

I've had some calls for a better explanation on this subject so, here goes:

For me, I've had a Migraine (post West Nile) for 3 years, not a day with out one.. They (it) never responded to any medications and would only lessen with what is termed, a tri-geminal nerve block (the nerves that run your face and head).

Now, the rest of the story.

A tip from a pharmaceutical rep got me looking into a heart condition called PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale). I did some research and found there was a ton of information. The short story is, You (we) as a fetus, have a hole between your atria to allow the blood flow to by pass your lungs (mother's lungs are doing the work). When you are born the hole should close up. In about 25% of the world's population, that hole does not close all they way. Most don't even have problems, but a few might get migraines (the aural kind) and the relationship between the heart and brain is not even discovered until a TIA or stroke event occurs. Going off of the tip, I had an echocardiogram done and sure 'nuf, an 8mm hole was allowing about 10% (resting 40%-50% under exertion) of the atrial flow by pass to the other side. Not a big deal, or so they thought. It appears that unfiltered blood allowed to pass through, contains elements like fat globules, toxins and who know what that can go straight to the brain, thus being a possible cause for migraines.

The doctor puts in a plug (lots of different styles of devices depending on the size of hole) to seal up the hole and viola! it's done.

One week post surgery, I feel great!!! about 10 minutes after the device was put in, my headache went away and I am full of energy! I feel like a cloud in my brain has been lifted I can think clearly and feel like a new man! I can't say it will work for everyone but it's worth a little research and some benign testing.

There are some test study programs being done but, I didn't qualify (too many headaches), plus, I didn't want to take a change of being on the placebo side of the study.

A good start will be to google the term "pfo migraine"

Here's a VIDEO (7mb .wmv) of my "little friend" being installed... Nice mod!!!

A little explanation:

1. The first is a shot of the balloon that is inserted through hole and blown up, this measures the diameter of the hole.

2. The device (a spider of wires and Dacron mesh) is being run into the heart through a catheter and is pushed through the hole.

3. As the device is pushed through the hole it opens like an umbrella, then is pulled tight against the wall of the atrium.

4. When tight, the device is pushed out some more and the other side opens up and is tightened against the other side of the atrium wall. Thereby, sandwiching the atrial septum and stopping up the hole. As the device irritates the wall of the heart, it causes tissue to gather on the device thus, sealing up completly after a couple of months.

[JHarris1385]

Thank you so much. If this is my cure, I have no idea what I would do. I have had all other test ran. I have my own pain management specialist.

[rocket man]

Welcome Back Scott!

My son in law works on a surgical cardiovascular team at USC Medical Center and Childrens Hospital (Los Angeles) and what was pretty dangerous stuff a few years ago is now pretty routine. I don't mean to minimize your surgery but your an adult with a full sized heart, imagine opening up a heart the size of your THUMB!! and doing the same repair...Science marches on huh !!!!.....NOW QUIT LOAFING AROUND AND GET BACK TO WORK!!!! tee hee