There really still is no concrete scientific evidence pointing
either way on this issue. In our group here we have had mixed
results as well. On one end of the spectrum I feel like I have
benefited quite a bit overall from the procedure and if nothing else
I feel like it is an insurance policy against a future stroke,
although initially the heart palpitations I had for 6 - 12 months
after implant scared the crap out of me. On the other end I would
say it would be Val that is having a very serious allergic reaction
to the nickel in the device that was implanted and now she has to
have open heart surgery to have it removed which I am sure is a
terrifying prospect to most people, as matter of fact I am not sure
I would of gone though the procedure if i had come across this
information earlier.

I guess all in all if I were in the position to decide all over
again I think I would wait. There are some new procedures that are
being investigated, one of them being sealing up the area without
use of any device which looks really promising. When it come right
down to it though I think stressing about it in some cases can be
more damaging to your health the the actual condition itself.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Dirk


--- In PFOSupport@yahoogroups.com, "theresacarr2003" <sarahcarr@...>
wrote:
>
> Hi
>
> My name's Sarah, I live in the UK, and am 40. I've had migraine
with
> aura since being a teenager. They used to be fairly infrequent,
but
> worse these days. Also, in the last year, the auras (visual) have
> started lasting longer, into the headache phase (not days but
> certainly hours), which I've found very scary. I told my GP the
first
> time it happened, but she was very unconcerned, just said it was a
> normal part of my migraines getting worse. But I sill feel very
> uneasy about this. I'm also feeling 'aura-ish' a lot of the time
(no
> visual disturbance, but that spacey/dizzy feeling).
> I'd wondered for a while whether I might have a PFO, partly as my
son
> (11) has much more serious congenital heart problems. I
volunteered
> for a research study at Manchster university here abourt PFO and
> mgraine, and now know I have a moderate-sze PFO (I had a chest
scan
> with the bubble test -- not a trans-oesophageal one, which I
> understand is the definitive test). But no-one seems bothered
about
> doing anything about it -- I don't think I could get it repaired
here
> in the UK unless I had a stroke, the thought of which terrifies
me --
> with 4 youngish kids to look after, plus I'm a freelance
> editor/proofreader, which obviously requies linguistic acuity. I
> asked if I should start taking aspirin, but GP said no need (I've
low
> risk factors otherwise -- low blood pressue, don't smoke, not
> overweight etc.).
> I'd really appreciate any advice on whether I should be doing or
> pushing for any more, or whether I should just relax and get on
with
> life.
>
> Thanks very much
>
> Sarah Carr
>