I believe most the people that have had the procedure done here are
from the US. I am personally in Salt Lake City, Utah.

--- In PFOSupport@yahoogroups.com, "Sarah Carr" <sarahcarr@...> wrote:
>
> Dirk
>
> Just wanted to thank you very much for your reply -- most useful,
thank you.
>
> Would you mind me asking which country you live in? I'm interested
to know if anyone in the UK has managed to get this procedure done
(on the NHS or private health insurance) without having had a stroke
first?
>
> Thanks
>
> Sarah
>
> Sarah Carr
> Telephone +44 (0)1925 767403
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Dirk
> To: PFOSupport@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Saturday, May 05, 2007 6:05 PM
> Subject: [PFOSupport] Re: Hello, I've just joined -- advice
welcome!
>
>
> 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
> >
>