Have to go back on coumadin...

Well, I saw another neurologist, my previous one is moving so he referred me and this one has almost a totally different opinion on my status. Of course though he has more knowledge and experience with PFOs. Here is your Sally Struther's Learn from Home - Medical Degree lesson for the day: Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) "The foramen ovale is a small hole located in atrial septum that is used during fetal circulation to speed up the travel of blood through the heart. When in the womb,a baby does not use it's own lungs for oxygen-rich blood, it relies on the mother to provide oxygen rich blood from the placenta through the umbilical cord to the fetus. Therefore, blood can travel from the veins to the right side of the baby's heart and cross to the left side of the heart through the foramen ovale and skip the trip to the baby's lungs. Normally the foramen ovale closes at birth when increased blood pressure on the left side of the heart forces the opening to close. If the atrial septum does not close properly, it is called a patent foramen ovale. This type of defect generally works like a flap valve, only opening during certain conditions when there is more pressure inside the chest. This increased pressure, called the Valvsalva maneuver, occurs when people strain while having a bowel movement, cough, or sneeze. If the pressure is great enough, blood may travel from the right atrium to the left atrium. If there is a clot or particles in the blood traveling in the right side of the heart, it can cross the PFO, enter the left atrium, and travel out of the heart and to the brain (causing a stroke) or into a coronary artery (causing a heart attack)." Since I have a history of DVT he wants me to go back on Coumadin and talk to my cardiologist about having surgery to close the PFO...it's a minor surgery. I asked him about just getting a filter and he said they have too many complications for this. I guess if I was going to go through a minor procedure might as well close the PFO. He has ordered several more tests and will determine the actual course of action after he gets those results. Well, at least I got about 10 days with no coumadin, and will get a few more since I can't be on it for some of the tests he ordered. Bad news is I finally got my period and it wasn't fun, and I had been off the coumadin so not looking forward to next month. ~Sarah Margaret

Holy cow. Just curious, why didn't they repair that when you were little? Val

Just found out I had one last month when they did a bubble test. Never had any problems or reason to look for it. I was actually a pretty darn healthy kid, just some sore throats and ear infections but never that often. Never had any "procedure" until I was in college. I used to cringe when I had to get a shot or have my BP taken...those are the least of my concerns. But boy, does it seem like I am making it up for that all nowadays.