Dear MMers,

I haven't been posted a message for a while and am glad to see that the board is successful, continuously helpful and flourishing. Congratulations on all the successful surgeries and best wishes for the upcoming ones.

I frequently visit the site to get supplemental information on MM and hope that the people on the board can help me out, again.

I completed my two indirect bypass surgeries (and man did they hurt-boo for pain) and haven't had any significant TIAs since then. However, I have daily headaches that range from the "brain freeze" feeling to the "tension" headaches. Is this normal? And will they ever go away? Tylenol doesn't seem to help, is anyone on the board taking any other medications (or other measures) for post-surgery headaches?

For informational purposes, my only medication is 325 mg of Aspirin. I hope people can help.

Very Best,

Connie


ps. this may be completely unrelated but i get extremely cold, is this a circulatory issue related to MoyaMoya?

Hi Connie!  I don't have any anwers but I can sympathize.  I have had headaches my whole life and while I feel like the frequency has decreased since surgery, the intensity has increased.  I used to get relief with Tylenol, Advil, etc. but do not any longer.  
Also, I have cold feet and hands all the time.  I suppose this had to do with the MM but I can only guess.  

Sorry I wasn't much help but I do know how you feel!  Hang in there!
Chelsie

Tyler takes Midrin for his headaches, it cuts them down from 5 hours to 2 hours. He doesn't have them often, but when he gets them they are bad.

Not sure if this would help you any.

thanks for the responses. for a minute, i thought that i was alone on this.  too bad these headaches are sticking around. i'll check on the medication.

I am so sorry to hear about your headaches!  My son had surgery on one side about a year ago and he still gets headaches too.  However, his are not as bad now as they were before the surgery.  He takes 325 mg of aspirin daily as well -- but he has not been prescribed anything special for the headaches.  

Do you lay down immediately upon feeling a headache?  I truely believe that is what has helped my son the most with his headache pain.  He used to keep going until the pain was so bad that he would vomit.  Now he takes a couple of advil and lies down immediately -- and that has helped tremendously.  

You can try this if you haven't already.

Hi Connie,
I am having headaches like you, mine just started though so I am not sure if it is my allergies causing them or because the rain season is upon us??? I had my surgeries in March so maybe I am still healing??  I did meet some people while I was out in California and the husband has MM, he has already had the surgeries for it but he experiences such bad headaches that he is on disability.  I don't know what, or if, he is on any medication but at this point I sure would like to know what works [smiley=huh.gif].  I am going to wait for this allergy/rainy season to pass and if I am still having these headaches I will call my neurologist to see what can be done, if it is something that will help you I will let you know, until then take care and stay well.
Kathleen  

hI heveryone

what should I expect after surgery may 4,good,bad,or indifferant.Does anybody know.just curious

Kevin

Kevin,
It seems everyone has a different experience after surgery. In the long run everyone seems to have improvements and feel better, but right after has been very different to everyone.

Even with Tyler the first surgery was a breeze, he got out of the hospital a day earlier than expected. However, the second surgery kept him in the hospital a few extra days. That just shows how even one persons experience after surgery can be very different.

I can just say Tyler is doing much better now than before his surgery.

I will keep you in my prayers.

Rena

My daughter had her surgery in March and for the past week seems to be experiencing some headaches, too.   She's 18 months old, and non-verbal, but she will cry unconsolably for hours (9pm to 3am last night e.g.).  Her eyes water, she clutches her head and is extremely sensitive to light and noise.

We've given her drugs, even morphine, taken her for car rides, walked her around etc., and nothing seems to help much.

My daughter had indirect bypass surgery... I've read that it takes 3 to 6 weeks for the blood vessells to grow into the brain.   It's been about 4 weeks since Daphne's last surgery, so I am wondering if she's starting to get a new supply of blood, and the process is causing the headaches.    Just a crazy theory, I guess.

Jenny

Kevin,

Your headaches after surgery will more than likely be rough.  I can't imagine not having a headache right after your surgeries.  However, the good news is that they give you medicine for the headacheds....vicoden or something like that.  They will also give you medicine while in the hospital.

Hope that helps.

Kevin,

As Rena said, each patient is different . . . some people experience headaches, some do not.  Tara (my 18 year old daughter) had virtually no headaches after either surgery.  We'll just say a prayer that you're one of the lucky ones who gets to skip that part!

Looking forward to meeting you in a couple of weeks!

Jill

Kevin-
Just to clarify my situation...I did not have headaches right after surgery as Michelle did.  I was actually pain-free the day after surgery and was on regular Tylenol!  I do have headaches now but that was nothing new in my situation and had nothing to do with surgery.  I wish you a pain-free recovery also!  Jill and Rena are right....everyone of us is different!!  
Chelsie

Wow!!!!!  You mean not everyone had headaches right after their surgeries?  I had no idea......I thought it just came with the territory.  Sorry Kevin just ignore my message.  But if you do get them, they will prescribe a medication.  :)

Michelle

Actually Mandy never had headaches after surgery and I don't think she has had one since, I guess she was lucky in that respect, she has only gotten dizzy 2 or 3 times also which I know happens to alot of people.

I actually didn't have headaches either.  I was only on tylenol after my second surgery as needed.  They had me on morphine after my first, but wasn't necessary - and made me very sick.

-Shari

My daughter had her stokes at 27 and 39 months. She has had surgeryand burr holes. She is on asprin. Rachael still get an occassional severe headache. Our doctor lets us use oxygen when these occur since the headaches may be a warning of a TIA or Stroke. It seems to help her with the pain. She is 12YO and slow due to the strokes but she says her oxygen helps.

Sallywyo

Hi Sallywyo!

My daughter Louise had surgeries in Dec-2002 and before and after her surgeries she was put on oxygen when symtoms occured and it really helped her! I asked on the board if anyone else had extra oxygen but that didn´t seem to be the case.  In Sweden you can get a medical prescription on extra oxygen if needed.
Louise is feeling better now so we turned the o2 back because it grew to expensive on us and she does not really need it anymore. Louise has headaches now and then and no one said it was a sign on TIA or stroke???
Just a symtom of the disease.

Take care

Annica

Hey Connie!

It is great to hear that you have had the surgeries and all is going well.  Angie and I were just telling my mother about you and showed her a picture.  I had a lot of headaches for about 6 or 7 months and then they started to go away.  Now I only have occasionnal headaches.  I use to take prescription meds sometimes but now it is just motrin.  Hope this helps.

David

Hi David!

It's good to hear from you. I hope that the family is doing well. It was great to have met you. Thank you for all of your support. In terms of the headaches, because I haven't been prescribed any medication, I've been focusing on some breathing exercises; but generally let them pass. Considering other MMer's experiences, it feels more comforting to know that this is somewhat common and hopefully safe (although unfortunate) condition.

Please tell your family I said hello.

very best,
connie