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pattil647

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Mom of Moyamoya Survivor

Posts: 70
Langhorne, USA, usa, 484, 119, PA, Pennsylvania
Gender: female

MM and Musical Instruments
Sep 16^th, 2006 at 8:11pm

My son Michael is 12 years-old, and he has moyamoya. He wants to begin playing a new musical instrument, and his music teacher suggested the tuba. Michael is also considering the trombone, trumpet, and French Horn. I know that it can be dangerous for people with moyamoya to play some instruments, but I don't know which ones. I think I remember reading that instruments that cause/require hyperventilation are dangerous -- but I don't know which instruments these are. Can anyone help us out and provide any information?

Thank you, Patti

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Emily

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Diagnosed Oct 2005. Direct
bypasses: Nov 05 Apr
06

Posts: 259
Brisbane, Australia
Gender: female

Re: MM and Musical Instruments
Reply #1 - Sep 16^th, 2006 at 10:13pm

hey... i play quite a few instruments.. i would strongly advise against any woodwind or horns though, i used to play the clarinet but i won't go anywhere near it now.... i do play the bass guitar though, everyday, and acoustic guitars, piano, drums etc.... i'd suggest something stringed or hands on... but i'm wary of anything you gotta blow too hard into.. hyperventilation, strain on little mm vessels.... especially with the tuba or trumpet...

still if he has his heart set on something i'd be checking it through with your surgeon..

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ladybugz

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Love one another

Posts: 101
USA, usa, WA, Washington
Gender: female

Re: MM and Musical Instruments
Reply #2 - Sep 17^th, 2006 at 8:53pm

I agree with the above. Don't play anything that takes too much air. For 8 years I played flute and clarinet... I kept switching instruments within the woodwind family (to other clarinet versions or various saxes and so on...) thinking I just couldn't use as much air as the flute required or my arm was bad (sometimes ppl say it takes more air than a tuba, I'm not sure. It definitely requires more than say trumpet and clarinet... My MM symptoms were almost always equivalent to TIA symptoms everyday after sitting in class and everyday after practicing or marching. I spent half of my day miserable trying to figure out why I couldn't walk. It was all for the love of music... Now that I know, I'd advise against others pushing. I terribly miss my woodwinds and other instruments, but it's for the better.

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Roni Junior Poster Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 52 Dillon, USA, usa, 195, 162, CO, Colorado Gender:	Re: MM and Musical Instruments Reply #3 - Sep 21^st, 2006 at 6:30pm Dr. Masaki Komyama, Japan, has an informative website - http://www003.upp.so-net.ne.jp/moya-moya/ One of his cautions is MM patients should not blow instruments. Probably should not blow balloons or blowup toys either. Best, Roni rolsen64@aol.com
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Helenor New Poster Offline Posts: 23 Folsom, USA, usa, 35, 148, CA, California Gender:	Re: MM and Musical Instruments Reply #4 - Sep 22^nd, 2006 at 10:37pm I play viola in my school orchestra and I think, as some people have already said, string instruments should be fine. Of course, some people might think of it as a dorky sort of instrument to play, but it's worked out well for me. I don't really have any symptoms while playing the viola.
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Emily Senior Poster Offline Diagnosed Oct 2005. Direct bypasses: Nov 05 Apr 06 Posts: 259 Brisbane, Australia Gender:	Re: MM and Musical Instruments Reply #5 - Sep 23^rd, 2006 at 12:47am Roni wrote on Sep 21^st, 2006 at 6:30pm: Probably should not blow balloons or blowup toys either. yep very much agreed.. haha one of my mum's friends bought me a "balloon-pump" that she found at an op shop because she thought it was very sad that i couldn't blow up balloons...
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ntrlpwr Junior Poster Offline have faith, the Lord is my savior dx 2006 Posts: 62 Pearl City, USA, usa, HI, Hawaii Gender:	Re: MM and Musical Instruments Reply #6 - Jan 4^th, 2007 at 8:04pm shucks i too have played both trumpet and sax, a long time ago, but now w/being recently dx i dare not to. but i must admit to weight lifting which is my passion and hmm dunno if i can give that up. mucho alohaz brandie
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Becky

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Stroke10/03, Diagnosed6/04,
Unilateral Surgery9/04

Posts: 532
Minneapolis, USA, usa, 303, 84, MN, Minnesota
Gender: female

Re: MM and Musical Instruments
Reply #7 - Jan 5^th, 2007 at 12:55pm

I would be cautious playing any instrament that you have to do controled or lost of breathing. I might ask you doctor if your son has the lung capasity for it, if his pasion is on that type of instament group. I whould sugest to him the "manlyer" string instament ( ie. stand up Bass, bass gituar, gituar) or precution and see what he thinks. What does he play now?

Becky

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What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger. And sometimes leaves a cool looking scar. STA-MCA bypass and EMS Surgeries done at same time at the Mayo clinic

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Emily

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Diagnosed Oct 2005. Direct
bypasses: Nov 05 Apr
06

Posts: 259
Brisbane, Australia
Gender: female

Re: MM and Musical Instruments
Reply #8 - Jan 8^th, 2007 at 5:06am

ntrlpwr wrote on Jan 4^th, 2007 at 8:04pm:

shucks i too have played both trumpet and sax, a long time ago, but now w/being recently dx i dare not to. but i must admit to weight lifting which is my passion and hmm dunno if i can give that up.

mucho alohaz
brandie

just a note on this one... do you do actual "weightlifting" - as in the olympic sport? or just general lifting of weights, ie. at the gym...?
cause if you're referring to weightlifting the sport, i'd highly reccomend reconsidering how important it is to you.. i used to be a weightlifter and i was sternly advised to not take it up again.... huge pressures on the blood vessels to during a lift..

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ntrlpwr

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have faith, the Lord is
my savior dx 2006

Posts: 62
Pearl City, USA, usa, HI, Hawaii
Gender: female

Re: MM and Musical Instruments
Reply #9 - Jan 8^th, 2007 at 2:43pm

yup emily i do powerlift,
i'm a national and international lifter, but yes i know i may have to give it up, but haha maybe not or at least dream about it. but then again lifting and cardio may have put my symptoms off because of the development of larger vessels. weightlifters vs runners have been compared and the weightlifters vessels and heart could pump more blood and created larger vessels than a runner. oh well i've got lots more to learn about this disease, just a little input from the peanut gallery.

mucho alohaz
brandie

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aloha,&&Brandie

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Maryann

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Our 6 year old has MM.

Posts: 15
Longmont, USA, CO, Colorado
Gender: female

Re: MM and Musical Instruments
Reply #10 - Jan 14^th, 2007 at 9:28pm

Hello everyone!
It's been a while since I've been on this site. Our Taylor (now 7) had her follow-up in November w/Steinberg and is doing super! She has 60% new blood flow after 7 months post-op. Her other side is not ready for surgery yet and we will have to go back w/in a year to check it again.

During our appt with Steinberg, we had asked about wind instruments since Taylor wants to play the sax! She's been wanting to play it since she was 6. Dr. Steinberg said that it should be no problem for her to try wind instruments. I am confused now! Who told you that wind instruments are forbidden? It seems logical that hyperventillating may cause a problem, but Dr. Steinberg said that it wouldn't be a problem.

Because of her passion for the sax, I have found an instructor that is willing to give her a try on Wednesday. I am a little hesitant now...

Please let me know where all of you got your information.

Thank you. MaryAnn

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« Last Edit: Jan 14^th, 2007 at 9:30pm by Maryann »

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Mar

Ex Member

Re: MM and Musical Instruments
Reply #11 - Jan 14^th, 2007 at 11:45pm

Hi Maryann! Smiley

The way I understand it is… it’s an individual thing and would depend if you experience TIA’s or not. (Which some do even after surgery) In Taylor’s case, like you said, she had bypass surgery and has good blood flow to the brain, therefore less likely to have a TIA, but some MM patients are at risk or experience TIA’s, so blowing into an instrument can possibly cause hyperventilation, which further causes constriction of the arteries to the brain, which puts you at a higher risk for creating or causing a TIA, and there lies the danger for some. But who’s to say Taylor will hyperventilate. Your daughter had the best MM expert in the world treating her (IMO) and if he says she can play, he would NEVER put her at risk. I wouldn’t be hesitant, but rather like you said, use common sense or if you feel better, simply tell her if she gets dizzy or any tingling to please stop.

I don’t have MM but I played a clarinet/sax for years and never once hyperventilated. Tell her if she learns to play the Sax, I’d sure love to hear her play the song “Lily was here” That Sax is awesome, it drives me crazy!! I love it!!!

Many good thoughts are with you and Taylor…

Mar

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ladybugz

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Love one another

Posts: 101
USA, usa, WA, Washington
Gender: female

Re: MM and Musical Instruments
Reply #12 - Jan 15^th, 2007 at 2:58am

2 neuros told me no... They weren't MM specialists, but considering the number of TIAs I have had before and after it would be best in my case not to play any wind instruments. Sax is nothing compared to flute as far as air. I had 2 TIAs a day for 5 years straight and then switched to clari and sax and they dropped to maybe 3 or 4 a week for a few years. I guess I"m lucky to be alive with that. This was all before doctors knew what was wrong. They claimed I had nerve damage in my arm which caused flute problems. I knew otherwise since clarinet and sax gave me the same problems just slightly less.

Good luck!!! Justs be cautious and all will be fine

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