Angiograms, Anesthesia, And Headaches/Migraines (1 Viewer)

[rockaction]

Anybody have an angiogram and suffer headaches as a result? Asking for a relative. My mother went for one and is now suffering migraines. It really affects the quality of life. Anyone know anything about this side effect? Is it the anesthesia or something else? 

 

[rockaction]

Anybody with any experience with stuff like this would have any comment be greatly appreciated. It's not at a tipping point yet, but it's not comfortable for her. It sucks. She's taking her migraine medication nearly every day now. I'm concerned. 

If anyone has any knowledge, I'd appreciate it. 

Thanks again for reading this and letting me bump it. Peace. 

 

[SoBeDad]

Anybody with any experience with stuff like this would have any comment be greatly appreciated. It's not at a tipping point yet, but it's not comfortable for her. It sucks. She's taking her migraine medication nearly every day now. I'm concerned. 

If anyone has any knowledge, I'd appreciate it. 

Thanks again for reading this and letting me bump it. Peace. 

I'm not sure it matters, but what type of angiogram. Coronary, cerebral, renal, etc?

 

[rockaction]

I don’t know. Neither does the patient. Likely coronary. Yeah, coronary. 

 

[Cowboysfan8]

I have no advice for you rock, but I hope your Mom feels better soon 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Sucks to hear that, rock. Did she have a reaction to the contrast dye?

 

[Ilov80s]

Sorry, I don't have any insight here. All I can say is best wishes, I am so sorry to hear about this. 

 

[HellToupee]

sorry to hear about your mom Rock. Where is the headache located? Do you know what she’s taking for them
 

I get migraines and other headaches. Have since my senior year of HS. It’s a rare day I don’t have some sort of headache. 

 

[rockaction]

Thanks for the well wishes, guys. Appreciate it. Greatly. Always nice to have people care about what's going on in one's world. 

I think the headache is sinus-related, HT. Sorry to hear about your headaches. That sounds really tough, actually. I don't know what to say other than offer sympathy and best wishes.

As for this current situation with her, I just hope it goes away for her and that they didn't nick a nerve or something. 

Sucks to hear that, rock. Did she have a reaction to the contrast dye?

I don't know, Pip. I'll have to ask. 

I appreciate the thoughts, guys. It's not that major yet. I was really concerned because they thought she had blockage from a stress test and it turns out there was none. I'm just looking to see if anybody had been through this with anesthesia or something like that. She's in touch with her doctors and we'll see what they say. They apparently told her it might happen for a few days, but it's going on a week and a half now. So it's a little longer than expected. 

Thanks again. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I don't know, Pip. I'll have to ask. 

I appreciate the thoughts, guys. It's not that major yet. I was really concerned because they thought she had blockage from a stress test and it turns out there was none. I'm just looking to see if anybody had been through this with anesthesia or something like that. She's in touch with her doctors and we'll see what they say. They apparently told her it might happen for a few days, but it's going on a week and a half now. So it's a little longer than expected. 

Thanks again. 

Good luck. You can never be too careful or too vigilant. 

A very quick search of the literature turns up a decent amount of research on headaches after cerebral angiogram (where it is more common in women than men), but not much after coronary angiogram. The cerebral angiogram literature does mention reaction to contrast dye as a cause of some of the headaches observed, so I certainly wouldn't close the book on that possibility. 

Stress test followed by invasive diagnostic angiography is the traditional path that possible coronary blockages are ruled in or out, but less invasive approaches may be better for some patients, especially older ones. Several trials from the past 7-ish years have shown that noninvasive testing such as with CT scans seems to do just as good or better than invasive testing -- but I don't know if Medicare and the private insurance companies have caught up yet as far as reimbursement goes; I think it still varies by region/plan. In the future, if invasive testing is ever proposed, ask why they are suggesting that instead of noninvasive testing. The most notable clinical trials in this area are SCOT-HEART and PROMISE.

As you may remember, I cover cardiology, so don't hesitate to shoot me a PM if you ever have any questions about anything heart-related. 

 

[wikkidpissah]

i've had two angioplastys without incident and was not warned of that side effect (tho Pip's inquiry after the dye seems wise) they want to do another one on my carotid to prevent strokes, but going at my brain from my taint scares the crap outta me. hope your loved one comes around. i get sinus migraines (thank you, cocaine!) every fall and they're no fun.

 

[rockaction]

Good luck. You can never be too careful or too vigilant. 

A very quick search of the literature turns up a decent amount of research on headaches after cerebral angiogram (where it is more common in women than men), but not much after coronary angiogram. The cerebral angiogram literature does mention reaction to contrast dye as a cause of some of the headaches observed, so I certainly wouldn't close the book on that possibility. 

Stress test followed by invasive diagnostic angiography is the traditional path that possible coronary blockages are ruled in or out, but less invasive approaches may be better for some patients, especially older ones. Several trials from the past 7-ish years have shown that noninvasive testing such as with CT scans seems to do just as good or better than invasive testing -- but I don't know if Medicare and the private insurance companies have caught up yet as far as reimbursement goes; I think it still varies by region/plan. In the future, if invasive testing is ever proposed, ask why they are suggesting that instead of noninvasive testing. The most notable clinical trials in this area are SCOT-HEART and PROMISE.

As you may remember, I cover cardiology, so don't hesitate to shoot me a PM if you ever have any questions about anything heart-related. 

Thanks, buddy. I certainly will remember and will shoot you a PM in the future. Without being corny, I really do appreciate any time that you took. Gratitude is the word. Peace. 

If you want the full story, she had the option of non-invasive but was told by her medical friends to do the angio instead of the scan because it's more of a one-stop shop that way and the CT scans might not reveal what they wanted. I argued for the CT scan, but was overruled. Not my call in the end. 

I hope this works out for her. I do indeed. You don't realize you love something more than yourself until you have a child or a loved one is getting older. So it is. 

 

[HellToupee]

think the headache is sinus-related, HT. Sorry to hear about your headaches. That sounds really tough, actually. I don't know what to say other than offer sympathy and best wishes.

Sorry didn’t mention it for sympathy etc. 95% of the time it doesn’t interfere with my life It’s just a subject I’m quite familiar with. Been to many focus/test groups . Tell her to be careful with migraine meds if she using them more than a couple of times a week, you can end up in a nasty cycle of rebound headaches

 

[rockaction]

i've had two angioplastys without incident and was not warned of that side effect (tho Pip's inquiry after the dye seems wise) they want to do another one on my carotid to prevent strokes, but going at my brain from my taint scares the crap outta me. hope your loved one comes around. i get sinus migraines (thank you, cocaine!) every fall and they're no fun.

Thanks, wik.

I won't get all mushy, but I hope your health stays good, bud. That would scare the ever-living daylights out of me, too. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

they want to do another one on my carotid to prevent strokes, but going at my brain from my taint scares the crap outta me. 

Good luck to you also. All the recent studies have shown it's just as safe as dealing with the carotid surgically. The question is whether doing medical therapy only (or nothing) would work just as well as any procedure. What will be the definitive trial on that is still in progress. 

 

[rockaction]

Sorry didn’t mention it for sympathy etc. 95% of the time it doesn’t interfere with my life It’s just a subject I’m quite familiar with. Been to many focus/test groups . Tell her to be careful with migraine meds if she using them more than a couple of times a week, you can end up in a nasty cycle of rebound headaches

Oh God, didn't think you were. Just my way of expressing. 

I will definitely counsel her on that. She's now using them like every day. Any advice you can give would be a great help. I'll holler out, maybe, if this keeps up. 

 

[wikkidpissah]

Thanks, wik.

I won't get all mushy, but I hope your health stays good, bud. That would scare the ever-living daylights out of me, too. 

Good luck to you also. All the recent studies have shown it's just as safe as dealing with the carotid surgically. The question is whether doing medical therapy only (or nothing) would work just as well as any procedure. What will be the definitive trial on that is still in progress. 

thx, guys. the procedure would take a yr's SS out me stack so, as long as they consider it elective, i aint electing. i was more worried about my health when i moved up to this frozen tomb than i am now. i'm OK that you dont see 70yo guys my size. so it goes -

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Thanks, buddy. I certainly will remember and will shoot you a PM in the future. Without being corny, I really do appreciate any time that you took. Gratitude is the word. Peace. 

If you want the full story, she had the option of non-invasive but was told by her medical friends to do the angio instead of the scan because it's more of a one-stop shop that way and the CT scans might not reveal what they wanted. I argued for the CT scan, but was overruled. Not my call in the end. 

I hope this works out for her. I do indeed. You don't realize you love something more than yourself until you have a child or a loved one is getting older. So it is. 

Happy to do whatever you need. The bolded is sort of what I was hinting at -- this is how most cath labs* are set up, so it's the path they follow in the vast majority of cases. But the second part of that sentence is a real concern as well. Some people are just not good candidates for anatomical testing, as they call it. There are a lot of factors that go in to determining that. A CT scan may have required contrast dye as well, so if that was the cause of her issue, going the CT route may not have made a difference. 

* cardiac catheterization laboratories

 

[The Z Machine]

GLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL to your moms 

 

[apalmer]

Not exactly the same, but after I had a cardiac ablation, I had the worst headaches of my life every night at bedtime that continued until 4 or 5 a.m. The doctor even ran a CAT scan of my head trying to determine what was going on.  Eventually, I convinced him that there might be a connection between the blood thinner he had prescribed that I take at dinner every evening and the headache that followed a few hours later.  He reluctantly agreed that I could stop taking the blood thinner, even though there was nothing in the literature indicating that headaches were a known side effect of the drug, and the headaches also stopped.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I don’t know. Neither does the patient. Likely coronary. Yeah, coronary. 

I'm concerned about this part.  Does she truly not know what procedure she had?  If she is unclear, she may need a medical advocate to go with her to appointments just to be able to make sure she gets the info she needs.  Basically, it's a buddy who goes and makes sure everything is explained and that the patient is clear on stuff.

Good luck.

 

[rockaction]

I'm concerned about this part.  Does she truly not know what procedure she had?  If she is unclear, she may need a medical advocate to go with her to appointments just to be able to make sure she gets the info she needs.  Basically, it's a buddy who goes and makes sure everything is explained and that the patient is clear on stuff.

Good luck.

Yeah, I think it took a second to narrow down the choices as I was writing and asking. She's a very independent 73 year-old. She's not showing signs of confusion or cognitive aging, really. At all. I don't think a medical advocate would go over well. I'm not sure it's necessary. She called her friend whose husband is a physician's assistant and does a lot of work at hospitals and his recommendation was to go with the angiogram, so she did. I'm not sure I could have convinced her otherwise, because he has a lot of experience in the field. 

I preferred the CT scan, but it's not my choice to make. 

I see the latter years being difficult regarding stubbornness, but we're not really there yet, IMO. 

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

She's not showing signs of confusion or cognitive aging, really. At all. I don't think a medical advocate would go over well.

That's not the only reason to have someone with you.  When people get a diagnosis of cancer, a lot of them stop hearing anything else the doctor says.  It's like the parents in a Peanuts cartoon.  The someone isn't there because you are senile.  They are there more like a companion/crutch when you need it.

 

[simey]

How is your mom feeling today?

 

[rockaction]

How is your mom feeling today?

I haven't asked today. Yesterday she started to get one, but it subsided when she took her meds. That's like the nth straight day since the procedure, so we'll find out again today. The severity of them seem to be receding and she seems to be living normally, but that might just be until we can talk to a doctor and see what's going on. So we'll see. Thanks for asking, simey. Find out soon.