I almost have a hole in my heart!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I am a nursing student in Virginia and I recently had a bubble study for a possible hole in my heart :heartbeat also known a PFO or an ASD. I have to get a TEE test to be 100% sure but the Doc and I both suspect that it is a hole. I am writing this to ask the experienced nurses if they have dealt with PFO's before and how Doctors usually respond to them. My Dr. said that even if I had a hole that it would not be clinically significant.The medical community says that there are no symptoms of of a PFO but I disagree.:nono: I have had migraines since I was 5 and I have flashes and black dots that I see as well. I also have poor circulation and memory loss as well as poor coordination. Recently I have been experiencing tachycardia followed by bradycardia. I have feelings that my life is ending when I have these spells. It is so overwhelming that I really feel that in that moment I am going to "expire":omy: My questions are:

1) As a nurse, :nurse: do you feel that patients have similar symptoms like I do before diagnosed with a PFO?

2) Do doctors only treat these patients if they have had a stroke?

3) When someone is treated for this condtion, do you know the name of the device that is used? :rolleyes:

Thanks for any help! :bow: * I know, I went crazy with the smilies...they are so cool.*

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

As per terms of service we can not offer Medical advice but here are a couple of websites which may help

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/156863-overview

http://www.aan.com/elibrary/neurologytoday/?event=home.showArticle&id=ovid.com:/bib/ovftdb/00132985-200801170-00002

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001113.htm

http://heartdisease.about.com/od/lesscommonheartproblems/a/pfo.htm

Moved to general nursing forum

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CTICU.

ASD/PFOs may be closed with an Amplatzer device.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
ASD/PFOs may be closed with an Amplatzer device.

Amplazter Device. Sounds like I would be an android after surgery!! HAHAHAHA! Thanks so much for your info. :yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

OOPS! I am sorry about that! Well...Thanks for the websites. I have visited most of them already but it was very thoughtful of you. I guess I was looking for devices or procedures I haven't heard of yet. Thanks again:D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Take care.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics.
I am a nursing student in Virginia and I recently had a bubble study for a possible hole in my heart :heartbeat also known a PFO or an ASD. I have to get a TEE test to be 100% sure but the Doc and I both suspect that it is a hole. I am writing this to ask the experienced nurses if they have dealt with PFO's before and how Doctors usually respond to them. :omy: My questions are:

1) As a nurse, :nurse: do you feel that patients have similar symptoms like I do before diagnosed with a PFO?

2) Do doctors only treat these patients if they have had a stroke?

3) When someone is treated for this condtion, do you know the name of the device that is used? :rolleyes:

Thanks for any help! :bow: * I know, I went crazy with the smilies...they are so cool.*

Hi, I had a "hole in my heart" repaired in 12/1999, Dr's called it a Patent Faramen Ovale'. My hole was discovered after I passed a clot and had a "mild" stroke (I was 36yrs old). The Dr I had at the time insisted it was occular in nature and refused to test for anything, she sent me to a Optical surgen who listened to my symptoms and sent me for the testing that discovered the hole. I was reccomended to a Cardiac Dr. (who was months away from retirement) who told me not to worry about it as it wouldn't affect my life (??stroke survivor??) and sent me on my way with no orders for treatment or follow up. Then 6 yrs later I decided to take up Scube Diving, I had to get Dr's permission due to my ?? history. My PCP refused & sent me to a new Cardiac Dr with the single sheet of med records we had on my testing.The new Dr just happened to be the intern who preformed my original testing. He asked where the results of the rest of the test he ordered were. I told him what the retiring Dr had said and that no testing was done. After he completed cursing the medical profession, he ordered the tests. The result was that the hole was larger than they thought and in a very unusual location (meaning I was a ticking timebomb just waitting for a Major stroke). His recommendation was open heart surgery to close the hole. I was scarred to under go this so Dr went looking for alternatives, and found one. I under went a (then) experimental procedure where they went through my Femoral Artery and placed a plug (oculder) in the hole. I had to travel (alone) to Chicargo (the flight is another story, but the airline crew was wonderful) the flight home was much easier.

The results are fantastic, before procedure I suffered migraines that lasted 3 & 4 days, and occured 2 times a week. Now I get migraines maybe 3 or 4 times a year and they last 24 hrs. Energy level increased within days, I now don't have the stress of knowing I will stroke but not knowing when or where. And I was allowed to take Scuba Lessons!

How do Dr's treat me?? They ignore my history, pass symptoms off as nothing. I was sent to the ER by my PCP for stroke symptoms. I sat in the waiting room for 6 hours,(a CNA checked my BP every hr or so) none of the tests my PCP ordered were done, and I was sent home within 1 hr of being seen by a PA (never saw a DR). Dr's don't believe young people can stroke, so they dismiss that immediately. For about 2 months I suffered memory aphasagia, I refused to watch my grandson after walking out of the house to visit a friend about 2 blocks from home and left him alone, I forgot he was there (even tho he had lived with me for the prior 6 months). My eye sight went from 20/20 to being severely farsighted overnight. I still have to really concentrate to remember some things (forget names all the time of people & things). But I am alive, I still function, but I am scared when I have to go to the ER for fear that I'll be ignored Again.

Good Luck, God Bless

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hi, I had a "hole in my heart" repaired in 12/1999, Dr's called it a Patent Faramen Ovale'. My hole was discovered after I passed a clot and had a "mild" stroke (I was 36yrs old). The Dr I had at the time insisted it was occular in nature and refused to test for anything, she sent me to a Optical surgen who listened to my symptoms and sent me for the testing that discovered the hole. I was reccomended to a Cardiac Dr. (who was months away from retirement) who told me not to worry about it as it wouldn't affect my life (??stroke survivor??) and sent me on my way with no orders for treatment or follow up. Then 6 yrs later I decided to take up Scube Diving, I had to get Dr's permission due to my ?? history. My PCP refused & sent me to a new Cardiac Dr with the single sheet of med records we had on my testing.The new Dr just happened to be the intern who preformed my original testing. He asked where the results of the rest of the test he ordered were. I told him what the retiring Dr had said and that no testing was done. After he completed cursing the medical profession, he ordered the tests. The result was that the hole was larger than they thought and in a very unusual location (meaning I was a ticking timebomb just waitting for a Major stroke). His recommendation was open heart surgery to close the hole. I was scarred to under go this so Dr went looking for alternatives, and found one. I under went a (then) experimental procedure where they went through my Femoral Artery and placed a plug (oculder) in the hole. I had to travel (alone) to Chicargo (the flight is another story, but the airline crew was wonderful) the flight home was much easier.

The results are fantastic, before procedure I suffered migraines that lasted 3 & 4 days, and occured 2 times a week. Now I get migraines maybe 3 or 4 times a year and they last 24 hrs. Energy level increased within days, I now don't have the stress of knowing I will stroke but not knowing when or where. And I was allowed to take Scuba Lessons!

How do Dr's treat me?? They ignore my history, pass symptoms off as nothing. I was sent to the ER by my PCP for stroke symptoms. I sat in the waiting room for 6 hours,(a CNA checked my BP every hr or so) none of the tests my PCP ordered were done, and I was sent home within 1 hr of being seen by a PA (never saw a DR). Dr's don't believe young people can stroke, so they dismiss that immediately. For about 2 months I suffered memory aphasagia, I refused to watch my grandson after walking out of the house to visit a friend about 2 blocks from home and left him alone, I forgot he was there (even tho he had lived with me for the prior 6 months). My eye sight went from 20/20 to being severely farsighted overnight. I still have to really concentrate to remember some things (forget names all the time of people & things). But I am alive, I still function, but I am scared when I have to go to the ER for fear that I'll be ignored Again.

Good Luck, God Bless

WoW! Your symptoms all sound very similar to mine. I am very sorry about your ordeal with retiring Dr. It is should be a crime against humanity to treat patients in that manner. My Doc is pretty much telling me not to chase after a cure and that closure isn't significant because I haven't suffered a stroke however, i have felt that I have had a few TIA"s which I won't know until my CT scan in 2 months. I heard of a new procedure in the UK,,,well device anyway,,, called the BIOSTAR that dissolves leaving only your heart tissues in place of the hole. SOUNDS EXPENSIVE!! HA! I use to have about 3 migraines a month were debilitating. I used to take imitrex, relpax, and inderol, but I have come off all of those because they made my 20/20 vision not so good anymore along with anxiety and circulatory issues. I am nervous about the TEE test. i do not like going under. Any way...Thanks for sharing. It is always nice to know that you are not alone in the world. Off the subject a bit....I found an interesting video and wanted to share it. Feel free to share it with others if it moves you too. There are 5 parts. Watch it if you get a chance. It is in 8 minute increments. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmrF9KjlGsc

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CVICU, Burns, Trauma, BMT, Infection control.

A lot of MD's tend to dismiss symptoms in younger women, if you're not getting the response that you feel you need then please see another doctor. :nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics.
A lot of MD's tend to dismiss symptoms in younger women, if you're not getting the response that you feel you need then please see another doctor. :nurse:

I agree with BelleKat. But remember that even tho we are advocates for our pt's, we are first advocates for ourselves. Tell your Dr that you don't want to wait until you stroke. You may not be as lucky as I was. Insist that all be done to keep you healthy and whole.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well..Thanks BelleKat and Gentlegiver. I will take my needs elsewhere after my TEE test. I really appreciate your thoughts.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment