Post-Ablation Migraines Continued

[willec49]

I previously reported on migraines with aura after my ablation. I'm now 8 days post ablation and have had migraines every day except two. I have at least one and sometimes two or three in one day. Today I had three. As for treatment, I took Imitrex the first few days but am now over the weekly limit so now am defenseless against them. Today I had three and just rode them out without any medication. My doctor is offering me Topiramate (Topamax) daily at 25 mg. daily It's also used as an anti-seizure med besides to prevent occurrence of migraine. Does anyone have experience with this medication?

I do have a history of migraine but only had them every ten years or so. Perhaps I am/was more susceptible because of that. I know lots of you here had migraines two and three weeks after your ablations so I am just trying to ride this out and go with it. Thank you.

[BobD Volunteer]

At 8 days it is still early doors. Hang in there, these usually stop after a couple of weeks as we explained.

[willec49 in reply to BobD]

Thanks, Bob, for the hand-holding. I guess I just need to vent periodically.

[Quilafizz]

I had them for about a month after ablation. Sorry about these, but you just have to put your head down and suffer until they go away. I would not recommend Topamax as it takes 4-12 weeks to reach therapeutic levels and your migraines should resolve by then. It also takes a while to taper off of as abrupt discontinuation can cause seizures. Hang in there!

[willec49 in reply to Quilafizz]

Thank you for your reply. I'm glad yours finally ended. Yes, there's nothing else I can do but take it day-by-day. I found it interesting that so many people on this list serve reports post-ablation migraines but when I mentioned it to my EP, he acted like he didn't know what I was talking about. No one in the medical field informed or warned me about this phenomenon.

[Quilafizz in reply to willec49]

The exact same thing happened here. Yet, most patients I’ve spoken had it happen to them, so you do the math.

[Megams]

~Have history of migraines with aura, some hemiplegic & some that coincided with monthly cycle .I dreaded thought of migraines returning after ablation & mentioned to Anesthesiologist prior.

Was truly blessed to have very mild migraine off & on for week post ablation & got by with liquid paracetamol, ice cold flannel & wearing sunglasses.

They are really nasty beasts so you have my sympathy.

Thinking of you~

[willec49 in reply to Megams]

I’ so glad yours ended. Looking forward to the same here. Thanks!

[Foxey2]

I didn’t have any history of migraines and have never really had a headache but I still got aura migraines for a couple of weeks after my ablation with my eyesight going really wavy at the edges. They gradually eased off and haven’t had anything since, I’m now 5 months after ablation

[willec49 in reply to Foxey2]

Glad to hear they stopped. Thanks for your reply. Most encouraging.

[willec49 in reply to Foxey2]

So happy to hear yours ended. I hope mine taper off too. Thank you.

[localad]

Took two weeks for aura migraines to subside after both my left atrium ablations. Presumably the time taken for the septum puncture* to heal?

No aura after my right atrium ablation. (no septum puncture required)

* probably a very good reason to take it steady for some days after a femoral vein access, left atrium ablation. Time to let the hole heal !

[willec49 in reply to localad]

Interesting...I'd never heard of that differentiation between those two procedures. So, as others here have noted, it's the puncturing of the septum that is the cause. Thank you for your response.

[dave152248]

Hi I had a ablation done on 10th feb 2022 and got migraines everyday 3 x days which went on for 4 weeks then they finally stopped. Now I feel like I have my life back and feel so much better living with no AF since the op. Good luck the migraines will past.

[willec49 in reply to dave152248]

Thank you. Very encouraging.