Headaches?

[MeganMN]

I had an ablation on October 30th and had a right Pulmonary Vein Isolation done. They had to do a transseptal puncture to get to the left atrium. Right away after I got ocular migraines that I have never had before. The ocular migraines have subsided and I guess were related to the transseptal puncture, but now I am finding that I am getting headaches every night that last until morning. They are fairly bad headaches, enough to mess with my sleep. This is new since the ablation. Any thoughts?

[CDreamer]

Hi the ocular migraines are very common and you should have been warned about them, the headaches less common.

If only at night, could it be something to do with how you are lying? I know I get very tight neck muscles and often if I not moving enough will get headaches. The ablation demands you lie straight and still on a hard surface and both the two I had were over 7 hours - that was 10 years ago so most are much shorter now - and I do remember that certainly upset my back for quite a while. Are you doing some gentle exercising and stretching?

Of course plenty of other reasons - BP OK? HR good? Med? Was it GA or sedation? GA can have take a long time to clear your system although modern anaesthesia is much better.

[dedeottie in reply to CDreamer]

I had headaches at night for around 3 months after a general anaesthetic. X

[secondtry]

Hope your body adjusts in time and those headaches decrease.

I regard your post as important to warn others. For me an ablation and the associated preparation (eg TOE) is not a no brainer and is an invasive procedure to be avoided unless circumstances leave you with very limited options. On the plus side expertise to minimise complications is of course increasing every year or every three years as my EP said recently.

[Guelemon]

Sorry you're dealing with this! Headaches after an ablation, especially if it's a more invasive procedure like the one you had, can happen as your body heals. It could be related to the procedure itself, or it might be a side effect of the stress on your system. Have you been able to check in with your doctor about it? Sometimes things like dehydration, meds, or even sleep disruptions from the procedure can contribute to these types of headaches. Hopefully, it clears up soon, but definitely worth bringing up with your healthcare team.

[MeganMN]

I feel frustrated. Called the EP Nurse today and my regular EP was out of town, so she asked the NP. NP said no connection to procedure and to see my regular doc. How could a headache that started the day after the ablation and has gotten steadily worse, NOT be related to the procedure? That makes no sense to me. I never had headaches, now I have them daily, and they are severe. Seems pretty related to me. Has anyone ever had an iASD remain after PVI ablation?