I'm now just past the 7 month mark for my PFO randomization.  Where I was once hopeful that I did, indeed, receive the device, now I'm feeling rather letdown.  And that's OK.  We all expect something from the news that this could be a revolutionary treatment for some of us, and we're all human, so we're always going to hope for the option that benefits us.

I'm not saying I don't believe I received the device.  I still think that I did.  The first 3 months after the procedure were rough with relentless migraines, but that was expected.  I learned patience, which I generally have oodles of anyway, but I've had to relearn over the past couple of years.  The next 3 months afterwards were even worse, and I'll admit I totally lost my cool.  Because I had swapped to a progestin only method of birth control, my menstural cycle began more aggressively and lasted 16 days, 14 of those which were accompanied by migraine and Status Migrainous on more than one ocassion.  I was on these pills because I had to have birth control for the study, and my doctors did not want me on an estrogen combo due to the aura and the PFO.  Fair enough.  Since my period had been wonky anyway throughout the year, I thought I'd give the POP another chance.  Which ended up being a bad idea.

3 months of 16-day periods will push you to your limits.  It doesn't matter if you have a PFO closure device or not; it will only take care of the migraines exacerbated by the PFO itself.  It's not going to cure any migraine caused by environmental or hormonal triggers, though it may keep those migraines from being aggravated any more by the PFO's contributions.  The last month that I had with the progestin I went into Status twice, and I had to have an IV treatment--the first one I'd ever had.  I was in a lot of pain, and it was constant 7-8 level pain.  I couldn't sleep the migraine off, even if I could sleep, which wasn't happening unless the vicodin could urge sleep, which, it didn't.  I was a very angry person those two weeks, and I was even more angry at my IV appointment.  I felt that I shouldn't have had to go there, and what made things worse that day was the snowstorm which moved across the area and left 6-8 inches across the highways.  Not only that, but I had to pay out of pocket for the medications that day.  My insurance would not cover it without a pre-authorization.  I was fairly desperate for some relief, so I made the trip and paid the money anyway.

The PFO randomization has just made other triggers more apparent.  Before, I knew hormones and light were some aggravating conditions for me, with weather and alcohol on the side.  Now it's pretty clear that weather is, indeed, a fairly consistent trigger and alcohol gets me every time anymore.  Our summer weather here is hot and humid, which has generally been a trigger for me as well, but I'm waiting to see how this summer treats me as opposed to the last one.  I'm hoping that, while I know it will still pop the switch, that perhaps with a PFO treatment it won't happen as much or last as long.