Life long headaches stopped after heart attack

Hello, Have you been on betablockers since your heart attack ? This could well be the reason. I rarely get migraine since starting this medication for a heart problem. Pleased you're feeling better, it must be a huge relief !

Bess

Did you get your blood pressure checked when you were getting your headaches?? Could possibly have been your blood pressure going straight to your head causing headaches?? Maybe???  C

An aspirin everyday is probably helping too

I used to get really bad headaches until I started medication for blood pressure. None since. I haven't had heart problems, apart from a strange irregular heart beat recently which will be checked with a 24 hour monitor soon. Don't expect any problems though. ECG was normal and Echo wand not a concern, according to the consultant. Taking aspirin too now. Great you are headache free! 

Not on beta blockers but have been on ace inhibiters and aspirin. I have recently dropped the ace and reduced aspirin to 75mg every two days and headaches have not returned.  Blood pressure is not high and am checkinjg it regularly.

I don't recall ever having my blood pressure checked prior to the heart attack so can't say if I had high blood pressure most of my life but something changed afterwards

Considering I've survived twelve years after the attack I believe it was a price worth paying not to have those wretched crippling headaches.

 

Hello, that is interesting as I get microvascular angina and when it is bad I also get a headache.  It is not because of the GTN spray, as I rarely use it now because it makes me feel like my heart will explode and thumps, that bad head from GTN is only temporary, but why I get the other headaches, I don't know.  My BP is okay.  I have had the MV angina for about a year after coming on suddenly and still get it every day, worse if I am tired.  But I try and not let it hold me up, have got back to going for walks etc.  Nothing I do seems to make it go away.  Am on other heart tablets too.  Tinnitus is bad and my head 'pulsates' too.  I haven't mentioned this to my doctor yet, but will do next time I go. There is not a lot they can do for MV Angina.

Hello Sharon,

Basically you have to have all tests available to rule out blockages, valve problems etc with bloods test, ECGs, Echocardiogram, treadmill stress test, angiogram.  All my tests always came back 'normal' except for treadmill which showed up major.  But with normal angiogram, doctors then called it Microvascular Angina or Syndrome X.  Typically MV Angina is harder to treat, tightness & pain last longer and GTN spray takes longer to work if at all.  When mines gets bad now I use Morphine which I have in liquid form but have to take anti-nause as well so is a last resort.  Hospital only give me morphine or sedative, so may as well have it at home. but I don't know why I have started with headaches when my pain comes on.  What is your age? I am 49 and do think it could be hormone related.  Specialist told me it can come and go, eg have it for 5 mths then be okay for a while, but mine has never gone for a year. So........!  Sometimes he said it can get worse.  It is very restricting and travelling is very bad for it.  Does this sound familiar????

Hello Sharon,

It could possibly be MV Angina ( spasms of the small arteries), but as there is no definate test, it is only diagnosed by symptoms.