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Events that Mimick TIAs

Posted , 3 users are following.

btbokator
btbokator

Hi,

Almost 2 years ago, my wife started having, with what acts like, Ministrokes.  She has had over 60 of these events with varying severity.  Sometimes she has quick recovery, sometimes it takes days.

Loss of movement is always on her left, her eating is affected, her left eye, left face drooping, left arm, left leg. Just like a TIA, this can affect her for a short time and mostly resolve itself within a couple hours or take days to resolve.  CT Scans show nothing and stroke doctor says they are not strokes.  Our neurologist says she is not an epileptic per some tests she did.  Her blood tests show no STDs. She does not have Celiacs disease either.

She does have several health conditions but the doctors are stumped.

Has anyone ever experienced this?

Im hoping someone out there knows what this is.

Only about 5 of them have happened during the day.  The rest have happened at night and begun while sleeping.  Sometimes, 2 at night.

 

0 likes, 41 replies

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  • Ginagirl
    Ginagirl btbokator

    Posted

    Are you there when she is having the mini strokes (Ischaemic attacks) does she stare into space or have like small fits with them? what happens and what are the symptoms that are abnormal to her usual state.. write the things down and the date and time when they occur keep a Diary. this will help with all the information.. ..try giving her a drink of red wine daily this will dilate blood vessles in the brain.. only a small unit  with dinner. Does she get head aches? could be other activity like Epilepsy minor Petite Mal.. Sounds like TIA'S to me on the right side of her brain.. this will cause weakness to the left side of her body, and can be short lived.. its to do with narrowing of the blood vessles in the brain. has her speech ever been affected..The right side of the brain controls the ability to pay attention, recognize things you see, hear or touch, and be aware of your own body.

    In most people, the left side of the brain controls the ability to speak and understand language.

    • btbokator
      btbokator Ginagirl

      Posted

      Hi Dawnregina,

      I'm always there. She's sleeping. Then she wakes up saying she doesn't feel good. When I check her BP it's high. 165/102 for example. She's feeling pressure, not headache, on the left side of her head. Saying she doesn't feel good. Feels like passing out. As her blood pressure starts to drop, she starts having trouble speaking, can't move her left and leg. Facial drooping on left side of face. Starts gasping for breath. Within a 1 minute or two. The event stops. But, has left side weakness. How much weakness and other abilities are affected by how strong the event is. Sometimes they can take days to recover, other times merely a couple hours. BP is back to 113/78. Pressure in head is almost gone. Dye tests show no blockage in neck or brain. And yet these events are still happening almost every day.

    • Ginagirl
      Ginagirl btbokator

      Posted

      Okay from the information you have given it seems she may have postural Hypotension...  The first readingBP is still far too high especially the lower figure..then on standing drops causing dizziness or fainting.. I drink a small glass of red wine daily this helps dilate the blood vessels.. But I think her blood pressure needs regular checks by the GP.. Buy yourself a monitor and learn how to use it?  the average BP is 110/80..as a guide it's not difficult. Get her Medication checked and reviewed often.. GP should monitor your wife. Closely.
    • derek76
      derek76 btbokator

      Posted

      One way of keeping BP up when standing is by wearing compression stockings.
    • btbokator
      btbokator Ginagirl

      Posted

      The BP numbers I refer to are from a machine I have at home. The blood pressure goes back to normal after a couple minutes, even if status laying down and never stands or sits up. They are times when the BP stays up even if she sits up right away.
    • Ginagirl
      Ginagirl btbokator

      Posted

      I think you need to get the GP to do this with another monitor.. A pump up sphygmomanometer that has been checked..yes I understand the figures? Is she on Beta BLockers for her high BP? 

      The BP should be checked regularly.. Where do you live? UK

    • btbokator
      btbokator derek76

      Posted

      Trying to keep it down to normal, not up. Thank you.
    • derek76
      derek76 btbokator

      Posted

      The compression stockings will stop it from going down when she stands up if she has postural hypotension.

      You have not said what medicatios she is on.

    • btbokator
      btbokator Ginagirl

      Posted

      Thank you. I will look into getting a better blood pressure machine. One thing I wanted to say was, her blood pressure while sleeping, is normal until right up to the event occuring. We also get some red wine.
    • Ginagirl
      Ginagirl btbokator

      Posted

      Warfarin should be check regularly for the thinness of her blood..With a blood test ratio..check the Beta blocka levels of drug maybe too high a dose giving her a headache. She is a Diabetic this can affect the heart and BP..
    • Ginagirl
      Ginagirl

      Posted

      your wife may have thin blood consistency so Red wine in this case not a good idea as she is already on warfarin as a contraindication..insulin also thins the blood.. If her BP is normal sleeping that's because she is laying with her feet above her heart which gives her better venous return. I think it's getting the balance right with Meds.. She may have had TIA's or bleeds due to the blood thinness as it tends to cause small bleeds in the eye and burst small blood vessels..I
    • derek76
      derek76 Ginagirl

      Posted

      btbokator had not been forthcoming on his wifes meds until asked nor on her other conditions. We don't know why she she is on Warfarin
    • Ginagirl
      Ginagirl derek76

      Posted

      thrombosis suspect travelling clots to the brain..causing CVA (Strokes) this would reduce thIs condition..
    • derek76
      derek76 Ginagirl

      Posted

      True but many conditions may have led to the need for Warfarin.
    • Ginagirl
      Ginagirl derek76

      Posted

      but in this case It's BP and thrombosis to prevent Strokes..
    • btbokator
      btbokator derek76

      Posted

      Good Morning,

      I have no intention of misleading or keeping anything from you.

      When I first posted a list of her conditions and other info.

      This site pulled it.  Said I was a dr looking for answers.

    • btbokator
      btbokator derek76

      Posted

      Before I tell you her basic info.  As I said before, a stroke specialist and 2 different neurologists did several, CT scans with and without dye on her brain and neck looking for narrowing of blood vessels or arteries, they also checked for arteries or blood vessels crossing over from one side of neck or brain stem to another. End result, no bleeding in brain, at all.

      no vessel or artery problems. No spots on brain either.  All tests came back negative results. The stroke expert eliminated any kind of strokes completely.  The neurologist eliminated epilepsy with 2 EEGs.

    • btbokator
      btbokator derek76

      Posted

      she is in her Mid 40s, short person about 160lbs.  She has had her Tricuspid heart valve replacement, 6 times, born with epsteins anomaly. About 4 years ago she developed Atrial Flutter,

      Inherited Diabetes that kicked in about the same time.

      Her meds and insulin are under extreme control. Check with the dr weekly.

       

    • btbokator
      btbokator derek76

      Posted

      its 8 am my time.  Tonight, I will describe in detail what happens during these events.

      I appreciate your insight.

    • derek76
      derek76 btbokator

      Posted

      Yes, I now recall that. My doctor uses Google or Wiki:-)
    • derek76
      derek76 btbokator

      Posted

      We can only offer suggestions from our own/family experiences. We are not Medics. Although last week when I went for nerve conduction tests the doctor doing them asked if I was a retired doctor. He said that when he asked for my symptoms I had described them in a precise medical way using all the correct terms.

      I notice looking at dawnregina's personal write up that she has a similar background to my wife who trained as an NNEB and later worked as a nursery nurse at major hospitals. 

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