1. Community
  2. Blood & Immune System
  3. Stroke and TIA

TIA or migraine or?

Posted , 4 users are following.

cp2301
cp2301

Hi, I am new here. I'd like to share my story (sorry if it's too long)

In 2009, I was writing my thesis, I was so stressful, didn't have enough sleep, and my diet was terrible. One afternoon I had a headache on left side and the next morning I couldn't really move my right foot but gradually it got better. The next morning all muscles in my body were painful and stiff though I was still able to walk and move. The next day the pain and stiffness improved but I got dizzy, light headed and panic attack a number of times. Years went by, most of the symptoms disappeared though I ocassionally have mild heart arrhythmia and dizziness. My muscle strength recovered but endurance is reduced. But I live a normal life without anxiety.

In May 2015, I had heart arrhythmia (SVT) for 8 hrs was taken to emergency. Blood test showed my potassium was low. I was discharged the next day. Since then I sometimes have mild, brief arrhythmia. In August, I started to feel pain in my left chest, then disappeared, then I had headache (again left side) followed by dizziness and light headed. I took magnesium which improved the arrhythmia. All my blood test came out normal. I also feel that my breath is having a hard time keeping up when I'm doing normal activity. All of these symptoms resemble one in 2009. I'm going to have a holter monitor to monitor my heart.

Is it possible that I have TIA or mild stroke? Most of GP said I was just having anxiety or psychosomatic syndrome. I'm 36 yo male by the way. My blood pressure is usually normal. Many thanks.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • wdtony
    wdtony cp2301

    Posted

    Doesn't sound lie a stroke to me. Since migraine isn't understood, it could be migrainous like a hemiplegic migraine. I get those and they are scary. I have also had some weird arrhythmias that come and go...some feel violent like a spasm, not like a palpitation if that makes sense. If I were you I would go to a cardiologist first and rule out a heart condition. Might do a stress test , event monitor and possibly a sonogram of heart and carotids just to be safe. Beware of CT scans as the radiation is equivalent to 800 X-rays at once. Docs dish them out like candy. If you're sure you had SVT and not just PVC's then if that starts getting to be too much you might have to consider a med but at age 36 it might be more wise to start treating yourself like royalty and destress all around. Lack of sleep will kill you eventually. Doctors can only help to an extent that tests show them data.  Good luck. 
    • cp2301
      cp2301 wdtony

      Posted

      Thanks wdtony. I have just heard about hemiplegic migraine and it sounds that the symptoms matched some of what I have experienced. When I had the heart arrhythmia, the ER doctors diagnosed SVT and they found low potassium in my blood, in the absence of other possible causes.

      Now, this is maybe worth considering, I think this runs in my family. My mother had high blood pressure and anxiety almost throughout her life, then her legs were paralysed (but not the other parts of the body). I wasn't sure about all of her conditions and diagnosis because I was away overseas for years. My brothers have had this temporary paralysis, muscle weakness, muscle spasm, some degrees of heart arrhythmia, and anxiety. 

      I will do the holter monitor soon, still saving some money, I'm just a poor graduate student:-)

    • wdtony
      wdtony cp2301

      Posted

      My uncle's legs (only) were paralyzed by a stroke but he was 94. But strok can do that. Sounds like what you have may be genetic. There is a genetic test for hemiplegic migraine. Not sure how solid that is. But I have also read that some migraines can cause stroke so it's all a guessing game. Event monitor is better than holter I think. I did both. The event monitor must be worn for a month though..... but it can capture more data. You press a button when you have an episode and the recorder goes back a minute and records from then until a minute later. Or something like that. If you have them every day, a holter monitor might a be better option.
  • pauline59158
    pauline59158 cp2301

    Posted

    Doesn't sound like a TIA or Stroke related to me either. I had similar symptoms starting with Atrial Fibrilation. I was taken into hospital with a suspected heart attack. They carried out multiple tests, then an arrogant heart surgeon said I needed a pacemaker. He wouldn't listen to his colleague who said he didn't think I needed one. Finally they realised I had Hyperthyroidism. (Overactive Thryroid). For some years that was controlled with medication, but eventually removed with radioactive iodine. 

    It was some years later I had a stroke followed by several TIA's. 

    I am now on warfarin (blood thinner) appears to be controlling it. I also take beta blockers for the AF. 

    What you have doesn't sound like TIA, but could be worth a full thyroid function test to rule out thyroid.

    Best wishes 

    Pauline

     

    • cp2301
      cp2301 pauline59158

      Posted

      Thanks Pauline. That's what I'm worried about, AF or alike increase the risks of stroke. My thyroid is fine (at least the day they checked it), my electrolytes are also normal. 

      I have this dizziness and light headed for almost three weeks now, and sometimes headaches came in which last for hours. I've been struggling to find out what it is happening to me for years... It looks like this runs in my family, especially the anxiety and muscle problems.

      John

  • NeuroGirl
    NeuroGirl cp2301

    Posted

    Dizziness.. usually associated with another neuro defecit such as mild speech impairment, blurry vision, can be a sign/symptom of a stroke. There is a part of your brain that is responsible for this symptom.  Especially being that you have had a documented arrythmia, it is posisble that you may have had a stroke. The difference between a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack) and a CVA (Cerebrovascualr Accident) is the duration and process.  A TIA comes and goes.. a CVA leaves lasting defecits (some deficits mild, some not).  Think of it like plumbing in a house.  If a clog were to be stuck in a pipe somewhere.. then leaves signs that a clog is in there.. such as a little noise in the pipe.. sometimes a little shaking of the pipes.. but then.. the water pushes it out and the water can run freely again - this is like a TIA. BUT it is your body's way of alerting you to something that is going on that could be dangerous.  It must be attended to.  I have seen people as young as 30 who have had strokes from arrythmias that they did not know they had. A holter monitor is the best investigative procedure. When the heart has an arrythmia the risk for developing clots increase based on what kind of arrythmia it is.  What other risk factors do you have? How is your lifestyle?  Risk factors for stroke: High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure, History of stroke, Heart Disease, Afib, Smoker, Obesity, Diabetes.  
    • cp2301
      cp2301 NeuroGirl

      Posted

      Hi NeuroGirl. I'm still having the dizziness until now (3 weeks) and I noticed that the dizziness gets worse by physical activity like normal working. At rest I don't really feel it. My speech is normal. I also feel that my feet are colder than usual. Since taking magnesium the arrhythmia improved but if I get too tired or work a lot I can feel brief disturbance in the rhythm that often accompanied by coughing. When the headache comes I can feel pressure beneath my eyes. My cholesterol tends to be at higher levels but I'm not obese and my blood pressure is often normal. Blood sugar is also normal. I used to smoke but quit 6 years ago. One other thing to note is that I urinate frequently. It seems that I have many different symptoms that make it hard to pinpoint the problem. It's a mental torture.
    • NeuroGirl
      NeuroGirl cp2301

      Posted

      Being that you have persistent dizziness with minimal aleviation, it wouldn't be a bad idea to seek out a Neurologist.

      The only thing that the Cardiologist put you on is a holter monitor? No stress test? Echocardiogram? EKG? Unfortunately, medicine is like an educated guessing game that require clues such as a good History and Physical accompanied by test results.  If you were my family member, I would suggest a healthy lifestyle, watch what you eat and exercise regularly (even walking) as a start.  I would also suggest a full cardiac work up (36 is fairly young for cardiac concerns) with the cardiac work up, I would seek out a Neurologist if the dizziness does not go away. It could be vertigo or a complicated migraine - nonetheless your symptoms sound like torture and noone should have to go through it. 

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.