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multi TIA's

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carol34043
carol34043

I am 73 and have had a CT scan and have been told that I have had 'multi TIA's' in the recent past, there seems to be no urgency placed upon this either from the memory clinic, the doctor or the hospital (over 2 months waiting time to see someone.) I am worried, what should I do ? push for more urgent attention or what ? is it my age that reduces the urgency ?

1 like, 50 replies

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  • misswoosie
    misswoosie carol34043

    Posted

    Sorry Carol, but felt it important to add this. Age is irrelevant. The average age of stroke patients is around 70, although more people are having strokes at a younger age because of the increase in the incidence of Type 2 diabetes, high Cholesterol and BP in young people. We gave thrombolysis (the "clot busting" drug which has to be given within 3 hours of the onset pf stroke symptoms) to a 90 year old lady who came into A/E with a severe stroke. She was previoulsy fit and well and was the main carer for her disabled husband. She had no movement in her right arm or leg, and couldn't speak and couldn't understand what was being said as the stroke had affected the "dictionary" are of her brain.Within 30 minutes of being given the drug she started to improve and she walked off the ward  2 days later with only minor word finding difficulties and some mild weakness in her hand . I'll always remember because she was such a great success story, but also because she had very long, thick hair, pinned up in a bun with old fashioned hair grips. We were trying to the CT scan done very quickly as the sooner the clot buster is given the better. I think we took about 30 hair grips out of her hair, as she couldn't go into the scanner with any metal. Each time we thought  we had them all, we'd find another hiding away somewhere.

     

    • RHGB
      RHGB misswoosie

      Posted

      I think the type of stroke has a massive bearing on the age. I had a bleed on the brain at 48 and having read up on it, more people of a younger age have cerebral haemorrhages.
    • misswoosie
      misswoosie RHGB

      Posted

      What I meant was that the fact that Carol was 73 shouldn't affect her treatment and investigations as ischemaic stroke and TIA tend to affect more older people, and here in the UK at least, it's Consultant's with a background in elderly medicine who care for them.  Primary ICH and SAH are different ball games as SAH nearly always requires surgical or interventional radiological treatment, and more often than not, so does Primary ICH,and this would fall under neurology/neurosurgery.
  • misswoosie
    misswoosie carol34043

    Posted

    Carol, I wrote you a long post last night, but for some reason it was referred to the moderators and still hasn't been posted here. I found the contact details for the stroke specaikist nurses at Wallsall manor just be searching for "Wallsall Manor Stroke Service" i google.

    I also found a bulletin which the hospital service sent to GPs in September 2011 regarding how to refer TIA and stroke patients directly , by fax or telephone , to the stroke team. Search for" Wallsall manor GP stroke referral bulletin". in google, it's the top result.

    They shoiuldn't be writing letters ar using Choose and Book system. They just need to pick up the phione. I am sorry that you're going through this. You should;ve been referred directly to the Stroke or TIA team when whoever it was got your CT result. I want to stress that it's very important that , by any means possible, you're seen by the team. Go to A/E and tell them you had a weak arm but it's worn off now, but you had a CT scan over 2 weeks ago which shows you've had 3 TIAs and you haven't been seen by a Stroke Consultant and watch how fast they move. Best Wishes, Susan.

    • carol34043
      carol34043 misswoosie

      Posted

      Hi Susan, yes, I was eagerly awaiting release of that link, unfortunately not happened yet. tried googling the other suggestions but have not quite found what you seem to have found. Good suggestion though regarding weak arm, many thanks again
    • RHGB
      RHGB carol34043

      Posted

      Use the correct spelling and don't use the quotation marks.

      Walsall Manor Stroke Service

      if you still can't find it, ask misswoosie to PM the links. All links get modded automatically and many never get released or not in a timely manner. I never post links anymore, just the Google info or PM the links to the person.

       

    • misswoosie
      misswoosie RHGB

      Posted

      Yes, You're correct re spelling RHGB. How can I send a PM to Carol please?

      Have gone to her profile page but don't see anywhere where it says send a message? Thank you.

    • RHGB
      RHGB misswoosie

      Posted

      Underneath her avatar is a picture of an envelope, click on that. You won't have an envelope under yours because you can't PM yourself - I say that, because it is the first thing everyone does, is look for their own envelope. You have one and I can see it because I could PM you. You will see one under my avatar but I cannot see it.

      If ever you can't see the envelope of someone, it is because they have turned off PM in their privacy settings.

    • misswoosie
      misswoosie RHGB

      Posted

      Thanks RHGB. Done it , but still won't let me put in a clickable L. Wonder if it would let me put the HTML code for the link in? I'll try sending to you
    • carol34043
      carol34043 misswoosie

      Posted

      Susan, thanks again, latest :- My husband has spoken with Sandra, Dr Epstein's secretary, long conversation, but the best that has come out of it, is that there is a slot at the end of July with Dr Epstein, and she has sent an email to the booking dept, telling them this, in the hope of them allocating this slot to me. Best she could do! what a mess!

      Best regards  Carol

    • Emis_Moderator
      Emis_Moderator carol34043

      Posted

      Hi all,

      I have approved the original post with the Walsall link but have removed direct contact details from other posts. Unfortunatley there has been an issue with the forums where I couldn't do the moderation for a couple of days. Posts normally get moderated the same day or the next day if posted "out of hours". If you do not want to wait for moderation or there is a problem as has been said here you can use the Private Message service to exchange information like this.

      Regards,

      Alan

    • misswoosie
      misswoosie carol34043

      Posted

      Hi Carol,

      Did you get the message I sent you yesterday? I'm in despair with their people but would rather send you a PM with latest info.S

    • carol34043
      carol34043 misswoosie

      Posted

      Susan, I don't know which message you refer, but suffice it to say that I have already sent a message to Liz Brown asking her to explain the reasons why the bulletin says 7 days and in practice it is now some 3 months and counting, to see a stroke consultant

      ?Your advise has been most valuable to me and I thank you yet again.

    • misswoosie
      misswoosie carol34043

      Posted

      Hi Carol, If you go up to the top of the page and look to the right, where your username , points and star rating is, there's a little envelope. The message should be in there. If you let me know once you've found your message,I'll send you a message with more details.

    • carol34043
      carol34043 misswoosie

      Posted

      I am now totally confused, I have just received an appointment from Manor hospital, 'Geriatric Medicine' no mention of stroke or TIA.

      Now I don't mind being referred to as geriatric, although I feel in my prime, I suppose they refer to everyone over the age of 70 as geritatric?.

      ?But! this cannot be right surely?, as you know, I have had a word with Dr Elliot's Secretary, and have sent an email to Liz re the bulletin, I don't know where to go to from here

    • carol34043
      carol34043 misswoosie

      Posted

      Susan, sorry, just phoned the hospital and they have explained that it is with Dr Elliot, why oh why they use the title 'geriatric medicine' I do not know.

      Anyway appointment is made for middle of July, somewhat different from 24 hour or 7 days, it will in fact be just 4 months.

      ?Thank you ever so much for all your help.

    • RHGB
      RHGB carol34043

      Posted

      'geriatric medicine'

      It's a move I have seen in the last couple of years and many hospitals now have gerontology wards now.

    • misswoosie
      misswoosie carol34043

      Posted

      Carol, I am sure I replied here last night, but no sign of it. I've sent you another Private message. I thought Geriatric went out with the ark, unless theyve resurrected it! Last I workedin the NHS it was Elderly medicine/surgery etc. I notice that at the last Care Quality Inspection Walsall NHS trust overall was "Inadequate".

      http://www.cqc.org.uk/search/site/walsall?sort=default&distance=15&mode=html&f[0]=im_field_popular_services%3A3672

      as was Manor Hospital

      http://www.cqc.org.uk/location/RBK02

      Wolverhampton appeared to do better

      http://www.cqc.org.uk/location/RL403

      I have to say I'm not surprised, and I doubt you will be, especially once you've read my last PM

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