I have a doctor appointment tomorrow (Monday) to follow up on the incident from early December. It appears, I may have had a T.I.A. (Transient Ischemic Attack) - sort of like a stroke. I was driving to work & suddenly had this sensation, that I was "whooshing" to the right - I could see I was driving straight. That freaked me out, lasted a few seconds & was followed by tingling in my right hand & arm and the right side of my face. I knew, it could not be a good thing. So I went to the Dr, who told me, I needed to go to the emergency department. Friends drove me there, where the tingling wore off and I spent 3 days in the hospital undergoing scan after scan after test. They found NOTHING! I understand, TIA's don't leave behind physical evidence anyway. (My dad says, it could've been a "migraine-equivalent") One scan of my brain showed something in the dead center of it - the "pons", but they don't know what it is. It is not a tumor, but still unknown. I had a scan done in 2001 after my mother passed away from a cerebral aneurysm, so I am to take the old scan to my Dr for a comparison with the new scan - to see if the oddity in my "pons" was there 7 years ago. Also tomorrow probably some blood work to see if the medicine they've given me is working, or is causing trouble. I quit taking the Plavix (anti-coagulant) because when I cut & scrape my hands doing yard work, it takes a long time to stop bleeding & I have no interest in becoming a hemophiliac. I understand, there is some controversy between the Plavix people & aspirin people as to whether either is better than the other. I have subsituted the aspirin. Wish me luck! I'll post a follow-up.
Holy Moly WTxDaddy, positive thoughts and energies heading your way. Please let us know what the doctor says.
Howdy WTD, Sorry to hear about the possible TIA. My father had a couple of them. Fortunately nothing ever came of them. I am curious about the shadow that they thought they saw in the area of the pons. I can see why they would think that there might be a connection there to your description of your symptoms because the cranial nerves come out in the area of the pons...the facial nerve in particular and the trigeminal which innervates the face to some extent as well. Let us hope that it is only a harmless anomaly. Take care and keep us updated.
I'll have everything crossed for you WT. I hope it was an isolated incident and that it never re-occurs. I don't know if stopping taking the anti-coagulants was the best thing for you to do though. Without them any bleeding will form clots which isn't the best thing to happen if there's a problem in an area of the brain. There's no real chance of you becoming a haemophiliac as, if the medication is stopped, your body will revert back to normal again in a short space of time. Do let us know the outcome won't you?
I am on coumadin which is similar to Plavix. Right after I had my quadruple nypass, I had problems with blood clots in my heart. I do have some problems with bleeding if I scratch myself or bang my hand into something. I have to be tested every month to make sure the level is where it is supposed to be. I am going on 3 years without having to change the level of the medicene intake. The Dr. office says I hold the all time record for their office. A lot of people have to change their amount monthly just to keep the blood at the level of thiness that they want. Hope things turn out ok for you!
You are in my thoughts and prayers, WTx. I would ask your doctor about Coumadin. I do not believe aspirin is a good substitute. Talk to your doctor about it. You don't need to worry about becoming a hemophiliac. With testing, they can adjust your med if needs be. My brother had a TIA years ago and never had another one so perhaps this will be an isolated incident for you. Hugs to you! Keep us updated!
TIA's are a temporary lack of blood supply to the brain, wtx. You're on the right tx and may never have another one. The need for Coumadin depends on a blood test called a Prothombin time. Too bad you can't take the Plavix though. Sending good thoughts and prayers that all will be well on your next app't.
I hope things work out for you...I have been through a cardiac arrest with my husband in 2005 and know all about things that can happen to you. He has made a complete recovery after some terrific people in the area at the time...when he cut himself one time while doing some woodworking he didn't stop bleeding and had to be cauterized so he does have to be really careful. It is a good thing you keep on top of things and taking the x ray along to the other doctor was a great idea...Best of luck and stay healthy for that little sweetie you have. She looks like an angel in some of those posts of her.
Heck, I have never heard of that before, I can only imagine how frightening it was for you. My sister has Bells Palsy which effects the entire left side of her face and she does get some funny sensations from time to time. She also has a shadow on her brain, I can't remember where or what, but she has had a series of tests and like you, they say it isn't a tumour but all linked to the palsy. Fingers crossed they can sort you out, along with the correct meds.
Whew, hope it goes well today. That doesn't sound anything like when I had a stroke, more like a pinched nerve or inner-ear problem. I truly hope it's something simple like that.
I hope all goes as well as my Drs.appointment today.I am on plavix and 1 whole asprin 325 mgs a day.I bleed alot out working in the yard too.I had a T.I.A. during the insert of the Croted Artery in my neck on Oct.2,2008.It is very scarey for sure. I pray things are ok with you.
Well, before I went to the Dr, I was running errands & started to feel weak. I was wearing sweats (it was cold in the morning) and it was warmer now. I think I just got a little too hot. I ate a quick lunch & drank cold water & took the sweat shirt off and I felt better. The anxiety from that made my blood pressure elevate a little. Saw the Dr a bit early, as the weakness thing made me head that way earlier. He told me, w/ TIA's, they usually start folks on aspirin 325mg daily, if they aren't already on aspirin. So he told me, I don't have to take the Plavix, but he would not let me drop the Lipitor. I have some Plavix still, due to only taking it for 2 weeks initially. I decided to go ahead & take the rest of it, then switch to aspirin. I am feeling slight dizziness at work today. My dad is a cardiologist & I talked to him last night. He thinks I should take Plavix & Lipitor for the rest of my life. I told him I want to get to a state of health where I don't take anything. He said, he has a lot of patients on Lipitor & Plavix and none of them report any dizziness. He says, the dizziness is likely more of the same that gave me the TIA. But I have to discount my dad's thoughts somewhat. Although he is a doctor, he is not objective when it comes to his family and he tends to see the black cloud on a sunny day. I figure, my own GP can be more objective. I will probably have to have a follow-up MRA on my brain to see if there's anything unusual there. If the medical folks don't think the medicines are causing dizziness, or light-headedness, then it might be something else. We'll see.
