TIA Questions

Does anyone know how a tia is diagnosed? Also, what are the symptoms?

Dear Neurogurl: I placed a thread about TIAs a few days ago. I have what's called white matter disease (periventricular leukomalacia). It destroys tissues of the brain w/symptoms like MS, but most symptoms do not go away. I had been having small TIAs and didn't know what they were. Then on 12-20-06, I was cooking in my kitchen & listening to holiday music when my body decided to have a temper tantrum. I lost the use of my left side, dropped the red beans I was cooking, lost balance & cognitive thinking ability. My heart rate dropped to 37 and I could feel my BP dropping. After I was admitted to the ER, I don't remember much about anything. I don't even remember having a CT scan (I'm on coumadin, 325 mg aspirin, & Plavex ... heart problems). They compared my CT w/previous CT & MRI. They told me I had a severe TIA. Once I got home after hospital discharge, I continued having small ones ... I could feel my blood vessels constricting, my HR drops, & I feel "heavy" on the left side. I was only having a couple of small ones a day, so I didn't pay much attn to them as they were not interrupting my daily life activities. Then about 3 days ago, I started feeling them growing stronger. I again was finding myself at the ER, but not quite as bad as the severe one. They wanted to transfer me to another hospital (my neuro was out of town & they wanted me around a hospital that had at least one on staff). It seems that my TIAs seem to be pointing to a stroke if they can't find out what's causing them. My primary MD thinks I am throwing off bits of placque into the brain. I just had an angioplasty/stent on 12-13-06 & have a partially blocked left carotid artery. I'm 5'4", 127-130 lbs, & look like the picture of health. I guess looks can definitely be deceiving! I'm terrified about having a stroke ... not for just me, but for my family. We've been through so much since Katrina.

Sorry to go on ... what I'm saying is that if your MD said you definitely had a TIA, ask him what he thought caused it, make sure your BP & cholesterol are normal, etc. According to all my med & reference bks, TIAs can lead to a stroke if not regulated.

Good luck!

Dreamgirl: Thanks for your response. TIAs are called mini-strokes (according to my Merck Manual). For some reason, my baseline did not return to normal. The TIAs all occured after the angio/stent. The MDs were afraid some of the placque from the coronary artery flicked off and went to the brain. I'm also diagnosed w/65% blockage of the carotid artery. They don't usually fool w/that area until blockage is larger. My MD has ordered a battery of tests to try to keep chance of stroke down. As I type, my left side is still very numb & slow from last TIA about an hour ago. I'm suppose to do immediately to ER, but tired of that ... would constantly be in ER. They want to admit me to another hospital since neuro out of town. I'll give up and go if they get any worse. As long as I keep functioning a little and don't lose total use of left side again, I'm holding off. Oh yes, I am on a cholesterol med (Vytorin) & faithfully eat oatmeal every day. I hated oatmeal, but now if I don't have my maple & brown sugary instant oatmeal, it's like not having my cup of decaf tea. Is liking oatmeal a sign of aging? haha

Happy New Year to everyone!

Dear Dreamgirl: If it was the angio/stent that, as the MD says, "flicked" a speck of placque into my brain, it is very rare. An angio/stent sure beats a heart attack from a blocked coronary artery. I'm just keeping a positive attitude (w/plenty of praying) and know everything is going to be fine. Thanks for the chat ... don't like to talk about it around son & hubby.

Dear Dreamgirl: The stent worked wonders for shortness of breath, pain between shoulder blades & squeezing of chest. Did they put you on Plavex? I have intermittent A-fib w/PSVTs, PVCs, Cardiac Syndrome X, so there's a good chance I could one day throw a clot. They keep my blood thin for that purpose. My main problem right now is a neuro disorder (Periventricular Leukomalacia) w/TIAs. There is no cure or really tx for PLM... the MDs aren't sure if the TIAs are resulting from PLM or not. Just know that the PLM is progressing. I guess I need a new name ... maybe Humpty Dumpty since I seem to constantly fall of the stupid wellness wall! haha Got to keep a good sense of humor or else I would never stop crying. I forgot to ask you, what dose of aspirin are you on?

Hi Dreamgirl: I wish I could get off some of the meds (Plavex, Coumadin, 325 mg aspirin). I was told not to if I didn't want to throw a clot & stroke out. I have intermittent A-fib, too. It worries me about getting in a wreck w/so many blood thinners. Still my INR is only 2.0 (bottom of the range they want). I'm going to the hospital/clinic and fill out a Living Will tomorrow. With everything going on w/me lately, I don't want something to happen and the decision left to my family. We did that w/my mother & it's something I'll never get over. Plus, I work w/ventilators...I don't want to go that route unless it's a sure thing I'll return the way I was before. I have an appt w/neuro tomorrow. Maybe he can figure out how to stop the TIAs & slow down the progression of PLM.

Dear Neurogurl: I am 52, 5'4", 130 lbs., was a speedwalker last year, & could run up 5 flights of stairs without ever becoming winded. I don't smoke or drink; I don't eat beef and have been on fat-free diet for yrs; my main diet consists of fruits & vegetables. The Internist, cardiologist, & neurologist said it was all in my genes. We had one MD at our hospital who was a vegetarian & ran marathons... dropped from a heart attack; had another MD who was a health fanatic who dropped dead from a heart attack during rounds. I guess when it's your time to go, it's time to go. Just hope my time is when I'm 100 yrs old and back to speedwalking.

Hey DreamGirl: I went to see my new neuro guy for the first time since being discharged from hosp w/TIAs. He told me at that time he was going to find out why I started having all the problems. I brought the last report from the previous neuro (who is head over the neuro dept at a large teaching hospital), but decided not to give it to him until I heard what he had to say. I had read the report and it stated that the congnitive thinking was becoming worse and there had been a chang in the white matter disease from 2 months ago showing it's progressing. After an exam, he said, "I think you may have some stress in your life & you're not dealing with it." Why do MDs say that when what they should say is "I don't know", but most seem to hate to admit that. He forgot that I have a med bkground. After hearing him, I thanked him, told him I disagreed w/his thoughts, and I left. I gave the front desk a copy of my previous neuro MD's report and let a message for my Internist that I no longer desire a neuro's assistance and will take return to my previous neuro MD even though it seemed that he was just monitoring and not txing. At least he knew what he was talking about. I would love to be a fly on the wall when the neurologist read the report. He also told me that when I have more episodes of what was diagnosed as TIAs in the hospital (his diagnosis), that I did not need to seek med assistance as he thought they would pass (I cannot focus & lose the ability to really concentrate on talking when someone asks me a question). My Internist is going to flip over that comment! I guess it's true when they say that the grass always seems to be greener in the other pasture...I'm returning and staying in my old pasture!