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linda_howard435

I think I had a T IA!

lindyluwho
14 years ago

I was in the shower this morning and suddenly the right side of my face felt paralyzed!! My eye was mostly closed and I couldn't move anything on that side. I got right out of the shower and looked in the mirror and I looked fine and my face felt normal. Probably didn't last 30 seconds. I decided to take it easy today. I feel fine but maybe a little bit nervous. I will go to the doctor on Monday unless it happens again in which case I will head for the hospital.

I did some research and my symptoms seem to fit a TIA perfectly. Anybody ever had this happen? What did the doc do/say?

I'm am going to take this as a wake up call to eat healthier, exercise, lose weight and get my triglycerides down (I know they are high). Remind me later that I said I was going to do all this.

Linda

Comments (32)

  • gemini40
    14 years ago

    You really should have gone to the hospital ....or at least called your dr. immediately... TIA is nothing to fool around with.

    june

  • clubm
    14 years ago

    I agree!! A TIA can be serious amd cause damage. Please
    take care of yourself.

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  • shellm
    14 years ago

    My husband has had two of these,one at 43 yrs of age.You really need to get to an ER to be evaluated.Nothing to mess around with.The sooner you are evaluated and get the appropriate treatment and meds,the better off you will be long term.This is no place to be seeking medical advice.

    Shelley

  • loggerbaby123
    14 years ago

    ive had more than a few, but ive always went in the ambulance to the hospital, they came on suddenly and left just as suddenly..i havent had one in a few years..i talk backwards, i know what i want to say but it sure doesnt come out of my mouth that way. i also cant move one side either. one ambulance lady tried to insist i was on drugs...i dont take drugs told her to do a drug scan when they ran my blood..big surprise no alcohol no drugs! seriously this is nothing to mess around with, the first drs that gave me a CAT scan said it was stress related..now i really dont know how true that is but thats what they said..the best thing to do is go to a dr NOW!! also, and i know this is going to sound strange because you dont always feel them coming on, alert family friends or anyone in youre circle if your not "yourself" youll know, they wont and you wont be able to tell them...but you can warn them now..youll know the symptoms and you can alert them to that. i know it sounds drastic and burdensome but you have too do that. trust me on that..i never go to the dr, but that first time scared me about to death and i went, please you go too! best of luck to you sorry this is so long.

  • irishdancersgram
    14 years ago

    I've had 3 and each one was a little different and each time I was sent to the hospital...Thank goodness I have no real lasting affects but the doctor told me, just by looking at my face, he knew...Seems the corner of my mouth was just a tiny bit lower....But it is a warning and should be taken seriously...My BP has a tendency to be very high and I have a goofy heart beat but they're not sure if this is what caused mine....You really should call the doctor or at least go to the ER.....

  • socks
    14 years ago

    You should call your doctor now to get advice from him. This is nothing to fool around with.

  • lindyluwho
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Ok. I will call the doctor first thing Monday. I am absolutely fine and have been all day except for about 30 seconds this morning.

    I took my BP after it happened and it was normal. I had a brain tumor in 2000. Wonder if it's connected to that?

    Linda

  • linda_in_iowa
    14 years ago

    My mom used to have TIAs before she had a major stroke. If I were you, I would not wait until Monday to call my doctor.

  • glenda_al
    14 years ago

    Ditto, CALL THE DR NOW!

    PLEASE! NOW!

  • Jasdip
    14 years ago

    What are TIA's?

  • socks
    14 years ago

    Monday is not "now."

    TIA's are like tiny strokes.

  • jannie
    14 years ago

    TIAs often preceed major strokes. Get to the hospital NOW!!!

  • wildchild
    14 years ago

    Don't wonder. Don't wait 'til Monday. Get yourself to the ER NOW.

  • Cherryfizz
    14 years ago

    I am another who thinks you should have gone to the ER. My sister Marjorie ignored her TIA's, the second time she felt one she ended up having 2 strokes.

    Now when she thinks she is having one before she heads to the ER she chews a couple of buffered aspirins.

    Wishing you the best.

    Anne

  • heather_on
    14 years ago

    Linda, I can understand you wanting to wait, I'm a great one to give advice as I procrastinate going to the doctor too BUT you really do need to go to the ER or at least call your doctor and let your doctor know what is happening. Monday is too long to wait when you consider the fact that TIA's can lead to major strokes. At the very least a CT scan will show that you don't have a recurrance of the brain tumour and then you can relax on that issue. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

  • glenda_al
    14 years ago

    Have a dear friend, in her mid 80's. She experienced something many years ago, and now the doctor told her she had a stroke.
    Her life is so changed, as she has loss of useability of one hand, and the other is getting that way.
    After many MRI's, etc, med changes, med additions, she cannot drive anymore, won't join our water aerobics luncheons, as she cannot handle food other than finger food.
    She can't dress herself anymore, thankfully has a wonderful son that is with her, due to her lose of DH.
    Can't drive anymore.

    Please, Linda, do not wait. Please.

  • carol_in_california
    14 years ago

    I wish you would not wait until Monday.....time of is the essence.
    I am a retired ICU, ER nurse. Please don't wait until Monday.

  • Terri_PacNW
    14 years ago

    We thought my mom was having these week before last..she's had every test they usually do. She just had an MRI and neck ultrasound on Friday because the blood work and Cat Scan seem to have her heart fine..on the the EKG was fine too.
    Although one of the things that did show up in the blood work was a high potassium level..which is likely caused by her kidney disease she has had for years, but have never "specified".
    She did a search on high potassium and the sypmtoms were exactly like her "mini stroke" original assesment. She went to the ER and Urgent care twice in 3 days because of the episodes. They doubled her BP meds, added Plavix at the moment. No more episodes in a week now. But she's having a little trouble with her BP dropping abit low and making her feel light headed.

    They do say though that TIA's if decided that's what they are ..will lead to a full on stroke in 90 days, if patient is not properly treated.

  • jemdandy
    14 years ago

    Why are you waiting until Monday??? Call your doctor on his after-hours phone and get thee to the ER. If at all possible, use another driver to get your there.

  • joyfulguy
    14 years ago

    Greetings Linda,

    Looks as though we're not only dealing with a majority here, but, if not unanimity, almost unanimity.

    I'm not much attuned to going to the doc, either ...

    ... but I agree: get medical evaluation.

    Now.

    And, as someone suggested ... get someone to drive you.

    ole joyful

  • hollyinontario
    14 years ago

    Please don't wait. TIA's are your advance warning of a stroke. My DH didn't have one. I "missed" his relatively large stroke and I'm a nurse. He was able to cover his confusion well. When you know someone well - everyday conversation is more superficial. It was a time in our life where things were running smoothly - no deep debates etc that would have helped pick up diminished problem solving ability or intellectual impairment. I missed the clue. He said he was a different tired. I did do a brief neurological exam then. He passed. He'd been putting in twelve hour days. Stupid me sent him to bed. The next day he said he felt better. By noon he said he was tired again. Could I take him to hospital and just say he's tired? I dug deeper. I phoned his boss to see if they had noticed anything. He said that my DH had slept through a meeting a few days before and started two sentences but was unable to complete them. He put it down to age and said it was a boring meeting and they all wanted to sleep. He thought he had "flu". It could have been a slow occlusion he had - we'll never know for sure. I had to ask some pretty sophisticated questions initially to become concerned. By the time I got him to the hospital - he didn't know his age, the month, his address etc. He only had a very slight drift initially of his right outstretched hand when he held it out pronated for the neurologist. No weakness in grip or movement. You don't need paralysis to have a stroke. You don't need to stutter. You don't need vision loss. He had no headache. Even if your friends have some neurological experience - they may miss the signs too. Signs can be subtle to severe. The speech and cognitive deficit he had took ten months of intensive speech and OT rehab. Not complete recovery but pretty good for daily functioning. He will never function in the same capacity at work although he has returned. He works for a wonderful company that kept him on even though neuropsychology testing suggested he was "unemployable" in the high level position he had. Had I gotten him to hospital sooner, the outcome would have been better and I kick myself daily for missing it. Please go get checked out as others have said.

  • azzalea
    14 years ago

    Ditto, ditto, ditto, to what everyone else has said.

    And on top of all that, there is more and more evidence that TIA's are probably related to Alzheimer's disease (as the possible cause of it)--so there's another reason not to let this go.

    I am hoping that her lack of response to the recent messages means she did go to the ER. Hope so.

  • lindyluwho
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thank you all for your concern. I'm absolutely fine and will call the doctor tomorrow first thing. I know everyone says don't wait but I think this was really caused by stress. DH and his 2 surgeries in 2 1/2 weeks. Plus he can't drive or do housework so I am doing "extra" duty.

    DD with a C-section during the same time.

    Trouble getting my car from being serviced. They kept promising it would be ready "tomorrow". "Tomorrow" took over a week and they still didn't get everything done. I just demanded my car back.

    My mother is in one of her moods and won't return my phone calls and usually won't pick up the phone when I call her. I have to take her to the doctor Thursday so she can get refills on her meds. Oh, Joy.

    I'm trying to keep tabs on her sister who lives in S. FLA. She's 88 and recently had a heart attack.

    We have new software at work and are still trying to work out some issues with various reports etc. Our IT is useless so the rest of us are in "do it yourself" mode. I'm the one leading the charge and trying to fix everyone's problems or at least teach them how to do it once I figure it out. (I'm NOT an IT).

    The dogs are driving me crazy.

    I'm stressing over my weight.

    I'm also stressing over my doctor. I don't feel comfortable taking this to him. I plan to call BC/BS in the morning to change my primary doctor to the one DH just chaged to. This usually takes until the next month but I know they can and will make a one time exception that goes into effect immediately. Then I can call the new doc. When DH was seeing my current doc they just couldn't get this BP down and it was very high. New Doc was much more aggressive in treating the problem and got it under control in no time. He told DH, "We WILL get this fixed." And he did. He is also very good about staying in touch with DH's cardiologist. They both document everything and send each other reports.

    I could go on but you get the idea.

    Linda

  • sjerin
    14 years ago

    Oh dear. Are you UNABLE to get to a doctor today? Even though you feel just fine now, it's very possible that another (and bigger) one can come at any time and without warning, as they always do. Yes, you're under a tremendous amount of stess but the reason for the tia doesn't matter--you still need to be checked out thoroughly. If your bp is out of whack and you don't know it, you're set up for another. Perhaps your reasoning is off? Oh, do please listen to us all, Linda, and go to the hospital.

  • petaloid
    14 years ago

    You say, "I think this was really caused by stress..."

    Stress can raise your blood pressure which can result in a TIA and also a stroke!

    Please go to the hospital today. You are helping everyone else in your life, but you need to make your own health a priority. Don't take chances!

  • patti43
    14 years ago

    ((Linda)), I sure hope you can get in touch with your new doctor tomorrow. I understand your reluctance to go--you're just too darned tired and probably afraid of what they will tell you, too. It surely has been stressful for you and DH with his surgeries and you I know you don't want to stress him out any more than he probably already is since he has serious heart problems.

    Just take it easy the rest of the day and don't think about your mom OR work or anything else. Watch a movie, order dinner in and chill!! Don't even think about going to work tomorrow--your health is more important so get a good night's sleep and call in sick.

  • sushipup1
    14 years ago

    Just remember this:

    If you do NOT take care of yourself first, then who will be there to take care of your DH, your DD, the new baby, your Mother and the aunt when something really bad happens to you? No one, because you won't be able to help.

    You have been given a warning, an immediate warning. Please take it seriously. You think your problems are bad now? Just think what the world will be like for your loved ones if you die suddenly or merely have an incapacitating crippling stroke.

    Because that's the warning you are getting. Not from all of us, but from your body. Not from the doctor or your insurance company. But from your own body.

    Spend a little time thinking of the consequences.

    Please take care of yourself. And now.

  • shellm
    14 years ago

    Very well put,Sushi.

    Shelley

  • jenni_ca
    14 years ago

    I was on my home a little while ago and on the radio was the call in show for Dr Dean Edell.
    He is here in the SF bay area.
    A lady called in with similar symptoms as you and he advised her to go to the ER NOW! He said what she was describing was probably a TIA and it is a warning that a major stroke could happen. She kept saying she was fine now and had no more symptoms but he said he didn't care, what she DID have was cause enough to go to the ER.
    She too wanted to wait till tomorrow and call the Dr.
    He told her she could of course do what she wanted but his advice as a Dr was to go now.
    When he ended his call with her he talked about the importance of not ignoring these symptoms.
    A friend of ours had symptoms like yours one night while getting ready for bed. He was scared and had his wife call 911. They kept him in the hospital for tests and he had had a TIA. While in the hospital he had a major stroke. They told him the TIA was the warning sign and had he not have been in the hospital it would have been very hard to treat.
    I hope you are ok but like everyone else, I say go to the ER today!

  • kathi_mdgd
    14 years ago

    The people have spoken ,and you've been given very good advice.If you don't have a way to get there call 911,that's why we pay insurance.

    When my dh had a stroke 10 years ago,he was like you and insisted he was ok.I knew better as i had seen my grandfather have many strokes,so i knew the symptoms.I called 911 and had him taken to the hospital.He got there in what is called the golden hour and with therapy for 5 months later he is fine today.

    Please listen to all the advice here and go NOW.
    Kathi

  • sushipup1
    14 years ago

    Linda, haven't heard from you in some time. Hope that all is okay.

  • bulldinkie
    14 years ago

    I read once where that is a warning of something more serious comming,you should call your dr.