I have had two attacts of TIA -in the last 9 months. TIA is like a mini stroke which quickly goes away and leaves no symptoms. Symptoms for me were impaired balance, searching for words. There is some indication that TIA may be correlated with PCa treatment - but the statistics are weak.
Does anyone out there have these TIA events??
Cancer significantly increases the odds of deep vein thrombosis and other circulatory issues (including heart and brain attacks since it tends to increase blood coagulation). I would think your doctors are more than aware of that and given your TIAs, are prescribing anti-coagulants (such as Coumadin, aspirin, or more current drugs like Apixaban). A TIA greatly increases the odds of a full-blown stroke so you want to take strong action to prevent that IMMEDIATELY. Also, there's some evidence that Coumadin has cancer-suppressive effects, so it's mostly a win-win situation (absent a few negative side-effects). I'd strongly recommend a heart healthy diet with plenty of fruits, plants, etc. Cancer is a multi-task killer.
I am not aware of any relationship between PCa treatment and TIA. Perhaps others can address that.
However, let me tell you about my recent experience with this. On a cruise ship, early evening, having a drink in the lounge. Felt light headed, kind of "out of it." Returned to cabin. Left side of face drooped, left hand and arm fell to my side. Left leg felt "tingly." Partners called for help. Taken to onboard clinic. BP was 200+/180ish. Literally watched for 3 hrs and given a med to lower BP. Dx = TIA. Returned to cabin. Morning BP 120/60. No episodes since.
Upon return to USA, went to primary care doc, 2 cardio docs. Had brain scan. Carotid artery scans. General physical. Even had a sleep study to see if there were any relationship between BP episode, afib (which I have), and generalized fatigue (which I experience). Bottom lines: although not sure how they made a differential diagnosis, the docs agreed that it was NOT a TIA but rather an unexplainable "hypertension crisis." That is, the symptoms I experienced were the result of BP spike (which occurred for some unknown reason) and presented as typical TIA symptoms. It seems that TIAs are rather mysterious and that the only way to differentiatea TIA from a "real" stroke is to wait and see what happens. Cool, huh? If it recurs? Get to a hospital. Well, ok then. Thanks. I'm being sarcastic.
My point is that be sure what you experienced was a TIA. Btw, no change in current meds, no direction to change anything that I'm doing or not doing. All rather befuddling to me.
Good luck.
EdinBaltimore
Having had one, those symptoms sound exactly like a TIA, Ed. A TIA doesn't leave a trace behind either unless a brain scan is done within a day or so. Cardios don't understand TIA's. Did you see a neurologist?
I am not aware of any relationship between PCa treatment and TIA. Perhaps others can address that.
However, let me tell you about my recent experience with this. On a cruise ship, early evening, having a drink in the lounge. Felt light headed, kind of "out of it." Returned to cabin. Left side of face drooped, left hand and arm fell to my side. Left leg felt "tingly." Partners called for help. Taken to onboard clinic. BP was 200+/180ish. Literally watched for 3 hrs and given a med to lower BP. Dx = TIA. Returned to cabin. Morning BP 120/60. No episodes since.
Upon return to USA, went to primary care doc, 2 cardio docs. Had brain scan. Carotid artery scans. General physical. Even had a sleep study to see if there were any relationship between BP episode, afib (which I have), and generalized fatigue (which I experience). Bottom lines: although not sure how they made a differential diagnosis, the docs agreed that it was NOT a TIA but rather an unexplainable "hypertension crisis." That is, the symptoms I experienced were the result of BP spike (which occurred for some unknown reason) and presented as typical TIA symptoms. It seems that TIAs are rather mysterious and that the only way to differentiatea TIA from a "real" stroke is to wait and see what happens. Cool, huh? If it recurs? Get to a hospital. Well, ok then. Thanks. I'm being sarcastic.
My point is that be sure what you experienced was a TIA. Btw, no change in current meds, no direction to change anything that I'm doing or not doing. All rather befuddling to me.
Good luck.
EdinBaltimore
Just to say, I had two DVTs before I was diagnosed with Advanced Prostate cancer. Indeed it was the 2nd of these DVTs that led to them doing my first ever PSA test - sorry sir, your PSA is 1311. I'm now on the anticoagulant Apixaban (Eliquis) for life. It's an important biological area for all of us to keep in mind.
my husband had his prostate removed in March 2017. In July ‘17, he lost 2 days of complete memory. I rushed him to the hospital where they did every test to see what was happening. They did suspect a TIA but eventually sent him home with “encephalitis” as the diagnosis. They flagged his drivers license for 6 months. Since then he has continued with “blank out” seizures that last about a minute and he looses short term memory. He sees a neurologist and is on Mets. With each treatment, each drug, he has more. He’s had 7 this year so far and we can’t trust him to drive anymore.
EdinBaltimore here. I should have mentioned in my post that, yes, I take a blood thinner, Eliquis, Metopolol and Lisinopril. One cardiologist said that Eliquis lessens the chance of stroke for 80% of those taking it. Apparently, I'm in the remaining 20%.
PARP inhibitor Olaparib, phase 3 study findings (PROpel)
MRI prior to HDR Brachy and HDR intensity.
PSA holding low!!
