TIA TEST: Hi All, had a collapse... - British Heart Fou...

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TIA TEST

heartlover profile image
16 Replies

Hi All,

had a collapse outside doctors a couple of weeks ago was sent to hospital,where they did the usual tests,although I had pain in chest before I collapsed and was out for a couple of minutes,they sent me home,after that I was slurring my speech,had headache and was unsteady on feet,when I went to cardio unit last Monday she said perhaps I had had a mini/silent stroke and to get my gp to send me for a TIA head scan,she requested it but I still haven't heard from them and that will be a week,although I am feeling not so confused and my speech is almost normal,I would like to know for peace of mind if I have had a stroke,can you help please?

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heartlover profile image
heartlover
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16 Replies
Driver11 profile image
Driver11

Hi my wife had a TIA last year , we only knew because of the scan. Suggest you get back to doctor and say it's urgent or go to your A&E

heartlover profile image
heartlover in reply to Driver11

Hi thanks for your reply,I have angina and ischaemic heart disease,they seemed to just be concentrating on that,"all good news" apparently with the test they done,the cardio nurse suggested a head scan because of my symptoms but couldn't arrange it from her dept... things get lost apparently...My GP shone a light in my eyes and said she didn't think it was a mini/silent stroke....Today,Monday a week later I still haven't heard from hospital,yet the cardio nurse suggested urgent..I will phone the TIA unit soon and ask if they intend calling me in or not,I feel very worried in case I have had a TIA,and it is being overlooked,I know as you get older,(73 at the end of August) that you worry more,but surly this would be looked at as urgent?

Dolphin14 profile image
Dolphin14

You won't know what happened till tests are done.

How do they let you out of the hospital without proper diagnosis? This confuses me when I read some of these posts.

heartlover profile image
heartlover

Hi,just an update....after 30 minutes going round all departments at the hospital,even told that "its a little early" 9.15..I was told there were no immediate appointments..and I would be given an appointment on the phone when one was available..no sorry,I need to have this head scan ASAP as requested by my cardio nurse,after much paper scuffling and deep sighs,I was told I could go to another hospital on Wednesday to have the scan,I accepted and the phone went dead,I get the feeling sometimes that patients are a nuisance,hey! Im worried here! let you know the outcome,thanks for reading,and for being there for me folks

Purpled profile image
Purpled in reply to heartlover

I was in hospital five days after a similar thing happened to me had urgent ct scan whilst in and brain looked fine but they said urgent mri was also needed. After five days I asked if they were going to treat me for anything and they still didn’t know what happened, stroke, seizure or syncope. I was sent home to await appointment for urgent mri. Well eventually it came and it was an eight week wait! Nothing was found and it’s happened several times since.

heartlover profile image
heartlover in reply to Purpled

this is very frightening! all you want to know is,what is wrong,when I was in A/E I saw 4 doctors,all asking the same questions,one even condescendingly asked if I had been on Google looking for angina symptoms! he asked me what made me think I had angina..I said perhaps it was because the cardiologist told me so! some of them talk to you like an old dotty maiden aunt! makes me SO cross! I was on a bed in the corridor for 3 hours before I was seen,I said I was diabetic and could I have something to eat,Oh No! not until you have seen a doctor...what the hell is going on,hope you are feeling better and you perhaps get the answers you need

Purpled profile image
Purpled in reply to heartlover

No. Give up apparently it’s one of those things! Neurology think it’s some kind of nerve pathway response had tests but can’t find out so just live with it now but at least I can now recognise when I am going to pass out and sit on the floor 😀

heartlover profile image
heartlover in reply to Purpled

is it one of those things,or are you being fobbed off? keep well x

stillaboveground profile image
stillaboveground in reply to heartlover

Good luck and take care

heartlover profile image
heartlover in reply to stillaboveground

Hi,just thought Id let you know that the head scan came back "ok".....no follow up from the Doctor,then why did you have these symptoms...no, I had to make an appointment to see the GP,my GP in the meantime has left for maternity leave,which leaves me with a doctor who doesn't know me,the appointment is next Friday,in the meantime my cardiac nurse sent the usual follow up letter from the rapid access chest pain clinic to the doctor,who has now left...requesting a review and to start me on a anti hypertensive agent,high blood pressure tablet as my B/P was high,would you not think the surgery would contact me to make an earlier appointment because of this request? In the meantime I still dont feel "right"still falling to sleep without knowing it.Waiting now to be admitted for my second angiogram, in the meantime very worried I may have had a mini stroke and is the brain scan the only way they know for sure? thanks for readingx

Dolphin14 profile image
Dolphin14

I'm shaking my head over this type of medical care, or lack there of.

heartlover profile image
heartlover in reply to Dolphin14

I find it very frightening and also frustrating, seem to treat you like cattle, push you from one department to another, and then give you a non discriptive diagnosis

Dolphin14 profile image
Dolphin14 in reply to heartlover

Agree

Purpled profile image
Purpled in reply to heartlover

Yes, I went from heart to neuro. Not long after I suffered from a froze shoulder and whilst having physio the guy said he thought that the problem was coming from my neck (the passing out) as I was going dizzy when he was turning my neck to the one side and suggested a carotid Doppler but he had to write to gp as I had only been sent to him for shoulder. When I visited gp they dismissed it and said it wasn’t needed. Now six years on I have just been diagnosed with atheromatous disease of the arteries after a random gp decided to do a ct angiogram.

heartlover profile image
heartlover in reply to Purpled

If I could afford it I would go private, but would that guarantee correct diagnosis, probably not

Purpled profile image
Purpled

So would I just to be allowed more time to talk through symptoms and give them enough time to at least read your notes.

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