Last week I was standing in a shop, standing squarely, facing forward. Feet firmly planted. I had not just gotten up or anything. I had been looking at an object for a few minutes.
Suddenly (and it all happened in about 15-30 seconds) my left leg started side stepping repeatedly, making my stance wider and wider. In those few seconds my brain literally thought "why is my left leg stepping out to the side without me telling it to?". Then I realized what was happening. I was sinking down into my left side. A lady was walking past me and I felt embarrassed almost hitting her and her seeing me in the odd position. I think my leg possibly was trying to support me but it was like it was weak and I slumped over the side and was weak for a moment. Like that side couldn't hold me up. I never fully collapsed but was able to catch myself but it was hard. I didn't feel like I was going to pass out. It was completely different. There was no darkness closing in around me. I've had that feeling once as a child. It was not this. It was like I didn't have command over my body for a moment and it was weak.
Afterwards I was very tired and light headed. I walked back to my car. Drove home (3 minutes away) and when I was about to get out, I reached for the handle of my car and missed it. I went inside. Sat down. When I got up my legs felt heavier a little for the next 20 minutes or so.
Later I decided to go into the hospital and get checked. When he gave me normal routine exam, touch his fingers my nose etc I passed perfectly. They ruled out a stroke (only with blood test and ECG/ also very simple neurological test give: touch your finger to nose, push again my hands/ pull my hands) and the doctor was very adamant that it could be MS and said I would need to get a follow up with a neurologist. They dismissed me having a stroke but I'm not entirely sure that they checked thoroughly. I received no scans (MRIs etc).
My father had small stroke in his early 40s (lived).
*****see update later in post*****
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Nevi2017
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I've never had a Tia had 3 strokes though and like your Dad I lived and it sounds as though it could well be a Tia. It wouldn't be a stroke as the symptoms passed quite rapidly but you should still push for it to be investigated as Tia's can be a warning of a stroke in around 40% of people. I have to say the routine tests they give you are rubbish, I pass those when I have a stroke, shame some of my impairments have been with me for 4 years.
Talk to your GP and ask for a referral to the stroke team at the hospital.
Meant to add age is irrelevant even babies and toddlers can have strokes and lifestyle doesn't count for much either, I was extremely fit with a healthy diet and had no indication I might suffer a stroke but I had a auto immune condition that I was completely unaware of that causes my blood to be predisposed to clotting.
Does your Gp do on the day appointments, slip the words suspected stroke into your request and I'm sure they'll see you quickly. The hospital doesn't rush either I had a stroke on 3/2/17 confirmed by Mri but still waiting to see the stroke team. I'm already on Warfarin due to the previous strokes and they are trying to figure out what happened because it shouldn't have happened and I'm protected to a degree by the Warfarin. They would very probably recommend you take a baby aspirin daily until they know what's going on but you need to speak to your GP urgently.
My GP is terrible and I was planning to switch. He has consistently misdiagnosed so many issues I have I feel if I go to him it will be just wasting my time. My neurologist i was able to get my appointment moved up to Friday just now. I have a wonderful neurologist I saw about another issue last year. He is really smart and on the ball.
I just feel down about not getting the right tests there at the hospital. The on-call doctor just said "your too young for a stroke. You are perfect candidate for MS". But MS doens't come and go in 30 seconds- MS symptoms last 24 hours.
Well the auto immune condition I have is frequently diagnosed as MS. Have a read of the Anti Phospholipid syndrome website and see if any of it sounds familiar.
They did tell me last summer ....after diagnosing me with TIA despite all tests being fine......that if I'd been under 45 they would have suspected MS. I really think you should push for a proper examination by a neurologist to explore with proper tests etc. Hope you sort it out. X
I have had a full stroke and a possible TIA: secondary bleed four weeks after the stroke. Strokes and TIAs don't always have the FAST symptoms; I didn't. In my view you would need a scan to determine if it was a TIA. A CT scan should be sufficient but an MRI would give better granularity. I assume that the blood test and ECG was to check your blood sugar level - they may have done a Treponin test for a heart attack - and to see if your heart rhythm was outside the norm; it doesn't sound as though they were testing for a TIA.
I have started another thread on this topic. But to update here (can't remember if I updated after first neuro appointment). I had an appointment with my neurologist. He also dismissed me I think based on age. He didn't even check me really and he said, "if it had been a stroke your leg would have completely given out". I'm just not sure I buy that. I had another guy tell me when he had a stroke he was able to stand on the leg that had weakness. My leg was giving out but then stopped and I snapped out of it. I believe that is why I didn't fall. So I've made an appointment to get a second opinion at a stroke clinic as my neurologist is not a stroke specialist.
My fear is I have pelvic congestion syndrome. It means I have varicose veins deep in my pelvis. I am worried my alleged TIA could have come from there. Hopefully I will get some more guidance with this appointment.
So I went to a stroke specialist type of neurologist.
She confirmed it does it fact sound like I had a TIA or a small seizure. She said either would fit that mold. She also said that my leg not collapsing all the way means nothing. She said, as I thought, it did not collapse all the way because it was right at the end of my episode, and thus I paused there for a second or two, the event ended, and I was able to stand back up.
After reviewing my MRI imaging she is sending me for an MRA of my neck and brain to check the carotid artery. I had thought the last MRI contained this. I had even asked the last neuro to do this test. I just found out he had not. That makes me feel rather sad but I'm glad she is taking it more seriously. She also drew blood to check my B12 and cholesterol and I also will get a EEG to make sure no seizure spikes.
She tested my reflexes and ability to recall facts, testing my memory. She also asked me if there was anything like this. And there had been another odd event I had 2 years ago around the same time of year oddly that I just brushed off but it bothered me.
So two years ago I woke up and was half dreaming at the time. I remember I had had a weird dream and it woke me up. I sat up, my husband woke up. It was early morning and I was trying to tell my husband something half asleep that made no sense really about the dream. But all I remember is as I was trying to say something to my husband I would try to get out a word then and....NOTHING. As if all words have vanished from my brain. It was so surreal. My brain was not just blank like when speaking and trying to find the "right" word. There WAS NO WORDS. Like someone had erased my mind. I tried SO hard to say ANYTHING, but nothing came. I couldn't even describe what I was feeling into words. nothing. I tried again and again. But it was like my brain would stop dead in its tracks over and over again. I remember crying and getting very upset but I couldn't speak. Finally after a couple minutes I was able to speak again.
She said this, again, could be TIA, small seizure or a kind of sleep paralysis. If the two events are connected there must be a cause and hopefully I can find it.
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