TIA's ?

[ledlegs]

Hi Last night I had a really frightening experience. I was sitting using my laptop when my head suddenly felt like it would explode like all the blood was rushing to it, then I suddenly got a numbness and tingling sensation in my left arm and face. This lasted about 5 minutes. I have had similar attacks to this before but nothing as severe or prolonged. Could these attacks be TIA's?

[MaryF Administrator]

Hi, you need an urgent check up, this could indeed be a TIA, please if this happens again go to hospital, also maybe find out if you need an assessment before Monday? Especially if you are feeling unwell now. MaryF

[Manofmendip in reply to MaryF]

I agree with my colleague Mary.

Dave

[margaretjo]

I don't want to frighten u but I thought I was having a Tia and it was a full.blown stroke get it checked out immediately

[Vespa1]

Act now and don't be told it's only a TIA! They are warnings something bigger it possibly on its way. My husband and I did not realise this and life is now very different after 3 strokes. No one told/ knew enough about APS 12 years ago so please listen to what your body is telling you and get on the right treatment.

[ledlegs]

Thank you all for your comments. I do feel fine now but will get it checked out. I am due to go to St Thomas' next Tuesday to see Prof Hunt so will also mention it to her.

[Yissica]

I had a TIA at work which as a pharmacist , I knew the symptom differences between a TIA and panic attack. I thought I was having a panic attack at first until I lost speech and not just numbness on the right side . Mine lasted approx. 45 minutes. Called an ambulance and first hospital made me wait in the normal waiting room for 4 hours and then said panic attack even though I knew it was my first TIA.

My husband is a local General practitioner(GP)/family doctor and when I was still feeling unwell and blood pressure remained high 3 hours after coming home he rushed me to our local hospital who have now confirmed it was a TIA with thank goodness no major after effects.

I had another one with speech loss only for 3 minutes in front of him a week later. I had never had any other APS symptoms except migraines and pregnancy loss until then and had been controlled on aspirin 75mg for 7 years. I am now fully checked out with MRI's and now stabilized on warfarin after 4 months.

TIA's are a warning of more to come and I agree with the others you must get checked out by a professional.

Are you in the UK? If so you can be referred into the TIA specialist clinic by your GP or the emergency department.

[diane1428]

Please doe get checked out and i hope you have already. I had the same and was having up to 15 a day. Mine was not TIA's but blood clots roaming around my body. I have APS by the way. Luckily now im on warfarin and self medicating (with doctors help) I dont get them half so much. Hope your as lucky and its not a stroke. Keep in touch.

Regards Diane

[GinaD]

Sounds like what I was calling a panic attack back in the days leading up to my diagnosis, but MRIs later proved to be full-blown strokes. I look normal on the outside but to this day I continue to deal with the stroke damage. Don't sweep this under the rug. You might need to have this checked out before next Tuesday.

[minnime63]

Am I right in thinking that sometimes there'll be no residual evidence after a TIA? I had two events within a week, went to A & E after the second (very scary, like a bomb had gone off, talking gibberish after and massive pain for a couple of hours). I wasn't seen for six hours and wasn't sent for an MRI for two days. They said not a TIA. So what now? Made to feel I was wasting their time and made me doubt whether its even worth going next time. They DID, incidentally, find an aneurysm, but not linked.

[Lure2 in reply to minnime63]

I believe you. I have had a lot of TIAs before I was put on warfarin high enough and stable to get rid of the TIAs.

There are often tiny microclots we have and they are not seen on an MRI. The difference between a TIA and a mini-stroke can be difficult to tell.

The most important thing for you is to be able to have a contact with a Specialist of APS. I have also read that you are on quite a too low INR and then the warfarin does not do its job; to thin our blood enough.

Best wishes from Kerstin

[minnime63]

Kerstin, I've asked for a referral to one of the London specialists! Terrible lack of knowledge here!

[Lure2 in reply to minnime63]

I am so glad you asked for a referral! Hope you get one very good and also nice to talk to.

Kerstin