worried about a friend with TIA's

[Elisabeth]

Hi everyone, i am worried about a friend of mine who has very extreme anaemia which they (doctors) do not seem able to resolve for her. On top of that she had a TIA about 6 months ago and another one last week end. She has collapsed a couple of times recently in the swimming pool (after getting out of the pool) through dizziness and sheer fatigue it seems. She is at her wits end and very frightened because no one seems to be taking her seriously and I think her Doctor is putting it down to her being a "certain age" 47 !! She also has problems with numbness in her legs, blotchy legs and numbness and problems with her hands. As I have Hughes, Sjogrens etc i cant help maybe seeing this in her but maybe I am being too biaised and reading too much into it. For her to go privately would be quite difficult (financially) but i need to try and help her see someone who will take her seriously and look for the real reason behind what is happening to her. She is very very down and tearful quite understandably as she is very worried that sooner or later she is going to have a major stroke and I share her worries there. By the way she lives in Leicestershire. Does anyone have any thought? Thanks Elizabeth

[MaryF Administrator]

Hello you are right to be worried, if you could possibly think of helping to a good GP, that would be a start, perhaps loaded up with articles from the Hughes Syndrome Foundation Website. Also an awful lot of people have undiagnosed thyroid issues with Hughes... and this does not ALWAYS show up in blood tests, mine did not until I did extensive private ones, also Professor Hughes could see from my reflexes I had this. It goes with APS, and sjogrens. Often Anaemia goes hand in hand with this. I am glad she has a friend like yourself! Mary F x

[Suzypawz]

Hi hun, yes I agree with your worry for her, she could do with being looked at by somebody who will listen, perhaps as Mary says a good gp, have some tests done good idea to take info' on Hughes with her too incase they are not clued up on APS at first ..... & then hopefully she may be refered to a specialist.

It really sounds like she needs to be seen as you say & I know what you mean about feeling are you reading too much into it as I too do it with my sister in law.....but the docs havnt looked into it with her either!! but I think we are right to be concerned as we do recognize the symptoms very well.

Let us know how you get on, Sue x