T.I.A attacks!!! (mini strokes)

miricle

My mum was having funny heads. She has had them over the last 7 months about 5 or 6 times she discribes them as a kind of exsplosion in her head which makes her vision go black for a few seconds and leaves her feeling slightly heady and generally washed out. I mentioned this to my nurse friend and she warned me that it may be T.i.a attacks. I took mum to the doctors and she also was concerned that that was what it was. She also looked up side effects from tamoxifen and found that it can cause sticky blood, which yes could be the cause of the heads and mini strokes which is scarey that she could have had a major stroke that could of either killed her or ruined her life! She has to have a brain scan e.t.c to find out for sure. Has anyone eles out there experienced such a thing????

nancypat

Hi miricle, 

Sorry your mum is having these problems.  I had a series of  mini strokes.  Each being worst than the last.  They may do an angiogram to the center of her brain (I had to  have this)  after the brain scan.  More than likely she will be put on a blood thinner and maybe even a drug to lower her cholesterol is she has a problem there.  The important thing is the TIA's were recognized for what they were and your mum will be treated.  I made a full recovery.  I was only in my early 40's at the time.  It was 10 years before I had a full blown stroke and I think if I had been back in the states instead of Portugal, this might have been prevented.  I know mum complains about the NHS but they are superlative to what Portugal has to offer (which is, if you get sick you will get a lot sicker unless you have a lot of money).

The doctors will best know how to proceed to protect your mum and determine the cause of the TIA's.

I wish you and your mum the very best and if can be of any help at all please don't hesitate to ask.  I'm sure you will have other replies as well.  Some may be closer to your mum's situation.

Nancy

arnie

Hi ... I had a series of mini strokes or TIA's also.  I went through every test in the book and they could not find out the source.  Then the doctor my sister worked for who is a cardiologist asked her to bring me in for a "bubble test".  Long story short, I had a hole in my heart that was causing the TIA's.  Since having the surgery to close the hole, I haven't experienced another TIA.  I also wish you and your mom the very best and praying they find the source.   janet