any Transient Global Amnesia out there?

[seand]

Hi all -

Just two days ago I had an event involving sudden, extreme disorientation and amnesia, lasting about 10 minutes (I guess - I was alone at the time). When I described it to an M.D. friend later, he immediately said it was almost certainly TGA. Very frightening while it's happening, but at least in my case, very minor and short in duration.

I am 10 months past aortic root replacement (T David procedure w/ dacron graft, retaining my own valve). I am a bicycle racer and ride *extremely* hard, pushing my body to 110% of max, which my cardiologist is allowing as I actually can't reach true max, being on Toprol for a couple more months anyway. I've been back racing since about 6 months post-op (I was back on the bike - indoors on a trainer, going easy - at about 3 weeks after surgery, and back on the road at 6 weeks). All my tests have been good, most recently an echo at 9 months post-op.

But after this TGA event, I'm theorizing that pushing my heart to pump blood as vigorously as I do is increasing the amount of debris that gets washed off of my graft into my bloodstream. I take a daily aspirin (81 mg) of course, but maybe that's not sufficient in my case to keep the bloodstream clear?

Does this make sense? Any thoughts? As I said, this just happened two days ago and I haven't yet spoken to my cardiologist. Just how dangerous is the debris that we might have flaking off of our repairs?

Thanks -
seand
44 years old

 

[Nancy]

You should call your doctor and get in to see him. It could also have been a TIA (transient ischemic attack), which many here have had, including my husband who, in the past, has had 15 of them.

They are frightening and can have many symptoms depending on where they travel in the bloodstream. They are tiny emboli.

The reason to have them checked out (perferably in the ER right away) is because they can be portend a stroke, and that has to be looked out. For the most part they go away very fast. They can, however, leave tiny areas of infarct in the brain and these can accumulate. So go and have it all checked out. Better safe than sorry.

Next time, have someone else call 911 and get you to the hospital ER in an ambulance. Do not drive yourself after one of these.

 

[seand]

TGA vs. TIA

TGA vs. TIA

Thanks Nancy. Yes I've been reading up on the relationship/confusion between TGA and TIA. I'm definitely going to follow up on this, and get a referral to a neurologist for some tests.

Although most sources say recurrence of TGA is rare, I've come across a site http://cognews.com/1061880670/1096342277/1097439445/1108313331/index_html where many talk about frequent recurrence! I hope I'm not alone again if it recurs, as I was the first time . . .

 

[Sherry]

Hello,
About four years ago, five years after my surgery, I had an attack of TGA. I was picking my kids up on a Saturday morning, and from the time I got out of the car, I was completely blank as to where I was and the fact that my kids were with me. Another mother picked up on my panic and drove me to the local ER, where I had a CT of my brain (showed absolutely no signs of a stroke) and various other tests. I stayed the night in the hospital, and the consulting neurologist said it was a classic case of TGA. She said there was no sign of stroke whatsoever. I later spoke with the mother who helped me a few days later on the phone. She said I was not walking strangely, had no issues with my motor skills, was not speaking in any garbled fashion, and had no droop in my face or anything like that. She just said that I was worried and very agitated. The episode lasted for about three or so hours. I still, to this day, have absolutely no recognition of that window of time. I'm just so glad that woman (my guardian angel) was willing to go out of her way to help me.

 

[seand]

bloodclots vs. venous congestion

bloodclots vs. venous congestion

Well I've been talking with my surgeon as well as an MD friend, and beginning to understand TGA a little better (even if that means understanding that it is not a very well understood syndrome!). What I'm gathering is that the aspirin should be taking care of any microclots that form on my dacron repair, and the microclots (or 'debris' as I've referred to them) are probably not the culprit in my symptoms. More likely is some kind of physiological change in my venous system as a result of being on the bypass machine during surgery . . . another not-very-well-understood area, although it is very well documented. I'm sure most people on this forum have some stories. I myself also have visual migraines and blurred vision, mild disorientation on occasion which seem like precursors to a full-on TGA event.

So, increase the aspirin dose, to be on the safe side, and see a neurologist! Fun, fun, fun.

 

[Barbara Stewart]

Tga

Tga

Thank you, seand, for starting this thread. I'd never heard of such a thing, and I've never suffered one, thank God. Sherry, your experience sounds just terrifying. It is amazing that the cause of a physical event like that isn't well understood.

Our bodies are such strange vessels. I'm so glad I found this site so if I ever have one of these unsettling events, I'll have a better understanding of what happened. I found out that I'd suffered from occular migraines by reading the posts here.

I'm not expressing myself very well here, but I'm truly in awe right now.

Sherry and seand, I hope you don't experience any more of these TGA's, but if you do, please post here and let us know how you are.

Happy 4th of July and let freedom ring!
Barbara