I possibly had a mini stroke

[Buffy41]

On the night of my 10 months post op I had about 3 episodes in row where I couldn't feel anything than suddenly I was light headed. Not sure if my pulse had gone low or what happened. I was watching tv at the time and sat for a while to see what was going to happen next. After a few minutes I got chilled and started shaking uncontrollably. I had my hand on my chest and could feel my heart really pounding. I decided it might be best to have it checked out.
I had been the week before and gotten antibiotics which I had found out that morning had taken my INR out of range, I was 3.1.
In emergency they took blood, did an EKG, chest xray, and had me hooked to the monitor. While on the monitor for the next 3 hours I was having palpitations every couple minutes which is out of character for me, usually maybe 1 an hour. My INR came back at 3.7 so they decided to do a head cat scan. They told me it was fine and sent me home. It took me about a week to start feeling normal after all this. Get my blood back into my normal range.
My family doctor had me come in today to talk to me about the cat scan. He said the scan shows that I have limited blood getting to the left side of my brain. He thinks I may have had a mini stroke and will be sending me to a specialist to look at this, and this way I'll get in quicker for a echo etc. Otherwise the wait is 6 months....
I was feeling so great before this happened. I had about two weeks before this had a similar episode but it was brief so I didn't worry about it. After I was in emergency that night I was back to feeling like right after my surgery, on edge, worried about everything I was feeling...etc.
Has anyone else had any strokes, clots, similar problems after surgery? Concerned about what will happen next.
Hope this all makes sense tried to condense the best I could.
Thanks to everyone for reading, and advice. I so appreciate your support.

 

[Danny]

Not sure about it...but sorry to hear about the episode.. I hope everything turns out ok for you. I do know how you feel about worrying about every little thing after surgery..im trying to get over that now. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

This sounds like something that you DO NOT want to Ignore!

Best to 'get everything checked out' and Know what you are dealing with than to be 'blind sided' by some future 'event'.

IMO, it's better to be informed than to live in ignorant bliss.

Hope the Doc's can come to a concensus and develop a treatment plan.

Best Wishes,

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Bill B]

Sounds like you did everything right and so did the ER and you family doc. Get to the specialist ASAP and see what they conclude. I hope you are feeling better and this will pass.

 

[Dina]

I am trying to undestand what you mean when you say you didn't feel
anything...do you mean that your body was numb or that your hands were numb.
Was this on one side or both sides? IF you did have a stroke of some type and its
on the left side of your brain, the symptoms usually occur on the
other side ,the right.
Most importantly is not waiting to get this sorted out,because if you had
some type of episode the quicker you get in ,the more options the doctors have
to help you and/or prevent it from worsening.
Keep us updated, and wishing you the best with this -Dina

 

[Ross]

No offense, but how are you out of range at 3.1? Most all of us have 2.5 to 3.5 and none of us gets upset with anything between 2.0 and 4.0.

 

[Superbob]

Buffy,

I don't have any knowledge of the INR factor, but my DW has had one major stroke and a couple of smaller ones. I agree with Dina that numbness down the side often is a symptom. But regardless of symptoms, you said your doctor indicated you have a left-side blood flow problem and may have been having mini-strokes. That being the case, I think you should be checked out by a specialist right away. Can that be done? There may be meds that can help prevent a worse occurrence.

 

[netmiff]

Sorry to hear about your problem, and hope you get to the bottom of it soon.

I'm with Ross on the INR, my range is 2.5 to 3.5, and has been running at between 2.9 and 3.1 for several months now. Personally, I wouldn't get "upset" unless I got a sudden spike or drop, and would simply re-test in a few days to see if it was an aberration or not.

 

[catwoman]

Buffy:

As others have said, there's really no problem with your INRs.

Here's a link to info about mini-strokes (Transient ischemic attacks) at the Mayo Clinic's website:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/transient-ischemic-attack/DS00220

Why did your family doctor enter into the picture, instead of your cardiologist? Perhaps that's the way it's done in Canada, but I would imagine that my cardiologist would be pulled in PDQ.

The chills and shaking don't seem consistent with what I've read about TIAs or other strokes. Unless something is affecting part of the brain that affects temperature control. But I dunno.

You need to see a specialist today, if not yesterday. Do let us know what you find out.

 

[sue943]

You said that you had been taking antibiotics, so you had a bacterial infection of some sort. When I had endocarditis I had uncontrollable shaking, that is why the cardiologist organised an echo which then showed the infection, until then it was just thought that I had a 'normal' stroke. My stroke was in fact due to vegetation breaking off and going to my brain.

I don't wish to scare you but it is something to perhaps investigate.

 

[Buffy41]

Thanks for all your comments. I knew you guys would say that about my INR They keep me between 2 - 3 usually. I thought the head scan was over board but now considering what they found I'm glad they did it. I had been noticing some memory issues lately. I agree my symtoms didn't seem like stroke to me either I just knew I wasn't feeling right. I actually wonder if the limited blood supply is from an episode about two years ago when I did have classic stroke symtoms, it just didn't effect my speech. It was the following fall that I got a cat scan and they found my anerysym.I guess I'll find out soon if it is new or old damage.
I did have my cardioligist appointment last friday but of course the emergency room didn't send any of the results to him. I've asked my regular doctor to forward everything he got to him. I will see the cardioligist again on Nov 30th.
I just got a call from the neuroligist at the stroke clinic at Vancouver General they have got me an appt for tomorrow morning at 10am. Can't believe it I thought for sure I'd be waiting till after xmas. This makes me feel better.
I'll let you know what they say. Thanks for all your support.

 

[Freddie]

Good for you Buffy. Hope everything goes well for you tomorrow.

Marsha: here in Canada, usually; when you go to the ER, specialist or who ever, all the reports get forwarded to your GP, it is at that time you get the results. Hope that kinda answers your question about Buffy's GP getting involved. Her cardio probably has the same report in his file.

 

[Buffy41]

You said that you had been taking antibiotics, so you had a bacterial infection of some sort. When I had endocarditis I had uncontrollable shaking, that is why the cardiologist organised an echo which then showed the infection, until then it was just thought that I had a 'normal' stroke. My stroke was in fact due to vegetation breaking off and going to my brain.

I don't wish to scare you but it is something to perhaps investigate.

What does it mean vegetation breaking off? I've never heard that before. Do you mean plaque build up?

 

[sue943]

I had endocarditis and some of the vegetation from that broke away, sort of like cauliflowers!

 

[Bina]

Buffy, good luck tomorrow with the neuro.

 

[briansmom]

When they say blood is not getting to the left side of the brain, exactly what are they referring to? Do you have a narrowing of an artery somewhere?

 

[Buffy41]

The neurologist doesn't think I had a stroke or TIA. Which is good news, but they weren't able to see the head scan that was done to see what is happening. They're going to book me for a MRI. Can you have one with a mechanical valve? I remember some discussion on here about that. So until I get that done I really don't know what is causing the problem with my brain.....my husband has his own opinion but it doesn't count.
The neurologist was surprised that I was taking an aspirin daily along with my warfarin, didn't feel it was necessary. I'm still going to take both till I see the cardiologist again on Nov 30th.
Have a great weekend everyone.

 

[zipper2]

Buffy just catching your post now and so Thank God to read it wasnot a stroke or Tia (keep us informed) with updates and prayers and good vibes from this end to you.What a scarey situation for you,and hope you get to bottom of
these issues

 

[TXWildflower]

Buffy that is good news about them not thinking it was a stroke or TIA and I see you sense of humor seems to be intact - loved the remark about your husband's ideas about your brain issues Here's hoping they get to the bottom of it soon. Best of luck!

Rhena

 

[terodac]

My mother in law had a stroke last Wed night! Thank God someone was with her when it happened she never knew anything was wrong. Started talking crazy and saying strange things, wanted to go to bed. They of course called the medics and she stayed in hospital until Monday. Her bp was 225/150 her heart rate was 153 in the ER when my husband arrived. She is still suffering with her words but she knows what she wants to say but can not get it out, so sad really is a wake up call for me! I don NOT want a stroke!! She was very lucky, but needs a stint in her head at some point and time over her left eye! CT scan's did not pick it up but the MRI did!