did I have a TIA?

I am very glad to hear you did have some testing relating to this (even if inadvertently). Did your doctor want to follow up on the test results with any treatment? Did you mention the numbness episode? Some numbness is just numbness (a nerve is pinched, then releases, for instance). But other times it means other things are happening. Your doctor will have questions. One might be whether during this episodes there was also muscle weakness or paralysis?
In general, I tend to find it best to be proactive while also avoiding the "worry" zone, when one can.
Keep us posted!

I had a TIA with symptoms of umbness and tingling, confusion, vision disturbance, and impaired speech. My blood pressure was 202/102 with severe headache. (I am now on 300 mg Diltiazem to control BP and Nortriptyline as migraine prevention, I have had no more severe migraine activity). An MRI was done to confirm TIA but no residual damage or recurrence. Statistics indicate people who have had TIAs are more likely to have another or a full blown stroke. ALWAYS seek immediate medical attention if you suspect a TIA or stroke. There is a shot given in the first three hours I believe which can help prevent lasting damage to the brain.

I think anytime you have a physical occurance that causes you to wonder if you're having a stroke, you need to go to the ER. Getting immediate medical help is vital in preventing damage or another full blown stroke. TIAs are warnings that there is a problem. If you ignore your body's warning, it may send you a stronger one later. My friend recently had a TIA, and she called me the next morning because it scared her. Her symptoms were that she suddenly dropped her wallet and car keys from her left hand, and when she bent down to pick them up, she couldn't use her left hand. When she stood back up, she felt weak and wobbly. She was in line at the bank, and when she stepped up to the teller, she suddenly couldn't speak for a few seconds, just kind of "blub, blub,blub." Then she was fine after that and decided to rest in her car for a few minutes before going home.

She talked to several people, some of whom were nurses, who told her she probably had a TIA, but now that it had passed, not to worry about it. I told her I was coming to get her and take her to the ER. By the time I got to where she was working, the "medical professional" she was housekeeping for had convinced her not to go with me. I was very worried about her, so the next morning I called a neurologist whose nurse told me to bring her to the ER immediately. I picked her up and we went. She ended up in the hospital for 2 days, with multiple tests run. She told the doctor that she had a second instance of the same problem the first day I tried to take her to the ER, and her brother had a stroke at the age of 30! She hadn't told me about those 2 things previously because she didn't want to go to the hospital. She did have a TIA, and it was discovered she has a heart defect and clotting that caused it. She's on medication now and further testing to see if she needs heart surgery.

I'm not a medical professional, but I know that certain symptoms are warning signs. I have paid attention to information about stroke warning signs because my family tends to have strokes and I'm nearly 70, and my husband is 73 years old. My advice is to pay attention to what your body is telling you, and your intuition about what to do. It could save you from disabilities or death following a stroke, heart attack or other problem.

GailB
Volunteer Mentor

Excellent advice. Thank you.

Hi ...I am new here...mom of 34 year old that has had EDS since high school....fast forward, daughter's years have been filled with constant medical surprises and searches in finding answers to an obvious...however, most recently, last couple of months, my daughter who is presently in a rehab facility due to paralysis on left side after what medical thinks s a ng out ANY INFORMATION POSSIBLE that will assist me in dealing with the ignorance of medical, and them thinking that she is too young to have ANYTHING medically wrong with her. It' s been a "medical merry-go-round" full of great frustrations and angst. If ANYONE has anything that might shed some light on this, or advice of medical directions, I would so appreciate it. My daughter is actually and LPN and right now her entire life has been become one big lack of needed medical attention from medical and staffing that have no clue as to wat EDS even is. THANK YOU IN advance for any knowledge in regards to this as well as any direction in which I may pursue. Thank you again,

Hello @moms34eds and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I can sense the frustration in your post and can empathize with feeling like no one understands. I am wondering if you might like to join one of the discussions specifically on EDS here to connect with members who may be able to provide their support?

- Ehlers Danlos Syndrome: Can't get diagnosed:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ehlers-danlos-syndrome-1/
- Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) & HSD, calling all types!:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/edshsd-calling-all-types/
- Ehlers Danlos Syndrome - Who is the best doctor to see?:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ehlers-danlos-syndrome-new-diagnosis-1/

Amanda, Thank you for the well welcomed information ...I will check out one of the groups....Have a good day

Hi folks, I'm late to the party, but........In April, I took a spill in my kitchen and went totally blind. I turned my head to where my husband was standing and talking to me and said, "I cannot see. I cannot see you. All I can see is black" This lasted for about 1/2 hour with my sight gradually coming back. I despise hospitals. Tons. I've spent too much time there (from coast to coast.) I actually asked hubs to take me to the ER. I knew this wasn't good. Shortly after leaving the house, I said we have to call an ambulance, I'm really scared. I was ferried off to the ER in the ambulance and ended up spending a week in the hospital. My bed was set up with an alarm so I couldn't get up by myself, I had a heart monitor and MRI's and CT's. Turns out that I had a TIA. Now I don't mess around with symptoms as I am literally playing with my life. It is easy to be laissez-faire when you have a disease that has no cure, but lots of symptoms that can end your life. Similar to the "don't ask, don't tell" doctrine. It is imperative that we take our happy selves to the ER when we think there might be a life-threatening situation. As much as I have refused to go, this last episode of blindness, pardon the pun, opened my eyes to the precarious position in which my health has placed me. Please, never mess around. If you think there may be a problem, get it checked out. You're not bothering anyone, you're not inconveniencing anyone and really, what is more important than you.

I had three I guess tias in three weeks, I did not go to the doctor until the third one. I first went to see my eye doctor , thinking I may have a detached retina . He strongly suggested that i call my family dr right away. after may tests i was told that my right carotid artery is 100% blocked. That was 4 weeks ago and I finally received a letter that a vascular surgeon will call me Thrusday.I was told they will not operate because the artery is blocked 100% but nothing else. For four weeks i have been waiting to find out if there is anything that can be done to reduce the blockage .Does anyone know if I should or shouldn't do certain things that may put me at a greater risk of a stroke

Hello @halifax, I know it must be difficult waiting to find out if something can be done. I think the question you have would be best answered by your doctor who knows your medical history. I did find some information that may be helpful.

"Can you do surgery on a 100 blocked carotid artery?
If you have had a stroke or TIA, or if you have a severely blocked carotid artery, you may benefit from surgery to remove the plaque. This surgery is called a carotid endarterectomy. This procedure is time-sensitive and should be done soon after the stroke or TIA, with the goal of preventing another stroke."
-- Surgery for Carotid Artery Disease: Why You Need a Second Opinion:
https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/neuroscience-blog/2022/march/carotid-artery-disease
Have you thought about trying to get a second opinion?