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Just found out I’ve had a silent mini stroke!
After a fall, my doctor ordered a CT scan, and an “incidental” find was a silent mini stroke (not TIA) in a small vessel. Age indeterminate, so not sure how long I’ve had it.
I’m scheduled for Carotid artery Doppler, and a coronary artery CT. Doctor put me on .81 aspirin, and awaiting results of scans.
I’m quite concerned that this increases my risk for a large stroke, or more mini strokes. I’ve changed my diet, losing weight, getting cholesterol down (which wasn’t overly high) and watching BP, (which is normal). I’m 73 and otherwise in good health…. I thought!
Have you had similar findings? What have you experienced?
Thank you. I love our Mayo Clinic group.
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Thank you for responding. It went totally white in both eyes, slowing diminished. It was like being in a heavy snowstorm in which you could not see that lasted about 10 minutes. Kind of light a white out condition. Have never had this happen before, I do have a constant pressure in my head, but the CT scan showed the brain was normal. I have a follow up appointment with my doctor tomorrow and hopefully he will schedule an MRI. Must admit, it was scary.
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1 ReactionI like that suggestion also, an ophthalmologist would be a great follow up !
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1 ReactionYes, scary. I’ve never heard of or read about white before but my retinal specialist did tell me the visual symptoms for TIAs vary greatly. What got my attention with your first post was saying you just had afib procedures. My TIAs all came at the end of 30 hours in afib except the last one was two weeks after. The ophthalmologist told me on that one it was a residual clot from the afib breaking loose. The others seemed to also be from a clot that formed during afib.
The first one I had I was walking in the kitchen and my vision suddenly became pixelated in both eyes like when they hide someone’s face on TV. It was so confusing and I thought I must be having a stroke. Stopped suddenly after about 30 seconds. A medical friend suspected a TIA because of my afib and insisted I go to the ER. They were crazy busy. I waited 3 hours and then was pulled into something like broom closet where the ER doc told me he was going to save me money, no CT scan, you’re fine, go home. 4 hours after the TIA, I was standing and suddenly just fell backwards like a tree in the forest. No warning, no dizziness, didn’t bend or try to catch myself. It was like someone flipped my off switch. Luckily I was close to the recliner and landed mostly on it so hard I almost broke it. I believe that was a second TIA. My neurologist thought ocular migraine but no explanation for the fall. But I’ve had 3 TIAs since and all different so I now believe the “ocular migraines” and fall were also TIAs. One TIA I was standing and talking to a neighbor and my left arm suddenly got heavy, numb and massive tingling and my hand turned bright red then stopped suddenly and hand was normal color again. My neighbor saw it change as I told her I was in afib and thought I might be about to have a stroke or heart attack. Scary. Nothing visual on that one. The 4th and 5th were in one eye only. One was like a large grayed out circle in one eye. I thought I was going blind in that eye — lasted 2 min in Costco. The other was a sudden purple blob in the middle of my vision while watching TV, one eye only. Nonstop for an hour, but I could still see it briefly right after blinking for another 12-24 hours. Retinal specialist told me they were both TIAs. I didn’t ask her about my first 3. I didn’t go to the ER for any others. Why bother?
All mine started suddenly and stopped suddenly except the purple blob. All felt very confusing. I’ve read TIAs start and stop suddenly and are brief. Ocular migraines (no pain just visual) come on slowly, go away slowly and last longer. I don’t think any were ocular migraines. Brain MRI and MRA were fine. Carotid fine. Everything heart was checked before the TIAs (because of afib) and fine. No vascular issues. I believe my TIAs were all caused by little clots from afib. TIAs don’t usually cause damage or show up on CT scans or MRIs unless taken during the TIA which is hard to do.
Your afib procedure makes me suspect it was related to that. Your episode did go away slowly which is more curious. I hope your doctor takes you seriously. I know my ophthalmologist would refer you for a full work up. Sorry this is so long.
Please keep us posted. How are you doing with the ablation and watchman?
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1 Reaction@lizjohn
Look up Amaurosis fugax
That is what the retinal ophthalmologist told me I had with my 4th and 5th episodes when I had temporary vision disturbances. You can read about different causes. In my case it was believed it was a TIA from a blood clot from afib.
Wondering…today experienced a period driving when everything seemed so white! It helps to focus on dark cars, shaded areas, and ultimately, come inside, but what the heck? This has happened once before, and I’m wearing dark shades.
@avalyn
Thanks for sharing. That sounds a bit different than what @lizjohn described. Some kind of light sensitivity maybe? Some kind of migraine? It might be worth discussing with an ophthalmologist as they’ve probably heard it all.