Could this have been a TIA?

@lisalucier Thanks for asking! Yes, the TIA has been set aside as I have a lung disorder that that my pulmonologist said could've had something to do with the lack of oxygen to my brain, along with dehydration & no food since the night before. The heart monitor test also came back normal, as well as blood labs. So far, so good. No further episodes.

@dks - so, are you and your doctor setting aside a possible TIA at this time and moving onto other things, then? How have you been feeling since the Oct. incident?

A month ago, my 95-year-old homebound mother went from being borderline independent and very cogent to totally helpless literally overnight. She had been feeble with a walker, but still mobile; a little slow to track conversations, but still able to engage; relatively healthy with the exception of aortic stenosis and chronic edema. Overnight, however, she became pretty much death warmed over. The EMTs took her to the ER, where she endured a few routine tests and an overnight stay. There was no diagnosis to justify admitting her. In fact, no diagnosis at all other than "she's deteriorating". The PT assessor underscored what we already knew, and we moved my mom to an assisted living facility ten days later. Over the last three weeks, however, instead of continuing to deteriorate, she has gained some physical strength and mental acuity on her own, having refused PT. She was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis two years ago, and because of her age, opted out of a TAVR. So, we've been watching for a decline ever since and have wondered if the event last month was a turning point. Instead, she seems to be rallying. Though her vitals appear to be perfect (always a surprise), she's still significantly weaker than she was a month ago and perhaps this is an indicator of the stenosis. I understand that there are a lot of factors at play here, many I've not even mentioned, but I wondered if any of this sounds familiar to anyone. It's frustrating for her to have been discharged from the ER without having received any answers other than "deterioration". And maybe there are no definitive answers to be had, so I'm searching of possibilities. Could she have had a TIA?

@lisalucier Yes, I did, thanks for asking.

I saw my Primary doctor & my husband went with me. We gave her the info about what happened, how long it lasted, etc. She looked for physical evidence of anything out of the ordinary with me but said she didn't think this sounded like a TIA, since I also had not eaten since the night before, nor drank & the episode happened at 12:30pm. She asked if I had ever had any hypoglycemia in my past & I let her know I had.

She ordered up bloodwork. It came back with no flags, and she has ordered a ZIO Patch to be worn for two weeks starting Nov. 4th, as the last one I wore for a few weeks was in Dec 2023. I do not have Afib but I do get flutters very infrequently for a few seconds.

She also ordered a with/without brain scan ("just to be sure there might not be something else going on") but said that it would be unlikely that anything will show up as far as a TIA is concerned. I have declined having that done at this time b/c I've had lung issues & 7 years of annual CT scans, plus annual mammos & dental xrays taken. If I don't absolutely need any further scans, I'd rather not have them.

Hi, @dks - did you end up getting some sort of medical exam after your unusual event on 10/1? If so, what did they say about what you experienced? How are you feeling now?

@scottrl I will, thank you!

@dks Thanks!
I hope you watch some more episodes and enjoy them, too.

P.S. Tell your friends.

@scottrl Thank you for posting this! Extremely helpful to hear your journey!

@lisalucier Thank you!

@scottrl Whoa! great food for thought. I too have had a sharp headache awake me from sleep but confined to left temple/eye area. Went away on its own but has happened more than once. I had a pacemaker placed for AFib in '21. I also have pain in left shoulder joint and arm and down to my fingers that never goes away completely. Primary doc said it was muscle/nerve pain. Will mention to my cardio now. I am always dizzy, balance issues that are unidentified. My grandmother died at 81 of a massive stroke (never woke up). I am 81. Hence why I read others' ideas. Still functioning but don't want to go out on the floor or not awakening in the a.m. Just read an article on baby aspirin. A study at Cleveland Clinic I believe which says taking even 81 mgs for blood thinning along with another blood thinner may actual cause problems for the elderly. I am on Eliquis which is destroying my skin. Considering Watchman. Just had two cardio versions and still went back into AFib. Cardio (electrician) says not a candidate for ablation which probably would not be successful. As I write this my left eye has started up again. So I'll follow this thread and maybe if enough folks share symptoms we can put together some questions that our docs can understand. There is so much they still do not know. I usually get some blank stares and have sort of quit complaining.