TIA, or other chronic condition?

Posted by Squid70 @esperos70, Mar 7 1:14pm

I was recently hospitalized after a suspected TIA incident. Woke up, was drinking coffee in bed and suddenly had a sinking feeling and noticed my hands/arms felt numb and heavy. Had some slight muscle/spinal pain in back and shoulders and numbness in my face. Started to feel like I was going to pass out and got out of bed to tell my husband. When I got to the bathroom I looked in the mirror and notice facial drooping on right side. I continued to walk toward my husband but when I tried to speak nothing came out but a moan. Within seconds I was able to say “I think I’m having a stroke”, and he ran over to me. I think I began to fall because he wrapped his arms around me and I just leaned on him while he told my daughter to call 911. Almost immediately I had to use the bathroom (defecate). As soon as I could stand on my own, I used the bathroom and then went and sat down. Before the ambulance arrive just a few minutes later, I had to use the bathroom again. EMTs took my vitals and all seemed normal but the suggested I go to the hospital and get checked.
I felt light headed, very weak and nauseous on the ambulance ride and that continued at the hospital. Still some pins and needles as well. I was still having a little trouble getting my words out and noticed that my tinnitus and ear pain was much worse than normal. I also noticed that I had chest pain in one spot next to my left breast.
At the hospital I had a CT, MRI, chest X-ray, ekg, blood pressure, lots of blood work, electrocardiogram and ultrasound of the arteries in my neck. All came back normal.
I was admitted for observation and left the next evening.
Since then Ive had more MRI’s and MRAs, and all sorts of neurological testing. I am also wearing a holter monitor for a week and getting a bubble test looking for a hole in my heart. Testing is taking FOREVER!
I haven’t been able to work since the incident ( 6 weeks ago) because I feel to weak in my legs, and my arms. I feel close to passing out a lot of the time. I get nauseous and I have internal tremors. My ears are ringing like crazy and also hurt. I have tingling in my extremities and have been noticing that my body temp is not well controlled. I will have one warm hand and one cold hand sometimes. My vision is also bad. Blurry and cloudy. Some flashing and spots.
A lot of these symptoms are not new. I’ve been struggling with my health for many years with no answers. It’s just gotten to the point that I can’t ignore it anymore (after seeing dozens of doctors with no help) and giving up. I can’t live my life like this.
The only thing that have been found are a positive ANA test, a high platelet count, high sed rate, high c reactive protein, calcium/iron saturation one point below normal, homozygous MTHFR mutation, some mild disk degeneration and a possible hemangioma on disk T11. I have also been suffering with bad gastritis and diverticulitis. The only meds I took before the initial incident was Nexium for two weeks.
I am probably missing some thing because it’s been a long couple of weeks and so much has happened. I just need to find answers so I can go back to work and not be in total fear all the time that I’m going to just drop dead because I have no idea what’s going on with my body. I hope someone can suggest something that no one has thought of.

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So, nothing about Lupus, fibromyalgia, MS, Lyme's,...? It might have been an arrythmia, but I kinda doubt it...not with all you had going on. Mind you, and I say this myself often in posts across the www, we're each different and respond in different ways to stressors of any kind.
I wonder if you have a type of migraine. If you read up on the subject, do a search, and you'd be surprised at how many migraine types there are, and how they affect different people differently.
One other possibility, somewhat remote, but a spinal stenosis....it should be ruled out.

Sorry, I gotta tap out. I have no expertise in health care on which to call. I'm glad your first set of tests have all gone well. But, it's left a mystery...

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Suffering with gastritis and diverticulitis and trying to maintain a good diet is a challenge and I wonder have you consulted a dietician for some help? And that you made a point of mentioning “the need to get back to work” I wonder how well you’re taking care of yourself overall? Does sound like you experienced an neurologic episode of some sort along with the other odd symptoms you’re experiencing with negative tests is a mystery. Good luck on figuring out what’s happening with your body.

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