Wife had to go to hospital-do you know the signs for a stroke?

[cyberknight]

Do you know how to recognize a stroke?

Wife suffered what is called a mini stroke where she had all these symptoms and luckily i knew what to look for as i had done the emergency life savers course at work.Thankfully the symptoms cleared up with no long term affects but it could have been a lot worse so please for the sake of your family and friends learn about this as they might not be so lucky and have a full stroke and the quicker the ambulance gets to you the more of the person you save.

 

[colly]

Very sorry to hear that Cyberknight. Let's hope it isn't serious and she gets back to good health soon.

I think the signs are: facial weakness, drooping of one side perhaps, weakness in the arms, slurred speech.

The Stroke Association use the acronym F A S T
FAST requires an assessment of three specific symptoms of stroke.

Facial weakness - can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
Arm weakness - can the person raise both arms?
Speech problems - can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
Time to call 999

My daughter woke one morning and had trouble speaking clearly, her face was drooping, her left arm was all but immobile, and she was developing a massive headache. To say she was frightened is an understatement. She was also very confused.Fortunately her partner was on the ball and he didn't hesitate and took her immediately to the local A&E Dept.
There followed an intense day of tests and brain scans, which thankfully revealed nothing in the way of a bleed on the brain. She had some drug treatment, I'm not sure what, and a few days in hospital for observations.

In the end it was put down to a Transient Ischemic Event which is kind of like a mini stroke where in most cases no or little long term damage is done. It is a sign though that you may be susceptible to a stroke. My daughter at the time was 24 and in good health, active and not over-weight so not an obvious candidate.

I hope things turn out well for your wife.

 

[numbnuts]

Sorry to hear that, hope for a full recovery

 

[cyberknight]

Sorry to hear this, cyberknight, and if it's recent news life must be difficult with a new baby as well. I hope your wife makes a good recovery. I once went to visit an elderly friend who was behaving oddly and unable to speak properly - eventually he agreed to me calling an ambulance, and it turned out that he had had a TIA, but he made a complete recovery very quickly.

Thats what the wife had, a TIA or mini stroke ....
"A transient ischemic attack (spelled ischaemic in British English)[1] (abbreviated as TIA, often referred to as mini stroke) is a transient episode of neurologic dysfunction caused by ischemia (loss of blood flow) – either focal brain, spinal cord or retinal – without acute infarction (tissue death). TIAs share the same underlying etiology (cause) as strokes: a disruption of cerebral blood flow (CBF). TIAs and strokes cause the same symptoms, such as contralateral paralysis (opposite side of body from affected brain hemisphere) or sudden weakness or numbness. A TIA may cause sudden dimming or loss of vision, aphasia, slurred speech and mental confusion. But unlike a stroke, the symptoms of a TIA can resolve within a few minutes or 24 hours. Brain injury may still occur in a TIA lasting only a few minutes. Having a TIA is a risk factor for eventually having a stroke or a silent stroke.[2][3] A silent stroke or silent cerebral infarct (SCI) differs from a TIA in that there are no immediately observable symptoms. A SCI may still cause long lasting neurological dysfunction affecting such areas as mood, personality and cognition. A SCI often occurs before or after a TIA or major stroke.[4]
A cerebral infarct that lasts longer than 24 hours but fewer than 72 hours is called a reversible ischemic neurologic deficit or RIND."


Thanks for all your concern , i felt this is an issue that needs raising as we all need to be aware of the symptoms just in case.

 

[Shaun]

Must have been scary - glad she's recovered okay. Good reminder too.

 

[Andrew_P]

CK I hope your wife is making a speedy recovery, it is a scary moment for all concerned!

My wife had a TIA ten years ago, and it was really scary, the CT Scan showed no damage, and they said she was fine and could be discharged, but she had really poor memory, couldn't even remember where she lived/peoples names etc. Probably didn't help that I was panicing and kept on at random moment testing her! But all the Docs kept saying she is fine and I kept telling them she wasn't but ot stranger she was fine!

This improved over two weeks and back to normal. Around 5 years ago she had an extensive routine eye test and the Optician was in a state of panic has he could see the damage through the eye, and made calls, she was in for a MRI scan the next day. it turns out that the damage and possibly the TIA were caused by the Eye centred migrains she gets as part of the PMT which in her twenties and on the pill were truly awful migraines.

I never imagined migraines can cause damage to the brain in the long term.

 

[marafi]

FAST we even use that doing First aid. Sadly my Grandad on this day exactly died of a Stroke a massive one and worst of it. Im not sure if it was in the hospital or in his home. My Nan didnt know what it was during that time. Sadly for some people even if you try your best to save them there time could be up.

Hope your wife has a speedy recovery. Well done on the noticing of the stroke beforehand.

 

[GetAGrip]

So sorry to hear this news cyberknight, glad Mrs cyberknight is making a full and speedy recovery. Things must be really tough at the mo! Although mini ck doesn't understand what's happening, will be there to support you both with loads of kisses and cuddles

 

[Maz]

Sorry to hear that CK. As others have said, hope she has a full and speedy recovery.
Thanks for the reminder.

 

[asterix]

+1

Mrs A is high risk (her elder sister died 2 years ago) and she has now packed in driving and hasn't ridden a bike for over a year. Another medical next week of which we are not looking forward to hearing the result.

 

[NormanD]

Sorry to hear this CK, you'll have to take more care of her now. Speedy recovery

 

[perplexed]

Glad things are better CK.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

best wishes..and I'm watching now. Ta.

 

[Night Train]

Glad our wife is recovering.

I was recently brain scanned to check if I had something similar, fortunately not, or at least the consutant thinks not.

I lost balance, dexterity, short term and some long term memory and became very right hand dominant with the dexterity I had left. I am still recovering.

 

[Arch]

All the best to you all CK, I hope your wife makes a swift recovery.