Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group
Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.
It's been about 18 hours since my TIA, and I am on a 24-hour stroke protocol. Total bedrest and nothing by mouth. I had an a-fib episode yesterday about noon, and 20 minutes into it my speech slowed. When I slurred my words a bit, my husband started the FAST routine re: stroke. We were at the ER in less than 15 minutes and they took me right away. The difficulties with speech lasted maybe 2 hours, like I had been out in the cold so long my mouth wouldn't work right.
So here I am, and rethinking the hospital's plan not to call my cardiologist. This is a regional stroke center, and I am in the Progressive Care Unit. Had a CT scan immediately that was clear, and an MRI will happen this morning. They gave me 4 baby aspirin, labs, monitors. My BP was high for several hours -- ?165/?.
I've been trying to read some of the posts on here about TIA's. I can see that my CHADS score has just gone up, and I'll have to be on more than a baby aspirin, which I was on as per cardiologist. I had not started the dilitiazem and I have to wonder if that would have prevented this. I think I have been skeptical that a rate control would prevent stroke.
Now that I'm thinking more clearly, it seems like my cardiologist should weigh in while I'm in here.
Thanks for any input.
twodrifters
So here I am, and rethinking the hospital's plan not to call my cardiologist. This is a regional stroke center, and I am in the Progressive Care Unit. Had a CT scan immediately that was clear, and an MRI will happen this morning. They gave me 4 baby aspirin, labs, monitors. My BP was high for several hours -- ?165/?.
I've been trying to read some of the posts on here about TIA's. I can see that my CHADS score has just gone up, and I'll have to be on more than a baby aspirin, which I was on as per cardiologist. I had not started the dilitiazem and I have to wonder if that would have prevented this. I think I have been skeptical that a rate control would prevent stroke.
Now that I'm thinking more clearly, it seems like my cardiologist should weigh in while I'm in here.
Thanks for any input.
twodrifters
1: Other than speech, can you detect any other areas effected:
------ For my stroke, my whole right side was weak, I couldn't hold anything in my right hand; strength mostly came back in a few weeks;
------ Did the give you a swallow test, you don't want to choke on your food;
------ Check out your vision, I have a visual field cut (common with strokes), I can't see past midline from my right eye to the left side. I had to go for a handicapped drivers evaluation. Although the eye is limited, its not a problem for me;
------ The biggest impact for me was the inability to concentrate or focus for months. That has since cleared up. Then there's the fear that it might happen again, only worse. I eventually got over it (went to Venice for two weeks nine months post stroke).
2: Is your stroke hemorrhagic (a bleed) or ischemic(a clot)? Mine was a clot which showed on the MRI or CAT scan in the occipital lobe (which explains the visual problem). The treatment for each will be rather different. I doubt if they will put you on an anticoagulant if you had a hemorrhagic stroke. They started me on Lovenox immediately.
3: If your strike was ischemic, expect to be on a heavy duty (no more aspirin) anticoagulant for an extended period (like maybe forever). Fortunately, the NOAC's are much easier to deal with than Warfarin. No more blood tests, no more dietary restrictions. I take Eliquis, its fine.
4: They also did ultrasounds of my legs (I have a history of DVT and Pulmonary embolisms), and of my cardioid arteries.
You can fully recover from this, I hope your recovery is as successful as mine. Follow the doctors orders, they may put you on massive doses of statin for a year. I had my ablation 3 months after the stroke.
BTW, I was on 350mg of aspirin for five years when I had my stroke, I didn't want to take Warfarin (against doctors advice)...I'm a little thick. I was also on Metoprolol.
Good luck, do the rehab or go to the gym.
Send me a message if you want more info.
My CT scan and MRI/MRA did not show any sign of having had a TIA, so they told me there is no way to know if I did experience a TIA and it just dissolved quickly, or if my stroke-like symptoms were due to something else. The neuro did say that there was nothing in my medical history to indicate any cause for my symptoms other than TIA. So I do not know.
I did not experience weakness in my arms. They did give me a swallow test and it was normal. I am experiencing a lot of fatigue and am scatterbrained.
When I see the EP next week I suspect he will put me on an anticoagulant, if only for his own liability if he doesn't believe I did have a TIA. It's all very confusing.
I did get some good testing: CT, MRI/MRA, US of carotids, echo, labs.
Don't get me wrong. I am VERY thankful that I did not experience something more serious. I am just unsure where this leaves me in terms of moving forward.
Thanks again for your response.
When I had my TIA (practically 2 years to the day!). I guess I had very typical symptoms: numb arm and side of face, difficulty seeing, the feeling of spinning (I was laying down at the time), so although nothing showed up on the head MRI (thank goodness) they were sure it was a TIA. During the TIA I was in NRS but I had had a couple of rough a-fib days before and was on aspirin and plavix at the time (for a different reason). Obviously antiplatelets didnt help me (or maybe they did and I would have had a full blown stroke without them, who knows?). At any rate, I felt fine after all the symptoms left but was kept in the hospital for 4 days and started on an anticoagulant.
I hope you get your answers from the EP let us know how it goes!
atp (across the pond)