Left Vertebral Artery Cause?

My neurologist doesn't know this area.  He said I may or may have not had a TIA.  He doesn't know since the hospital didn't do the necessary exams right away.   He said it is necessary to do certain exams within 3 hours.  He said go to the hospital always if I get the symptoms listed below.  

It is confirmed I have a irregular left vertebral artery (little and irregular MRA), an ACOM aneurysm,(MRA) and 2 moderate insuffcient valves in my heart(ECHO...). The symptoms I get are:  severe pain up my neck to my center of my head, right numbness and tingling in my right limbs and face area with double or changed vision.  Lightheadness is included, dizzy and did fall many times while hiking in higher elevations due to symptoms.  I hike often and this has never happened before...   I get these symptoms at lower EV too.  At times, I get a left sided pain component up my left side of my head near my face with right tingling too.  The tingling last about 5 mins. but I did have severe headaches for days on end (7).  All tests are normal except the ones listed above. What is this?  (BTW, I took BUTALBITAL (Fioricet) before bad onset... it did nothing.  I had light headness and dizziness, so I took it.   I took Flovent and got tingling and weird sensations... Then I got a headache.  I went to the hospital, but they just wrote it off as a migraine, no tests done.)  I had head injuries in the past that did comprise me.

I had a neck fusion that failed.  The screws and plate around the bones are inflamed too.   I got respiratory diseases from the operation that have left me comprised with lung problems to this day (six years later).  Now, the docs are looking at another neck operation.  C5 is missing bone.  No bone just dorsal that grew from me.  Probably more bone spurs.... I thought maybe the neck caused the symptoms.

Recent neurologist stated he had no info. on such things.  I am lost and don't like putting my friends at risk as I hike.  I am a hike leader, but now I think this is out of reach for me.

What is a good med to take?  How do I know what is what?

[PaulMD]

Hi there.

The vertebral artery supplies the cerebellum and other parts of the brain (the hind part).  Problems with the vertebral artery can cause dizziness or incoordination as this can cause the cerebellum to be starved or receive inadequate blood supply.  This is called "vertebrobasilar insufficiency".  The other symptoms pertaining to the extremities may not be fully explained by this vertebral artery problem , but may be more likely due to the problems on the spine and the surgery you had before.  There are drugs to address the vertebrobasilar insufficiency including Cinnarizine and Betahistine, however you should consult and discuss this first with your doctor.

Regards and God bless.