Stroke or something else?

My mom is 64 y/o has diabetes, Afib, and CHF. She has supposedly had 3 TIA's in the last 6 months the last 2 were 3 weeks apart. She experiences loss of speach and right side paralysis. Each episode she quickly regained all function and all 3 CT scans were clear. When these happen (right before it happens) she experiences severe pain in her head behind her left eyeShe has also been experiencing tremors for over 6 months. My question is this...are these really strokes or could it be something else that looks like a stroke. Her doctors are now doubting that they were strokes but can not offer another DX other than she is mentally impaired. I disagree with the mental impairment, she is very intact mentally, i believe something neurological is going on, what could this be?

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

Your mother's clinical presentation does suggest the occurrence of transient ischemic attacks, especially with findings of speech loss and paralysis that quickly resolves. Although CT scans did not reveal any significant findings, this does not completely rule out TIA. CT scans are done to rule out bleeding, not to confirm a stroke or TIA. A brain MRI might be more sensitive in this case.

A seizure disorder cannot be totally ruled out, although it might be less likely the cause of her symptoms.

You should have your mother consult a neurologist for further neurological evaluation.

[Caliber2005]

Hi,
How is your mother feeling now?
There is always a 10% risk of suffering a stroke in 90 days, if you have suffered symptoms suggestive of TIA.
In your mother's case, she had symptoms signifying TIA 3 times and now with symptoms of loss of speech, right sided paralysis and pain in head suggest she had suffered a stoke.
Increasing frequency or severity of TIAs (crescendo pattern) suggest possible evolving thromboembolic stroke (as it has happened in your mother's case).
CT scan, Coagulation study, cerebral angiography are part of initial investigation to find cause of such an event.
If the history of TIA is confirmed, than usually if patient is a candidate for thrombolytic therapy than we don’t wait for any results to come, we start our thrombolytic therapy.
I think you should take opinion from Neurologist.