I had all the same symptoms twice (I listed to the right). First time I treated it like an eye problem and took zinc and bilberry and such and it took two months to go away. Second time I decided it might be a migraine (there was not a lot of head pain but I thought due to the supplements I take some migraines may present differently and I had had migraines before). So that time I took high dose anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories (herbal) and it went away in 2 weeks. In retrospect I decided they were both transient ischemic incidents. I had gone to my doctor the second time and she gave me a perscription for migraine that said in the fine print it could cause stroke so I would not take it. These happened when I was 49. At 50 I developed high blood pressure (only during PMS) and was tested to have high homocysteine, a risk factor for stroke. I took ACTIVE B's (Thorne Basic B) 2x/day plus extra Metafolin plus extra Jarrow sublingual methylcobalamin (which is 100% more absorbable than other brands) plus 2g TMG, which normalized my homocysteine to 6.3 and I have not had another such incident (I am now 54). I think you need to get your homocysteine tested. For every 3 points above 6.3 you have a 35% greater risk of stroke. P.S. The doctor was right - make sure you are tested for stroke (dunno what tests those would be). Also, if you eat lots o fruits and veggies you may not need so much TMG, but if you are like most people you do not get enough and thus the TMG is necessary. Even if your fasting homocysteine is 6.3, TMG prevents homocysteine from rising after meals.
MadAnthony
*vertigo/diziness: when sitting down, chest(left side) and lower back of head moving with each heart beat. delay reflex in left arm.
when walking: complete unsteadiness toward left side, but all neuro tests were fine ie walk a straight line etc.
thanks for replying,
I understand that the forum is only for educational purpose...
Regarding anxiety; this situation did happen after a period of (very)important stress in my life. it can explain the constant change in heart beat(strong/hard); but what about this sensation of 3 months-constant-vertigo/dizziness? (no pain is involve at all)
Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.
Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological condition with a multitude of symptoms. They include heart palpitations, muscle tension, fatigue, nausea, chest pain, shortness of breath, headaches, and GI symptoms such as diarrhea to name a few. Anxiety can also be accompanied with panic attacks such as a feeling of impending doom or death.
Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a vascular condition in which a deficit occurs transiently and leaves no permanent deficit and has normal neuroimaging. The symptoms and signs of TIAs are similar to those of stroke. For example, numbness or tingling or weakness of one side of the body, difficulty speaking, difficulty with grabbing objects (i.e., difficulty controlling where hand goes), vision changes or loss, asymmetry of smiling, and as you mentioned, constant drifting to the left with walking, etc are all presentations of stroke. Stroke is a neurological emergency. The treatment for stroke is time based. Thus, if a person has the symptoms of a stroke, they or someone else should call 9-1-1 ASAP.
Preventative stroke measures are also encouraged in patients who are at risk for stroke. These people are those who are older in age, smokers, have high cholesterol or blood pressure, vascular disease (coronary artery disease or peripheral vascular disease), prior stroke, family history of stroke, diabetes, etc.
It is difficult to say whether your symptoms are TIAs or anxiety (or something else) based on the description you provide. Most likely they are anxiety related given the negative and extensive workup to date. If you ever have an episode of stroke signs and symptoms, you should be evaluated immediately at your local emergency department.
You should continue working with your physician.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.