how long before mri shows stroke?

Hi, I am a 32yo female with a young family and I know I am not mad.....I had a ? stroke ? 16 days ago. Drs seem to disagree on my diagnosis as they are "not consistant". My CT and MRI were both normal. I did have blood tests done but I have not been told anything so I have assumed they are normal. So to begin with they said TIA, one dr suggested functional disorder another MS. I have been prescibed asprin and lipitor. My speech was very slurred and slow and stuttery, my voice even sounded deeper to begin with, now my speech has improved  a few issues but almost to back to normal. I still have left sided weakness, terrible balance, my left eye/side of my face had dropped but has now corrected. I am finding the strangest things difficult like not understanding when people spell out words or being able to follow several instructions at once. So something is definetly wrong. The ct scan was done only a few hours after and the MRI 5 days later.

Is it possible for it to have been and gone in that time or perhaps just had not showed up yet?

Does anyone have any ideas or knowledge on this
Cheers

[sue_in_oz]

Hi

If you had a haemorrhagic stroke, the CT would have shown it straight away.  The MRI should show any infarct after 5 days.  I had mine 3 days post & the damage is very obvious.

I think you need to keep searching for a diagnosis.

HTH

Sue

[tdk451]

Asked to be checked for Susac's Syndrome, which is often misdiagnosed as MS.

Good luck

[2BY2FAN]

Do you know if a MRA was requested?  I, too was given a CT Scan when expierencing stroke symptoms.  The CT Scan came back clear and I was sent home with a diagnosis of "Migrains with neuological side effects."
I suffered an acute ischemic stroke 2 weeks later.  The stroke affected my cerabellum, brain stem and the right side of my brain.  An MRA and MRI was done when hospitalized.  The MRA will show the ateries, blood vessels  and aortas.  If any of these are narrow a stroke can occur in these areas.  I was told I had very narrow vessels as well as I tested positive for Antiphospholipid syndrome.  Strokes just don't happen for no reason at all.  Don't accept an indefinate answer.  Many of the persons in my stroke rehab groups are recovering from their 2nd and 3rd strokes.  I can't imagine going through this again.  Take control of your health until they can give you an accurate diagnosis.  God bless and good luck.

[heavenlyitems]

My CT scan showed normal in ER.  They hospitalized me and did a MRA.  I was told I had a minor stroke in the cerebellum that is caused by small vessel disease.  I have since had an MRI done and found that I have a herniated disc somewhere in my cervical spine and I have athritius (sp) in the same area.  I do not have artery blockage at all.  I am much better now,  Hope it gets better soon.