Stroke Like Symtoms, Intermittent Loss of speech & Balance

[Likesjewellry]

About 1 1/2 yrs. ago, I started experiencing, at the age of 49, severe vertigo, visual problems, nausea and left sided weakness. I was tested for everything imaginable, no diagnosis and yet I went from being physically fit and a chef, to bedridden and sleeping 20 hours a day, because of all the gravol I had to take to get some general relief of my symptoms.  

This past February, still holed up in the house, I experienced the normal 'weakness' on my left side but it progressed to total paralysis, inability to speak and inability to swallow.  My husband gave me an aspirin when he realized I couldn't respond to him and took me to the hospital 5 min. from our home.  I was treated as a stroke patient and sent to the downtown Toronto Stroke Centre.  Unfortunately, by the time I arrive by ambulance, (about 3 hrs. later), it was too late to administer the 'stroke buster' shot that was planned.  After about 4 hours, slowly, I began to regain feeling in my left fingers and forearm.  I felt a burning/pins & needles sensation and within that time frame, my speech started coming back, though slurry and jumbled.  I ended up being sent back to my original hospital when in the ambulance, the whole episode started again.  It was like that, back and forth, speaking, drooling, paralysis until the next day around noon.  Again, every test was done (MRI, CT scan), 3 times, looking for the cause.

I am now much better and not needing nearly the amount of gravol that I used to but I cannot drive because I have lost my depth perception, ability to judge speed or distance, and am clumsy.  I walked 5 blocks a few days ago for the first time in 1 1/2 yrs., without staggering and bumping into things beside me.   I am still not able to go into busy stores or large box stores because within about 10 - 15 minutes, I start to develop the vision problems, balance problems and become sick to my stomach.  I can't tell you how this has affected my life.  I have a loving supportive family and good friends, though I don't see people often.  Watching people talk, their hands move, or trying to have a conversation in a large group sets the whole thing off.  I really don't understand any of this.

I am 50 1/2.  I am going through menopause, had some problem with depression after my kids in my thirties, and agreed after thorough testing that perhaps a neuropsychiatrist was an option.  My doctor felt perhaps it is emotionally based.  I agreed because I am willing to expore every avenue.  The doctor I am seeing is wonderful.  My husband comes with me to my sessions which are too far for me to get to on my own, waits for me, consults with the neuro doc and we sit in together and talk about things.  I truly am a happy person at this time in my life.  My girls are grown and successful, my relationship is great and I am basically free of burdens.  What the heck is going on??

Is there anyone out there who has experienced such symptoms?  Right now, I need to go and get gravol, typing this letter has made me sick.  I have taken medicine for migraine but I am still seeing only spots of my screen and have pain in my temples, forehead, base of my neck and general woozy feeling.  When I am like this I would definitely not go out in public.  I would either be down on the ground after losing my balance completely or my field of vision would be moving and making me throw up. I am still suffering from loss of words, memory failure, jumbled words, and stuttering.

Help!

[rach662]

HI have you considered looking up hemiplegic migraines.i have suffered with these for 2 years .they can mimic stroke like symptoms!!( just an idea !!!
rach

[Likesjewellry]

Thank you for replying. I am taking Epival, 700 mg./day, Zoloft 200 mg./day, Lyrica, 100 mg./day. Both the Epival and the Zoloft are drugs that I have been on for approx. 9 yrs. Before the onset of all these bizarre symptoms, I was highly functional and productive in my life. I will check out the menopause symptoms pages you suggested. If you have any further thoughts on my situation, please let me know. Thank you, T.

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,
There is a possibility that this could be  migraine which is triggered by closed and crowded spaces. What medications are you currently on apart from gravol?
Another reason could be you are experiencing menopausal symptoms. Headaches, dizziness, loss of memory are typical menopausal symptoms.
http://34-menopause-symptoms.com/
I would suggest to you to schedule an appointment with your doctor and discuss these possibilities. Good luck!

[Likesjewellry]

I am now experiencing intermittent bouts of not being able to swallow along with the left sided weakness. Though there have been about four times when I had that panicky feeling of not being able to swallow and it woke me up in the night. Any ideas or experiences, advise out there?

Likesjewellry

[Likesjewellry]

Hi, thanks for the informative and helpful message.  While I do have some good days in a row now, I am still in this state. While the doctors tell me this is not 'mini stroke' or TMA, I do wonder. I am 51 and though healthy, my grandmother had many small strokes and died of a massive on at age 52. I find that somewhat daunting though I know I am probably in better physical shape (or was) and have a happier life.  Makes you wonder though if there isn't just a 'hard wiring issue' at play here. It sure helps that there is a site like this to communicate and share information with one another. I have learned and understood more online than I have from the extensive hospital visits/testing and consults where the supposed experts have had an opinion but other than offering anti depressants and councelling, really don't have anything new of offer me in the way of living with this or helping me be more proactive in combatting symptoms.

I hope your days are better and I would love to hear more from you whenever you are up to it. Many thanks

[kattwin]

You mention that when you are in Big Box stores that you experience challenges. Have you been told that you have photophobia, sensitivity to flourescent lighting? I always wear coloured lenses (glasses) when i go into large department stores, otherwise after 10 mins I feel a sense of dread, trouble breathing, balance issues, speech problems. Some say that green blue tint helps with fluourescents.