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Tue 13 May, 2003 06:20 am
Have you ever heard of the term, "transient ischemic attacks" or TIAs? They are mini-strokes, and need to be taken seriously. Because the symptoms of TIAs are often minor and fleeting, many people tend to ignore the signs. The problem is that these TIAs can often be a precursor to a full blown stroke. Today there are medications that can help to prevent strokes in people who have had a history of TIAs.
Here is a good article which contains the symtoms of a TIA. It is a wise idea to become familiar with them.
Link to article about TIAs
Aspirin in 81mg doses are reccommended for use in at risk people in preventing stroke. The aspirin tends to inhibit blood coagulation (that's why you are not supposed to take aspirin for a few days before a medical procedure). I have also read that if you think that you have had a TIA, take an aspirin immediately.
http://www.fda.gov/cder/news/aspirin/aspirin_qa.htm
Phoenix, great article!
My ex husband got TIA's a lot, but I came to find out he was getting Alzheimer's Disease, so I guess TIA's are a precurser to that too!
Misti26- Was there an actual diagnosis of Alzheimer's? The reason that I am asking that is that multiple TIAs can often cause tissue death in various parts of the brain. This can lead to a memory loss, then to a dementia, but it is not the same as Alzheimer's. (although some of the symptoms are similar).
This apparently, is what is happening to my mother. A number of years ago, she had an MRI. It showed that she had suffered some TIAs in some of the small vessels of the brain.
Common among the elderly, who don't take them, for the most part, too seriously. Why should they anyway? If you make it to 85-90, you've lived a full life and should now relax and make the most of your remaining years...should that be the will of God.
New Haven- Why not take them seriously? My mom, who will be 94 is losing her memory, and and is starting to lose her executive ability. It bugs her like hell.
The worst time for the elderly is when they are cogent enough to know that they are slipping, but know that they can't do a damn thing about it. It can be very frustrating and depressing. When their abilities do slide into deep decline, that's the time that it does not matter to them.
I once heard a story Bill Cosby once told. He said that his father told him,
"Dont ever worry about getting Alzheimer's. When you have it, you won't know it!"
New Haven-I'll check back with you when you are 85, and see if you feel the same way! :wink:
Phoenix, my ex was diagnosed with "A", but the TIA's started a long time before that.
You are right of course, as long as we KNOW we're slipping, it's the scariest thing on earth.
I've been losing memory for ages, and it scares the heck out of me because the things I NEED to remember I don't and the things that no longer matter I DO remember!
I think we all have this to a certain extent, some worse than others, and I think the people who remain active and interested and enthusiastic are the ones effected the least.
I am sorry your mom is going through this, it is never easy, on anybody.
Hugs winging to you!
Yes very true a TIA is not something to be taken lightly,my mother has had 8 TIA"s and each one is more terrifying than the other and the fact that these terriable things can cause a comma,i worry about my mum so much i wish i could take them all away from her.i ahve seen alot of victims of TIA's in my job and my heart goes out to each and every one of them.Iknow what you are going through and it isnt easy,all my thoughts and best wishes to you and your mum
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