What could be wrong with MIL?

[thehouseofmirth]

MIL had a "funny turn" the other weekend. A friend of hers called DH to say she'd spoken to her on the phone and she was talking nonsense and didn't know what day it was (though did know who her friend was). Friend got another friend to call MIL just to make sure and he was also concerned. They visited MIL who was unaware by then that anything had been wrong Apparently she had a very red face.

MIL visited GP who told her from what they described it had not been a stroke. She did urine test as she said urinary tract infections can sometimes cause these symptoms but this has come back negative. She has also had some blood tests.

Spoke to MIL on phone today who was uncharacteristically cagey about what was going on. I am 40 weeks pregnant and DH has just been told he is going to be made redundant so I am concerned she is keeping something from us to protect us but frankly I'd rather know.

I know we need to hear a proper medical diagnosis but can anyone suggest what we may be facing please?

[PortAndLemon]

This is what wrongdiagnosis.com lists for Confusion + Flushing

1. Alcohol abuse
2. Alcohol drinking
3. Alcohol-Induced Disorders
4. Alcoholism
5. Anticholinergic syndrome
6. Anxiety
7. Argentinean hemorrhagic fever
8. Bolivian hemorrhagic fever
9. Carbon monoxide poisoning

10. Chemical poisoning
11. Dehydration
12. Functioning pancreatic endocrine tumor
13. Heatstroke
14. Heroin dependence
15. Lortab overdose
16. Menopause
17. Paraneoplastic Autoimmune Syndromes
18. Ritalin overdose
19. Septicemia
20. Stress
21. WDHA syndrome

[nailpolish]

yikes portandlemon that list is a bit scary

if it is definitely not a stroke id start thinking it was an infection (not just UTI's can cause confusion in the elderly - other infections like chest infections etc too) or her blood sugar was low.

is she diabetic? the gp should test her glucose

those ar the things id go for first of all

[hidingfromreality]

TIA?

Transient Ischaemic Attack - otherwise known as a 'mini-stroke'. symptoms like sudden confusion, weakness, numbness, unable to move properly, loss of ability to talk sense.

could be?

[PortAndLemon]

I'd think, on balance, that it's unlikely she has Argentinian or Bolivian hemorrhagic fever
(unless she's a South American rural manual worker, which wasn't mentioned in the OP)...

[nailpolish]

yes i thought TIA too - they can be v small someitmes and missed

[jalopy]

Port

[thehouseofmirth]

Well I've ruled out all the alcohol and drug related ones and South American ones. Presumably septicemia, chemical or carbon monoxide poisoning would have been more pronounced or ongoing. So that leaves me with relatively benign anxiety, stress and dehydration or scary rare cancers...

Or as you say a TIA.

They are testing for diabetes though she was tested not to long ago and none was detected.