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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What was this?

21 replies

Lopella · 02/08/2024 20:36

Posted in health, but posting in AIBU for traffic as I'm chewing on my own thoughts.

Yesterday evening I had a terrifying episode and I don't know what it was.

It started off as pressure behind my left eye, which after about an hour made my vision blurry and I had an awful tension headache.

My neck then began to feel like it was swelling or as if someone was lightly strangling me.

I tried to walk it off, but when I started walking both of my hands started going numb, and then both of my cheeks started getting pins and needles.

I was overcome with a wave of intense dizziness, confusion (so completely confused, like I knew what I wanted to say but couldn't gather the words, I couldn't even think in words) and sudden and severe exhaustion, I could only go and lie down.... I woke up 12 hours later.

When the first symptoms started I assumed it was from working at the computer (often getting eye strain, headaches and neck pain but this was definitely more intense) and they came on slowly at first. But the second set of symptoms happened very quickly and suddenly.

I was on my own (thankfully kids were at their dads) but if someone had been with me I'm sure they'd have called an ambulance.

I woke up feeling sort of like hungover but otherwise fine, with a bit of a lingering headache. I phoned the GP who completely brushed me off as if I'd made it all up and wouldn't see me as I was ok now, but its left me very shaken up and scared in case it happens again, especially if I have the kids.

Any one have any ideas what it could be?

I'm heavily considering a private GP appointment with full bloods because it's scared me so much and my own GP isn't taking me seriously. I was fully convinced at the time I was having a stroke but if I woke up fine and have been working away at my job etc today I'm assuming it can't be anything as serious as that, plus it wasnt just one side of my face/body effected, it was both? I also have had migraines in the past which could be a possibility but they've never been like this in terms of symptoms and severity. The pain wasn't even a very significant part compared to the rest of it.

OP posts:
ViscountDreams · 02/08/2024 20:43

It could be nothing op so try not to panic. The body does all kinds of scary weird things due to dehydration, tiredness, stress etc. There's every chance it was just some form of migrane or blood pressure drop or something else unconcerning.

However, given your symptoms I think at the very least the GP should be considering a TIA (mini stroke) and doing follow up tests, just in case...there's often a specific TIA outpatients clinic they can refer you to. And obviously full blood count etc.

I would go back to your GP and push hard, say you're concerned it was a TIA or something else serious.

ViscountDreams · 02/08/2024 20:44

Just to add...with a TIA, you get stroke like symptoms that fully resolve within 24 hours. I'm really surprised that a GP wouldn't have considered this given the numbness etc.

Original poster
Lopella · 02/08/2024 20:47

Thank you. Maybe my age? I'm only 35 and otherwise in good health. He was extremely dismissive and just felt he wasn't listening to me at all and wouldn't see me or run tests. I think I'm jusg going to pursue the private avenue for speed. I just have the weekend to get over without stressing too much about it but it's hard not to

OP posts:
Zigazigaaaaaah · 02/08/2024 20:53

Gp shouldn’t have brushed you off. Agree sounds similar to a possible tia. You are young but I’ve seen young people with strokes unfortunately. I’m not saying this to panic you but to help you assert yourself with doctor again.

ViscountDreams · 02/08/2024 21:06

Your age shouldn't be a barrier or have discounted you from TIA investigations.

Dh was 37 when he was referred to our TIA clinic. He had a terrifying episode where he collapsed out of the blue one evening, numb limbs, confusion, body shaking head to toe, barely able to talk, couldn't move. No warning, no health issues. We were watching a film one evening and he suddenly sat forward and said he felt odd - then 30 seconds later he was on the floor, burbling and shaking. I honestly thought he was dying and after 999 told me an ambulance would be two hours I dragged him along the floor to the car and managed to bundle him in and drove to A&E at 90mph all the way.

By the time we got there he'd come around and despite being shaken up was absolutely fine, within the space of an hour - but the first thing they did in A&E after immediate checks was refer him to the TIA clinic.

In his case it wasn't a TIA and all tests came back fine and he never had any diagnosis other than 'sometimes your body does strange things' 😂. But that was four years ago now and nothing has ever reoccurred.

km21 · 02/08/2024 21:59

You need to push your GP to investigate this. My son had a stroke at 40 and in retrospect he had some TIA episodes in the run up to it, which we didn’t pick up on because he was so young. He is fully recovered now thankfully.

FranceIsWhereItsAt · 02/08/2024 22:20

Are there no other GP's at your practice? Assuming yours is not a one man band OP, then I'd demand to see another doctor. Nothing like this should be ignored, we hear too many cases where early symptoms were ignored by doctors, only to find out later that it's something serious, and often even life threatening, but if it had been treated earlier, could have been sorted out with minimum intervention.

JackRabbitSlim · 02/08/2024 22:22

My immediate thought was also TIA, I would insist on further investigation.

Bertsmum22 · 02/08/2024 22:25

Sounds like a migraine? I get pain, an aura, numb tingling arms and can’t string sentences together. I have to sleep it off and then feel hungover after. However I would see another GP just to make sure.

Spirallingdownwards · 02/08/2024 22:26

When my husband had these symptoms I suspected a TIA so got him straight to hospital and it turned out to be a form of migraine.

Lavenderfields21 · 02/08/2024 22:28

It's a migraine

NigelHarmansNewWife · 02/08/2024 22:29

My first thought was a form of migraine. Are you stressed or under pressure? Also humid weather with high pressure can bring on migraine.

Lavenderfields21 · 02/08/2024 22:31

...my child, myself, my sister and mother suffer with migraines and we've each experienced some combination of your symptoms. Of course it would be ideal to be examined by your GP.

LozzaChops101 · 02/08/2024 22:31

I’d say migraine, sounds like some of mine x

ashitghost · 02/08/2024 22:32

ViscountDreams · 02/08/2024 21:06

Your age shouldn't be a barrier or have discounted you from TIA investigations.

Dh was 37 when he was referred to our TIA clinic. He had a terrifying episode where he collapsed out of the blue one evening, numb limbs, confusion, body shaking head to toe, barely able to talk, couldn't move. No warning, no health issues. We were watching a film one evening and he suddenly sat forward and said he felt odd - then 30 seconds later he was on the floor, burbling and shaking. I honestly thought he was dying and after 999 told me an ambulance would be two hours I dragged him along the floor to the car and managed to bundle him in and drove to A&E at 90mph all the way.

By the time we got there he'd come around and despite being shaken up was absolutely fine, within the space of an hour - but the first thing they did in A&E after immediate checks was refer him to the TIA clinic.

In his case it wasn't a TIA and all tests came back fine and he never had any diagnosis other than 'sometimes your body does strange things' 😂. But that was four years ago now and nothing has ever reoccurred.

YABU to drive anywhere at 90mph. You could have killed someone.

Fannyfiggs · 02/08/2024 22:37

ashitghost · 02/08/2024 22:32

YABU to drive anywhere at 90mph. You could have killed someone.

Show quote history

That's all you got from Viscount's traumatic experience? She thought her husband was going to die.

The lack of empathy on this site bamboozles me.

FloofPaws · 02/08/2024 22:48

My initial thoughts were migraine, TIA possibly. I'd keep an eye on your feelings, any signs of anything awry then get straight to A&E

pinkstripeycat · 02/08/2024 22:50

All of that I get with migraines

TotHappy · 02/08/2024 23:21

I get it too with migraines. Although the numbness is often present by itself and I often get nausea with migraines too. The hangover feeling is very familiar.
I mean, I assume its migraines, I've never been diagnosed!

ViscountDreams · 02/08/2024 23:54

YABU to drive anywhere at 90mph. You could have killed someone

I'd have driven there at 190mph if my car had been capable of it @ashitghost . And I'd do it again.

Aligirlbear · 03/08/2024 00:03

Sounds Like it could be a migraine or possibly a TIA. If a TIA is suspected you may be referred to the TIA clinic - depending on timing and symptoms. Often after a TIA bloods will be fine and nothing will show on a CT so might be tagged as a mimic / migraine.

Worth getting checked to make sure BP is ok and not high.

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