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Original poster

Very strange conversation with mum last night - what could it be?

29 replies

winestein · 12/01/2007 11:06

My mum rang me last night and said she just needed to talk to someone. She had been filing off the bottom of the bathroom door so it would go over a new bathroom rug she had bought the previous day that was a bit bulkier than the previous one and said she had come over all odd, as though all her thoughts were merging together in a kalidescope. She said she felt as though her heart was racing a bit, but linked to her feeling nervous.
She then told me the same story 5 times with no recollection of having told me, saying things like.... "I can't seem to get my thoughts into order. Let me try and think of something normal to talk about" and then proceeded to repeat the story about the bathroom rug.
I rang NHS direct to see if she needed urgent treatment for anything and then rang her back. She started to tell me about the bathroom rug again and then said she didn't know why she had rung me. I had already asked my mum's neighbour to pop in and asked to speak to her and she said the same and suggested I go up. I did so and by the time I got there she seemed much better, but had no recollection of repeating the bathroom rug story and had a very dry mouth.
We had a long talk and I think I might know what it could be. I'm deliberately missing something out of this story as I think it could be rather leading.

Does anyone have any ideas on what could have caused this reaction in my mum? Your thoughts very much appreciated

OP posts:

WanderingTrolley · 12/01/2007 11:10

Do you think she may have had a mini stroke?

I think she needs to see a gp.

LittleBoSheep · 12/01/2007 11:13

Sounds like a stroke to me too - didnt NHS direct help at all? I would say she definately needs to see a doctor even if you have to literally drag her. May be nothing but at least that would put your mind at rest.

pretendmum · 12/01/2007 11:14

My grandad did this after he had had a mini stroke in the night so this may be the cause.
My nan had a funny turn one day and this was caused by a blocked artery somewhere so this may also be a cause.
Get the GP to see her and i hope she is well soon

Avalon · 12/01/2007 11:14

No idea - sorry. Think she needs to see her GP.

Original poster

winestein · 12/01/2007 11:14

I did think she had initially, but she spoke to the emergency GP last night and he was happy she hadn;t as she could just recite name, date, day, d.o.b. etc off pat

OP posts:

Miaou · 12/01/2007 11:15

Hmmm - how old is she, winestein? Not being funny, but does she drink?

Clutching at straws here but had she taken the bathroom door off to file it or was she doing it in situ? If in situ then presumably she spent a long time with her head lower than her heart, which will cause all sorts of issues with her blood flow to her brain etc.

In terms of anything more sinister/permanent - then I would keep a note of the incident and look out for similar signs of confusion etc. I wouldn't have thought there would be anything medical that could/should be done unless it was part of a pattern of behaviour IYSWIM.

tamum · 12/01/2007 11:16

Transient ischaemic attack, or mini-stroke I would say. Dh did exactly the same once 15 years ago but never since, MIL has had a few. Always the same, repeating the story and then full recovery. She should get checked because if it is that she should probably be thinking about anti-coagulants or aspirin.

tamum · 12/01/2007 11:17

Emergency GP sounds like he doesn't understand- the whole point about TIAs is that you make a full recovery within 24 hours at the outside, but usually an hour ot two. Hmmm.

Lorina · 12/01/2007 11:19

If the door was still on its hinges when she was doing her DIY then she would have had her head bent right down for a while. That could make anyone feel light-headed and faint.
Fingers crossed that was all it was.

Original poster

winestein · 12/01/2007 11:19

had had* a ministroke that is.

She's 71 Miaou. She doesn't drink to excess (she has a glass of red wine at night and she hadn't even done that as of the incident).

I was thinking that about the filing as the door was in situ, but she said she didn;t feel dizzy or anything like that.. just odd.

The blocked artery is interesting, and I will certainly keep a note of everything.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone think that this could possibly be related to stress or depression at all?

OP posts:

tamum · 12/01/2007 11:22

Stress can be a risk factor for TIAs, so yes, possibly.

Original poster

winestein · 12/01/2007 11:23

Tamum... my mum is on ace inhibitors and beta blockers plus aspirin after coming off warfarin (she had a suspected heart attack about 3 years ago).

When I went up last night I made her check she hadn't overdosed on any of her medicine and she had forgotten to take her ace inhibitor.

I'm going up again soon and hauling her ass off to the GPs for sure.

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Original poster

winestein · 12/01/2007 11:24

Tamum - do you think recovery from a TIA could be within less than 24 hours. It was a couple of hours til I got up there last night from our initial conversation and her mind seemed to have come back. Could it take a couple of hours?

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Original poster

winestein · 12/01/2007 11:26

To let you all know the missing info... my dad was buried on 20 December. She loved him very very much and is grieving him. I'm off up there now - thank you for all the helpful replies

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tamum · 12/01/2007 11:27

Ah- maybe she needs to get back on the warfarin? Anti-coagulants can be affected dramatically be things like small changes in diet, so she may need to have her dose monitored carefully. I remember hearing someone give a seminar about what a pain it is when he has stabilised someone in hospital with exactly the right does, and then they go home and start eating a healthy diet (not available in hospital, obv) and the doses all have to be changed again. I have to say, if she has already had a heart attack then that makes the TIA much more likely. You're absolutely right to take her to the GP. They're pretty preventable, which is the good thing.

tamum · 12/01/2007 11:28

Oh winestein, I am so, so sorry. You poor thing

BonyM · 12/01/2007 12:43

I'd also say mini-stroke. Happpened to my mum alsmost 2 years ago - very similar symptoms. Could be linked to depression. My mum is on anti-depressants now.

Hope she's ok.

BonyM · 12/01/2007 12:43

So sorry about your dad .

Original poster

winestein · 12/01/2007 21:12

Update for all you lovely people... hauled my mum off off the doctors... and Miaou wins the prize She had reduced the blood flow to her head by her ridiculous position filing the bottom of the door and took a funny turn. Until this afternoon, I wouldn't have believed either this possible or the effect it would have - it was quite remarkable. Without my mum prompting it, the doctor seemed to second guess her concerns and after her examination said immediately that she hadn't had a stroke or mini stroke.
Luckily my lovely, lovely dad was a precision toolmaker before training to become a Craft Design and Technology teacher and has some great tools which will allow me to take the door off it's hinges and plane the bottom for her. I can see I am going to have to watch my mum and her invincibility

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brimfull · 12/01/2007 21:17

What a relief for you and your mum,glad she's ok now.

brandy7 · 12/01/2007 21:19

glad shes ok,what a relief

belgianmama · 12/01/2007 21:25

Oh I'm happy that your mum's OK. Exactly the same happened to me when on the phone to my nan last month. She was in Belgium and I was here in the UK. It was very scary, because of the distance I couldn't just go and check on her. So I can imagine what it must have been like for you.
We're still not sure what it was, but my mum suspects it was caused by my nan forgetting to take her daily meds she's been on since having a mini stroke.

Original poster

winestein · 12/01/2007 21:29

Thank you

I haven't properly cried for my dad yet but the thought of my mum going too made me blub on the way up last night. It is a huge relief and has made me vow that I will never glaze over any ridiculous ideas she has in conversation, such as filing the bottom of the bathroom door off, again

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Original poster

winestein · 12/01/2007 21:31

That must be worrying Belgianmama - I really do feel for you. You can buy weekly pill boxes that have compartments for each day of the week, divided into 4 compartments for different times of the day. Perhaps that would help your Nan?

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colditz · 12/01/2007 21:35

ccording to a hairdresser who used to visit old peoplles homes, she has been told never to get the old people to bed forward over the sink, as it cn induce a stroke. So, if your mum was bending opver with her head quite low, she may have had a TIA

Gp sounds like he has no idea what he is taalking about, his questions seem to indicate he waas looking for a full blown stroke.

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