Gran has had a stroke, hospital won't do a scan, what now?

[ChopsTheDuck]

She had a stroke fri night, went into hospital saturday morning and has been getting increasingly confused since. She is 75, usually very with it, and excellent mobility.

The hospital didnt get a consultant to see her until today and they wont do a scan - they are saying there is no point. We're worried because she is increasingly confused.

COuld we get a private scan? How would we go about it?

what do you think the scan would tell you?

The Stroke Association has a great website

That sounds really odd to me. I'm pretty sure that's not stroke best practice guidelines.
Agree, look at the stroke association website and try to find national guidelines. Will have a look for you too.

a scan can tell you if it is a bleed or a clot - which makes a big difference to the way you treat it. But I think it needs to be done quickly to be of much use - it might be a bit later to make much difference now.

You can get it done privately - try ringing local private hospitals and asking.

we worried as to whether she is still bleeding, since she seems to be going downhill. Also, it should give a much better idea of the situationa nd what treatment she could have. ATM they are doing nothing apart from keeping her on a drip.

about tests after stroke
Says brain scan should be within 24hrs

Agree, scan would tell what kind of stroke and if a bleed there might be something they could do.
Ask for a second opinion. It's your right to do that.

meant to say sorry about your gran

but if she is confused will she keep absolutely still during the scan?
They will not sedate some one who has had a stroke to peroform a scan to tell them what they already know...she has had a stroke.
Rehabilitation will be the key now.
She may well be confused because of swelling because of the stroke in the brain.
Just like when you bang your hnd and it swells up.
This should sunbside over the next few days and she may become less confused.
Tis very dificult situation, sorry for you x

Thanks for the links, some very useful stuff on there. Looks like scan should have been performed a lot earlier. They didn't want to do anything at the weekend though.

i think it is common to become increasingly confused in the first few days after a stroke - becuase the brain is in trauma - it takes a few days for the initial swelling to go down - then they can begin to assess the longer term damage.

most hospitals run scan depts at weekends and at night, that isnt really the issue.
The issue is would a scan result change the treatment and no it probably would not.

Treatment includes waiting for brain to settle, then rehabilitation.

but how do they know whether it is a clot or a bleed without a scan? Isn't the treatment different for both?

no,
rehabilitation is the treatment.

If it was severe enough to render her unconcious, and affect her airway then they may have chosen to scan her.

One thing that is tell tale is her heart, if she has a certain funny rythm then a clot is likely, if that is the case them medication and warfarin will be choice of treatment.

Not allot they can do about a bleed, other than neuro surgery, they would have done that had she been unconcious and remained unconcious for a prolonged period.

Truthfully, they would have needed to sedate her to scan her...that is not something that they would do on some one who is awake and talking, even if confused.
The possible side effects of that are not good.
Honestly, they are doing the right thing, even if it does look like they are not doing a great deal.

This must be very distressing for you and your family.

Mmm, It seems you're getting a lot of conflicting info here - sorry to be part of that. Am aware I'm not an expert here, just on the fringes of healthcare. Probably I think the best thing to do is to ask for a meeting with your gran's consultant and write down all the questions you have.
Ask if national guidelines for stroke have been followed, and about what will happen next.
Best wishes for her recovery. Donbean is right, rehabilitation is very important now.
Hope this helps.

it does sound like they are doing the right thing - the shame is that it sounds as if they have not explained it very well to you and the family - perhaps be very calm and ask if you can talk to someone about it

Agree, write down questions and ask for appointment with consultant. You will feel much better with answers from the person who knows.

xx

agree with hairtwiddler about asking for a meeting. And at that meeting, ask what their plans are for rehab - look up the guidelines (think there's a link on the thread) and make sure they are going to give her every chance.

Also point out very strongly that before the stroke she was entirely with it, fit and mobile - unfortunately some health professionals tend to assume confusion and immobility is 'normal' for elderly people and don't think about the individual.

thank you donbean. It would help if the hospital explained more, or gave out this kind of info!

Hopefully, someone will be speaking to the consultant with her later this afternoon. Askign for an appointment probably is a good idea. Gran doesn't speak english, so they won't bne able to explain anything directly to her.

you're welcome x

Yes they are doing the right thing. Mil had the same and there is not much they can do.

It's not right to say 'there's nothing they can do' as a general rule. There is plenty that can be done for stroke patients but obviously it depends on the individual.

True... seem to remember an advertising campaign, "Stroke is a treatable condition"
How is she now chops? I hope your family has managed to get answers to your questions.

thanks for asking, she seems a bit brighter.

They have also decided to do a ct scan. Not sure why, since this morning they said no scan at all! Hopefully we will get to speak to the consultant once the results come through for that.

I guess a ct scan might help to show which bit is damaged and how extensive it is - which might affect the rehabilitation and physio etc.

Maybe they think the initial swelling should be reducing by now, enough to be able to start seeing the longer term damage.