Thursday, May 13, 2021

did I have a ministroke?

I'll be checking into this, but what you can't see, from your side of the keyboard, is what a struggle it's become to type anything all of a sudden.  I'd been chalking this up to simple fatigue, but today, I finally noticed that most of my problem has to do with the right side of my body.  I have trouble walking up and down stairs, and as I said above, I'm suddenly having a lot of trouble typing.  Even more, I appear to be mumbling, now:  twice, on two separate days, I've told the cabbie to take me to Daechi Station, and he couldn't figure out what I was saying.

I can still move, which is why I suspect that, if this is a stroke, it's a ministroke.  Of course, I'm no doctor, so this could be something else entirely.  I'll keep you apprised of the situation, as I can.  Sit tight.


ADDENDUM:  according to Healthline

• a ministroke resolves in 24 hours
• a ministroke causes no permanent disabilities
• 1 in 3 ministroke victims go on to have a real stroke
• early treatment is therefore essential

Symptoms (I've bolded the ones I've experienced)—

dysphasia & dysarthria (difficulty speaking)
• vision changes
• confusion
balance issues
• tingling
• altered consciousness
• dizziness
• passing out
• severe headache
• abnormal senses of taste & smell
weakness and/or numbness on only one side of the body

I'm supposed to visit the ER if I have any of these symptoms.  Well, I've got three, so I guess I'll be visiting the ER.  It's scary, and yet not.  As I wrote above, I'll keep you apprised.  I keep wondering whether this has anything to do with the hiccups.  And I assume that, if I've got weakness on my right side, the problem must be in (on?) the left side of my brain.

ADDENDUM 2:  oh, yeah—

Causes of a ministroke (I've bolded what's most likely for me):

blood clots
hypertension
• atherosclerosis
• carotid artery disease
diabetes
high cholesterol

How long does a ministroke last?

Under 24 hours.  Symptoms are often gone by the time you see a doctor.

You can read more at the above link.



1 comment:

Daniel said...

Apologies for the long absence. Been a crazy semester. Still lurking on a regular basis. Get those symptoms checked out ASAP.