I was in the supermarket wednesday night when I felt everything spinning. My face went numb and I felt very weak. I told a member of staff what was happening and immediately had to lie down and sleep on the floor. I thought when I woke up that all was ok.

I stood up slowly and told them I was fine. I took 3 steps and fell unconscious. Off to the ER again. When I woke up in the ambulance they were asking for my details and I could not say anything. I kept trying but my tongue felt floppy, I felt so weak, felt very sick, the room was spinning.

The paramedic seemed to not believe me. I was in the ER for 2 hrs. The on call doc came to speak to me, he asked me what I wanted him to do!! I said "I don't suppose you are allowed to authorise a contrast MRI are you?". He said, "no" and said there was nothing they could do so discharged me.

It was by then 2a.m. I was stranded at the hospital, my husband was at home with my daughter so I walked, in that state back to the supermarket to my car in the dark.

It's madness.

So did I have a TIA? How can I get the doctors to believe my symptoms? Have you suffered anything like this?

I don't have a comment on your experience but I suggest you write up a record of your head injury and other issues and put it somewhere prominent, purse, etc. If it can be readily available for you to grab when you are sensing an episode, you can hopefully have it in your hand. My father kept a pouch around his neck with information/directions on the back side.

If it does not help you with a diagnosis, it will at least help the first responders understand what may have happened.

My best to you.

I had a similar episode while walking last week. I, too, had the same symptoms you described and had to call 911.

You said the paramedic didn't believe you. Did you by chance tell them you were recovering from a TBI/concussion? Soon as you tell them that its a game-killer. Especially if you tell them it's happened before. They immediately act like they don't know what to say and offer little help. That makes me mad they wouldn't give you a brain scan. Most ER's will be quick to give you a CT. I can't have anymore of those. Usually you'll only be eligible for an MRI if you've been admitted.

Does you and your husband share the same vehicle? I'm sorry you had to walk in that condition.

I can't answer your question about a TIA. Only a doctor would be able to tell you that. Did the doctor give you a neurological exam?

Through my experience with the medical world in the last year and a half, I've found that if you tell the paramedics, ER doctor or even your own doctor you're recovering from a TBI (unless they are a brain injury specialist), they don't really know how to help you. I wouldn't say they don't believe you, it's more of they don't KNOW what to say because the brain is such a mysterious thing. There is still so much unknown about it and the doctor doesn't want to speak on something he knows nothing about.

Does that make sense?

Please, keep searching for that one doctor who will understand. It will make all the difference in the world.

Godspeed,

Nick

Thanx SC,

Your right as soon as you say this is a common occurance they do not want to know. Thankfully yesterday I recieved an appt to see a neurologist. I have hope.

Many thanks for your kindness.

Ugh... So sorry you went through this alone. How scary!

As for the TIA, I have a relative who has had this happen. She was at work when it happened, and thankfully her niece also works there and was able to give the medics info regarding her previous TIAs, because she said she could hear everything that was going on, but she couldn't respond. I have never had this happen, but it sounds like its at least a possiblity.

As for the ER/Medics not understanding, been there. 3 months after my accident, I experienced something similar but did not go unconcious. I think I was partly dehydrated and that's why it happened, but I was helping my boyfriend take clothes off the clothesline when I felt dizzy, sick and like I was gonna collapse. He got me inside and got ice packs to put on my neck and face. After 15 minutes of this, I had cooled down, but I started slurring my speech, had a pounding pain in my head and was really confused.

My boyfriend was worried and took me straight to the ER. The doctor who treated me was so incredibly rude. While trying to check my vitals, he kept asking me to open my eyes so he could check my pupils. But when I would try, my eyes would roll back. He got extremely annoyed and made a few rude comments. I tried to explain I couldn't control this, but he didn't care. He did an IV of fluids, (which was needed), but no testing. He diagnosed it as a migraine and released me.

I have had migraines before, (even before my accident), and this was wayyy more than a migraine. But he thought I was playing games with him, so he did no further testing. Because in my confused state, I would be with it enough to keep rolling my eyes back like that??? believe me, I had trouble hearing him and trying to follow directions, putting my own thoughts together was something way beyond my abilities at that point in time!

I hope some day this changes. That ER and medics have training on brain injury, so that they can understand better when something like this happens.

Take it easy and make sure you document what happened so you can take it with you to the neuro.

I agree with space, keep going until you find a doctor who gets it. It makes all the difference!

Mindy

Thank you SmilingEyes for your reply.

I will document it all because memory is 'caput' since accident. Sorry you endured a similar exp. I think unless you are having a stroke, medics don't know how to deal with neuro abnormalities.