Is it possible I had a stroke?

[missalisa]

Seven weeks ago I landed in the ER with PVCs. Thousands a day. I'd never had them before. At the time, I had an excruciating headache on the right front of my head. Since then, my speech has been slightly slurred, it feels like it's delayed. I don't have issues writing or reading, just speaking. My lips feel numb and weird, and won't work right unless I really concentrate on it. I still have the PVCs/PACs, and am now on beta blockers for them. (The meds don't diminish the frequency, only the sensation). I am wondering if I had a stroke. They did a CAT scan in the ER, but I understand these are not always accurate at showing stroke. My symptoms are degenerating, into tremors and general exhaustion. I am at my wits' end.

[Wisconsin2007]

I did some reading on this recently -

Of note is the rate of onset of symptoms.  For stroke to be likely, all of your symptoms should have come on suddenly.  All reference material I've found describes "sudden onset" as the introduction to every symptom.  If you were in the ER without these symptoms and they developed over the following week or weeks, it appears stroke is unlikely.

If you look through old threads in the stroke community here, you'll find a doctor who also explains that symptoms of a stroke don't progress over time - they are sudden.

As for them being causative in your case of PVC's - from what I've read that's unlikely.

Hope that helps.  Hope you get your local 2nd opinion on the PVC's too, and give yourself a chance to de-stress.  Maybe give yourself a week's vacation - let your husband take your child for awhile, and you just get away somewhere relaxing.  Usually takes me 3-4 days to fully unwind.

[SassyLassie]

I would certainly see your physician about this as soon as possible. It could very well be stress or a mineral deficiency, but, then again, it could also be a TIA meaning mini strokes. This is not something to play with, so, please for your own good health, get it checked.

Please keep us posted.

[ireneo]

I would recommend being checked by your doctor. If you're having TIA's, then they would be an early warning of a possible stroke in the near future. I hope it's just some stress or low magnesium but it's better to know for sure. Please take care.

[Piszean]

PVC or "skipped beat/palpitation", a common form of arrhythmia, is not necessarily an indication of a stroke (cerebrovascular accident), but could be caused by heart attack and hypertension.It occurs to any individual with or without a heart disease. However, you should minimize your intake of caffeine in the form of coffee, chocolates; have enough sleep, rest, exercise and RELAX. Your headache could be due to hypertension; the numbness sensation around your lip area could be caused by a low level of magnesium in your blood, which is often associated with low calcium and low potassium.To be sure, ask your doctor for a laboratory test of your serum magnesium and serum potassium levels, and your lipid profile as well. Hope you get better soon.

[Septiva]

Jerry_NJ is right, the "stoke community would be better to ask that question". If you had MVP, then yes a stroke would be very possible.

[Jerry_NJ]

Some of your symptoms sound suspiciously like a stroke.

You may bet better inputs from the "stroke community"

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/show/62

[Septiva]

Sounds like high anxiety but I'm no doctor. From what I undrerstand, mild strokes do happen and they are so mild that you may not know it. However PVCS/PACS don't cause strokes. If I'm wrong someone correct me.