TIA-like episodes?

[moreli01]

My mother (age 66) was diagnosed with MS about 25 years ago.  Her symptoms are mild and have progressed very slowly.  She has trouble swallowing and occasionally will have numbness in her legs.  She was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia before Thanksgiving and underwent laparoscopic surgery just after Christmas to correct it.  

Anyways, around the time her hernia was diagnosed, we noticed extreme personality changes, mostly occurring at night, and after a few glasses of wine.  Her affect would shift drastically, and her face and presentation would become very flat.  She had difficulty coordinating her movements, stumbling and needing help climbing stairs.  She would become very negative, almost combative.  These episodes occur mainly at night, and she wakes up the next morning with no memory of what happened.  After her hernia surgery, the incidence of these episodes decreased.  However, over the past few weeks (corresponding once again with her inability to eat more than a few bite of food - maybe her hernia has returned?) these nightly episodes are occurring more frequently.

She has been examined by a neurologist and EEGs have been negative.  I'm wondering whether other people diagnosed with MS experience similar episodes, and if they can be considered TIAs.  Any suggestions or input would be helpful - we are at a loss as to how to handle these episodes, and what steps we should take.

Thanks!

[moreli01]

Thanks for the input!

It does seem to happen after she has had a glass or 2 of wine, usually on an empty stomach.  She has been working to decrease her consumption, as it does seem correlated to the alcohol.  It seems to be the one variable that has never really changed.

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

I'm thinking along the same lines as Jen, multiple TIA's seems unlikely to me simply because there is a recurring pattern and frequency to the episodes.....

A couple of glasses of alcohol may not seem like much but alcohol and medications cause negative interactions, then you've got the direct effect alcohol has on the brain and central nervous system, empty stomach effecting alcohol tolerance, possible MS fatigue issues associated with the time of day, etc etc

I would definitely consider if it is the alcohol consumption causing this, and also possibly consider mental health. Is she's more often getting short tempered or distressed eg when she needs someone to help her, over reacting to something said, more snappy, easily irritated at her self and others, weepy etc?

It could be that when she does have a glass or two, it's just making her moodiness all standing out more.......it wouldn't be unexpected for her to be unaware of her behaviours if she's dealing with a mental health issue and she's more easily reacting.

Either could explain why, in the morning she doesn't recall her self behaving out of character, possibly more so if it's both combined....

Cheers.........JJ

[jenphilly]

You mention wine.... are the incidents always preceeded by wine?

With a compromised central nervous system wine may have a whole different effect on her these days.  

Just curious!