Posted one other time and never got any information. Has anyone ever been diagnosed with or known someone diagnosed with/living with the carotid artery dissection??? I would surely like to have someone to chat with, write to, talk to. I was diagnosed three years ago and life, as I knew it, has drastically changed. Thanks in advance.

Hi Donna Jean. What exactly is a dissected carotid artery? What are the symptoms?

I am sorry I have not been here lately...I was becoming discouraged at not being able to find any info on my illness. When the carotid dissection occured, I had severe pain in my head and a horrible coughing that I could not control. I did not have a cold or do not have allergies etc. It was like an extreme migraine and worse...I could not get up off the bed. The following morning when I did get up and the pain had subsided a little, one pupil was large and one pupil very small. I went to the doctor and was quickly referred to a neurologist, referred to the MRI/MRA clinic, X-rays, a stroke specialist and put on blood thinner etc. etc. etc. They said the carotid dissection was the result of a stroke, which there was no evidence of my having. The carotid artery is the artery (ies) that take blood to and from your brain. The dissection is where one breaks and blood leaks out and causes a clot which can later travel to the brain to cause that stroke they have been waiting for now for three years. NOw they think that the dissection is the cause of a stroke instead of the other way around. Apparently they did not see the dissection in many until post stroke recoveries.
I do not have much range of motion in my neck...the cure is to avoid trauma to the neck and head. Some heal and some do not, as I am told. Mine has not. I can not lift anything, nor do anything that really taxes the blood pressure, a real learning experience.
That is all I know. I keep hoping that I am not possibly the only one with this affliction but so far have not been able to find anyone with the similar or same problem. Thanks for the inquiry. My doctor tells me I know more than he does at this point and he is learning from me.

Donna Jean,

I was diagnosed with a dissected carotid artery in January of this year. I would love to e-mail you or you can e-mail me if you like at vitale@hugheshubbard.com

Dear Donna Jean,
I am so happy to have found someone with the same problem I am having. I was diagnosed with a dissected carotid artery and am now going treatment. I have tried to contact you once before but my registration wasn't going through. Would love to comapare notes.

Hello Donna Jean -

I was diagnosed last week with a dissected carotid artery. How has your life changed? Would love to correspond with you about this.

-Laura
Laura@iwmail.com

Originally posted by Donna Jean:
Posted one other time and never got any information. Has anyone ever been diagnosed with or known someone diagnosed with/living with the carotid artery dissection??? I would surely like to have someone to chat with, write to, talk to. I was diagnosed three years ago and life, as I knew it, has drastically changed. Thanks in advance.

Hello Laura,
I was diagnosed with a dissected carotid artery in January. I am still trying to find out how it happened to me, but for now, I am going treatment. Would love to compare notes. Please e-mail me at vitale@hugheshubbard.com
Thanks

I just suffered a stoke on Monday, May 12th from a dissected carotid artery. I didn't have any pain at all from the event but did have a total right side paralysis. The doctors were not able to disolve the clot but did put two stents inthe artery to repair the damage. I had a great recovery and only have a slight weakness on my right side with some visual blind spots in my left eye. I'm taking coumadin and have to have another MRA in 2 months. No one can say for sure why it happened and speculate it might have something to do with lifting weights. I racewalk and lift weights 3 times a week for 45mins a session. Have any only you lifted weights prior to your event? Would love to hear more of your stories.

Karen

Karen -

I also was diagnosed with a dissected carotid artery about a month ago. I also lift weights. If you would like to compared notes you can write me at don.gunn@att.net.

Don

I am a 34 year old male, good health, modertae smoker.
I suffered a stroke on June 29, 2003. I woke up around 6:00 am and my right side felt funny, like it was asleep. My wife says I was flopping around like a fish out of water. (I think I was trying to "wake up" my arm and leg.) I managed to get to the bathroom and down the steps. Once I sat down, it hit me full force, total right side paralysis, slurred speech, mouth drooping. The doctors ran a lot of tests (cat, mri, ultrasound of heart and neck) The diagnosis was dissected carotid artery on the left side, which caused the stroke. Full recovery with 12 hours of stroke. No identifiable side effects from stroke.
I am on Coumadin for six months, MRI, then probably Plavix (sp?) for year. Resume normal activity with 30 lbs weight restriction and I am not allowed to strain myself. Hopefully the artery heals and I will be back to full activity this time next year.
They tell me I am very lucky and tough.

One other note: absolutely no pain, no shortness of breath, never lost awareness of myself or surroundings, It was kind of strange.

This is in reply to the 34 year old guy in the last post, Yours sounds just like mine except I didn't have the "falling asleep feeling" in my limbs. I just wonder if you recall doing anything the day before that might have triggered the dissection. I'm still freaked out that I had no warning or did nothing unusual before I had the stroke.

------------------
Karen

Hmmm...that's what the doctors told you a dissected carotid artery was? I think they were explaining in a little "too simple" terms. Every artery in your body has layers in its wall. If the innermost layer tears a little bit, and then blood is allowed to "track inside the rip between the other layers" it is called a dissection. As time passes, the dissection can get bigger and bigger...clots can form (as you all mentioned) and you can suffer either a hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke. It's kinda amazing that there are so many people here who say they've had a dissected carotid....a dissected aorta, is much more common!

Hello all, I am a 37 yr old male. Had a left side dissection and horners in late may.Would like to know how many of you have had high blood pressure before, during and after the dissection. Mine was 200 over 150 on being admitted to hospital and although the dissection is no longer a problem (I think) the four medications I am on do not control the blood pressure. To me the dissection has caused the B.P. problems by distorting the pressure sensors in the carotid sinus but the doctors won't say which came first, B.P. or dissection. Have seen a site that links high B.P. with Horners syndrome but not with dissection of the carotid artery. Looking forward to your replies.
Rob robspoolshop@iprimus.com.au

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Hi Karen, I also had a stroke due to a carotid artery dissection. Mine occurred on July 5th 2007, so it's been 6 months ago. I also did not know the cause which seems to be a common mystery among the group here. I was running, biking and swimming regulary, training for a triathlon which I had just competed in one week prior to the stroke. I was in the best shape of my life and had also completed a half marathon 2 months prior. The only thing my doctor's and myself could imagine might have contributed to causing the stroke would be the swimming training I had begun (I'm not much of a swimmer)
The only other physical thing I did prior to my stroke was a 20 mile bike ride (the day before). How are you recovering? I lost the use of my right arm and leg (temporarily) On this day my right hand and foot are still slightly less coordinated than they used to be and I've gained 20 lbs. which is the most depressing part of it all for me. I'm certain it's due to the fact that I stopped exercising and haven't been able to get re-motivated.
Take Care-

Hi
I had a stroke in September 2007 due to a dissection of an artery. Initially they told me is was a carotid artery dissection but after a second MRI in Jan i was told the dissection occurred at the base of my skull. I remember feeling really strange and then not being able to walk very well (had to let my dog out) and bouncing off walls as I was walking. Don't remember how but next thing I was on the floor and unable to get up because my right side had no strength. I was on my own at the time so it was a bit scary! Eventually I got a bit of strength back and managed to contact friends....this was all occurring over hours. I think it was about 11 pm when it first started and by the time I got to hospital it was 4 am. Passed out on the bed for some time after getting up off the floor.
Had Horner's syndrome and weakness on right side for a few weeks afterwards. Luckily everything has resolved - my cognitive functioning wasn't really impaired in any way and I think the only residual is that I'm more emotional and have put on a heap of weight. I notice that Josie9 said she has put on a lot of weight and I have been wondering whether part of my weight gain is due to the pills I'm on. I read on a website that a cholesterol lowering drug had put on weight for some people - I'm on Lipitor - has anyone else experienced weight gain? I've been very conscious of what I've been eating have started exercising more and eating less and still I've put it on.
When I asked doctors what caused it most respond with trauma to the neck such as whiplash, blow to the neck or manipulation. I had been going to an osteopath for a couple of years and about every 6 months got my neck manipulated due to degeneration in the neck. The last time I had it done was 3 weeks prior to the stroke. My neurologist said he doesn't even let hairdressers wash his hair as they can tend to be a bit rough with your neck. That said it all for me!!! Not allowing anybody to touch my neck again!!!!
The other lasting effect is fatigue and apparently this is one of the most common complaints that people suffer after a stroke and it can last a long while. I have started back at work on reduced hours and days and am finding 3 six hour days enough for the time being.
Hope this has been of some help - it's great to find a site where you can talk about this.


Jenny