Donna Jean

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.