help please - Stroke Message Board

jodster · 03-12-2004, 07:31 AM

On Valentine's Day my dad had a minor stroke. (he had a minor one 2 1/2 years ago too). So on 2/15/04 they did a bunch of tests. His carotid arteries are so bad in his neck. His left side is blocked 100% and right side blocked 90%. he also had blockage in both legs and 30-40% blockage in his heart. He is on lipitor, coumadin, baby aspirin and a few other meds for unrelated things. He was able to go home from the hospital a week after Valentine's Day. He was doing so good. You could not tell he had a stroke. He followed all doctors orders. He quit smoking one year ago. he started eating so healthy and lost 20 pounds. He is only 60, and now at 240 pounds (he is almost 6 foot). I love my dad so much. Anyways this past Tuesday, 3/9/04, I got a call at work that he had another stroke. I got to the hospital and he could barely talk and his R side of face was droopy. The emergency room doctor was going to send him home! His neurologist said no so he was admitted. They took him off coumadin b/c they said it may give him a brain bleed, but now he may have anther stroke, double edge sword the doc said. So what were they doing for him, nothing, beside speech therapy. Then they ordered him coumadin the next day, but did not say how they were going to monitor him for brain bleed. Anyways, I went there yesterday and he was MUCH worse. His speech was worse, he almost fell, he was dragging his right foot, could barely use his hand and could barely get up. So I told the nurse. She called the neurlogist. He came up 1 hour later. He said he could clearly see the decline. he ordered the MRI stat! 2 hours later they came to get him, ya that's stat. His lesion on his brain from Tuesday got bigger, but no brain bleed. We had to hear this from the nurse b/c the doctor was not there. When he was there earlier I asked him what they are doing to monitor him since they are giving him coumadin. he said oh no, that is heprin that may give him brain bleeds. I KNOW HE SAID COUMADIN ON TUESDAY! Anyways, this morning, dad is on a heprin drip! He is not doing any better Oh, his coumadin levels were good last Thursday, 2.8, and in the ER they were 1.2. He did not forget to take any doses. I feel the doctors are not being agressive enough and not giving us answers. Maybe it's just me. Whatcan theydo? I guess i needed to vent, but am also hoping for some advice. Thank you.

rexington2000 · 03-12-2004, 04:06 PM

Hi, This is an awful,but all too common story. Had he received aggressive treatment with carotid atrery surgery on the right side it might have averted the stroke. Unfortunately, while the treatment of his primary problem was sidelined, his doctors managed to do a cardiac catheterization which was not helpful, and examined his leg circulation which is now inconsequential. The public should DEMAND aggressive treatment to avert strokes by competent, experienced physicians committed to stroke prevention.

mandy5149 · 03-13-2004, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jodster

On Valentine's Day my dad had a minor stroke. (he had a minor one 2 1/2 years ago too). So on 2/15/04 they did a bunch of tests. His carotid arteries are so bad in his neck. His left side is blocked 100% and right side blocked 90%. he also had blockage in both legs and 30-40% blockage in his heart. He is on lipitor, coumadin, baby aspirin and a few other meds for unrelated things. He was able to go home from the hospital a week after Valentine's Day. He was doing so good. You could not tell he had a stroke. He followed all doctors orders. He quit smoking one year ago. he started eating so healthy and lost 20 pounds. He is only 60, and now at 240 pounds (he is almost 6 foot). I love my dad so much. Anyways this past Tuesday, 3/9/04, I got a call at work that he had another stroke. I got to the hospital and he could barely talk and his R side of face was droopy. The emergency room doctor was going to send him home! His neurologist said no so he was admitted. They took him off coumadin b/c they said it may give him a brain bleed, but now he may have anther stroke, double edge sword the doc said. So what were they doing for him, nothing, beside speech therapy. Then they ordered him coumadin the next day, but did not say how they were going to monitor him for brain bleed. Anyways, I went there yesterday and he was MUCH worse. His speech was worse, he almost fell, he was dragging his right foot, could barely use his hand and could barely get up. So I told the nurse. She called the neurlogist. He came up 1 hour later. He said he could clearly see the decline. he ordered the MRI stat! 2 hours later they came to get him, ya that's stat. His lesion on his brain from Tuesday got bigger, but no brain bleed. We had to hear this from the nurse b/c the doctor was not there. When he was there earlier I asked him what they are doing to monitor him since they are giving him coumadin. he said oh no, that is heprin that may give him brain bleeds. I KNOW HE SAID COUMADIN ON TUESDAY! Anyways, this morning, dad is on a heprin drip! He is not doing any better Oh, his coumadin levels were good last Thursday, 2.8, and in the ER they were 1.2. He did not forget to take any doses. I feel the doctors are not being agressive enough and not giving us answers. Maybe it's just me. Whatcan theydo? I guess i needed to vent, but am also hoping for some advice. Thank you.

I understand perfectly what you are going through. My husband, 57, has the same scenario. He has had two strokes since Thanksgiving (2003). He has 100% blockage of the right carotid and 80% blockage of the left. We have been told that he has to wait 6 weeks post-stroke for carotid surgery as this is a very high risk operation and the longer we wait....the better outcome. I worry he will have another stroke in the meantime. It is unnerving....to say the least. He also had blockage in heart....angioplasty was done a few weeks ago. His leg is going numb and painful......battery of tests done in past two weeks but no one has told me the results yet. It does seem that no one works fast enough but I guess they have their own timetables. By the way, my husband has been aphasic (speech problem) since the first stroke with only a slight degree of progress. Hang in there and ask about carotid surgery on the one that is still viable. Hope I helped a little. Linda