Scout-

Hi,

I've been reading this board since last night, taking in as much information as I can without scaring myself witless (it's not easy). I've read through a lot of threads about TIA's and aura migraines and have certainly acquired knowledge I did not have prior. I do feel however, that I am none the wiser on what to do about my particular situation as the information I've read matches with some of what I've experienced, but does not seem to correlate with what I'm currently experiencing.

Here is the background info to what is going on with me. I am a 28y.o male, overweight and have BP problems that fluctuate from 13x/86+ through to 14x-16x/95+-120 when I am under extreme stress or am not being smart (diet, lack of sleep, general stupidity etc) or am anxious (I had anxiety problems about a year ago, which I have overcome to the point where I'd say the things that make me anxious now are 'normal' and would scare anybody i.e racing pulse or sudden migraine pain.) I've been dieting, eating well and generally trying to change my ways and improve my health these past few weeks, but have been called upon by my mother to do some extremely strenous physical work this past week. She has workmen round her place and I've had to move lots and lots of heavy items and furniture from one room into another with little time for rest or breathers - we're talking old wardrobes, huge old tvs (one 70kg widescreen) and many, many boxes full of books etc. Basically, it has felt like a weights session at the gym (which you would normally do for 20mins to an hour tops) for 3days straight and I found myself to be exhuasted and drained on Wednesday night.

I should have been checking my BP and getting sleep, but with so much work to do and with so little time to do it in, I let 'the little things' slip, again! And I'm quite certain my BP had been creeping up throughout the week; heavy lifting, no breaks, no sleep, fast food between working and the stress of a mother not wanting you damaging anything you move... arghh! anyway, I got some time out and was watching a game on TV when I fell asleep, I woke up abruptly about 35minutes later and when I did I had a sharp pain on the left side of my head at the top of the hemisphere and about 7inches up and in line with my left eye - I've had headaches all my life so this in itself did not worry me as I am used to or should I say, have experience of waking up with such problems - what worried me, and still does. Is that my right arm was numb and felt heavy and then I had pins and needles in it from my tricep/bicep area down to my fingers. I've known this to be synomous with strokes and mini strokes so I was panicked. I read out loud of a calender in the room - my speech was not impaired, nor my vision or balance. In fact, the only thing(s) I had wrong with me were the right arm and the left-upper hemisphere.

I took my BP whilst in an alarmed/anxious state and it was very high: 16x-17x/115-124 now, here is where the problems arise. I don't know what could be the cause as too many factors were in place for me to isolate a specific indicator. I had taken some lozenges for a sore throat 'Moracaine' I'd also eaten fast food, was extremely stressed, exhausted and irritable from sleep deprivation - my first urge was to go to the emergency room, but I realised that the right arm numbness was persistant rather than a sudden coming and going which seems to be identifiable with what I've read about people who have had numbness in the arms during TIA's i.e the arm goes back to normal an hour or two later...

I have been taking my BP regularly the last few days and yesterday it was again very high, but I am aware that accelerant drugs that boost BP take 12-36hrs to leave the system (I've had bad experience with cold syrups before) and sure enough today after relaxing and having enough time to safely say the 'Moracaine' would be out of my system, my BP is back to what it was before this week started, high, but nothing I can't lower with weight loss (I've done so before - I'm like a lemming ) but the right arm is still 'not right' I have a warm sensation eminating from my bicep area downwards and I'm just not sure anymore of what to think. I'm led to believe on here and all over the net when researching transcient ischemic attacks that the influence on the arms or legs is temprorary and does not stay for 2days!! Am I correct with this line of thinking?

I really hate hospitals and my GP, so it really is a last alternative to go to either one. I am not stupid and know I put myself in danger with this, but I promised myself I would go if things were out of keeping with what I usually go through. Apart from the arm, things seem normal. I've done a lot of training in my life, and in many ways it feels like i have a 'dead arm' or 'dead arm syndrome' it's what I would most liken this too.

- Would anyone with experience of a 'dead arm' or 'dead leg' liken a TIA to it, or is it different?

- My problem in the arm also seems to be localised (bicep/tricep) and travelling from that point downward, is that similar to what happens during/after a TIA. The 'numbness' issue I've read about on this board and with my research seems to be ambiguous and so I'm not sure if it is right of me to try to relate?

- Is it possible to have a TIA with absolutely no symptoms of anything, but a pain in the upper hemisphere of the head and a numbness that is localised on one arm and goes down it? As I say, I had none of the other regonised symptoms and really don't know where I stand with this.

I ask here because I've found these boards to be a lot more helpful than my GP in the past. He is dismissive, rude and has the attitude that his word is law and putting questions to him is blasphemous (he has a dispicable attitude for a GP, and is large part of why I generally cringe at the thought of going to either him or the hospital unless it is a last resort) I am from the UK and here it is quite impossible to demand another doctor unless you are wealthy enough to be able to afford private healthcare.

I was distraught and distressed on Wednesday when this happened and very nervous yesterday, but with the help of this board, I think I've got an education on a subject I only touched peripherally before (strokes and the like are scary things, I'm almost embarassed to be posting here in the event all I have is a damaged arm and the coincidence of a headache from lack of sleep and rest) and have taken aspirin daily since Wenesday as a precautionary measure.

I'd be extremely grateful for information from those of you who have had TIA's. Does the localised numbness of my arm sound similar, or have I jumped to a conclusion that's way off?

Apologies for the length of this post, congrats if you read it all I am nervous and unsure, but trying to stay upbeat. The knowledge from you guys in the know would help me greatly right about now.

Thanks for your time,

Scout