Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

TIAs/Neurological Testing

Mothering3

Recommended Posts

Mothering3 Apprentice
Mothering3
Posted

I got diagnosed with Celiac Disease on Friday through a positive blood test after I started having liver problems.

About 3 years ago, while pregnant, I had a TIA (ministroke). They never found the cause of it, so (rather foolishly) diagnosed it as a migraine because of my age (25 at the time), and my being pregnant, even though my symptoms were classic TIA, and very atypical for a migraine.

A little over a year ago, I had another. This time I was at a better hospital. They admitted me for stroke care, did way more testing, and still found nothing. They diagnosed it as a TIA, with underlying cause unknown. They put me on aspirin therapy.

Now that I have been diagnosed with Celiac, I am wondering: Is there a test I could do to see if my TIAs are related to Celiac? If they are, I could probably stop aspirin therapy. Should I see a neurologist in addition to my GI?

Thoughts?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

Yes, I would. If you can see a neurologist they may be able to help you now that you have been diagnosed with Celiac. That is too serious to make the decision about stopping aspirin therapy on your own. But I wouldn't hold my breath that you will be able to find a neurologist knowledgeable about Celiac. But maybe if you can find a smart one, they will be willing to get up to speed on it to help you in your situation.

That is incredible that they called it a migraine. And that you had to suffer it again. Thank god you didn't stop looking for answers. Stay strong and yes, I would see a neurologist. They should be able to monitor such a thing with scans or something.

Mothering3 Apprentice
Mothering3
Posted
  • Author

Yes, I would. If you can see a neurologist they may be able to help you now that you have been diagnosed with Celiac. That is too serious to make the decision about stopping aspirin therapy on your own. But I wouldn't hold my breath that you will be able to find a neurologist knowledgeable about Celiac. But maybe if you can find a smart one, they will be willing to get up to speed on it to help you in your situation.

That is incredible that they called it a migraine. And that you had to suffer it again. Thank god you didn't stop looking for answers. Stay strong and yes, I would see a neurologist. They should be able to monitor such a thing with scans or something.

Well as far as the TIAs, they do not show up on a scan even if I have had one. They diagnosed it based on self-reported symptoms. I was curious if there is some kind of test that people do to check for Celiac-related neurological damage. I don't know if that is possible or not.

Jade

Mothering3 Apprentice
Mothering3
Posted
  • Author

That is incredible that they called it a migraine.

I know. Don't you love when doctors diagnose an individual based on broad health data rather than the person in front of them???

I've heard this happens with celiac disease a lot. Just heard of a woman who was told by her doctor that she did not have Celiac or need to be tested for it because she was overweight, and "Celiacs are underweight".

Seriously, if you are going to be an MD it is important to understand how medical statistics work. And that is not how they work.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Do you have balance issues? If you do mention them to the neurologist if you do see one. Have the TIA results sent to him or her also. They can do an MRI that looks for brain lesions, UBOs, that are found with celiac that has attacked the brain. There are tests they can do to see if you have had a TIA including a CT scan of the brain. There is also the possibility that what you had was indeed a migraine as that is something quite a few of us suffer from. The most important thing is for you to get right to an ER, calling an ambulance if needed, if it happens again.

Mothering3 Apprentice
Mothering3
Posted
  • Author

Do you have balance issues? If you do mention them to the neurologist if you do see one. Have the TIA results sent to him or her also. They can do an MRI that looks for brain lesions, UBOs, that are found with celiac that has attacked the brain. There are tests they can do to see if you have had a TIA including a CT scan of the brain. There is also the possibility that what you had was indeed a migraine as that is something quite a few of us suffer from. The most important thing is for you to get right to an ER, calling an ambulance if needed, if it happens again.

I did have those tests done at the time of both of my TIAs and have not had any neuro symptoms since then. They did not find anything. I think they would have seen lesions if that's what was causing the activity, but I don't know. My understanding is that it is common for TIAs to not show up on a brain scan, though sometimes they do. But what defines it as a TIA as opposed to a stroke is that there is no brain damage. If there is brain damage, even slightly, it is considered a stroke. I guess sometimes there are some other signs on the scan that some activity has happened, but oftentimes there is not. Also, since I went straight to the hospital at the onset of symptoms, they could also potentially see a migraine on the scan, but did not.

Migraine has not been ruled out.

Migraines are typically: accompanied by a headache or visual disturbances, last an hour or more in length, come on gradually, if numbness is involved it is typically bilateral numbness.

TIAs typically: come on suddenly, no headache or visual disturbances, last 1 minute-1/2 hour. come on suddenly, if numbness is involved it is typically unilateral.

My episodes fit all of the criteria for TIA and none for migraine. (Also involved aphasia, common TIA symptom). But it is definitely possible to have a migraine aura with no headache that seems like a TIA, it just seems less likely than a TIA to me given my symptoms.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Hopefully a good neurologist will be able to get to the bottom of what is going on. It must have been a very scarey experience and I hope it doesn't happen to you again. I agree with the other poster that you shouldn't stop the asprin until you have gotten an ok from a good neuro.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Mothering3 Apprentice
Mothering3
Posted
  • Author

Oh yeah, I wasn't intending to stop the aspirin without talking to a doctor. I was just thinking one reason to see a neurologist is that if we could find a connection, it might make sense to stop the aspirin. Wouldn't mind having one less pill to take!

Hopefully a good neurologist will be able to get to the bottom of what is going on. It must have been a very scarey experience and I hope it doesn't happen to you again. I agree with the other poster that you shouldn't stop the asprin until you have gotten an ok from a good neuro.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      128,210
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Sharon Camden
    Newest Member
    Sharon Camden
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.1k
    • Total Posts
      70.7k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Chissers
      Could this be Celiac disease?

      By Chissers · Posted

      Thank you for your prompt reply. Have others experienced LUQ and L sided back pain when on gluten? Could gluten be irritating the pancreas to cause the slight rise in lipase?
    • Rogol72
      Medicinal mushrooms 🍄

      By Rogol72 · Posted

      Wow! I'd be interested to know where you get the tinctures. You can DM me if you wish. There's a Spanish company ... hifasdaterra ... who make high quality medicinal mushrooms in capsule form. 
    • trents
      For people with celiac disease and corn intolerance from it: Is salt still okay for most people?

      By trents · Posted

      There is dextrose in table salt?
    • trents
      Gluten Free Beer - The Enzymatic Hydrolyzation Process Problem

      By trents · Posted

      Jason, I have a bone to pick with your terminology. There is "gluten intolerance" which I believe is synonymous with celiac disease and then there is "gluten sensitivity" which comes from Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or NCGS for short. It is true, however, that there is still a lot of inconsistency in the use of these terms.
    • Liquid lunch
      Medicinal mushrooms 🍄

      By Liquid lunch · Posted

      I can’t say this will work for everyone but for me the difference is incredible so might be worth trying. I’ve never been diagnosed celiac but via an elimination diet I realised I can’t eat any lectins, gluten soy and oats are particularly problematic. If I eat them I’m in bed for a week, then heavy bleeding and extreme pain for another, followed by a third week of bleeding on and off. My skin was a mess and it snowed when I brushed my hair. Since taking reishi and cordyceps mushroom tincture I can’t believe the difference, I’ve had a lot of help from this site so I want to return the favour. I took the tincture for my guts but the most apparent effect is that I feel like my brain works again, I can’t begin to describe how wonderful it is to be able to achieve basic things, I’ve barely been able to organise getting out of bed for so long, it feels like I haven’t been hit over the head with a mallet for the first time in years. Then I glutened myself, not necessarily gluten as so many things wipe me out but definitely ate something I shouldn’t have, I took a treble dose of the tincture and almost immediately felt much better so continued with the increased dose and three days (not weeks) later was back to feeling great, no bleeding involved. My skin is better than I can remember it ever being, I feel great 😊. I spend £1.50 a day on these but it’s worth every penny, I hope this helps someone else out there reading this. I wish I’d known about them 20 years ago. best wishes everyone 🍄 
×
×
  • Create New...