Hello, I have just been referred back to the TIA clinic after six years since my first diagnosed TIA because I recently suffered another one. But my story began about 10 years ago when I began having visual “disturbances”. Like books moving around or only seeing half of myself in the mirror, strange multicoloured lights in my peripheral vision. But in December of 2019 I had an episode
of both visual and cognitive problems, I couldn’t see half of the room i was in and couldn’t make myself understood to my wife nor could i remember my children etc. I had another about a year later ,cognitive only no visual, and the latest one which was cognitive only, but quite severe. I have an appointment tomorrow at the TIA clinic so hopefully they have some answers as the last two have been while on clopidregel and statins.
Regards
William
Wishing you the best for tomorrow. There are many people here who will offer help and support.
@William23408 hi & welcome to the community. Sorry to hear of your TIAs. Hopefully you’ll get some answers at the clinic tomorrow. Ask them if they can do some tests to find out why you keep getting TIAs.
I had my TIA 2 years after my stroke & I was on the same meds as you. They help reduce the risk but can’t remove it completely.
Hope you’re doing ok.
Best wishes
Ann
I wonder if other people have my health idiosyncrasies, although I’m am otherwise healthy, we exercise everyday including walking and cycling, I have a heart murmur and my heart can drop as low as 30 BPM when I am sat reading etc according to my smart watch.
I don’t have a heart murmur but my heart rate often drops to 40 / 41 and has been known to drop into the 30s. I would mention it at your appointment tomorrow.
Hi William and welcome to our community. Hopefully you will find your appointment tomorrow helpful. Thank you for sharing your story and I look forward to hearing from you as your road to recovery continues.
Regards Sue
Hi William - Welcome to the community and hoping you get the answers that you seek.
Wrt the above observation, the drugs you are on are prescribed with the aim to reduce the risk of further strokes or heart problems. They are not, at least to the best of my knowledge going to stop further strokes or heart problems.
Further, the reduction in risk is [in my view] quite small.
Below extract from a AI generated information on risk reduction thru use of statins.
Statins can significantly reduce the risk of stroke, with studies showing a reduction of up to 25% in individuals at high risk of heart attack or stroke. For those with established heart disease or at high risk, statins can lower stroke incidence by 21%. In older adults, statins have been linked to a 30% lower risk of stroke.
Hope to get an update from you following your appointment with the TIA clinic tomorrow to further improve our knowledge and understanding 
And yes, there certainly are other people who share your health idiosyncrasies. Stroke is totally non-discriminatory and it respects no one.
Namaste|
Welcome to the community, I’m sorry to hear about your TIAs. I hope you’ll find this community helpful, there’s a wealth of knowledge here that you can tap into.
I hope you’re appointment goes well and you can start to get some answers as to why these are happening.
If you need anything whilst you’re using the Online Community, please don’t hesitate to tag me using the @ symbol and my username.
Anna
Hi All, I had an excellent experience at my local TIA clinic this morning, had all the usual tests including bloods, doppler ultra sound, ECG, and spoke twice with a lovely doctor. Have been booked in for an MRI and a follow-up in two month’s time. Because they haven’t found a reason for my TIA 's they have changed my medication from Clopidregel to Ticagrelor, apparently some people can be resistant to Clopidregel.
Stuart
That is wonderful news Stuart. I expect you are pleased with that
I am a bit puzzled by this change of drugs. Why did they not put you on Ticagrelor in the first place? Just seems odd to me to put you on Clopidogrel and then switch because they found no reason for your TIA. The logic doesn’t work for me - maybe I need to think about it a bit more.
I think Clopidregel is the go-to drug after a TIA, and i have been on it since 2020, I think the reasoning is as there is no obvious reason why I should be having TIA 's they assume that the Clopidregel isnt working, apparently another hospital close to us is doing research regarding some peoples genetics not responding to Clopidregel
Stuart
That’s great Stuart. I found the TIA clinic to be great too. Good to hear they have sorted an MRI for you & are going to follow up with you in a couple of months. Hopefully the change of meds will help…only time will tell on that front I guess.
Maybe I should clarify about my name , William is my first name which is a family name but I’m known by my second name which is Stuart. I confuse myself sometimes haha
Ok - I understand. So the thinking is you should not be having TIAs if you are on Clopidogrel and since you are having TIAs it [clopidogrel] may not be effective for you and so they are putting you on ticagrelor.
Hopefully, this will do the trick.
Wrt your name, I am happy to call you William Stuart (unless you have an objection) !