I had a mild TIA just over 6 weeks ago now. It affected my left wrist and hand, with numbness and some lack of coordination. The left side of my face also went numb although there was only a marginal effect on my speech. I was very lucky that the symptoms passed after 6 hours or so. However since then I am experiencing occasional pins and needles in my face (both sides) and the same or mild aches in my left wrist too, especially when tired at the end of the day. I also noticed for the first time, some disturbance to my spatial awareness when balancing during my first post recovery Pilates class.
I wondered if this is a fairly typical part of the recovery process following a TIA? Initially I found these symptoms very worrying as the possible onset of a second TIA.
Hi Ian. I had a full stroke nearly five years ago. I lost the use of my left arm and leg temporarily, but not my speech. Parts of my face on the left side also felt frozen. However, my face recovered and feeling pins and needles was part of the process of my brain re-wiring itself.
When my left hand came back to life, I got terrible acing pains in my fingers at night when I stopped using my hand. I can now use the arm and hand but my left hand fingers lack full sensitivity. I still have some balance issues but regular exercise had made my balance much better.
Hi John, many thanks for responding. It's really reassuring to hear of your recovery experience. It could explain the various random aches that appear in my arms too.
I do hope your recovery continues to make progress.
Hi Ian - I had a full stroke 3 years ago and then 3 weeks ago had a TIA. I had similar symptoms to your TIA in that my hand and fingers went numb and pins and needles but only up to my wrist and my top lip from the centre on the left side in a letter 'C' shape to the middle of my bottom lip went numb. As I was in A & E over 5 hours waiting to see a Doctor, it had worn off by then. He sent me home and said I hadn't had a stroke. However the next day, the same thing happened. I also got a call from a Stroke Consultant to say that in his opinion, I had had a TIA and he sent me for an MRI the next day which confirmed 2 small blood clots and a tiny bleed in my right brain - same side as my full stroke.
I have had a couple more occasions where my lips went numb on the left side but it has now worn off completely. When I had my first big stroke, it started in my little finger and worked its way up to my shoulder and also left leg. Occasionally, my little finger still stays numb especially in cold weather. Other than the usual after stroke fatigue, I am pretty much back to normal now.
My husband takes a blood thinner too, Tri something or other, as he has had heart surgery to stop his blood getting 'sticky'. A side affect of his tablets is tingly lips. I am back on Clopidogrel now and I was wondering if 'tingly lips' is a side affect of that too although there isn't anything like that mentioned in the leaflet in the box. It just feels like a dental injection wearing off. I will mention it to the Stroke Nurse at my 6 week telephone call. So it could be a side effect of medication you are taking may be?
Dear Ian, I was sorry to hear you had had a TIA three years after having a stroke. I had a mild stroke in 2017 and didn't join 'my stroke guide' till recently as I thought it was behind me. Were you prescribed blood thinners and chloresterol medication?Are you eating your five fruit and veg a day and not smoking or drinking? I'm trying to think of the doe's and dont's for avoiding another stroke. My maternal grandmother died of a stroke at 69 and I am just 70 so I suppose I am in a medium to high risk group.
Hi, sorry not seen your post sooner. I "only" had a TIA, no family history of strokes, healthy diet, non smoker, previously fit and active, although drinking more than weekly recommended units I admit. Most likely pushed into high blood pressure by stress at home and work. Stroke adviser said don't go mad on changing lifestyles just minor modifications needed, so well within units limit now and working on stress reduction too.
Hi thanks for posting and sorry I didn't see it earlier. Yes it sounds like my symptoms too, just like the effects of a dental injection wearing off. Been told it could just be my brain "rewiring" , rather than Clopidogrel or other meds but I will ask. These symptoms do seem to be lessening with time. However I seem to be getting white finger affecting both hands quite frequently, feeling very light headed and tired. My BP readings now suggest I have low blood pressure, so the doctors may have overdone the medication a little.