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The Question
09/30/09 03:19 PM

"I HAVE BEEN A DIABETIC FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND WAS WONDERING IF IT IS ATTRIBUTING TO PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAIN.. I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WRITING AND WALKING"
Asked By: tracyandlou  
Category: Neuropathy

Background Info Hide
FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW, I HAVE HAD A CONSTANT DULL HEADACHE.. THE KIND I WOULD GET WITH LOW BLOOD SUGAR.. MOST OF THE TIME I TEST MY SUGAR AND IT ISN'T LOW AT ALL BUT PRETTY NORMAL... THEN I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE SEEING AT WORK (I WORK ON A COMPUTER ALL DAY) THEN THE PROBLEMS WITH MY WRITING STARTED.. I CAN'T FINISH WRITING SPECIFIC LETTERS AND THEN SOMETIMES I WOULD EVEN HAVE TROUBLE WALKING.. MY LEFT LEG IS FINE BUT THE RIGHT ONE I HAVE TO FORCE IN FRONT OF ME WHEN I WALK.. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT IT DOES HAPPEN ALMOST EVERY DAY.. THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE...

Expert Answers (1)

10/03/09 07:27 AM

Hello tracyandlou
What you discribed sounds like a cerebral accident, somes called a CVA, Brain accident or stroke.

Stroke call be a silent event with no signs or symptoms, or can show signs such as headache before the event and change in mental status, one sided weakness, and speech problems after the event. Did you see a doctor?

Let's explain what a stroke is. There are two types of strokes. First is hemorragic stroke where a vessel in the brain bleeds into the brain tissue. Blood is an irritant and damages the tissue it touches. With this type of stroke, the treatment is to stabilize the patient and treat with medicines that reduce swelling of the effected area. The other type of stroke is caused by a clot blocking the blood flow to the area the blood vessel supplies. The treatment for this type of stroke including giving clot busting medications to get the blood flowing again. Either way, the sooner the doctors initiate the correct treatment, the less permanant damage is done to the brain. There is an expression called the golden hour. This is the time between when the brain attack happens and when the correct treatment is started. If one hour or less, permanant damage in many cases, can be avoided. Whenever a person notices any speech problems, mental status changes and or one sided weakness, they should go to a emergency room. There will be a MRI of the head done. The doctors will me able to see if a stroke happened and what type it is. The correct treatment will then be started.

Now, in your case it sounds like you have had these symtoms of difficulty writing and weaknness in your leg for some time. You need to see your doctor and get a full examination. Your doctor will need to determine if a stroke happened with an MRI and start a treatment plan. You may need a change in medication and physical therapy. You are at risk for stroke again, so do not delay!

Answered By: Rita Juray
Accreditations: RN, MLT-ASCP, CCM, CDE
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