Good thoughts needed for Brian (csuviper)

Posting with @csuviper permission.
Brian went to to the ER Wednesday with complaints of dizziness. He was admitted overnight.
As of today, it was determined that one of the main arteries to brain on the left side has several layers. The layers have separated causing blood to go around a layer and pinching off the artery some.
He’s in ICU as of now, and will see a neurologist in the morning. He’ll be on blood thinners for at least a month at this point.


Up to date info (from Brian):
Went to the ER on March 28 with very bad vertigo and nausea. Could not walk straight. Had numbness in right hand and foot from what i could tell as well. Emitted and spent three days there. Initial though was stroke or inner ear problem. PT and OT ruled out inner ear. MRI ruled out stroke initially. Further MRI and Catscan found a vertebral artery dissection on the left side. This is a tear in the inner layer of the artery in the upper neck that creates a flap where the blood flow is slightly pinched off. A blood clot can form from this as well causing a stroke.
I left the hospital with a spitting headache/neck pain on the right side and numbness on the right side of my body. The headache/neck pain is lessened by taking Ibuprofen but hasn't gone away. It’s spreading out from pains on the back of my neck near the skull and sometimes goes to the temple area. At time is throbs. The numbness on my right side isn’t too bad. No pain, just annoying and a little limiting. I think it has gone down some since I was released from the hospital. Either that or I’m just getting better at managing it. Walking is getting better day by day. Running is awkward. I have to take one aspirin a day to keep the blood from clotting at the dissection. Exercise is limited to cardio and light lifting.
Outpatient neurologist appointment on April 9 brought to light that i most likely had a small stroke that would explain the numbness on the right side. He expects that it is temporary and will slowly fade away sooner rather than later. The head/neck pain he doesn't believe to be associated. I have a followup in may and a followup catscan to be schedule 3 months out. Should be healed by then.
I believe the head/neck pain to be occipital neuralgia which is inflamation of the occipital nerves in the neck and back of scalp. Treatment could be physical therapy, rest, heat, anti-inflammatory medication, antidepressants, anti-convulsants, opioid and non-opioid analgesics, and migraine prophylaxis medication. Alternatives include local nerve block, peripheral nerve stimulation, steroids, rhizotomy, phenol injections, and occipital cryoneurolysis. Less commonly, surgical neurolysis or microdecompression are used to treat the condition when conservative measures fail.

 

Get well quick Brian! I’m glad you went in and got checked out.

I’ll be in Denver tomorrow morning if you need anything.

Godspeed young man.