SA an Stroke... Opinions welcome!

[needsomezees]

My sister, age 32, has recently suffered her second stroke in 12 years. Fortunately, with no adverse affects. She just came back from Mayo and they can't find what is causing this. They were able to rule out a host of potential causes( brain tumor, heart disease, etc). She is 5'6", 115 lbs - does not smoke and only has an occasional beverage. One stroke you could say was a fluke, but 2??? I don't think so.

Now for my question: Can someone have Apnea with no outward signs or symptoms? I have severe OSA (AHI 57 untreated). My father, both of his brothers, and my grandpa are all on the hose. I don't know anything about Centrals, or hypopneas ( I don't have any). Could this be another type of sleep disorder?

She has an appt with her Neuro Monday, and I told her she HAS to bring this up. She has had every test under the sun, except a sleep study!

Thoughts??? THANK YOU in advance for your input!

[Emilia]

Wow..... I am so sorry to hear about your sister's strokes. I think it is a logical conclusion that she may have OSA especially since it runs in the family to such a large degree. This disorder tends to get worse as we age, and once we are in our 30's things start to show up. I hope her neurologist is savvy enough about sleep disorders to consider this and orders a sleep study for her. Please keep up posted on her outcome!

[williamco]

Put a video camera infront of her while asleep and monitor the first couple of hours by fast forwarding to see if there is any jerky move
if there is any apnea, you will have a jerky move in head and neck, as the person recover out of the apnea attack to take a quick breath

on a side note, I don't believe a patient with apnea will get a stroke before feeling tired and exhausted first
it should be the other way around

another side note: never quite searching for the reason of this stroke, a doctor might not find the cause but another doctor may, a hospital won't but another hospital will. sometimes difficult cases require persistance

A heamatologist MD and Vascular MD are more appropriate than a Neurologist. you are trying to find the REASON of this stroke, which is a blood clot inside blood vesssles, not trying to MANAGE the stroke and assess its progress which a Neurologist would do

[Hawthorne]

In my opinion, she should DEFINITELY have a sleep study to see if she has sleep apnea. Her strokes and your family history sure point to that!

If I were her, I would get a sleep study done ASAP!

[jojojta]

Did they check for a pfo? My husband had a stroke a couple of yrs ago and found that he had a pfo and that could possibly have been the reason for his stroke. Supposedly 25% of us have this condition. We were born with a hole (actually 2 flaps) which is supposed to close up shortly after birth but doesn't in many people. I'm sure they probably did all the tests on her and that condition would have shown up.

[needsomezees]

Yes, they checked for PFO... Twice.

Appreciate all of the comments so far. Sure hope there's more!

[williamco]

"you are trying to find the REASON of this stroke, which is a blood clot inside blood vesssles"

Correction:
a stroke is either a blood clot inside blood vessles or blood leak out of blood vessles
that means coagulation issue (Heamatologist) or vascular issue (CardioVascualr MD)

Statistically a patient with first stroke at age 20, usually means something congenital in these two areas
to have a stroke from apnea means yaers of untreated apnea, At age 20, this means apnea had started at childhood till now and without characteristic tiredness and drawsiness, is highly unlikely

[elena88]

Im sure I had this since I was a child..
I never had daytime sleepiness, or anything that would make anyone think I had sleep apnea. It was a fluke I got diagnosed..


I hope they get to the bottom of this very fast for your sister's sake.. gosh... I know you must be very worried about her.

[tony72]

a stroke at 20?wow

[brazospearl]

It seems like it would be poor medicine to NOT have a sleep study, based on your family's history and her strokes. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

[Duckie]

Family History is a great reason for having a sleep study. I was tired but that was blamed on my arthritis. Well once I switched Dr. She instantly had be tested for sleep apnea because my family had it. It is a disease that runs in families. I am glad they found mine. AHI OF 120 I sure needed Auto pap. OSA is usually caused by anatomic reason when it occurs in family. Good luck to you and your sister

[auntlala]

i would think it would be an avenue to explore - i was told once that while the sleep apnea itself is not an inherited thing, the physical characteristic that can contribute to the problem are likely part of your inherited genes (hope i said that in an understandable way)

[needsomezees]

Bump

[a guest]

Was it really a 'stroke', or a TIA? (trans icshemic attack)? I've had 2 of those...something happening in the brain that leaves no evidence behind, but one knows that something has happened. Since it leaves no marker, doc can't know either. I don't believe it has anything to do with OSA, since I've been on cpap for many years successfully. But, who knows. If she thinks she has OSA, she should be tested.

[elena88]

this is proabably a way out there long shot, but I saw an episode of mystery diagnosis where a young woman was diagnosed with

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)

This is a clotting disorder, and this poor gal did not register high enough on the blood test for them to think she had it.. but she was headed
for some very nasty strokes, although her first symtoms were migraine...

anyway, it was a really difficult diagnosis.. and it is very, very rare, but so is having strokes at such a young age..
They didnt think she had it because her blood tests were very weakly positive..


let us know how it goes..

elena