Personal VAD & Stroke Stories - Page 1

VAD, 4 Strokes, Chiropractor-Linked, F29

I suffered a vertebral artery dissection as well as 4 strokes in December. I have been trying to do research as well and have really learned from your site. My Neuro dr said he only sees about one dissection a year. It was very hard for them to diagnose and treat. I was on coumadin therapy for three months and it has healed. I have to be on aspirin every day as there is a bump of scar tissue in the artery now. My dissection was due to a chiropractic adjustment and I suffered a stroke in the office.

I really appreciate knowing that I am not the only one out there like me. I have never felt more like a specimen than when I was in the hospital and everyone was coming to see the 29 year old stroke patient. I had dr's just "dropping by" to see how I was doing. I can't tell you how many cardiologists were in there since they were talking about putting a stint in the artery.

VAD, Stroke, Spontaneous, Age M41

I had a VAD which lead to a stroke 3 years ago.  I was 41.  I had no warning, no prior symptoms, or any trauma of any kind.  I was walking through Walmart and suddenly I could not walk - everything was spinning and I felt like someone was pushing and pulling me down to the right.  There was a terrible pain in the back of my head on the right side and I felt like I was going to throw up at any moment.

The paramedics came to get me and advised me to NOT go to the hospital.  They said it just sounded like vertigo and it would go away.  I kept asking about the nausea and the severe pain in my head and neck, but they said that it was probably just the situation and my nerves.  My vitals seemed with normal to high range, but nothing they seemed to be alarmed about.

That was on a Monday.  It was Wednesday evening when it was revealed that I had had a VAD and a small stroke.  No one really understood too much about them.  The neurologist I saw said that he only had seen 3 before me.
I still have an anxiety problem, balance issue, migraines and neck pain.

Bi-Lat VAD, Chiropractor-linked, F38

I returned from the hospital on friday after suffering a bilateral vertebral artery dissection via a chiropractic manipulation.  I am going through a barrage of emotions and don't know where to go with them.  I am a 38 year old mother of 3 boys ( ages 6, 4 and 1), so I have a lot of work to do, but can't do any of it.

I am wondering if you have any suggestions for recovery.  Diet or keeping a positive attitude.  I am on Coumadin and can't eat the very stuff that would help my arteries recover (vitamin K) for 6 months.  My doctor says the first 4 weeks are the most important, but they also seem to be the hardest, figuring out that I really CAN'T do like pick up my one year old who had his first birthday while I was in the hospital.

They really gave me limited directions of what to do to help these arteries heal, other than don't do anything to put pressure on those arteries.   Even crying puts pressure on those arteries

VAD, Spontaneous, F35

I suffered a VAD January 25, 08 and wanted to let you know that my family was very pleased with the information you shared on your site. We referred to it often and found it very informative.

I am however one of the lucky ones to have gone into emergency with a severe headache and neck pain that was unbearable. I was fortunate enough to have a doctor on call that was suspicious of this and sent me for a CT immediately and there they knew exactly what was happening to me, 6 weeks later I was released from hospital with strict orders of bed rest only. I am still unable to work and the doctors are watching me closely because there is now a Aneurysm close to the dissection site. It is amazing to think Jan 19 – 24 I was enjoying my life and was on a vacation in Vegas and who would ever guess I would be on my death bed the next week saying good bye to my 3 children ages 17,16 & 14. They had called in my family because they thought it was bleeding in my brain but could not do a Lombard Puncture till my Heparin level was safe. What a nightmare and I am not ready to go down that road again anytime soon.

Well I won’t ramble on I just again wanted to say thank you for sharing your experience. It made me feel better knowing I was not alone in this fight.

VAD, Spontaneous, F34

VAD, Stroke, Poss Chiro Link, M39

My 39 year old husband had a VAD the first week of April that caused a full blown stroke.  It was misdiagnosed at first as a migraine and he was not treated properly for days.  He was finally airlifted to a major trauma center in Seattle where he was in ICU for a week and had a "brain drain" due to the swelling.  I believe there is a link between the chiropractic manual neck adjustment he received and the VAD.

VAD, Trampoline Accident, F52

Bilat VAD, Chiro-Linked, F41

Bilat VAD, Spontaneous, F36

I'm a 36 year old female who just had Spontaneous (they think) Bilateral Vertebral Artery Dissection w Pseudo Aneurysm w 70% blockage. I was lucky that I did not have a stroke. I found my road to a diagnosis a painful and frustrating experience that has questioned my confidence in physicians and at times, myself.

I saw three Emergency Room docs and two private physicians, over a very painful week, who all said I was having a Migraine.
Really?  One that lasted a week?  With no history of Migraines? Oooookkkkkkkk. Finally, a friend who is a family doctor referred me to a friend of his who was a Neurologist (who just happened to be on call that night at the biggest Trauma ER here).

The Neuro guy ordered an Angiogram w contrast, after IV caffeine and a blood patch didn't help (still chasing that Migraine?), and voila! They finally found the needle in the haystack, so to speak. I got transported to a specialty Neuro hospital where I stayed for 5 days in the ICU, 10 days total while they waited to see if I needed surgery.

I'm back home now, on routine meds for VAD people and following their conservative approach for treatment for me.  But I'm frustrated and scared at the lack of info out there and with my physicians lack of answers for what happens next.

VAD, Stroke, Neck Cracking?, M42

Bilat VAD, Chiro-Linked, F25

I have vertebral artery dissection bilterally (both sides of my neck).  Thank you so much for making your website, I thought I was one of very few who has this, but I guess not.

I found out I have VAD on Sept.19 of the year (yes, literally about 2 weeks ago now). It was the scariest time of my life, and still is. I was experiencing severe migraines and vertigo (dizziness), with some vision changes for about 2-6 weeks (dizziness starting around the 2 week mark). Then I was advised to see the neurologist. From there it went down hill. I had my MRI/MRA  & MRV scheduled on the 18th of this month (Sept.). The results weren't to good. I was called at about 12 noon the next day, and was told to get to the nearest emergency room to be transported to  a Boston Hospital for treatment. While I was waiting for my husband to get home to take my 7 week old daughter I spoke to the doctor. The only thing I heard was anuyerism (if that's how you spell it). right then i knew, but not really. It seemed like a great trip to go to the hospital, but I didn't really know the extent of my problem until I got there.

When I got to the hospital, the nurse assigned to me started to go nuts, screaming that I needed monitors and tests. right then i realized that I was in a bad situation. Then it was all explained to me. If I do not get treated right away, I could have a stroke! I completely flipped! I am only 25 years old, this should not happen.

I was placed in the trauma ICU with people who had strokes, heart attacks, and brain surgery. This was not cool at all. Once I told then about my symptoms and what doctors I have seen, I almost fell to the floor. When they ever told me that this wasn't the first time that someone who has seen the chiropractor, had this problem. I was in shock. The nurse and doctor saw no other reason why i would have got this sever problem. I was in the hospital from the 19th to the 24th, without seeing my three little girls. I was giving blood every 4-6 hours, and being told to do funny things like spell and wiggle my tongue and toes. Then I realized I stutter, especially when they asked me to identify a hammock.

I am home now, but it's not easy. I have to be alert to bleeding problems, falling, pain, and stroke. I am on coumadin and lovenox (anticoagulant injections) everyday, and the lab comes to me ever other day. My blood still hasn't reached it's goal yet, and I am very scared. I was told that if I do not keep up with my meds and my diet I can have a stroke, but if I am not aware of my bleeding I can bleed to death. So I think that there is some kind of middle ground, I just have to find it. I hope I didn't write too much, it just helps talking about it because my three little girls cannot see me in pain. To them I am never in pain, I am their hero.

VAD, Neck Cracking?, M25

While at the beach in Athens, Greece (after just arriving) with my brother, I suffered the dissection of the vertebral artery which resulted in an ischemic stroke leaving me hemiplegic.  

After spending over a week recovering in Athens, my brother-in-law (a cardiothoracic surgeon at of NYU Medical Center) escorted me back to New York and the NYU Rusk Center.  I was in inpatient rehab for a month and I'm continuing outpatient rehab.

Now I have hemiparesis on my left side but it's definitely improving, as most problems with my speech, vision and cognition have improved significantly.  The major problem areas are my ankle, hand/fingers/shoulder and to some extent balance.  I have a number of neurologists/neurosurgeons thanks to my brother-in-law and one of the first questions each one asked me was whether I go to a chiropractor.  Although I dont, I was an avid neck cracker and they think those types of neck manipulations caused the dissection.

VAD, Stroke, Chiro-Linked, F35

I was glad to find your site, it has been helpful to me in trying to figure out what happened.  Here is my story:

Two weeks ago, I went for my fourth visit with my chiropractor.  The manipulation on my neck seemed to be the same as usual, but as soon as I set up, my ears were ringing terribly.  I was so dizzy that I couldn't even focus my eyes, I was immediately sick at my stomach, I was sweating so much that my clothes were wet, and I felt like I couldn't move my arms.  The chiropractor tried to convince me that I just sat up too soon, but this was nothing like I had ever felt before.  I am 35 yrs old, in good health (only a hypo thyroid problem) wife, and mother of three.

An ambulance was called to the office, and after examination in the ER and a CT scan, they said that I was just suffering from "vertigo" and to take meclazine for that.  I would be fine in a few days.  They knew this happened right after manipulation but said it may be just a pinched nerve and caused me some temporary dizziness.  I should be fine in a few days.  After four hours, they sent me home.  In the wheelchair my husband was wheeling me out in, I could not even hold my head up because of the severe exhaustion.  I sat asleep at the curb in the chair while he got the car.  Something just wasn't right.

Next morning I was still feeling dizzy, but had this terrible deep sound in my ears.  I didn't think they had even looked in my ears at the ER, so I thought this all may be from some "inner ear" problems.  I went to a weekend medical clinic to have the doctor check my ears.  He said nothing wrong, even after I told him about the chiropractor, and diagnosed me with "vertigo".  I tried to calm my fears that something just wasn't right.

For the next two days, I just slept.  My dizziness was much less but the loud sound in my ear was weird.  I was so tired that I found it hard to move.  I really felt like there was something else going on.  Even though two doctors already said it was "vertigo".  I called my regular PCP and she told me to come immediately.

She admitted me to the hospital, done an MRI at 9:00 pm and moved me to ICU at 2:00 am because I had suffered a stroke and she thought I may have something called vertebral artery dissection.  They immediately started me on IV heparin and waited for the neurosurgeon to come in the morning.

He confirmed her diagnosis and said a small blood clot had went to my brain because of this dissection.  The good news was that the clot was setting in a part of the brain that "really didn't do anything".  (great opening for a good joke, huh). He said it was definitely because of the chiropractor, and a neurologist my PCP consulted with said no doubt....chiropractors fault.

So, after a week in the hospital, I finally was set free.  All I can say is God is good!  The only problems I'm still having are mild dizziness, which is probably from my high blood pressure (currently running around 150/110).  PCP started me on HCTZ to help, but neurosurgeon said high bp is normal with this.  He's not really concerned.  Doctor says he doesn't think I will have any long term effects from this.  Just stay on Coumadin for 6 months and BP meds until it goes back to normal.

I'm a nervous wreck though.  I have no real medical knowledge.  I don't know if this clot is going to move if I bump my head and land in a part of the brain that is not so "useless".