I have had 2 episodes in 1 week of kaleidoscope vision, accompanied by dizziness, foggy brain, tight feeling in my head, and after todays attack I could speak but I did not make sense and couldnt say what I wanted to, fatigue for a while, also my balance was a bit off. Could these have been TIAs?

Hello SamiiS

Thank you for reaching out on EnableMe, we are sorry we have been unable to get back to you sooner.

What you are describing could be signs of a TIA. Have you been to see your Gp, or sought medical review at your local hospital?  If you think you are experiencing a TIA, it is important to seek urgent medical assistance.

A Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) occurs when the blood supply to the brain is temporarily blocked. The signs of a TIA are often the same as a stroke, however, they disappear within a short time frame – symptoms lasting from a few minutes and most will resolve within 24-48 hours.

A TIA is not classified as a stroke and is different as the blockage clears and the brain is able to get oxygen and nutrients again. This makes TIA different from stroke, as with a stroke brain cell die and the brain is permanently damaged. You will find more information on TIA’ s here.  

It is important that TIA’s should never be ignored as there is a higher risk of a stroke occurring and they can be a warning sign. If you have suffered a TIA, is important that you seek medical review to prevent a stroke from occurring.

Understanding the signs of stroke and TIA’s are important and emergency services (Triple zero, 000 if in Australia), should be called if there are any signs of stroke/TIA. The FAST test is an easy way to remember the common signs of stroke. Face Arms Speech Time. Learn more about the FAST and other  signs of stroke on our website.  

Do feel free to reach out to our allied health professionals on StrokeLine if you would like to talk about your experience, but most importantly do seek input from your GP or a medical team. You can call StrokeLine on Ph 1800 787 653, and we are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm AEDT. You can also email us on strokeline@strokefoundation.oorg.au.  We would be happy to talk with you about the signs and risk factors for stroke and TIA’s.

Kind regards

Siobhan (StrokeLine)  

From what I understand, if a blood vessel breaks, that points more toward a haemorrhagic stroke—but if it closes off, that’s usually ischemic.

I had a family member go through something similar, and the confusion came from how doctors described it—it sounded like both. In their case, it turned out to be a small vessel blockage (ischemic), not a bleed.

Might be worth clarifying with your neurologist which one they meant exactly, since the treatment approach is quite different. I remember reading from Leaf to Life on stroke-related conditions and circulation issues that small vessel problems are often ischemic rather than haemorrhagic.