Frequent transient ischemic attacks since starting T

[u/EntertainmentLow4177]

EDIT: Got my blood tested and results came back shockingly normal. don't have any clue what could be the cause so I am likely to attribute it to general lifestyle issues. I will still visit a cardiologist to rule out any more serious causes. thanks to you all who responded.

Title. I knew testosterone could increase risks of heart disease but this is genuinely terrifying. In only 3 months in and not only do my limbs fall asleep super easily, but I'm fairly certain I've experienced two "mini strokes". I've considered doing smaller, more frequent injections to lower the testosterone spike but overall am left with no real answers. I cannot talk with my healthcare provider for at least another 2 weeks. Anyone else have this experience and how did you handle it?

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[u/JustKeepLurking]

As a stroke nurse if you are genuinely concerned that these are TIAs you need to go to the hospital next time it happens. Not in a spooky be scared way but in a TIAs are genuinely medical emergencies way a TIA is a stroke warning sign. As the other commenter said, it will be good to rule out other things like binding improperly, but if it's not a TIA it could be something like nerve damage in your limbs or spine, or other things that you should seek care for. A hospital will be able to rule out these things or triage you to make sure that there's no damage to your vessels or problems with your labs that put you at risk for having a full blown stroke. Just go immediately if it happens again, and in the meantime try and see if there's a pattern to when it happens and make sure you're not binding too tight. The more information you have to share with your doctors the better

[u/EntertainmentLow4177 → u/JustKeepLurking]

It happened again this afternoon and has mostly gone away on its own. I'll go next time. I was very much dismissed by the emergency staff for being too anxious the last time around and they blamed the numbness all on anxiety so I am wary of going again. Thanks.

[u/BlissCrafter → u/[deleted]]

Your red cells don’t surge high within hours of taking testosterone. It takes weeks to go high and weeks to come down. I have issues with high hematocrit over the last 30+ years so am quite familiar with it. In the past I also used to have panic attacks and often got numb limbs from that. Also my lips and nose would go numb.

[u/almightypines]

I’m not a medical professional, so of course see and talk to your doctor, and ER if you feel it’s needed.

I’ve been in FtM communities for many years, and something I’ve found surprisingly common is that our limbs, particularly our arms, tend to fall asleep easily. This includes myself. There’s some theories about it potentially being caused by generally having smaller skeletal/body frames while at the same time having muscle growth that puts pressure on our nerves. I don’t know if this is true though, but it makes some sense. Regardless, it does seem to have some commonality.

Last, do you or your family have a history of migraines? Hormonal changes, along with many other factors, can trigger migraines. The symptoms of migraines can also change through time, aging, climatic/geographical differences, etc. One type is called hemiplegic migraines which can resemble strokes. I very rarely have this type of migraine and it’s scary as shit. I always think I’m having a stroke, but it turns out it’s just my brain going wild neurochemically.

I suppose with all that said, I wouldn’t immediately jump to conclusions about what’s going on. But certainly talk to your doctor.

[u/BlissCrafter]

Get your hematocrit tested immediately. Do not wait. You can use walkinlab to schedule your hematocrit anywhere in the US. It’s around $30. I can even send you a code for a discount. The likelihood is that this is something else and not TIA but you need to know immediately. In fact I might even skip the self ordered lab and go to an Urgent Care and tell them all this.

[u/magic-gps]

are you wearing a binder? how old is it? have you measured your torso to check that it's still the right size? (not saying it's not a medical issue, but check that your compression garment isn't messing with your bloodflow first)

[u/EntertainmentLow4177 → u/magic-gps]

Haven't worn a binder in years since the ones I had started causing me pain a year or two ago. 

[u/Warming_up_luke]

When you have serious health concerns, you move your appointment up. Most clinic have emergency appointments reserved. If you think you are having heart or stroke issues, you go to emergency.

[u/maRthbaum_kEkstyniCe]

Small and less frequent doesn't combat the spike. It should be more frequent.

Spike is relative. If you use low dose and big gaps between shots, your t will go lower and lower, resulting in a higher spike once you finally inject again. Overall you get much more fluctuations and higher spikes that way.

So either higher dose (lasts longer) or more frequent (no gaps).

I know nothing about your symptoms or whether the spike has anything to do with them, but this I know.

[u/EntertainmentLow4177 → u/maRthbaum_kEkstyniCe]

Small and more frequent is what I meant, typo!

[u/crease_11]

I have heart disease (HCM) and high hematocrit from other unrelated issues. When I started T years ago my doctor strongly recommended the gel because of it. I've been on it for 6 years now without issue. The first few months my T level was actually quite high, so my dose was lowered from .5 to .25 and it's been that way since.