Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 9/12/2009

Question
my wife had a c-section 2 months, soon after she started having deep tensed headaches. a few days later she had an episode where her left arm got stiff, she began studdering and had something that seemed like a stroke or seizure. the doctors ran many test but nothing came back abnormal, brainwaves ekgs ect. its been about 2 months, she had 2 attacks within the last 3 days. these are the symptoms she notices before the attack occurs. first, she gets a deep pressure tensed headache.3 days ago the headache affected her whole head, today it was just the right side of her head,behind the ear. then her vision blurrs, then her eyes start blinking uncontrollable, she starts studdering every single word. and finally her body starts to contract, and she goes into the attack, they last about 20 minutes. this has never happened to her prior to the c-section birth. someone suggested that it might have been the amount of anatasia giving to her. or a reaction to the type of anastasia. afterwards she regains control of herself but it takes days before she can speak without studdering. it has never really gone away. since the first time 2 months ago, she studders every so often and her eyes flicker uncontrollable here and there.  
do you have any idea what might be going on.

Answer
No I don't but it is not related to the anesthesia. Did your wife have a general anesthetic or a regional (spinal or epidural)? The symptoms you describe sound neurologic. Have you seen a neurologist or a neurosurgeon? Did you get a CT or MRI? There is no way that the anesthetic caused this problem so I would pursue these other avenues.


Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston