Brief Answer:
And your question is?

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for sending in your item for review here and I'm sorry this happened to you. Could you clarify what exactly your question might be since everything you've written more or less seems to be a description of what HAPPENED in the past and what the neurologist's opinion is or what the MRA/MRI showed....all of which

I can agree to since those are facts which are in the past. Is there a particular question in 2016 we can address though based upon events and study results that occurred in 2013. I take it you've not had any further imaging studies of the brain since 2013? Under certain situations it is true that a congenitally small caliber vertebral artery can be a risk factor for stroke and I believe that is his main reason for having given you the aspirin. I would not mess around with any prophylactic surgical procedures such as placing a stent since the procedure itself is likely to cut off blood supply and that is a HUGE risk. I don't know if that's anything you were thinking of since you haven't really voiced a question but in case it is...I thought I'd address that up front.

By the way, you can take the aspirin ANY TIME you want during the day.....and you should know that the evidence is scant to nonexistent that taking aspirin for the purpose of keeping a congenitally small vertebral artery flowing really prevents strokes. In fact, the use of aspirin in microvascular disease is extremely limited and seems to be more lore than scientific fact only because so many neurologists have chosen aspirin as their drug of choice for so many stroke syndromes that it is just a very SAFE choice for most practitioners!

Don't know what else to do with a stroke, or in case "possible" TIA? In fact, your picture is not that compelling for TIA based on the microvascular disease which is not really the believed mechanism anyway for TIA's which are supposed to be embolic phenomenon....not to mention the fact that we really don't like allowing people to say they've had more than a couple of TIA's before having a stroke....and the statistics show clearly that people with multiple true blue TIA's are at rather elevated risk for stroke. In your case, you've had more than a couple of TIA's and still no sign of stroke.....which I am THRILLED at being able to say....but again, I fear we may be deluding ourselves into believing a particular diagnosis that is little supported by more than speculation and some bit of neurological handwaving resulting in aspirin therapy.....what's new? That's what neurologists are.....aspirin junkies in disguise.....I don't take aspirin....I've seen many bleeding complications....but at any rate....it is what it is and each practitioner chooses a different poison to administer.....how about a healthy diet, pressing regimens of exercise which have been to show at least as much efficacy at reducing and even REVERSING plaque buildup of cholesterol in arteries?

I know you're 62 years old which means I'm NEARLY as young as you are and consider myself very physically active....so why not you? That way, you save taking something that can potentially harm you....you can turn around the $15.00/month in aspirin tablets and fund a grandchild's college fund which could probably grow to at least 1 semester's worth of college tuition and feel BETTER physically and mentally doing that rather than taking pills for a degenerative process for which we really have no good explanation nor any good treatment or prophylactic regimen?

I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues. Feel free to upload images if you'd like as well as specifying a particular question you'd like addressed.

Otherwise, if I may have DIVINELY GUESSED most of what you were thinking or contemplating I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE and look forward to a few words of feedback. In addition, I offer my thanks if you'd CLOSE THIS QUERY assuming you're satisfied with my responses.

Write to me any time at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like which I would love to receive to see just what has been discovered and how you've progressed you young person you! ;)

Many thanks for using this service to write to us and please Be Well.

This consult request has taken a total of 52 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.

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