What Causes Sedentary Life And With Tremors In Leg?

Posted on Thu, 27 Mar 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 27 Mar 2014 Answered on

Wed, 16 Apr 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : My mom is 86 and is dying of stage 4 bowel cancer and is residing in an assistance care facility. For 3 weeks she had neck pain (wore a neck brace), couldnt move her head arms and 1 leg. She has tremors in her legs, treating it with haldol, pain hydromorphone every hour and buscopan as needed for cramps in bowel. She stopped eating, drinking and would not talk. After 3 weeks, she seemed to wake up, sit in a wheelchair, arms, leg and neck feel pretty good now. Eats now and again, drinks some, speaks to us although a little confused. Why if we felt she was dying those 3 weeks and 2 weeks a lot better but no where near what she was 6 months ago. What could possibly have been wrong a rally perhaps. I need to know Thank you for your time. What can I expect to happen in the final hours of her life here. When my dad died when he was 40 of Hodgkins Disease, I was only 16 and it has been very traumatic all my life. This time I want to be prepared, they say knowledge is being forearmed. My mom is the best friend I have ever had. We went everywhere together. If I can make it easier, any ideas. Thanks, XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Rohit Gulati (2 hours later)

Brief Answer: she probably had a TIA Detailed Answer: Hi, you seems to be a tough person. From the description you have given regarding the illness of your mother, it seems that she must have had a TIA(transient ischemic attack). This means that blood may have clotted in her legs due to bed ridden or sedentary life and with tremors or limb movement it moved out from legs and reached brain -causing brain stunning and putting it off for some time. If such a clot is small, it gets absorbed over time and the brain function returns to near normal. Similar thing or a larger clot may again stun brain putting it off tract and in case the area of the brain that gets affected is incharge of controlling heart or respiration, these functions will stop. What function will be affected depends on the area of the brain that gets stunned by the clot. It would be extremely difficult to predict what might happen next. You should be in constant touch with her treating doctor which will help you to be prepared. Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad