# CBS's Serene Branson at the Grammys (possible TIA) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456 "2011-02-15T16:01:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/21 "2011-02-15T20:51:12Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > When I watched it a few days ago it seemed to me like she just sort of stumbled over the first few words (like we all do from time to time) and couldn’t recover from it. I’m curious as to if she was fine a few seconds later or if it was more like 15, 20, 30 seconds, a minute later? Maybe Tosh.0 could do one of his “Web Redemptions.” ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/22 "2011-02-15T21:22:27Z")
I have also had similar events at the onset of migraines. That’s what this appeared to be to me when I first saw the clip. …I hope I wasn’t having strokes… ---
**Author:** ![Any\_Other\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Any\_Other\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Any_Other_Name)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/23 "2011-02-16T19:48:39Z")
Could be severe muscle spasms. My wife had an episode years ago where she suddenly started to speak gibberish, then started to lose physical control. We were in the front of the house so I got her in the car and drove (quickly) to the hospital. Less than five minutes, she had to be carried from the car - complete loss of muscle control, conscious but incoherent and incapacitated. Somehow, the doctor determined she had a severe spasm in muscles in the back of her neck. After treating her with a muscle relaxing drug, she was fine. Scariest hour of my life. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/24 "2011-02-16T20:01:00Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > True. But there are also things called “TIA,” alluded to in the title of the thread, where the brain will mimic the symptoms of a stroke for a short period of time, and then clear up on its own (“TIA” stands for “transient ischemic attack”). I’ve seen several in the time I’ve been an EMT. If she returned to a normal state, was able to answer the EMT’s questions (to determine that she is alert and oriented), then (at least in Indiana) she can refuse medical treatment. If she isn’t coherent, then the EMTs are pretty much bound to take her to the hospital. > > It’s also possible that it could have some other cause. I don’t know anything about the reporter, but it’s possible (however unlikely) that it could be a blood sugar problem. > > All that said, she’s better off going to the ER and getting evaluated by a doctor, rather than refusing treatment. Right…it was the refusing treatment that made me think drugs, not the symptoms. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/25 "2011-02-16T20:18:33Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Right…it was the refusing treatment that made me think drugs, not the symptoms. That’s not an illogical conclusion to come to. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/26 "2011-02-17T22:24:08Z")
> **[Serene Branson Suffered ‘Complex Migraine’](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/serene-branson-suffered-complex-migraine-101161/)** > > Her physician confirms reports that the KCBS-TV Channel 2 reporter did not have a stroke on Grammys night. Doc says it was a complex migraine. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/27 "2011-02-18T14:39:52Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > [Serene Branson Suffered ‘Complex Migraine’](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/serene-branson-suffered-complex-migraine-101161) > > Doc says it was a complex migraine. I just read that and came in to post something similar. I have a friend who had something similar happen. She never had a migraine until she was in her mid twenties. She thought she was having a heart attack or a stroke and had to pull over when she completely lost her vision for a few minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Heyoka13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Heyoka13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heyoka13)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/28 "2011-02-18T15:06:38Z")
Fox News just confirmed the migraine theory. Still scary, but not as bad as a stroke. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/29 "2011-02-18T15:43:29Z")
Gives me a new respect for migranes. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/30 "2011-02-18T15:45:46Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Gives me a new respect for migranes. No kidding. When I saw the footage, there was no doubt in my mind that she’d had some kind of stroke, because what else could possibly cause something like that? Or so I thought. Ignorance fought. (And terror created.) ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/31 "2011-02-18T16:40:40Z")
> [@Any\_Other\_Name](#): > > Could be severe muscle spasms. My wife had an episode years ago where she suddenly started to speak gibberish, then started to lose physical control. We were in the front of the house so I got her in the car and drove (quickly) to the hospital. Less than five minutes, she had to be carried from the car - complete loss of muscle control, conscious but incoherent and incapacitated. > > Somehow, the doctor determined she had a severe spasm in muscles in the back of her neck. After treating her with a muscle relaxing drug, she was fine. > > Scariest hour of my life. Neck spasms and migraines are related. Both me and my father get them with migraines. Took a long time for doctors to figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/32 "2011-02-18T16:48:35Z")
Makes sense. I probably had a similar facial expression the first time I noticed I was “losing words” (difficulty in coming up with words, not producing babble instead) during the start of a migraine. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/33 "2011-02-18T16:48:59Z")
I have recently discoverd that length hot showers concentrated on my necak and shoulders does wonders for my migraines. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/34 "2011-02-19T07:49:40Z")
I have had hypoglycemic episodes where I was unable to speak coherently or respond appropriately to questions. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/35 "2011-02-19T08:37:58Z")
Her doctor could say pretty much anything she wants him to. ---
**Author:** ![brossa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brossa/32/3040_2.png) [@brossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brossa)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/36 "2011-02-19T17:14:07Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Her doctor could say pretty much anything she wants him to. What? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/37 "2011-02-19T17:26:05Z")
**needscoffee** , I don’t think the _head of neurosurgery at UCLA hospital_ is going to “say pretty much anything the patient wants him to”. The patient is entitled to tell him he’s \*not allowed \* to give out specifics or mention some parts of his findings, but not to fabricate. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/38 "2011-02-20T00:36:05Z")
I’m not saying it wasn’t a migraine, but I don’t see this as convincing proof in any way. A doctor \*can \*downplay a patient’s condition at their request. There’s stigma against TIA’s (mini-strokes) and seizures, and not much towards a migraine. Her job and public perception and privacy are all at stake. Her episode seemed very much like [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOfZPzCGwAg) one, a reporter having an epileptic seizure on air. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/39 "2011-02-20T00:44:46Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I’m not saying it wasn’t a migraine, but I don’t see this as convincing proof in any way. I think the doctor’s diagnosis coupled with the anecdotal evidence in this thread is plenty to trust it. Her symptoms match closer to the complex migraine’s than they do to a stroke, even though it may be a narrow distinction. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456/40 "2011-02-20T01:11:21Z")
The real cause was Jim Carrey standing just off camera making subtle gestures and mouthing gibberish. since she’s ok I figured it was all right to throw in a joke [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbss-serene-branson-at-the-grammys-possible-tia/571456.md?page=3)