Got my first follow up appointment with a Stroke Consultant on Monday by ‘phone.
I’m so anxious about it and worried I’ll be given bad news.
Any advice on staying positive over the weekend would be greatly appreciated.
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My stroke consultant follow up was a lot better than I expected. Mine was face to face but they took the time to go through everything…e.g. what had caused my stroke, treatments I needed, how I was getting on, answered all the questions I had, did some referrals for me as my bloods had picked up high calcium which needed checking etc etc. Think I was there about 45 minutes.
Rather than spending the weekend getting anxious spend some time writing questions that you want them to answer (for example, what caused stroke (unless you already know), what follow ups do you need, how can you lower your chances of it happening again, tell them about your anxiety, what happens next etc etc). I always write everything I want to know down as it’s easy to forget when you’re in the appointment.
Good luck, I’m sure it’ll go well. You’ve already had the bad news that you’ve had a stroke…the rest is filling in the gaps. Xx
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I know my advice doesn’t connect directly with stroke, but if you have a weekend to get through find something really absorbing to occupy the time.
You will probably have to force yourself at first, but it is an effort worth making.
Diversion therapy is one way of deaing with such a situation. Read a book, watch a box set on tv, comedy could well be useful. Knit a sweater. There are so many options. You need something which will move your attention. This will also give you chance to wind down and so be in a better shape to deal with things.
We have been through this and will probably have to face it all again at some stage. To know you have support from folks who have also been there can be a help.
All the best, be assured we are concerned for you. Come to this forum to spend an hour reading, to write and unload, but also to pass on any good news, our ears are here ready for listening.
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Thank you both as always - I just wish I didn’t get so worked up about these things - I’ve had health anxiety for 30 years and my mum died just before my stroke in May - I think it’s the first experience of my own mortality and it’s really scaring me.
I’m having counselling but it doesn’t seem to be moving fast enough and my anxiety meds still seem to be making me feel Ill.
Sorry to moan on - my post stroke issues
are more mental than physical
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Hi hope your ok and all goes ok at appoint again agree try to occupy your mind with other things and have questions ready for appoint xx i get how you feel as i am struggling with my anxiety just now i have underlying anxiety and have done for a while but like you it has become worse with having a stroke the worry is always therex hopefully all will be good with your appointx sorry about the loss of your mum that will make things even harder with anxiety i can empathise with you its so hard losing your parent x thinking of you and wishing you well for appointment take care and stay strong xx
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@DDMH sorry to hear you lost your mum. That was a lot to deal with without having a stroke too. Hopefully the anxiety meds & counselling will start to help soon. Sometimes things don’t go as quick as we’d like but one thing we have to learn as stroke survivors is patience (not my forte but better than I was). Ithink if you’re a naturally anxious person it’s difficult to break that cycle. Try & put to one side those things that no matter how much you worry about them will never change. Focus on the things you can do something about. Have you tried mindfulness? Or maybe CBT? Deep breaths, enjoy the nice weather & Monday will come & go & you’ll wonder what you were worried about.
Take care x
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Please don’t be anxious. It is just a check on how you are. I saw my consultant in person. After assessing me he said, ‘Although you’re not yet the person you were, remember to be the person you are now’. Wise words which I’ve never forgotten.
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Thank you everyone.
I had an MRI two weeks ago (that I wouldn’t even have been able to get to without your help and support!) and I’m just worried something bad will have been found.
I very much appreciate your support.
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Hopefully it won’t show anything too bad @DDMH. If it does though at least they’ll know about it & can then treat it. That has to be better than not knowing. 
xx
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Evening @DDMH. It’s so hard controlling anxiety. I find making a list of questions I want answered and general pointers about issues I may have that I need to get across really helpful. I keep this handy to add to if something else comes to mind but otherwise try and reassure myself I’ve done what preparation I need to so I can plan some other activity and enjoy that to distract myself. Lists are my friends. I wouldn’t get through a day without them. Hope this, and all the other advice helps and it goes well next week, Julia x
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All the best, let us know how it turned out 
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Hi all
Everything was ok with my stroke follow up, and the MRI showed only the remains of the original bleed. The Consultant is prescribing some Gabapentin for the neuropathic pain in my hand.
Thank you so much for your support and messages - you are a wonderful bunch 
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@DDMH sounds like everything went really well. So pleased for you. Hopefully the gabapentin will help with your nerve pain & then you’ll start to feel so much better.
xx
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I’m glad you have a stroke review. I had my stroke and tia’s in 2016 , but I’ve never had a stroke review and have put a complaint into the local CCG and changed GPsurgery just recently and go for my general welfare and strike review on Friday.
Wow that’s a long wait for a stroke review. Not acceptable really. Hope it all goes well on Friday.
thank you, I have taken redundancy July 2021 due to medical reasons and with having time on my hands I made appointments with the then current GP surgery after making a complaint in writing and having several telephone calls with the practice manager and not getting anywhere and them not understanding, so I asked questions thru my local MP of NHS England and mu Local NHS CCG , I then started to change GP Surgeries beginning of July after putting a complaint in about the old surgery which I am still waiting for a reply back.I have typed out a note for the appointment with my new surgery, listing my issues.
Although my stroke Consultant said he’d prescribe some Gabapentin for the neuropathic pain in my hand he unfortunately left it off the follow up letter to my surgery.
The nurse I was seeing for a blood test at the surgery said it can have some horrid side effects so I was a little put off from asking for a prescription.
If you’ve taken Gabapentin, I’d be grateful to share any side effect experiences.
I had a stroke just fore Christmas and find,just as you have said, I have some good days and some bad. I have become very anxious and worry about the silliest things. I find if I can get outside into the fresh air it helps. Think about the things you can do .I am no expert but I think we do have good days and then seem to go backwards for no reason. Try not to worry. I worry that I will worry myself into another stroke, now how silly is that.? Try to take it easy and be kind to yourself.all good wishes An.
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