Communication issues and seizures

Aphasia and communication
#1

I had an ischemic stroke 4 weeks ago and as a result had a EEG test on my brain today. I left hospital with no physical symptoms but occasionally still have to did deep when I want to talk about somethings. Yesterday an hr after seeing something on TV I couldn't talk to my partner about it. I could see the conversation in my head but felt weird and couldn't get the words out. 

I mentioned this at the EEG today and they said it could be the seizures they are checking for. Now I'm concerned it may impact on getting back to driving. I cant find anything in internet about these type of events.

#2

Hi Tulip, I haven't posted for a while probably because reading what people are dealing with often helps put my issues in perspective and some of the advice given can point in a new direction to find advice. Ischemic strokes come with a whole set of problems of there own, you're grateful for not having the physical difficulties but trying to explain the cognitive difficulties to people when you don't understand why they are happening yourself can be hard. My stroke was four years ago this month and it was only following a collapse and a loss of speech meaning I had an EEG and a neuropsychological assessment in 2019 that anyone realised the extent of the problem. My ability to process audio visual information is reduced along with my working memory which triggers my temporal lobe seizures, they in turn can completely wipe out anything that hasn't made it to my long term memory and make recalling what has difficult for a while till things settle down again. In August last year after a fairly big seizure I made the decision to go for ill health retirement, it's still in progress and there have been ups and downs and there are days when I'll admit to being scared about the future. But there have been wonderful positive times too, we are still in early days of epilepsy medication and it's a balancing act to find a dose that manages the seizures and doesn't reduce my cognitive abilities more and most of the time I feel I have a giant hangover without enjoying the drink beforehand, but I've taken to following my grandchildens home learning and I do maths, French and there's an app called Neuronation which helps with attention, reasoning and memory. When I started 5 months ago my ability compared to my peer group was between 3 & 6%, I've now reached 47% although this can drop to 23% on a bad day but I'm so excited that at the worst I am 20% better than I was before.It has been a long journey from 2017 and I don't think it really began until I accepted that I needed to respect the person I am now and live the life I have not what I think it should be.

May everyone's year be full of more positives than negatives, be safe  B ?

 

#3

Hi Tulip, I had a stroke in 2017 and afterwards had TIA in which I couldn't get the words out though I could write down the gobbley gook I was talking. You recover from these quite soon. I have also had two seizures over a year apart, and am on antiepileptic medication. I don't think you're supposed to drive unless you are without seizures for a year. You have to inform DVLA. I don't drive anyway so I never found out from my neurologist if I would be able to drive again. possibly not. I am only guessing but you need to find out if your blip was aTIA or a seizure. Someone else might correct me. I haven't had physical effects beyond mild gait attaxia. Best wishes Hilary  

#4

Hi Hilary

My EEG was clear without any suggestions of seizures so I am good to drive. I still have memory recall issues as frequent as yesterday. My gp practice has suggested using crosswords and games to test my brain during recovery which could take upto a year they say.

I feel better each week so planning on a staged return to work Beg Feb.

Laurence 

#5

Crossed lines! I'm glad everything had gone OK. Part of the problem with this site is that when posts run out of space it's hard to find the post you're replying to. happy driving, Hilary

#6

Hi Tulip. I had a hemorragic stroke in November 2018 and had my first seizure about 5 months after, but didnt know what it was at the time. I was on a plane flying to Canada. I had one more a few days later and jus put it down to jet lag. In August I had a bad one, which was preceded by a black out and after that I was diagnosed with post stroke seizures and put on anti-epileptic medication. I kept having them and the dose was increased. From November to March 2020 i was seizure free, but after getting COVID i had 2 more. 

You definitely can't drive and must surrender your licence tothe DVLA. You also have to be seizure free for a year althoughbyou can start the application process at 10 months. Your form has to be validated byyour GP or consultant. I was getting to thatbpoint in February, but had another small one of 1st January. It is a real nuisance as I live in the countryside. However, as the out of hours doctor asked if I had been driving would I have been in control. The answer was probably not and the thought of causing an accident is just too horrible to think of. So I know how frustrating it is and how my husband is getting fed up of having to drive me places, but I have to believe the alternative is worse.

The positive is walking more and the savings that come from not running a car. In fact I gave my car to my daughter so thatI didn't have to see it just sitting on the driveway!

#7

What a fantastic, positive message to read!  Have a great year yourself BeeMac. Bert

#8

Hi Bert, wishing you the best year also, had my Covid vaccination yesterday and the sun is shining today which always makes me smile whatever is going on. I find that no matter what the bad days bring, I naturally cannot help seeing the positive in them, it's part of who I am. Take care ?

BeeMac