Could my stroke be misdiagnosed?

Hi

I am currently in hospital. I have been told I’ve had a stroke.

I was admitted on 26th May, from A+E. I had a CT scan, and then an MRI scan. Both of these showed the stroke.

But could it possibly be anything else, other than that? The reason I ask is that is because I have no weakness anywhere, my speech is normal, and my blood pressure has dropped significantly since I’ve been in hospital and started to take tablets for blood pressure and statins for cholesterol.

I feel fitter than I ever have.

But because I drive a lorry for a living, I have been told I must surrender my HGV entitlement.

I live very much hand to mouth, and I rent the top floor in somebody’s house, he is not a bonafide landlord, I’ve lived there 3 years and never had a tenancy agreement, so I can’t claim housing benefit to help with rent. I need to move. Without my job I can’t pay my rent.

I have been told that Social services in the hospital will find me accommodation before I can be discharged.

My coordination is very good.

My car is in the hospital car park, I don’t envisage any problems with the doctors saying I can drive, the guidance says that it must be 1 Callander month after the stroke before I can drive. However the doctors here cannot say when I had the stroke other than, “within the last 2 or 3 weeks”

I really am thinking I’ve been misdiagnosed, especially as two nurse on different occasions have both told me that in several years of working on the stroke unit, they have never known anybody get out of bed and walk around normally less than 24 hours after being admitted.

I appreciate that many people suffer in many different ways following a stroke,. I feel a fraud being in hospital, I feel as if I can go to work I am surrounded by those who can’t get out of bed and/or communicate. I am sick of people telling me I am lucky.

I feel as if I’m being condemned to the scrap heap at 56, being forced into the care of social services and shoved onto the benefits system completely unnecessarily.

I am told it’s the law nobody is allowed to drive a lorry for at least a year after a stroke.

Stroke effects different people in different ways, and in all aspects of recovery and rehabilitation it is emphasised in no uncertain terms. That every person is unique in how the stroke effects them and how long it takes to recover. Every case is different and decisions are made depending on an individuals circumstances. Except it seems when it comes to driving a lorry.

Has anybody ever convinced the DVLA to give them their hgv or bus licence back before 12 months have passed following a stroke.

Or is it possible that this really hasn’t been a stroke.

Sorry for ranting :woozy_face:

Only just saw this
It could be a Transient ischemic attack TIA. It is a stroke and will show up on CAT scan etc. But recovery from TIA can be very quick and may not leave you with a lot of damage, but you may be at risk of further attack. Ask your consultant about it.
I can’t comment on your work or accommodation issues. Just get all the help you can from wherever possible.
My brother had a TiA, recovered completely and had no further attack. I had a major ischemic stroke 6 years ago and am chronically disabled. So we’re all different. I’m no medic, but I suppose it’s up to you if you want to get a second opinion. I hope you get some clarity as you’ve got a load of stuff to deal with. Good luck. Ask the stroke association helpline too.
Bw
Tony

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It sounds to me like you have in many ways been a ‘lucky’ stroke sufferer.
The damage a stroke causes continues and worsens as time goes on. So the quicker the causes are dealt with the less and milder the effects.

Stroke is damage to the brain caused by an interruption in blood flow. The sooner blood flow is returned the less the severity of the episode. Once a period of time has elapsed the affected brain cells are dead and cannot recover. Hence the need for speed in treating stroke.

Another factor in discussing stroke is how stroke is not limited to specific areas and so the symptoms of a stroke can vary widely determined by which areas have been affected.

The treatment of stroke is comprised of minimising damage caused by interrupted blood flow and once this initial phase is stabilised work is done to prevent further and subsequent episodes. All of this can take many weeks, with a patient who could well be in a life threatening condition.

Assuming stability is achieved and threat is minimised the patient can be lead towards making some sort of recovery. This process can take many forms and in the same way that stroke can manifest in many forms so can recovery progress along different paths.

So to ask for diagnosis and prognosis in early stages is like asking the proverbial question ‘how long is a piece of string?’.

Of course this is not good enough for the patient or for those who are with him/her. The response can only be to wait, to support and to watch.

This Forum is a good place to find support, sympathy and to discover the world occupied by those affected by stroke.

Bob
I am a person who has been affected by stroke. I suffered paralysis of my right limbs. Some recovery has occurred but the limbs are only partially functional. My event occurred just over 3 months ago.

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Thanks for your reply Anthony much appreciated. :+1:

Thanks Bobbi, I really appreciate your helpful insight you’ve explained things with a great deal of clarity which has given me a greater understanding of my situation.

Cheers.

@Agitated welcome to the forum. Sorry you’ve had a stroke.
To answer your question I would say you have probably had a stroke as the CT & MRI showed you had. I guess the Dr’s wouldn’t have diagnosed stroke if they weren’t sure.
Everyone is affected differently so it is very possible that you have minimal effects. Don’t under estimate the hidden effects though that may not have reared their head yet.
With regards to driving I suggest you read the stroke association Driving After Stroke Publication. Hopefully the link below will take you to it.

I understand its difficult to take it in & accept what’s happened. A stroke takes the life as you know it away in an instant. We’ve all had to come to terms with many changes that we didn’t want.

I wish you well with your recovery & getting out of hospital.

Best wishes

Ann

Hi. Like you, I had minimal symptoms, and I couldn’t drive for a month (car) or 1 year for HGV’s.
If you work for a transport company, could they let you drive a van until you get your HGV back? You would have a month off of course, but be entitled to ssp.
This assumes you are employed, and not self employed of course

Thanks,

I am self employed, which complicates things quite a bit. I am in a lot of arrears with the tax man, and am also paying back loans to the dwp from years ago.

However, your reply gives me hope Colliwobble. With a normal licence (group 1) I can drive a van, and a 5tonne or 7.5tonne small lorry. An HGV licence falls into group 2 but that’s only for lorries above 7.5t.

I think my anxiety about this has been increased due to the extra long weekend, so there hasn’t been any one on duty here I could talk to about this. I will try and speak to the doctors today.

Does the 1 calendar month start from the day the stroke is diagnosed? The consultant has said the stroke happened “within the last two or three weeks”.

Thanks all for replies. I do appreciate really how tough it is to adapt after a stroke, and yes of course, I have been lucky so far not to have much more severe health consequences.

I can imagine that there will be people who’ve read my post and thought my concerns to be trivial compared to some.

So thanks to all that have read……one good thing to come out of the weekend though…we now know what The Queen keeps in her handbag!

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@Agitated I think the month starts from when you had the stroke but if that’s an unknown I’m guessing it would be from diagnosis. Check this with the Dr as will make all the difference to you.
Never think your concerns are trivial. Loss of livelihood is a massive thing for anyone. I’ve just gone on to half pay & like you not sure how I’ll manage but at least I have some money coming in.
I really hope you get the answers you need now that the holiday weekend is over & I loved what the Queen keeps in her handbag :grin::grin:
Best wishes to you

Thanks, I’m waiting for doctors now. Have had the physio man this morning who said his work with me is done and that in his eyes I’m 98% better than I was when I came in. So it’s not all doom and gloom.

Apart from my own situation, I came in here on a Thursday. I was due to start 2 weeks holiday on the Friday. The reason being I was to go to my Mothers in Newcastle and try to arrange a carer for her. My brother who is in the navy had been stopping with her since Christmas, but his leave was up on the day I came to hosp.

To cut a very long story short(ish). I had to ring 999 from here (I’m in hosp in London), On the Saturday as my mam could not get out of bed at all she could only gasp on the phone.

Thankfully London Ambulance were great and liaised with NE ambulance and got my mam to hosp within an hour of me ringing.

My mam is 85 so my plan is as soon as they say I can drive to go to Newcastle and stop there for a few weeks.

I was really in 2 minds as whether to post on this forum, but I’ve felt very welcome and thank you all for the wise words and re-assurance.

:+1:

@Agitated
It is good to have met you. Please come back any time if you have anything more to comment. Your experience and what you have written about can be of use to others, everything written here is valuable in that sense.
This is a place where most of us are seeking answers. Asking questions is a good place to start.

If there is anything more I would say it is to take note and follow the guidance of those professionals who have worked with you.

All the best,
Bob

@Agitated sounds like you found yourself in a difficult situation. Glad you got your mum sorted for now. These things always seem to happen at the worst possible time.
Great that the physio thinks you’ve made such huge progress in a short space of time. Hopefully you’ll be able to drive to your mums very soon.
Feel free to keep.posting if you have any questions or can give any of us some advice. Between us all we always seem to get there.
Best of luck with everything.

Hi, I cannot imagine that you have been misdiagnosed but my circumstances in some ways are similar to yours. I too was walking about the same day I went to hospital and discharged 4 days later with no side effects. Discharge letter said no further action and the GP did not know what to do with me. Had a GP medical assessment then took a driving test after 4 weeks and been on the road since in my car. Oddly the insurance company were not interested and did not increase my premium.
I think what I am suggesting is that you might try driving a smaller vehicle until your 12 months are up as I cannot imagine that the DVLA will bend the rules.
Whatever happens I hope you continue in good health.

Sorry to hear u news but the advice on here is spot on so no need to repeat it. You will find welcome and support on here with kind regards des

Try not to do too much to soon. I certainly would think twice about such a long journey in one go.
Given what you have said about your circumstances, your stroke may have been bought on by stress.
Probably worth speaking to your local citizens advice regarding help with your finances. But please don’t try and do too much too soon.
All the best👍