I have found the 7 hand exercises very helpful on the Parkinsons website and practise them every day. I had the stroke in October 2017 and it has affected the whole of my right side. I was right handed but have taught myself to write with my left hand. The most difficult problem now is that my right arm is becoming much less controllable and has developed extreme shakes and I don't know how to avoid constantly banging it on the chair arms, washhand basin etc by accident and really hurting myself-any ideas on how I can avoid this? I am going to try elbow protectors. The other very difficult problem is non-stop intense dizziness which is now affecting my balance badly and caused me to have my first fall. I don't know any other stroke survivors and haven't managed to make contact with others in my area. There must be others out there but where are they?! Anna Ballan
I have found the 7 hand exercises very helpful on the Parkinsons website and practise them every day. I had the stroke in October 2017 and it has affected the whole of my right side. I was right handed but have taught myself to write with my left hand. The most difficult problem now is that my right arm is becoming much less controllable and has developed extreme shakes and I don't know how to avoid constantly banging it on the chair arms, washhand basin etc by accident and really hurting myself-any ideas on how I can avoid this? I am going to try elbow protectors. The other very difficult problem is non-stop intense dizziness which is now affecting my balance badly and caused me to have my first fall. I don't know any other stroke survivors and haven't managed to make contact with others in my area. There must be others out there but where are they?! Anna Ballan
I had a small stroke in October this year and was scared to see that all my letters ran together when I tried to write. So I practiced lots, played with pegs and even tried playing chess with myself. I couldn't remember the moves but that didn't matter, it was good to pick the chess men up and move them to another square. My left hand kept wanting to join in but I didn't let it. The good thing was, that playing with myself, I won!
Dear Angela
Dont be scared about the strange things that happen to us after stroke.
Our brain is damaged but amazingly can "work around" by using different pathways.
Our limbs etc are not damaged, its just the messaging that isnt working. You have done well to write such a lucid posting.
Anything that keeps the muscles moving is beneficial. Keep at it.
Smile a lot
Be positive
Lots of us are out here willing you on
Colin
does any one else feel that they are walking through blancmange or treacle? I can do many things but often feel like it's someone else doing it!
Looking at my last post - I can write now, thank goodness. Thanks Colin for your reply
Is anyone out there taking simvastatin with amlodipine? I'm asking because I really don't like atorvastatin but the consultant changed me to atorvastatin when he started me on amlodipine to reduce blood pressure.
Any experience will be welcome.
Hi Angela. I take both. After my first stroke..haemorrhage....I was put on 80mg of Atorvastatin. At the time I was also taking 5mg of Amlodopine. I then discovered that Atorvastatin should not be prescribe for a haemorrhage stroke. I cam off it and took no statins for a year and my cholesterol wasn't too bad.
Two months ago I had a second mild stroke caused by a tint clot. As my scan revealed the previous haemorrhage was completely healed I was put back on 20mg of Atorvastatin. I have no adverse reaction to either.
You do not say why you don't like Atorvastatin, which is prescribed to lower cholesterol.
Ta for your reply.
I'm getting muscle aches and feel I'm walking through treacle. Amlodipine now reduced from 40mg to 20, so will see how I go but still get this slightly woozy feeling.
That seems a very high dose of Amlodopine
Hi Angela. I was prescribed Amlopidine for blood pressure together with Rosuvastatin on discharge from hospital. I've never taken Atorvastatin but have tried every other statin for high cholestrol. I couldn't tolerate Amlopodine - felt like a zombie all day on it. I took the Rosuvastatin which reduced my cholestrol from 6 to 4.6 within 6 wks and actually, it is the only statin that has reduced my cholestrol. With all the others it went up! However, after a nasty episode of not being able to get out of bed due to leg weakness, etc., I ended up in A & E to be told that I am allergic to statins and had to come off them completely.
My husband takes Atorvastatin and gets on well with it but everyone is different. I now take Perindopril for blood pressure 4mg and it suits me well. Prior to that I was on Accupro (another Ace Inhibitor) for years but that has now been discontinued. There are so many different types of BP tablets and lots of brands within those types so it's worth experimenting until you find a good one for you. Ace Inhibitors also protect your heart but don't affect cholestrol levels. I drink Benecol every day and that seems to keep my cholestrol under control.
Thanks, your reply was interesting. I'm now on 20mg Atorvastatin and feel a bit better than when I was on 40mg. Perhaps Amlodipine is my problem as well as yours. Certainly I took simvastatin for 3 years on its own without problem and there definitely are possible interactions between Amlodipine and all statins.
I'll ask my GP whether I can take something else to lower BP.
I hope you are doing well now. Angela