Hi HIllclimber -I’d check with a urologist–a specialist in this area. Also, maybe he would prescribe sildenafil (generic for Viagra)-- pretty commonly used product for many males.
Shwmae @Hillclimber, I think it’s good to not feel coy about such topics as they are all connected to stroke recovery. I imagine it could be an issue with brain signals to that area but if there wasn’t an issue before stroke and wasn’t an issue just after stroke, it might be worth a GP visit. I know that some medication can reduce arousal, especially SRRIs. It might also be a psychosomatic issue.
This run aground comment has struck a chord with me. I had a stroke 9 months ago at aged 60. I thought I was fit and well and it was a massive shock, but still count myself very lucky that I got a warning, which has got me onto the correct meds, could have been far worse. I lost feeling in the whole left side of my body, but my face recovered quite quickly so I was left with some stiffness in my left arm and strange sensitivity / numbness in my lower arm and thigh. Nothing visible to anyone but a constant reminder of the stroke event. The best way I can describe it is that it feels like your limbs have been wrapped in cling film.
In the first few months I felt like I was making progress every day and even started running 5k’s two or three times a week after a couple of months.
Since the 6 month mark passed by I have had several days when I feel like I am going backwards when I have fatigue and increased sensitivity in the arm, even tingling back in the face.
Reading other peoples stories helps me stay positive and remember I am still in early stages of recovery. I am always thankful that although my life has been turned upside down my symptoms are minor.
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@mikesanderson welcome. I’m.in awe that you got running so soon after your stroke. Its one of my goals but i’ve got to get walking properly first.
You may find your body is telling you to slow a little bit & rest. Hopefully the fatigue is just a temporary thing & you’ll soon be backnrunning.
Best wishes.
Ann
Indeed, the first six months is critical self-repair for the brain, if we don’t let it do it’s job, then when it stops it’s only half done what it could have done by itself. So, afterwards things get tougher. I was guilty of the boom-bust cycle, I thought my brain just needed to reacquaint itself with everyday things and the pieces would, over a short period of time, just slot together. In one sense, not being able to walk properly forced me to remain supine or sitting and resting. But on good days, I might be out with the strimmer in the orchard, not so brain repair friendly. There can be a standard repair and rebuild map provided by health professionals but, sadly, not all are on the same page concerning stroke.
Hi Rups again - like you I thought that if I got back to normal working routine after the “S” then I would get everything back to normal. NO it does not work like that, I had not realised that the brain needed
re-booting and I could not locate the Ctrl-fn buttons to do the re-boot. Whilst I had an excellent recovery team, they did not advise me about this problem. Only by reading this excellent forum did I discover the real truth. Thankfully, my physical recover was very quick in comparison to others on here, but it took months before I acknowledged the brain fatigue and allowed it to have its required rest, now its 4 to 5 hours work in the workshop building my latest race car and then 2 or more hours on the “Day-bed”. Time is the greatest healer and accepting its necessary to get back to normal, or as far as possible.
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Pleased to say that recovery continues quite well, in fact I am up to working about 7 hours before the brain fatigue sets in and its back to the Daybed for recovery. Looking forwards to getting my race licence back so I can start racing again in September. So fortunate that it was a small S compared to others on here and that I was hospitalised within 2 hou,srs, thanks to my wife,s quick response
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Its coming up to 12 months since my S and whilst quite mobile, its the brain fatigue that bothers me plus muscle pain in arms and thighs , incontinence and the feeling of will I ever gat back to nearly normal. I recognise that a S is a life changing experience and one has to finally accept that. I have however nearly completed the build of my race car and hopefull of driving it in September, assuming I get the race licence back, I cannot apply for its renewal until 12 months after the S event, but I got my DVLA one back after 3 months via the driveability DVLA test. Reading all the other Forum messages, I am in a good position but how to handle the frustration is my problem, any advice welcome.
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@Hillclimber hope you get your race lucence back once you’re eligible to apply. Hopefully it’ll just be a formality.
Frustration is a difficult one. We all experience it at various times i am sure. I usually allow myself a bit of time for a rant then tell myself it won’t help dwelling on it & to move on. Sounds easy when you write it…reality is much harder.
I find distracting myself with other things helps a bit. Chatting with friends also helps.
Look forward to hearing about your racing your car again.
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My TIA was just over 2yrs ago now. I have mild aphasia, drop foot and the fatigue we all seem to experience.
With regard to frustration, I just down tools and walk away. You have to learn to just let it go. Meaning, whenever, where ever and for whatever reason I may be feeling frustrated, I either mentally or physically walk away from it until I’m ready to come back to it again from different angle. So, say for instance with my aphasia, I’d close my eyes and just breath, rethink what I want to say, then try again…three times the charm they say 
So if it hasn’t come to me by then, then it wasn’t worth saying in the first place…or someone’s filled in the blanks for me 
If it’s something I’m doing physically that’s frustrating me, that’s when I just down tools and go do something else for time being.
I take frustration as a que, the brain’s way of telling me it needs some time to process what its already taken in…go away for a while and come back to me when I’m done. Take a nap, take a walk, watch tiktok on your phone, whatever.
I don’t like frustration because that just leads to anger within myself and I hate anger, it’s just such a waste of energy better utilised elsewhere. So I just avoid them both, because stroke fatigue is hard enough without wasting energy on those two squabbling emotions
Pace yourself, don’t take on more than you really know you can handle and only if you know you enough time to do it. 'Cos rushing things with a stroke brain can just wind up scrambled.
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I do this too. I think autonomy has become one of my recent and practiced character traits post stroke. Being lighter as opposed to heavier. They say that will power is a finite resource but distraction is infinite, and so a more bountiful amenity.
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THANKS FOR ALL THE COMMENTS, ALL CONTAIN USEFULL ADVICE. ahh forgot cap lock on. Any way, I have managed to turn the corner and accept I can only work on the race car for 4 to 5 hours before brain fatigue sets in and I retire to the “Day bed” for an hour or so to recover and let the brain re-programme with latest info.
Some frustration continues with Government web sites DVLA & HRMC both of which have many links to info which is not relevant to my search. I thought I had got my Dvla licence back after passing the drivability test, but no, I am now going for my 3rd medical to try and prove I am OK to drive. Same with my MSUK race licence, paid for medicals which they will not accept so given up on this years renewal, will start application again on Jan 1st '24 as my new car is just about ready for testing and pleased to learn that my 20yo Grandson wants to drive it next year. So, I will warm the tyres and he will then drive at speed to show its potential.
If nothing else the hobby, my wife calls it an obsession, gets me out of bed each morning and helps to spend the money!!
So, post “S” recovery continues just left with loss of short term memory and fatigue, so very lucky. Good luck to all new sufferers, take one day at a time, try to be busy and accept ASAP, that life as we knew it has changed.
All for now, off to the spanners - again.
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