Hallo all. I had my left-side ischemic stroke in June 2017 almost exactly three years ago. Main effect has been loss of sensory function in the fingers of my right hand so I was relatively fortunate. However I have a range of 'invisible' after effects which are difficult including bouts of dizziness and nausea and some days such fatigue that I can't do anything but rest in a chair or in bed. There is no rhyme nor reason to these episodes. One day I am gardening and doing the housework and the next I can barely get to the bathroom! Nothing seems to help except rest and drinking plenty of water. The difficult thing is lack of understanding by others because you look normal and behave so for most of the time.
hi, Ihad my stroke 12 odd years ago and still suffer side effects. It is a constant struggle ! but i have learned to pace myself. I find if I purposely have a complete day off and a good sleep in the afternoon I am able to get through most days. I live alone so I have to be able to do things... I am almost 91 now so some of it is old age anyway !
I had my right sided ischaemic stroke in March of this year and forunately have only been left with a slight weakness in my right leg. Though I have noticed it sometimes takes me a few seconds to find the word I want to say and sometimes my words are jumbled. I do get the odd unexpected day of fatigue and I have found it is best not to fight it but find something relaxing to do ,such as watch a film or read a book. I find if I don't fight it I recover from it much quicker.
Hi Lizcristofoli,
I had my stroke almost ten years ago and the fatigue has diminished enormously over time - Prior to this Covid crisis, I was working full time and travelled extensively.
That said, all of my stroke deficits worsen when I am tired or even moderately unwell.
I find that if I battle against the tiredness, I can get past it - I do this because I'm conscious of my mother who had a relatively mild stroke and started sleeping 19 hours a day after it, which had a massively detrimental impact upon her health and quality of life.
Finding a good sleep routine and exercising often, if you can, really help and improve many things, I have found.
Keep on... keeping on!
Damian
I had a Stroke of the Thalamus around three years ago. The reason I can't be precise is because my GP said I had definately not had a Stroke and that it was probably a vitamin deficiency. How wrong she was.
I was warned, once I was receiving proper care, that incredible fatigue would be part of the experience. I can sleep easily for 11 hours and still feel tired after that, needing a power nap at some stage in the afternoon. I don't know how much of this issue is down to the Stroke itself or the cocktail of drugs I am on.
One thing for sure is that you can't beat it. On that basis, the most important thing is for the people around me to understand that I am not a lazy person, it is all part of the complex issues we face as Stroke survivors.
Hello..I had a right thalmic stroke in April last year. Fortunately I had no weakness in my limbs but my eyesight in my left eye was my biggest symptom along with the most horrendous head pain imaginable?! I was completely floored by fatigue, in the beginning I just couldn't stay away longer than an hour, I was advised to listen to my body so rested as much as I could. My balance wasn't good and I didn't have the stamina to walk far, moving round the house exhausted me! Eventually I got so I would get up for a couple of hours in a morning then go back to bed for a couple of hours then after lunch back to bed again for 3 or 4 hours and I slept well all night. I gradually reduced the time I slept but continued with going back to bed for 2 or 3 hours until after Christmas when I quite suddenly began to realise I wasn't needing to go back to bed to go to sleep. I still often have a power nap during the afternoon but I do still co scantly feel tired but it's tiredness that is not relieved by sleep. I have very little energy to do much other than basic housework, thankfully hubby has been good at helping out and he had to learn to do the cooking. I'm proud of myself as I have now begun baking again, at first I just couldn't follow a recipe & got terribly anxious and cross with myself. My eyesight and balance have now corrected themselves following an appointment and a treatment for correcting vertigo?! I would love to be able to go on lovely long walks but also suffer from fibromyalgia so have a lot of pain in my back and legs but also a general all over aching?! My stroke has affected me cognitively, my thinking is slower, my perception is poor, I easily get in a flap or get cross. My concentration is shocking. I feel as stoke survivors we just have to live the best life we can and be grateful we are still here. I'm sure we all have bad days and good days and everything in between. Make the most of the things we can do and try and keep a positive attitude at all times. Thinking of all my fellow sufferers. Best wishes to you all Elaine x??
Hi
i had a stroke in January it has left me with a loss of sensitivity in my left arm, hand and left side of my face especially around the eye. I count myself lucky
i am a young 59 and had just started back at work before lock down Have spent the last 70 plus days gardening
last week the fatigue and dizziness came back ???
i now can only do a fraction of what I had been doing without sitting down some days just coming down stairs wears me out !!
just hoping it goes away again ( GP has no idea)
still counting my blessings but wonder how work will be in the coming weeks !
Hi, am a newbie here had my stroke earlier this year quite mild I like to think, but tire more easily than I used too. I already had fatigue issues from a head injury then made worse by added higher dose blood pressure tablets. Feel drained now sometimes from what is for me a heavy workload.
With the current crisis of Coronavirus has in a way just allows me to walk a little way that I can manage each day. By not going into town now so not having to walk from the car park and also around shops when we get there. Bless my partner does most of the shopping in the village shop, at least lets me go there when I need the post office there but is concerned when on my own.
I go to bed in the afternoon and also go to bed early in the evenings though sometimes use my laptop to help me sleep more deeply.
Jem
Hi Jem.Welcome tour our forum. I'm afraid post stroke fatigue is something we have to live with. It does ease, but mine is still with me four years later. It's worse if I get stressed, but always requires an hour's nap every day. Good that you have a partner who can take some of the strain.
I had a right-sided double ischaemic stroke in November 2019. I also have Multiple Sclerosis, which means I have severe fatigue ..This has left me unable to do much at all physically; I now use an electric wheelchair which is fantastic - meaning that I have some level of independence left. However, my husband is my full time Carer as well as having assistance with two PAs to help with household duties. Without this, we would have gone under during this pandemic, so much to do yet we both have such a struggle mentally. Little contact with anyone ... I am desperate for my planned hospital appointments to reoccur.
Hi Jem, so glad you've found this site, you will get lots of friendly advice from stroke survivors on here who will help you with anything that's troubling you.
We are all different but we do share some things common to us all like stroke fatigue(SF). I had a stroke over 2 years ago. I have stroke fatigue but don't get it every day, it's worse if I overdo things and some days it hits for no apparent reason. It's important to try to sleep well at night, I need at least 7 - 7.5hours, it's about as much as I get these days. Resting during the day is ok and you seem to know fatigue is your body's way of saying 'hey slow down a bit'. Its not that long since you had the stroke and you may find you don't need to rest as much in the months to come.
I used to use Calm stories at night to help me get to sleep although I don't need them so much now. You can listen free on YouTube, I used to listen to the Nordland Night Train read by Eric Braa - never heard the end of the story I had always gone to sleep. There are a few others on YouTube which you can try and they are all free from the YouTube site. I sometimes listen to them during the day if I'm having a bit of peace and quiet.
Take care and try not to overdo things.
Ann
We are all different but SF does seem a common factor and it does have a fairly uniform affect on us.
I spent a lot of time and effort making sure I got good night sleep. For me thats 7.5hrs. It was very hard to achiev consistent sleep but does pay enormous dividens, With your added head injury issues it will be even more difficult. But a steady persistent approach will help you.
I will not go to bed during the day time. If I need a stroke nap, which I frequently do need, then I sit in a comfy chair. If really bad I lie on the sofa. But I wont go back to bed. Just my way.
Colin
I know what you mean about the mimic stroke I am constantly looking for signs of a new stroke. I'm glad to hear all your tests are clear. But it's a constant worry and
now they think heart atribulation started this so now I'm worrying about my heart too. I am going to give myself 12 months to get better.
Hi John, thanks for your reply. It is by reading yours and other experiences can see I am not alone or see how to solve similar challenges that occur that can help.
Jem
Hi Ann, thanks for your reply. Your right is by reading yours and other experiences can see I am not alone and see how to solve similar problems that I have.
Getting used to using a walking stick a problem when going out but think got the hang of it generally. Refused one while at hospital (wall rails most areas)but the wider world a different problem!
Take care
Jem
Hi Colin, thanks for your message. With my previous head injury prefer to have a regular plan of action from day to day/ Surprisingly most of us do. Though takes me time sometimes, I manage.
Since the stroke tiredness, a problem and walking now have a stick. Though at one time could not walk, in fact, had to relearn everything. Reading different folks challenges can see how to get around some problems I might have. Have a brill writing aid reduces spelling and some grammar.
Best
Jem
I think I've realised that better might not be quite the same as before. My major focus now is working on this fatigue, and not rushing back to work again. Good luck with your revovery
This may appear strange but I have benefited from the lockdown to help me rest after my strokes/ TIAs in January. I still get incredibly tired but the lockdown meant that we really couldn't do anything else other than rest. As a natural procrastinator, this suited me perfectly lol. The headaches and the need to sleep were the worst. It still happens but I 'got away with it' in terms of physical impairment.
Does anyone else have heightened emotions? Mine have calmed a little but I found myself in tears at the slightest bit of upset. The downside is I can also become very short tempred with my nearest and dearest. I don't mind displaying my emotions but not the negative ones.
Hi Dennis, Most of us experience heightened emotions. I was never tearful, as many are, but I was short tempered with my partner and am still tempted to be occasionally. I control this well and put it down to the fact that no one other than another stroke survivor really knows how we are feeling. You always get the feeling that people think you should be better than you are and be 'back to normal'.
Four years after my major stroke I still get fatigue. A month ago I also had a second mild stroke, but that has knocked my confidence. That said, I am fighting back and always will. However, the whole stroke experience is a major roller coaster. Time for my midday nap in a minute.....
Hi Dennis I had a stroke over 2 years ago ( it was a lacunar infarct) and like you have no physical impairment apart from wierd feelings in my hands and legs occasionally which I have had for a for a few months so am putting down to the stroke. I had major emotional issues up to about a year ago but these seem to be settling a lot. Having said that I still have occasional days when I feel very tearful for no reason and don't understand why it happens but have decided I have to learn to live with it at the moment.
I agree that the lockdown has helped, apart from the isolation which I'm finding quite hard, that's why this site is good just to be able to chat to others in the same situation. Just before lockdown I decided to start swimming again but that's been on hold since then, but it's on my bucket list now along with a couple of holidays I want to take when all this is over. Maybe we should all make bucket lists and share them with each other on here- it'll be a good talking point for us all.
Ann