@Nicky3 sorry to hear you’re feeling despondent today. You should be proud that you managed Pilates. I think the fatigue takes some getting used to but it is a big issue after a stroke. I’ve been feeling fatigued today too but I think it is Monday catching up with me as I had 2 appointments in one day…….beyond my capabilities at the moment but can’t afford to turn down medical appointments 
. Hopefully you’ll be brighter tomorrow and just remember praise yourself for the good things & don’t beat yourself up if you need to take some time out. Best wishes x
And that one can appear fine one minute, and the next minute, utterly shattered.
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I was trying to explain the difference today when I wanted to go for a walk to get physically tired to go with my mental exhaustion that I may - or may not it seems to be rather random - develop
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Shwmae @FionaB1, it feels random but I have a theory that much of it is based on the brains capacity to run on minimal cylinders, using preconceived ideas about activity and space. If we think about pre-stroke, and the times we felt mentally shattered doing something we were not accustomed to, or felt it was difficult getting our heads around. Or times when we were in an unfamiliar environment, and overwhelmed by it, having to push our mental resources to the limit to orientate ourselves. That’s when our brains (pre-stroke) were having to be on high-alert, and running on full cylinders. Most of the time we would fly through things on preconceived systems, making life mostly harmless and a comparative cognitive breeze.
Well, I think, from a non-medical point of view, that after injury those preconceived systems are disrupted, and our brains remain on high-alert unnecessarily. It becomes harder after stroke to differentiate between what would be regular exhaustion or neurological fatigue. And I will give an example as best I can. In the mornings, before stroke, I was always groggy. It always took me time to wake up. Now, I can’t distinguish between that grogginess and any neurological-fatigue that may have materialised due to morning thoughts or what not. The lines become blurred.
Fatigue, I think, will be affected by implicit/explicit thoughts, subconscious stimulation and conscious stimulation, the central nervous system, the gut neurones and biomes, and external circumstance, stimuli and cognitive challenges.
Personally, I think the first step to tackling fatigue is getting those preconceived cylinders back on track so that the brain can operate without expending high-alert energy which drains the battery faster. Easier said than done
At the end of the day, I always think of children, and the developing brain, especially toddlers. How a simple activity can make them tired, teary, and frustrated. It’s as if we have regressed to that formative cognitive state while the old grey matter tries and catches up to where it was at before the injury.
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Great post @Rups , I think you’ve summed it up very well.
Now where can I find a brain mechanic to give me a service!
Hope you are feeling a bit better these last few days as I’ve missed your posts.
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Thank you Mark. I am already finding this forum very helpful. Everyone is very kind and it’s good to talk to others who are experiencing the same problems as myself. I don’t look like I have had a stroke and people don’t seem to understand how hard it is. Comments like “are you better now” don’t always go down well! I must admit, I didn’t know the true extent of how a Stroke affects you until I had one. Glad to hear you are doing well but sorry about the fatigue. It’s a killer isn’t it! I am fortunate that I don’t have to work but you have my sympathies as it must be really hard working and recovering.
I wish you all the best with your recovery too.
Nicky
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Thank you. I did actually manage keep fit yesterday too. Fatigue certainly seems to be the killer for me. I agree, too many things in one day is beyond my capabilities at the moment also. I do feel brighter today thanks. It’s just hard trying to adjust to not being able to do the things I did before the stroke. Best wishes x
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