My stroke (right side cerebellum was on the 5th Aug 2019 ) I've been on the same kind of rollercoaster as most of you lovely people .Learning to re adjust, dealing with the anxiety etc ,and the fatigue. Anyhow this week I've felt very emotional and actually had a review with the stroke coordinator ( Bedfordshire has amazing support ) I digress ... this morning I woke and felt fine but after about 10 mins thought oh I've got a heavy head at the back area . Then my left arm felt strange . My husband fetched the bp monitor and blood pressure was raised but not alarmingly 132/92 ( although I don't suffer from high blood pressure and don't take medication ) . I questioned whether I should call the gp as the arm heaviness was similar to my stroke . I then tell myself it's anxiety and panic - I didn't call the gp and after around 2 hrs I felt more myself . I have spent all day resting with my feet up . Does anyone else sometimes wonder is it happening again ? I think I thought that 5 months down the line those panic thoughts would of disappeared
It is very unlikely to happen again. You made it thru the first month so there is far less likelehood of another stroke than it is for non stroke people.
There are however all sorts of nasties that attack us as we recover. You did the right thing, you rested.
Your brain is still busy learning what is going on with your body and limbs. I now just sit tight and wait for the symptoms to pass by.
You probably dont want to hear this, but 5 months is very early stages. Things improve but it takes ages. I reckon that you get good recovery for about two years, then it slows. It is however never ever too late for recovery.
I trust you keep all your muscles moveing so they dont cease up.
Good luck and best wishes
Colin
Welcome to the forum Dawn, there are lots on here who will be able to give you good advice.
I think it's to be expected that you will worry that you are having another stroke, it's not that long since August when the stroke happened and you display some of the symptoms a lot of us get after a stroke.
I think a check up with your GP may be useful especially as you realised that your BP was high after you had that heavy feeling in your head. Maybe you need a small dose of BP medication to keep your diastolic reading below 90. Lots of us end up taking medication following a stroke, I take BP tablets (my BP was found to be high at the time of the stroke) and I also take a small dose of antidepressant at night which helps with a lot of the symptoms to some degree.
I'm glad you've made contact with the stroke association and would encourage you to attend your local group if you can, you will be made to feel very welcome. Also keep reading posts here, you'll get lots of information which will help you.
Ann
Thank you Colin , I've definitely got stoke head this evening so think I've been overdoing it . I've been trying to get a bit more active but end up paying for it the next day . Ballet class yesterday what a hoot trying to get my left leg to move !
Thanks Anne ,
I actually have normally low blood pressure and yes at the time of my stroke it was very high . I have my monitor at home so shall keep an eye on it before my trip to the gp. Whilst they were checking whether I had a small hole in the heart - which I don't they did notice an abnormal bulge in my right ventricle so 10 days ago I also had a heart MRI - in my case one test seems to lead to another to another . The Stroke association have been to visit twice now and the support and information has been / is so very helpful along with everyone's lovely comments on this forum
Hi Dawn, I had a stroke in February 2017 (right side hemorrhagic). At times I still worry and panic that it might happen again, although the feeling has lessened as time has passed. My stroke was caused by high blood pressure (which I didn't know I had). I now take BP medication and check my BP regularly, I try not to overdo things and rest when I need to. I really don't know what else I could do.
Regards Sue
Hi Colin,
Is this true?
"It is very unlikely to happen again. You made it thru the first month so there is far less likelehood of another stroke than it is for non stroke people".
If it is, it is so reassurring, as having another stroke is my greatest fear.
Dear Clarkey
I am not medically trained.
Doctors did tell me about the first month being critical and, getting past one month, most of us should no longer be in danger.
I am a clot. So I dont have bleeding issues. I think its ischemic and haemmorige in medic speak.
I am now on BP reducing tablets so high BP no longer an issue. I am on blood thinning so a clot is far less likely. My cholestrol is monitored.
Those things alone will reduce our vulnerability to a stroke.
Then, I do consistent gentle exercise. Has to be a healthy plus.
I am big into daily meditation. Far less stress.
I do everything unhurried.
I watch my diet/weight
So I am convinced that we are far less likely to stroke.
I wonder what the figures are.
Maybe it would be fairer to say that, within the population who have the possibility of a stroke, we are far less likely to have one. But thats a bit of a mouthfull.
I am in the likely to stroke group, not least of all because I have a very strong heart so a heart attack will not get me first. Complex issue. And it was a heart specialist doctor who informally told me I will never have a heart attack. I had taken part in a voluntary medical study so he had a lot of info on how my heart ticked. And that also explained why I could run for miles, play tennis all day and generally be fit without an effort.
You probably have noted how many of us are fit before stroke. Well I dont think that causes a stroke, but it will adjust the probability of what might kill us off. In other words, we wont get killed by many other things !
I also have noted that many of us are muscians. Gosh I could look too deep into all this and there is not much info available.
At the end of the day, as the consultant said, you were plain unlucky (he did explain about the clot and where it would nomally go). So the chances of being unlucky twice are small.
You have had your slice of disasterous bad luck. So i really dont think it will call again.
Best wishes
Colin
Love your reply Colin, looks like im in the same category as you in terms of fitness and heart, although not done any exercise post stroke.
Although blood tests have shown a higher than normal level on serum alt on my liver tests, could be tha statin medication?
Dear Clarkey
So many of us were fit and many super fit. In my days I walked from London to Brighton, played at least a million sets of tennis each week, cycled round a lot of England and bits of Wales and bits of Scotland. And I was almost unique in running before breakfast. I only ever saw one other "Jogger" and he went on to international levels. David Bedford. I was never good enough to be top of the tree, but I was jolly fit. Never overweight. I am a tiny man. Thin and short.
With this wretched fatigue I wonder if that was how many people used to feel when I was mega fit. I am determined to do a modicum of fitness each day. Often this is gardenning. A few trips down the garden soon mounts up to a mile. I have a long garden. We also need to do exercise to keep all muscles active. Thats where I find basic yoga is just fabulous. I am so pleased that my yoga lady is starting lessons again this coming Monday.
I am sorry that I cant give any insight in to the serum alt. I listen to the doctors then act in accord. But when I listened about statins I concluded I will not take them. Thats just me.
Keep on keeping on
Colin
Hi Colin
Wow you were a fit guy, like you i was quite fit. A black belt in a martial art and was still training and coaching up to the stroke, run a marathon in 2017, would run 5ks at least 4 days a week, did power lifting and suffered my stroke after completing a tug of war competition. The thing what annoyed me was one guy discolated his shoulder during the competition and is being compensated, where i was told that i couldnt claim as i couldnt prove 100% that the stroke was caused by the tug of war even though i had the stroke within 2 hours of the event. Oh well at least im still here.
Cheers
Simon
Good attitude Simon.
When I was jogging, I really wanted to run a maraton, but it was only an event for athletics club members etc and I did not reach those heights. Predated the London Marathon.
I envy that you ran a marathon. Good on you.
Best wishes
Colin