Hi, I had symptoms (loss of speech, left weakness, facial droop) that looked like stroke in june 2012 and had a clear CT and was discharged from hospital after a couple of days as symptoms resolved mostly. I was then diagnosed with right brain ischaemic stroke after an out patient MRI In July 2012. I took reasonable care of myself from that date... But

2 weeks ago I had similar symptoms as before and was taken to ED by ambulance admitted to stroke unit.. I should add that i am post anterolateral MI x2 in 2004 and am on the usual meds. My stroke symptoms included left side weakness, loss of speech, drooping face left side all of which resolved fairly quickly. 2 weeks ago i had four separate episodes each lasting longer than the last. I was discharged same day, symptoms unexplained after clear CT scan, but had an echo on Tuesday that showed a blood clot in left ventricle. Following an MRI I was diagnosed with another ischaemic stroke right side brain in a different place and placed on warfarin and have to inject deltaparin daily for a few more days.

I am not due to see my consultant until june, so i thought i would ask you... Am i missing some info? As you can imagine i feel like i have changed. Im constantly tired, and decisions, understanding and speech sometimes take some effort. Today is a good day.. I am being referred to the anticoagulation clinic re inr but need advice on what effects some foods, and alcohol have on warfarin and deltaparin. Additionally what do i tell my friends, apparently i am all out of context lately, i assume that is normal?

Apart from my GP and the interweb, who do i go to to get these answers, should i go back to the hospital for an info pack? Does one even exist?

Anyway i am glad to have prevailed, twice, i just hope now we know about the clot i wont be back to hospital for a while yet.

Best wishes to you all

Good afternoon to you all,

I am in need of some help. Nearly 4 weeks ago my boyfriend suffered a stroke affecting only his speech. He was allowed home a week later - during his time at home he began doing bits and pieces in the garden and felt really good until 3 weeks after his stroke when he had an unsteady moment at home. Since this time he has had major balance issues whereby even sitting down on the sofa - he feels like he is going to fall over. Is this common? Has anyone suffered this sudden onset of unbalance/unsteadiness? He is so frightened about being on his own at the moment and is terrified of going outside even with someone. I hope someone can help me as I am at a bit of loss about what to tell him. Oh - I do have an appointment for him to see his GP but would rather speak to someone who has been through this before!!
Many Thanks

I just wanted to share. On Thursday 11th April, I had a ischaemic stroke, I'm only 43. Never smoked, haven't drank for two years through choice, and have been left with the right side of my face paralysed. The fabulous staff at the hospital looked after me wonderfully, and couldn't fault them.( food another story)
But what I did want to share is, even though Im lucky enough to have a wonderful partner, family and friends,
I just feel so down. Alone and want to seek some advice from others who have been where I am at the moment.
So I look forward to hearing from you soon,,
Gareth

I'm certain I suffered minor strokes in my teens - I was on the pill and a heavy smoker, I had daily headaches, and I had what I referred to as 'attacks' which I believe were strokes. There's also a history of cardiovascular disease in the family, both heart failure and stroke.

My symptoms included;
- VERY painful headache (behind left eye).
- Stiff painful neck.
- Numbness throughout body.*
- Going in and out of consciousness.
- Non-stop vomiting.
- Loss of ability to understand letters or numbers.**
- Light sensitivity and blurred vision.
- Altered sense of smell and taste.
- Drooping eyelids.
- Loss of balance.
- Confusion.***

* Numbness would start in my nose first and then my mouth would go numb so I'd start to badly slur my words and drool, this would would quickly progress to a point where I'd not be able to hold my arms up, put my foot flat on the ground to walk, or even be able to hold my own head-up. It was like my muscles had given-up, I felt like a marionette puppet being swung with no real control.

** It's hard to explain the loss of understanding of words and numbers, I recognised the symbols but somewhere in my head they'd get mixed-up. Once when away from home I had an attack, before it got too bad I tried to find a bus home but upon checking the time table I found I just didn't understand the numbers or how they related to the numbers on my watch.

*** I had no idea what I was saying or doing, no idea of what was happening around me so at my worst I'd get upset. I also experienced a symptom where I struggled to direct myself; I'd attempt to walk to the side but walk forward instead and walk into something, I'd try to adjust myself but end-up doing the exact same thing again, I just couldn't adjust myself. I've walked into doors, furniture, and even fell down stairs as a result of this.

Photos from my late teens show a facial slump on one side (no longer present), and since these 'attacks' I swear I've lost some mental ability and my memory, also I notice a slight delay in my brain telling my legs to walk or hands to pick things up...not a serious problem, just noticeable.

At the time I didn't go to the hospital and it was assumed by my doctor that I was experiencing severe migraines, no migraine medication or painkillers worked. No one ever suggested stroke or that the pill may be the cause of the problem - I suspect my doctors forgot my symptoms, reminding themselves why I was there by looking at their screen and seeing the last thing they tried was migraine medication so kept following that line of thinking, so they missed the obvious.

When I came off the pill and I stopped smoking these 'attacks' stopped completely. Although I don't suffer these 'attacks' any more it would be nice to know what they were as they caused such serious problems with my education and my life in general, I also worry that it may have caused long-term damage and put me at higher risk of stroke later in life.

Can doctors determine if I've suffered strokes?
Would minor strokes show-up on CT scans or MRI's, or would they be able to diagnose from symptoms? How difficult would it be to convince my doctor to consider diagnosing something that happened in the past?

Hi i just wondering if anyone has had a minor stroke.

In Nov 2011 i was told i had a very small stroke although the cat scan and MRI didn't show anything but i had presented with left arm weakness and a small droop to my mouth. I was put on medication and advised to stop smoking which i did. and thankfully the droop to my mouth corrected after a few days but my left arm still had a little weakness but life went on as normal i was just coming up to 47 then. I also had a family history of strokes my mother suffered a few mini strokes and then a massive one in April 2011 from which she died and father had suffered quite a few mini strokes which left him with Alzheimer's and he died 8 yrs prior to mum.

In Mar 2012 i collapsed at work and was taken to the hospital where again i had a cat scan that showed nothing on my brain but the above symptoms were present again. but apart from the slight weakness in my left arm i fully recovered. On Feb 9 of this year i was at work and begun to feel unwell i felt nauseous my left arm felt heavy and tingling i did not like light in my left eye i could not raise my eyebrows could not move my tongue the way the paramedics were asking me to had less feeling in the left side of my face and arm and although i could answer questions put to me i was slow to respond to these questions. I was taken to hospital where a stroke nurse carried out these test again and by then my neck was also hurting and it was hurting to lift my head. They give me a CAT scan and spoke to a stroke consultant via a t.v screen about my condition and he was able to view the CAT scan image. He then spoke to me and said he wanted the stroke nurse to administer a drug called THROMBILISTIS as he did not like the density of what he was seeing. I agreed and this was duly given and i was put on the Acute Stroke Ward where i wes monitored very closely. When my husband arrived the stroke sister explained to him that i had a stroke to the back of my head and to what they had given me and that there would be a CAT scan or MRI on Sunday to be carried out to make sure that there was no bleeding to the brain. On the Monday i saw the consultant who said without checking my arm or eye or face that i had NOT had a stroke i could go home and that i did not need the medication that i was on. to say the least i felt very shocked but relived and he walked away. The consultant then turned back to me and said i will send you a letter for an appointment at my STROKE clinic but it will take about 4 weeks and walked off. So here i am at home as my GP signed me off work for a month with my arm weaker than it was before this a constant headache my face and arm less sensitive to the right and i can't sleep for longer than a couple of hours of a night. My consultant has left me feeling a fraud and if these symptoms accrued again i don't think i would feel comfortable calling for an ambulance again.Has anyone any advise? PLEASE.

I had a minor stroke 7 yrs ago and I am very great full to be almost back to normal, the only things it left me with is altered sensations which is progressive started just in my left hand and now is affecting my arm shoulder and half way down my back, a very gentle touch can send me into tears it feels like millions of knives being jabbed in me the tiny fingers of a baby's touch is the worst pain ever but if a hand is put on me firmly I am fine, I also find hot and cold a problem every thing is very hot or very cold on all the same areas. I am telling you all of this as I work with a lot of stroke clients that still live at home and many times my symptoms have helped me explain to family members,a scream when touched (but we are so gentle) or shout its burning me (when water is normal temp) so if your loved one cant tell you and gentle hurts be a little firmer or if water feels right to you make it a bit cooler it really is a horrible sensation and it must be hell not being able to tell someone that they are hurting you when you can't speak (and many family members feel helpless ) thank you for reading x

My partner Trevor of 35 years in August had a bleed to his brain 3 years ago now and he had a slow recovery ,fed with a peg ,poor speech and his left side was not good . He was sick so much as the bleed had effected his balance and cordination . The Bleed was in the Celeral bellum brought on by high blood pressure . We 3 years on he now drives and has patches to comact the sickness and medication for other symptons that he has been left with . He has very bad reflux and often can choke ,very frightening to watch ! I look at him and think well done look how far you have come . He cannot see it as when he was in hospital and care for over 6 months he was looking out and had no idea really what he had been through . My story to his is completly different as i saw how bad it all was ...
I now reflcet on it all and have another struggle with his changes in personality, he can be aggresive and nasty too me .. its always my fault ,he constantly repeats himself and if you dare say "yes you told me" he hits the roof . If i pull a face he screams at me and get very angry . He tries to do things in doors, but as he has only really one hand he can use and thats not great he gets so frustrated .. i am at times at my wits end in trying to cope with the way he is now . I have read so many stories today and realise this is not just happening to us ... and its helpful to share with you and know you understand thank you ...

Possibly you may be able to assist me in any kind of way.

My Father (59) had a 2nd stroke in April last year, at the time he lost his short term memory, actually he lost all memories from the previous 5 year, at the time this put a great stress on the family as we lost my Gran a month before. Anyway, as the months past my Dad slowly got better,
Now if you did not know him, you probably would not think anything was wrong with him as he looks great, takes pride in his appearance and he still wants to achieve things in his life.

However, for family members close to him we know something is not right, he is short tempered and extremely aggressive and unfortunately this has now got to the stage where my mother and him are fighting so much that the Police have been called several times has resulted in my Dad being
Arrested, spending 2 nights in Police Custody, and now has a restraining order where he is not allowed back to his house until sometime in May, although that may sound rather scary for him, we have my mother who has been living in fear and walking on eggshells round him for 6+months, as things
Currently stand my mother simply cannot cope with his behaviour, I think she see’s him as the same person, and cannot understand his difficulties. My concerns are my dad has currently left the family circle and is staying with friends who will take care of him, but I feel the path they are will lead to
No good. He can’t seem to understand my Mum has his best interests at Heart, but all his hate and anger is directed towards her.

I have tried to speak with my Dad about his feeling’s and to be honest, the feeling I get is he does not actually know himself why he is angry and getting frustrated, although he acknowledges he has had a stroke, I think it’s quite not there that he is suffering personal turmoil and my Mother cannot
Support him. All my Dad says if she is pushing all his wrong buttons. I find it sad and it’s starting to take a toil not just on my Mum and Dad, but also on myself, sister and Aunt’s.

I have read up on strokes and brain injuries and all the signs are there which are even noted in your website, but we feel alone and require some kind of help to allow me to hopefully sort this.

Any suggestions, or advice would be most welcome and appreciated.

My mum had a strok back in April 2012 due to a tear in her carotid artery. She has been making excellent progress considering it was such a whopper and the fact that it has only been nine months (I MUST keep telling myself that!) but my mum has become really difficult with addressing when something is wrong - I think, because she thinks if she doesn't admit somethings wrong, no one will find anything.

I have just got off the phone to her and she told me that last night they had the paramedics out because she had a funny turn where her right arm and hand (the side that got affected by the stroke, that fully regained its use) stopped 'working' and she couldn't move her fingers. The paramedic did all tests with her and everything else was fine, but he suspects it was a TIA. He didn't make her go to hospital and has just said to make sure if something like that happens again to call straight away.

I just feel incredibly freaked out by that and I don't know if I am being irrational or not? I can't find any information about TIAs AFTER having a stroke - so nothing is really putting my mind at rest. I feel like it is such a big coincidence that Mum came off the Wolferin on Thursday and suddenly is having a TIA. I do have real trust issues with doctors too, as when mum first had her stroke last year her TIAs were brushed off by the paramedics and then she was sent home by the doctor - leading to her then having a stroke 12 hours later - I know it's not all doctors, but I can't help how I feel.

If anybody can give any input I really would be grateful. I'm not going to lie, even though my mum is very easy-breezy about the whole thing, I am struggling to keep calm about it.

LISA PLEASE CONTACT (CLOT BUSTER)

I was diagnosed with Hemiplegic Migraines in September this year, no auras or headaches, just Stroke symptoms. I'm experiencing these symptoms everyday. This afternoon as I'm typing this I've got weakness in my left arm and leg, really uncomfortable. I had two left sided facial droops last night. Docs have told me when I get these symptoms I'm just to lie down and sleep. I'm also deemed too young. I'm 38.

I received a severe concussion on 04/03/2010 whilst surfing in India. I took a 10+ ft., heavy, long board kicked straight out and very hard into to the left temple (in front of my ear) which left me with injuries that went undiagnosed for a couple of days, until I was completely overwhelmed with mental confusion, nausea, insomnia, dizziness and olfactory hallucinations (I could smell my father everywhere as I did when a boy). Pondicherry Hospital made the diagnoses after a CT scan but I received no treatment other than to stay with friends and sleep solidly for two weeks. The whole event was hellish stressful.

On 05/11/2012 I suffered a TIA left temporal lobe infarction, exactly in the place I sustained this earlier injury. I was discharged from hospital after 28 hours, for I have no major speech or movement issues, but I feel completely exhausted, shaken, v emotional, vulnerable and uncertain. The pain has not reduced in a week and, experientially, it reminds me exactly of the earlier event.

Prior to the first injury I had never suffered from hypertension. I was shocked to be diagnosed with it in Pondicherry after the accident, but that, perhaps, should be no surprise. However, it has never really left me since. I was very fit until then, surfing and high board diving, though over 50 but became a lot less active.

Has anyone else come across something like this or experienced something like this? I'm going to see my GP on Thursday (Stroke Association rep on Tuesday) but presently feel very alone and afraid.

I cannot find any definitive links between sporting head injuries and subsequent stroke / TIA, although I read that the risk is increased by x 10 within the first three months, that decreasing over time to x 2.5 after 5 years. I'd wondered about boxers and there seems to be some awareness of a link amongst ex-American football players.

I'd just like to know of any others who might have some similar experience or know of anything like it. It would be kind or reassuring.

Thanks for your help. I'm very, very, grateful.

John B

Hi i do hope someone out there could help me. something happened back in october last year while driving my car my face dropped and my mind stopped working i had to stop the car and pull over and rang my husband after a couple of minuters. my husband picked me up and we went to the hospital after tests all there ok but i still have this very bad mind that i not what it was and i am having a very bad time with this the moods go up and down husband is very unsupported thinks its woman hormoods again?
i really need some help please a person to talk to or visit that can understand that i need help i am really worried that i am going bonkers or something is this normal after a stoke or tis or whatever i had
please anyone help