A ‘small’ stroke?

About stroke
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The MRI scan results are now in; and they apparently show I had a ‘small’ stroke.

That means I’m offered Clopidogrel and a statin, but other than that I can’t seem to find any information on what ‘small’ means.

Better or faster recovery perhaps, as the brain has more capacity remaining to re-wire? That’s looking on the bright side, maybe.

But I’m guessing that the risk of a second stroke is just as serious. So I’ll say ok to the medication.

Anyone else know what ‘small’ means? Do I just thank my lucky stars it wasn’t worse?

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@RobbieJ just popped it to welcome you to the community. Yes, do thank your lucky stars, it could have been so much worse…dead being the worst outcome of all.
Worse is being bedridden, constant pain, relying solely on others to even toilet you. Trust me there are levels to worse you really don’t want to be in and you can read all about them in posts from other members on here.

What are your deficits because I’m sure you have some? Its going to take at least 6mths for your brain to mop up and repair any damage it can. The main long-term deficits can be brain fog and fatigue, which I’ve no doubt you will experience if not already.

What type of stroke did you have? Do you have one side affected.

The good news is that it can and does get better, though you may never be 100%, but you are very early days yet in your recovery and you are not out of the woods yet. So take good care, take your meds, eat well, get exercise, keep up with any rehab exercises you’ve been given and get plenty of rest. You’ve just gone through a major trauma and life threatening experience, and as with any major trauma it takes at least 6 months to recover and another 6 months+ to regain strength and ability. So take good care of yourself :people_hugging:

Lorraine

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Agreed. thank your lucky stars indeed.

Any stroke is dreadful and a real shock to the system but if you are able to walk and talk after a short time you are very fortunate.

We are 6 months down the line and my husband cannot walk unaided. His right arm just hangs there, his right leg is heavy and goes red and purple. His speech is slurred.

There is only so much you can do with just one working hand, especially if it’s not your dominant hand.

Hoping your recovery doesn’t take too long and you can get on and enjoy life.

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My wife had a “small” or “slight” stroke, at the begining of April…she was very lucky, and her only symptoms now are that she forgets things, and gets a little confused at times…she is also now on Clopidogrel, and several blood pressure tablets…good luck to you, and as I keep telling the wife, onwards and upwards !!..

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Hi @RobbieJ and welcome to the community.

I’m not sure we can define small but at a guess I’d say one that hasn’t affected too much of the brain. Although I would also say any stroke is serious & can have some lingering affects.

I thank my lucky stars every day that my stroke wasn’t much worse but it still impacts my life daily.

Did they say what caused your stroke?

The meds are pretty standard and like you I take them to help reduce the risk of another. Good Lifestyle choices can also help reduce it too.

Wishing you all the best.

Ann

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I’m new to all this, having a stroke out the blue only a month ago. I was also told mine was small, but at the time it felt like the world had ended every which way. Currently suffering with panic attacks and constant anxiety which alongside high blood pressure don’t make the best friends. So really I think I’m just reaching out to really talk about what happened to try and battle the anxiety, as I’m 31 and struggled to find anyone around my age where I live who I can share experiences with, if that makes any sense.

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Welcome to the community. Definitely time to count your blessings and thank your lucky stars. I hope you’re making a good recovery.

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Hi @kimbers94 and a big welcome to our community. We are a merry band of stroke survivors and their carers and families. We have a wealth of experience and hope you will find this a useful place to be.

The feelings you have described are very common in the early stages of recovery and are completely normal. Stroke is a traumatic experience and it takes a while to begin your recovery and get your life back on track.

If your anxiety and panic attacks are difficult to deal with, I would suggest speaking to your GP, who maybe able to offer medication to help with this.

There is always someone here to offer information and advice, so please jump on and ask away if you have a question or you just need to have a rant or need a shoulder to cry on. Speaking to people who know exactly what you are going through is worth it’s weight in gold.

Another organisation you may find useful is the Different Strokes Charity, who offer a unique service to working age stroke survivors and their families. differentstrokes.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you as your road to recovery continues. Remember you are not alone.

Regards Sue

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Hello @RobbieJ and @kimbers94

Welcome both to this community. You’re sure to find almost anything you need help with here from a diverse group of stroke survivors, carers and healthcare providers as well as our wonderful hosts Stroke Association :slight_smile:

I will let you both digest the information/feedback you have already received in response to your posts. There is plenty of other information available here and on the website.

Do feel free to ask anything you like and someone will give you some pointers, and the best thing is these are almost always based on personal experience coupled with knowledge built up over the years through research to help themselves and also being part of this community.

Wishing you all the best as you move on from the small strokes you have experienced. Look after yourselves and with a bit of luck that’ll be the last you see of strokes.

Namaste|
:pray:

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@kimbers94 Hi & welcome to the community. Sorry youve had a stroke. A big shock at any age but especially at 31. Anxiety in the early days is very normal as you’ve had a big event happen even if the medics describe it as small. Hopefully it will settle in time. You are very early days yet.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.stroke.org.uk/sites/default/files/user_profile/a_complete_guide_to_emotional_changes_after_stroke.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj4yfjU58ONAxU9W0EAHUcyA3sQFnoECFMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2iIfCtU9kUs8WLw1n3YZ4Z

I see @Susan_Jane has already shared the different strokes link. They specifically look at younger stroke survivors so you might find someone your age there.

You may also benefit from the Stroke Association’s Here For You Service. Where they pair you up with someone in a similar situation to yourself who will then call you weekly for a chat.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke/support/weekly-volunteer-calls&ved=2ahUKEwjts8bA6MONAxWcaUEAHTtnHb4QFnoECCUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0qtTryZFQAoX9zmUnLuTRD

Also look at their online activities where you can meet other stroke survivors.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.stroke.org.uk/webform/online-stroke-activities-hub&ved=2ahUKEwjmhdDk6MONAxVqWEEAHXv6IYYQFnoECB8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw1YPDUdc0NQJpbJCJjyJYVR

Best wishes

Ann

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Hi @kimbers94 and welcome to the community :people_hugging: You’ll find lots of help and reassurance from many of all age groups, although the majority seemed to 40+. But that’s still ok as a stroke is still a stroke no matter the age of the body it’s in :wink:

I’m 63 and mine was supposed to be a “small/mild” stroke 4yrs ago but my brain never got the memo :unamused_face:, and I was a tad P’d off as I never got to have my Christmas pud before it struck on Christmas day…so I’m not sure if I was crying all night over the stroke or pudding :smirking_face: :wink:

But strokes are a shock no matter how minor, they still are a major life threatening trauma to the brain and you don’t just recover from that over night. My stroke numbed my emotions, all feelings set to neutral, which is just as well as I couldn’t communicate any. So although I didn’t have the emotional feelings that come with anxiety and panic, the thoughts still plagued my. I just had to constantly distract myself from those thoughts because, at the same, I could be run over by bus in the morning anyway.

It can get easier, you’re only a month into your recovery, it’ll take 6mths for your brain to clear up the debris and make its repairs and there will be a lot of ups and downs during that process. Knowing what to expect makes that a lot easier, I was totally in the dark.

Both you and @RobbieJ should read up on stroke decompensation; you can do that on here by using the search bar :magnifying_glass_tilted_left: or on the internet. Brain fog and fatigue are common, I think I already mentioned those to RobbieJ.
But keep your mind distracted, every single time you feel a pang of anxiety or panic attack distract it immediately. Immediately focus on something else, doing something else, its all about continually breaking away those thoughts emotions, don’t let any of them take root and grow. You make it a daily practice and gradually they will lessen. Distraction is the key!

You have the advantage of youth on your side and with a few healthy lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise plus the medications you are on all to reduce the risk of you ever having another one.

Take good care of yourself and you can always talk about anything on here. The more you read up on strokes and understand them the easier it can get to cope. Knowledge is power :wink:

Lorraine

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I had to look that up because I normally go for “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing!”.

And so I now know that the phrase Knowledge is Power is actually 500 years old, dating back to 1597 when it seems Sir Francis Bacon published in his work, Meditationes Sacrae, the saying: “knowledge itself is power”.

Here’s another thing, I always thought Francis Bacon was an artist (and of course he is - he’s another Francis Bacon).

There you go, a little bit of light relief from the deep and dark subject of stokes :slight_smile:

Apologies to anyone who thinks I am trivialising the serious subject of strokes.

:pray:

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Hi @RobbieJ

Welcome to the Online Community, and thank you for sharing what you’re going through. Waiting for answers can be really tough, especially when things feel uncertain.

You mentioned feeling unsure if it was just a small stroke. Every stroke is serious and deserves proper care and follow-up. It’s good that you’re being referred for further tests, and I hope they bring some clarity soon.

Others here have already shared some brilliant advice, and I just wanted to echo that support. If it would be helpful, we’ve also got a few resources about TIA (also known as a mini stroke) on our website. These explain what can happen, what symptoms to look out for, and how to reduce your risk going forward:

If you have any questions about the Online Community feel free to tag me using the @ symbol followed by my username, like this → @Alex_Moderator

Take things one step at a time, and be kind to yourself.

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Hi @kimbers94,

Welcome to the community and thank you for sharing so openly.

What you’ve described makes complete sense. A stroke, especially one that comes out of the blue, is a massive shock and it’s no wonder you’re feeling overwhelmed. Panic attacks and anxiety are, sadly, really common after stroke, you’re definitely not alone in this.

I hope being here helps you feel a bit more connected. There are others in the community who’ve had a stroke at a younger age, @Susan_Jane I see has already shared a link to Different strokes, they are a fantastic organisation whose sole focus is younger stroke survivors like yourself.

You might also find these pages helpful while you’re navigating all of this:

Take your time, and reach out whenever you need to.

If you have any questions about the Online Community feel free to tag me using the @ symbol followed by my username, like this → @Alex_Moderator

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Probably means the size of the brain damage, that is the dead matter. I’m no neurologist though.

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Alex, it’s not that I’m unsure if it was just a small stroke. And I’m quite sure it was not a TIA. It was a stroke - ‘established infarct’, as the doctor’s letter put it.

My question was: what IS a small stroke? How does it differ from any other? Is it assessed by the size of the area that is now dead, or by the impact on me, the consequences? Or is there even perhaps some more technical meaning? What does it all mean?

But to my mind it probably makes little difference, in the long run, if THIS stroke was ‘small’. The point, for me, is to avoid getting ANOTHER. So I was asking if there is anywhere I can get any more information that might help.

But I’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of kindness and support there is in this forum. It is much appreciated and in time I will try to respond to everyone who has sent thoughts or wishes and/or shared their own stories.

In any event, today I got to see the nurse from the stroke service, AND also a stroke recovery specialist physio (its been a `VERY busy day). So I feel I am in good hands; and whatever the measure of ‘small’, I know what I have to do to keep well..

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You’re quite right about the importance of recognising decompensation, I’d found that last night on the SA website; and it’s that that had me thinking: I’ll join this site - it’s got some useful stuff.

And then: [quote=“EmeraldEyes, post:11, topic:43001”]
“I’m not sure if I was crying all night over the stroke or pudding :smirking_face: :wink:”
[/quote]

Emerald, it’s the first time I’ve laughed since joining this forum; so thank you very much for that.

When these big scarey things like stroke and cancer - no , that should read STROKE! and CANCER! - when they first strike, it’s hard and it takes time to find a way back to feeling light hearted, even on a sunny day (which today isn’t.)

But it will come.

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But at least I made you laugh :grin:

It’s very much up and down for the first 6 months because your mind is always changing…literally…while it gets itself back in some kind of order. Even your moods can’t be trusted 100%, that could be an effect of the stroke depending where it hit and the damage of the fallout. It’s worse than Spaghetti junction in your brain, more like a road map of the whole UK. Just think what major chaos is caused when when one main road is closed for major repairs, and how much traffic has to be re-routed as a result. That’s basically what its like inside your head and it get exhausting and that affects moods too. But have faith, it will get better, it’s just going to take longer than we all wish for.

As for CANCER, well, having experienced what loved ones have gone through with that, including 2 deaths, personally, I’m happy to have my stroke. It’s the lesser of two evils for me.

Lorraine

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Greetings fellow posters and stroke survival enthusiasts.

After reading the original post, and thinking about what the poster @RobbieJ asked viz,

I found myself losing sleep which is not a good thing for already sleep deprived carers :slight_smile: Now, as is my wont in these situations, I had to get to the bottom of this.
Why is it that a simple question cannot be answered in a simple way? Why is it that the medical profession must make things difficult to understand, be ambiguous, be inconsistent etc?

I started by looking up definitions in the dictionary and found the following:
small - could be 1) of a size that is less than normal or usual or 2) insignificant; unimportant.
Stroke - I went for the NHS definition : A stroke is when blood stops flowing to a part of your brain .

From this the answer to “What is a small stroke?” might be
A small stroke is when blood flow to the brain was stopped for an insignificant or less than normal amount of time.

Does that explain it?

Possibly not, so then more research. Outcome as below:

----- My guide to stroke definitions Start -----

Stroke – Definitions (Based on NHS UK)

Stroke

A stroke is when blood stops flowing to a part of your brain. It can affect things like speech and movement, and take a long time to recover. A stroke needs urgent medical help in hospital because it can be life-threatening.

Types of Stroke

The different types of stroke include:

  • an ischaemic stroke – this happens when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain. It’s the most common type of stroke
  • a haemorrhagic stroke – this happens when a blood vessel bursts
  • a transient ischaemic attack (TIA or mini stroke) – this is when the symptoms of a stroke do not last very long (less than 24 hours)

A TIA should be treated as urgent. If you do not get immediate medical attention, you could be at risk of having a full stroke.

Note/Comment/Observation

It is said (NHS) that a TIA should be treated urgently, yet is it not the case that most people do not even know they have had a TIA? And if so, then how is it ever going to get treated urgently?

Transient ischaemic attack (TIA)

A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or “mini stroke” is caused by a temporary disruption in the blood supply to part of the brain.

The disruption in blood supply results in a lack of oxygen to the brain.

This can cause sudden symptoms similar to a stroke, such as speech and visual disturbance, and numbness or weakness in the face, arms and legs.

But a TIA does not last as long as a stroke. The effects last a few minutes to a few hours and fully resolve within 24 hours.

Having searched everywhere on the NHS website I came across no mention of “small” stroke, indeed even a Google search did not return specifics for a “small” stroke. In fact, when I “Googled” for “What is a “small stroke”” the result pointed to a mini-stroke aka TIA.

As a result of my research and previous discussions and comments about the terminology we might encounter, and here I am also mindful of at least one of our members who requested “Plain English”, I have decided to offer my understanding about what is stroke.

Conclusion (in layman’s terms)

There are two types of strokes:

  • Bleeds – haemorrhagic, when a blood vessel bursts and bleeds in the brain
  • Clots – ischaemic, when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain. This is the most common type of stroke

That’s it, that is stroke in a nutshell.

Clots are the most common types of stroke and they come in different sizes ranging from “small” to “large”.

The small strokes are what is also known as “mini-strokes” or TIAs. These are short-lived and recovery is within 24 hours and can be as little as a few hours. Sometimes, they occur and there is no indication they have occurred.

Small (TIAs) are warnings – they alert you to the possibility of a larger stroke and hence the need to get diagnosed and treated quickly so preventative steps for the large stroke can be put in place.

To finish, I put it to you dear reader that a “small” stroke is a TIA.

You may not agree, but this is my attempt to demystify stroke terminology and apply the KISS principle. I have no idea why we told you have had a “small stroke” and then find there is no definition of it on the websites.

----- My guide to stroke definitions End -----

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Thank you, ManjiB, for pursuing this question so keenly - though I hope you do not lose too much sleep over it!

And I do agree that the medical language and sources are ambiguous and confusing to the point of being frankly contradictory - though I also do suspect that the problem here may not lie so much with the medical profession as with the intricate complexity of human biology and neurology, which makes clear statements unreliable.

That said, I am coming to a different conclusion, from my own experience as much as from the reading.

As it is, I have definitely had a ‘small stroke’, but definitely not a TIA. The neural damage is permanent - in the words of the doctor, there is ‘an establshed infarct’. To unpack that, an ‘infarct’ is an area of dead tissue, in this case in the brain; and ‘established’ means it’s not going to go away.

(You might ask why we need not one but two terms to say that death is permanent, and maybe that suggests there might be nuances in the technical terms that means it needs two overlapping words to close off any lingering doubt. But in effect, it’s the same. That damage is done. )

HOWEVER, that only applies to those particular areas within the brain; the actual consequences of this loss do not need to be permanent, if the brain has the scope to mend - that famous ‘neural plasticity’, that means that the brain can co-opt adjacent areas and re-train them, to cover for their dead colleagues.

So the two meanings of ‘small’ that you rather helpfully identified, ManjiB - ‘small in size or extent’ versus ‘small in significance’ - may both be implicated here, but in a more dynamic interaction than was obvious at first.

It seems my stroke was ‘small’ in extent (a small area of the brain) but how ‘small’ it was in significance (ie: in the consequences for my functioning) is more complex, and relative. It was small, I now realise, in comparison with a ‘massive’ stroke, such as I realise many others here have had; but it didn’t seem small at the time, in knocking out my control of left leg and my balance, without any explanation.

(Because the area affected was very restricted, I had none of the usual symptoms we are told to look out for; and a CAT scan at A&E didn’t spot it; which is why it took a full five months to get to see the stroke clinic doctors, get an MRI and now a diagnosis, and care/treatment plan…).

It’s also not small in significance, in giving me a clear warning that I am at risk of another. I now realise that my body is a mass of risk factors - hypertension, choloestral, pre-diabetes - all swirling around my system like the Caribbean in hurricane season, just waiting for something to set it off.

But I’ve heard the warning - tablets, lifestyle changes, taking it seriously - but keeping positive.

Meanwhile, the full significance of a ‘small’ (in extent) stroke may be that it leaves more adjacent tissue to co-opt, for a better or speedier recovery; and that is what I have found. I can now walk, though with a slight lurching gait. And an understanding of fatigue (re-wiring the brain is tiring!), and of decompensation, is helping me enormously.

So if there’s a message in here for others who have had a ‘small’ stroke, is would be: heed the warning, but stay positive - you CAN rebuild.
Just give it time (and physio…)

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