LOL I’ve been confused by most things tech since my stroke !
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i put my share story on here, but cant find it, did i do it the right way
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Hi @tricia3 I had a look through the forum posts for you as I did read your story . . . and I’m still waiting for the part two of it 
And it was actually in Share you story
(Whereas this post is the ‘About the Share your story category’…confusing I know 
)
Just click on the blue link below to get to it 
not very good with technology. do you feel cold today, its 11 on computer , i have to put heating on, still have pressure in head dont know why, is it the bp tabletslaying down, i have arthritus in l;eg
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I still get that pressure from time to time from driving. I usual find taking my glasses of for a minute helps…not while I’m still driving of course Try it and see if helps relieve it.
Although, when I think of it, driving probably does raise my blood pressure a tad. Do you have a BP monitor, if so you should maybe start taking your a couple readings a day for week and take them to your doctor.
I’m off to strength & balance class this morning so that should warm me up 
Its currently 9C here but I’m further north from you I think.
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we had an offer on bungalow but was too low she upped to252. its 14 here sunny and warm in somerset, i cant drive. i did yoga on saturday, first time for a while
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A post was split to a new topic: Hello everyone, I’m Jonathan
Hello everyone, another Dave here, just joined, had a stroke on 20th oct just gone, i a locksmith trainer and was getting ready to go to big lock show when a had pins and needles down the right hand side, ignored them thinking that theyd go away but they didnt , about 3 hrs later a phoned my partner , she phoned a ambulance and after some tests they kept me in for 4 days. been home about 6 wks and things are coming along ok, very slowly , but ok, can walk , but most of time i drag my foot, can talk ok, and my right hand does what it wants most of the time lol. hardest thangs are the little things, like getting dressed, writing ur name, eating , want to get back to were i was pre strkoe, driving and training people again.
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You can rest assured just about everyone on this forum…both stroke survivors and carers…have been through that particular hell and come out the other side…some are still in it 
Hi @Holliebear80 and welcome to the forum.
Now breath! Slow and deep, in through the nose and out through the mouth.
I myself suffered 2 TIA’s (which are mini-strokes) 3 years ago. And I’m pretty sure your mum is going through exactly the same thing as you are right now, so start talking…better out than in
Yes, she’s not out of the woods, there is always the risk of another stroke. That’s something all stroke survivors have to live with. But if we take care of ourselves, healthy diet, regular exercise and keep taking our medications, it all reduces that risk.
Is your mum on any medications yet? The standard ones are usually Ramipril for blood pressure, Atorvastatin for cholesterol and Clopidogrel for thinning the blood. Has she any follow-up appointments with the stroke team yet, there should be something or they will maybe phone in a few days.
You can find support and information from the Stroke Association Helpline on 03033033100. So it might be worth giving them a ring. They can also help you find local support groups for carers if you think that would be of help.
Also check out the Welcome post some us put together. It covers a lot of what can be expected going forward and some useful links.
One thing you can be thankful for, she came out of it pretty well from what you say. But her brain still has to heal; just because there’s no visible wound doesn’t mean there isn’t one…you just can’t see the wound in her head. She may be experiencing things like brain fog, she might get tired frequently or fatigued, headaches, balance might be slightly off. All these are also covered in the welcome post. And it might also help your mum to let her have a look through to see if there’s anything she recognises or can relate to
I’ve found my time on this forum has helped me to both rationalise and desensitise myself somewhat from those fears. I’m calm about it, don’t even get an odd pang of concern, but we’re all different, unique 
As it’s a bit late in the day for some on here, I’m sure you will get more responses tomorrow.
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Yes, I’d say many have it and it’s just the same as when pregnant mums have it on their baby bumps…only it’s on the neck instead, quick and painless. Youtube is great for showing that sort of thing if you care to take a look.
As far as exercise goes, she can do as much as she can or in other words, as much as her brain and body will allow her to. Do you have the number for the stroke nurse, it might be worth giving them a ring as your mum could probably do with home visits from OT and physio. Although they might be waiting for the results of all her tests as they are not all in yet. Failing that ring your doctor and get his advice.
I’d be loath to give any specific advice on exercise as I’m not a medical expert and your mums medical condition hasn’t been fully investigated yet. But she does need to stay as mobile and active as she can to prevent things like muscle wastage, fluid build up and such.
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Good evening, all.
Just wanted to introduce myself.
I’ve been a long time reader of the forum, but thought I’d drop in & say hello at last.
33 year old gent, suffered a haemorrhagic stroke in March 2022, caused by an AVM. (Arteriovenous Malformation) which wiped out the whole of my left side. Began taking small steps in rehabilitation back in July 2022 and been trying to build from there every single day, I like to think I’m going from strength to strength in this emotional rollercoaster of stroke recovery.
Hoping I can contribute to this fantastic community 
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Hi Dan Ioh my goodness I suffered a hemmoragic stroke too in oct 7th 22 I was getting ready for work and my daughter phoned she never phoned me in the morning whilst on the phone I suddenly lost my hearing in my left side I said I couldn’t hear her she said she was shouting I had a whooshing sound in my ear then my eye sight went my speech I couldn’t walk it was horrific ! I then don’t remember anything my daughter came round called for an ambulance and I also awoke in hospital it since been found out I also have a AVM I’d never heard of one. I’m waiting on a procedure up in London as they cannot operate as too dangerous! ( huge stroke or death they said) to have something called gamma knife habe you got to have that? I am recovering and improving but still can’t drive as siffered two seizures in hospital and can’t work having worked for 44 years of my life as a carer living my job. I’m relieved to hear someone else has had this even tho they said it was very rare I’m also very sorry to hear you’ve had one too tho. 
I’ve been left with various things I cant-do how about you? You are so young bless you sorry I’ve rambled on I’m nearly 60 kindest regards micky
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Micky, great to meet you my friend.
I too had never heard of an AVM before! Scary stuff aren’t they.
I had the embolisation in hospital on the evening my stroke occurred.
After I was discharged from rehabilitation I went for a course of gammaknife surgery In Sheffield, that will be 12 months In March when I had this done. I believe I’ll have an angiogram and CT to see the effects of the gammaknife on the AVM.
If there’s anything I can help with or if you have any questions on it please don’t hesitate to ask.
It’s a really straight forward procedure and you’ll be in excellent hands.
There are things I struggle with unfortunately but I’m learning to adapt.
My left hand & arm has no movement YET, and the foot drop syndrome is frustrating but I won’t quit.
Back on the road driving after passing the post stroke driving assessment & back thinking of the viability of getting back into full time employment.
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Im new to this forum and can’t figure out how to start a topic. I did manage to find the video, but can’t find the New Topic button she mentioned. I dont know where this post will go, so apologies if it interrupts someone else’s “conversation” my brain fatigue and tired eyes from stroke keep me from focusing too long, more than a few minutes online. Thanks
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Hi, seems I sent a reply to "no reply which isn’t unusual for me, stroke or no stroke. Thanks, I found a way to do new topic, as the hamburger thingy you showed me didn’t come up for me. Im a bit of an introvert so will probably keep low profile on this forum, but look forward to getting and maybe providing support.
Patricia
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Hello my name is aldo. Had a hemorrhagic stroke on my rigth temporal lobe 2yrs ago i was at work strted feeling stressed oit overwhelming feeling of anxiety astarted sweating and left arm started feeling fuzzy then went flaccid co workers called paramedics Got their in five contracted pneumonia at the hospital few hrs after admitting i was in bad shape for a few days then got craneatomy surgery and got significantly better in folowing days was in inpatient rehab for 3months then discharged home then 3wks into being home expirienced spontaneous recovery from arm hand balance
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Hello simon. No not back at work yet, Yeah the mechnisms of spontaneous recovery are usually due to actual trauma healing in the putamen region of brain function returning due to healing cellular level. I actually had a regression after spontaneous recovery full movement of my arm and hand just needed to strengthen certain muscle mechanisms flexions mostly. Regression but i didnt return completely to same level of deficit …… iam somewhere in the midle … i think yhats what they mean by spontaneous recovery is not complete recovery you must continue recovery through neuroplasticity
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I just wanted to say hello. I have been dipping into the forum regularly for weeks and found much reassurance from you all.
I am 73, in good health, never been in hospital, on a low dose of amlodipine for the last couple of years. Did a Pilates class weekly, did at least one 5-7 mile walk a week as well as shorter walks most days. I was mentally active too. I apparently ticked none of the boxes for stroke risk — apart from age I suppose. Then on January 4th I suddenly stopped being able to talk. I ended up a few hours later in hospital and, after a scan, was diagnosed with a haemorrhagic stroke.
Fortunately it was a mild one and I was home 2 days later. The consultant sad it was ‘a subtle bleed on the brain.’ After 24 hours my initial aphasia turned into acute dyslexia. That slowly resolved after 2-3 weeks. So to all intents I was back where I began. I was optimistic that this was a minor blip and I would find practical steps to return to ‘normal life.’
It hasn’t been so smooth a process. Headaches, sleeping 5 hours a night instead of my customary 7, bouts of fatigue, inability to concentrate and what increasingly seems to be some kind of anxiety continue to bother me — a lot. I suddenly find myself hot and uncomfortable in public places. It feels like some kind of claustrophobia perhaps. I seem to be hyper-sensitive to loud noises. It’s like all my defences are down and I am overwhelmed by the material word around me. I am struggling after 10 weeks more than I did after 4 weeks and find myself withdrawing from the world and my friends.
I have also had a couple of brief bouts of not being able to talk. One landed me in hospital for 5 hours last weekend. I notice if I am active and then get tired and stressed, I get neck ache and I start slurring my words. I have an MRI scan in April and finally get to see my consultant in May.
I feel like I am moaning when I got off pretty lightly compared to a lot of you. Apologies. But my initial confidence that recovery was going to be a breeze has been severely dented. I need to learn more about my condition and how to manage it. So I will keep coming here. Thanks again.
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Thanks Simon, yes I have read the welcome post. Unfortunately I couldn’t find out how to post a comment and when I eventually did it seems to have disappeared. So I didn’t get the chance to belatedly introduce myself.
Reading the many comments and discussions on the forum is very chastening. Some dreadful suffering and incredible courage. It’s also very helpful. I have read around printed and online sources and learned a lot. But some key things I only learned through reading in the forum. So you are doing a great job. I shall continue to consult your pages on a regular basis.
I appreciate your comment about looking at the positives rather than the negatives. Unfortunately in my case I seem to have little progress to report in the last 6-8 weeks. I am more confused than I have ever been. Should I be venturing out, doing things, meeting people — despite getting exhausted, red-faced with a thick headache? It seems to end up in spells of deep fatigue. Is this harming my long-term recovery? Should I be taking it easy and avoiding pressure? But isn’t this a retreat? And I am aware that my physical strength is slowly deteriorating. I suppose the answer has to be: try to maintain a balance, pacing myself, going out into the world some days and others staying quietly at home. That’s what I am trying to do but there seems little margin for error. I am either overdoing things or not doing anything but mooching around indoors.
Anyway, sorry to moan on. I appreciate I got off lightly compared to most. But I was sent home without any kind of rehabilitation or support. Take paracetamol only and don’t overdo it! Your forum is an oasis in the desert. So a thousand thanks.
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Sorry Simon, on the mysterious disappearing entry — it was just me being incompetent in navigating around the site. Among my many other failings is an inability to read instructions!
I understand what you say about gently expanding boundaries and I am thinking along those lines. It seems that half my day I am optimistic and active, with a life and a future. And the other half I am sunk in gloom and fatigue and impending doom. Ho hum. Bright spring mornings like this are the best medicine. I shall head out for an hour in the sun later. I am a great believer in the health-giving properties of sunlight. I will, as you suggest, do the things that give me a boost.
I thought my inability to do certain basic things — like sit on a crowded bus, walk around a large busy supermarket, or sit down to some focused work on the computer — were direct effects of my stroke. “Deficits.” That, just as my illiteracy turned into dyslexia and then returned to normal over a few weeks, so my energy and social capacities would somehow just return. I see now that it’s more complicated and that what I am struggling with is some kind of generalised anxiety. I am starting to learn how to deal with that and have found some helpful and practical strategies. Patience is not one of my virtues.
On your final point, as soon as I sent my reply about being sent home without support I felt a pang of guilt. I forgot to mention my brilliant speech therapist who visits me every few weeks and has been an immense support. I suppose GPs are too busy to offer much direct support but mine have tried their best by focusing on blood pressure. Through the internet there’s now a whole range of resources — such as this forum. The NHS could do better I am sure but I have always held to the view that I am responsible for my health. Anyway there’s a much larger set of questions to resolve about how patients and professionals can actively cooperate to set up support groups of various kinds. This forum is doing a pretty good job.
So thanks again for all that you all do here.
JPS
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