Hi, I’m new here, and had a stroke on October 2nd. I’m still off work having tried to go back too soon and now have a month off to sleep and heal. My question is, has anyone had episodes where one side of the body gets warm/tingly and the head becomes somewhat heavy/confused? It almost feels like a TIA and paranoia is acute as you all know.
The thing that’s puzzling me is I’m feeling the effects of these episodes down the left side of my body, but my stroke affected the right side?
I’ve mentioned it to the APRN I see, but she didn’t indicate it meant anything dangerous. Wondering has anyone else had this?
Thanks,
Ian
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Hi @Mothman
I see for some inexplicable reason I didn’t say hi on your first post 
Remiss and unusual of me. So hello 
I don’t know whether you’re 450 posts read includes the welcome post ? made by some in the community - It may contextualize a few things for you
In short: All sorts of random shite is common.
The first 6 months are the commonest time to get aftershocks & adjustments. Equally they can occur even decades after.
New secondary affects might show up at any time but are more common from circa 6 months. So that’s the message that says “yes is normal”
BUT
I suggest you get checked out.
There a tenancy for everything to get blamed on the stroke when other health issues don’t stop affecting us. If you have still got afib then stroke is more of a suspicion. Some strokes can be silent or very quiet.
Getting a decent hearing without preconceived biases interfering will likely be difficult. Just human nature - So you might have to ask more assertively?
Many of us have been back to medical services with suspicions and they should always say to you you did the right thing in coming in.
In the first year I went about three times and I’ve even been once this year. It’s 4 years on. I couldn’t be sure that I wasn’t in the throes of another neurological event - I’ve got a follow-up hospital appointment in early December where I suspect they will say we don’t know either and I’ll have to push & push to get an MRI
Caio
Simon
SIG
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But Ian,
you don’t say how much your right side can feel. Because maybe it just can’t feel it, yet? Perhaps the left side of you is intact and connected to your nervous system (therefore feels a little ‘off’) whereas your right side is a little insensitive? In my case, my mechanosensory system on my right is still extremely weak after 2 years.
nobody can really understand what’s going on after stroke; our brains are unique and each repair is a law unto itself,
Good luck, Roland
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Long story short: yes I’ve had this. My stroke was the start of September.
As mentioned, your brains been through and is going through quite a bit. So anything is possible.
From what I’ve seen/read, this is fairly normal. But definitely get checked if it feels very weird or you lose the ability to feel or move etc.
I got pins and needles/tingles/shivers in my left side too (my good side) but everything worked so I didn’t get it checked. They’ve subsided quite a bit now
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@Mothman there seem to be many affects after stroke that we all experience & I think, to a degree, we become hyper aware of anything as we’re scared that we’ll have another stroke.
I do get some weakness on my good side at times but I did have a TIA 2 years after my stroke that affected my good side so I put it down to that.
My head experienced a lot of heaviness in the first 12 months after my stroke so you may be experiencing something similar but I would always advise that any new symptoms that worry you should be checked out.
Best wishes
Ann
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Thanks @SimonInEdinburgh. I did mention it to my APRN (nurse practitioner) last week, and she listened and didn’t seem to think it was enough of an issue to be anything concrete. I’ll visit the Welcome post and make sure I read those links if I haven’t already.
As for the “thing”, random shite is my guess, as you say. I’ll be sure to mention it again to her when I next go. Thanks for the response, it helps!
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@pando, I regained all function on my right side within a few days/weeks after the stroke (right hand, speech, and facial muscles mainly). I put it down to my general physical state being somewhat asymmetrical at this point due to the stroke…Thanks for the response. I think one aspect of “recovery” it’s hard to explain to people is the very unique and strange way the individual brain heals…definitely non-linear, for sure.
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@matt_d13 thanks for this. It sounds like we had similar experiences. I’ll be playing it by ear and paying attention to the weird feelings that encroach. I too have shivers in my upper arm on the outside (good side), and now and then while lying on my left side my entire back suddenly goes cold, and a sort of web of cold comes upon it, before fading away. Very odd.
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Thanks @Mrs5K , as you say there’s never a dull moment ;-(
Looking back on my history, I’m sure I had a very mild TIA at work in October 2017 that led to me seeing a cardiologist and being diagnosed with afib in January 2018…I am only now appreciating the possible effect on my moods and outlook that event may have caused. I assumed my diagnosis was the reason for my depression at the time, but am now wondering if the TIA affected me in more material ways than I remotely suspected.
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Ian,
I hear you, when the blood/brain barrier restored itself, and things ‘cleaned up’ your primary motor cortex survived intact. Next I would posit a bit of peripheral neuropathy? Just a guess, because I’m going on the few words you have expressed so far. I don’t know what meds you’re on, but things like Calcium Channel Blockers, and Statins are not good for peripheral neuropathy. Internet will tell you the jury is still out over this, but if you dig deep, you will hear stories confirming.
You have a hyper sensitivity and awareness of your circulation, and this will integrate over time… but it will take time. Reprogramming these strange feelings is certainly effective. Think of a beautiful favourite beach or the sights and sounds of a lovely holiday every time a nerve goes a little off calibration; in my case it goes rogue. Do some gentle movement or exercise (I do Qigong) to encourage good circulation. Essential oil Thyme is excellent for stimulating circulation, but so is Rosemary.
Certainly your stroke will join forces with your TIA to destabilize your CNS, but there’s a very good chance things will settle with time, take care, ciao, Roland
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Hi @Mothman
Have definitely experienced the same tingling in my left foot (stroke affected my right side) and ten months on also get tingling in right hand and right side in bed. My GP thinks the left foot issue is linked to nerves due to issue in my back (after he got me an MRI scan). Good luck with your recovery.
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Hi Pando, as regards peripheral neuropathy, that’s an interesting point, as I’ve had a numb patch on the outside of my right foot for months. It’s connected to a back problem, I think, but I have been wondering how long a blockage existed before I finally had my stroke…
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Thanks @Rob6 …the subtle, whispering feelings that move over my skin are still at it. It’s a strange experience. I guess this is my life now, as they say
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