I’m about a month post stroke and also had pacemaker fitted recently so restricted left arm for 6 weeks. Doesnt help right hand side of body affected I get so terribly anxious & have panic attacks no real appetite. Is this normal GP prescribed Mirtazapine 3 weeks ago sends me to sleep but not yet stopped panic.
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@Janerider - just a quick hello and welcome to this forum. I am unable to offer you any advice on this as I am a carer with no first hand experience. This forum has plenty of others who will be better placed to help you.
In the meantime, the Stroke Association does have information on its website that you can look up and read at your leisure.
Below are a few links you can try
a_complete_guide_to_emotional_changes_after_stroke.pdf
Acknowledging my anxiety | Stroke Association
I wish you all the best.
Namaste|
@Janerider hi & welcome to the community. Sorry you’ve had cause to join us but this is a welcoming and friendly place to be.
A lot of what you are experiencing can be a normal reaction to a stroke & you’ve had a pacemaker too which will add to those feelings. I imagine the anxiety meds will take a little time to settle into your system so it may be too early to tell if they are working yet. But if they don’t settle or are making you feel rubhish then you should go back to the GP as they made need to adjust the dosage.
I lost my appetite after my stroke. A few people have described this issue too. Try and eat little and often if you’re not managing meals & try fortifying your diet too so that you are consuming calories if not volume of food. This could be with something like marvel which you can add to tea, coffee, yoghurt etc or you could add milk, butter & cheese to scrambled eggs, mash potato. You could also try a supplement drink like ensure or complan.
Hopefully all these things will settle in time. One month is no time at all in stroke recovery. Be kind to yourself. Don’t put any pressure on yourself and rest up as much as you need to and maybe a bit more on top.
Best wishes
Ann
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Thank you I feel rubbish at the moment so tired
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Hi @Janerider
Welcome to the community, I’m sorry to hear about your stroke and the anxiety and panic attacks you’re going through.
Anxiety is common after a stroke and I can see that you’ve been given some links to our information about this which I hope is helpful for you. I can see you’ve also just mentioned about being tired, we have some information on fatigue which may also be helpful for you to have a read of.
I hope you’ll find this community helpful for your recovery. If you need anything whilst you’re using the Online Community, please don’t hesitate to tag me using the @ symbol and my username.
Anna
Believe it or not, feeling rubbish is actually a good sign.
How so?
Because it means you are aware of what has happened and how that makes you feel.
Now armed with this, you can start thinking what you want to do about this.
The choice is actually yours - you may not think it right now, but you are in total control of how your life pans out going forward.
The choices you make now and the actions you take will determine the direction your life takes.
You will be challenged - that is normal. In life we are all challenged.
You say you feel rubbish and you feel tired. What would you like to do about it?
How will/can you make this happen?
Who would you like to support you in this?
Do you feel you have access to all the information and help that is available to you?
These are just things to get you thinking about what you might want to do.
Think about it and if you feel you would like to share it with us, do so. If you wish to keep it personal, then do what works for you. If you are the sort of person who likes a plan or a schedule you can follow, then make a plan and schedule activities. If you prefer to wing it, then wing it. There is no right or wrong in this. More importantly, nothing you do is ever wrong - it is the right thing to do at the time and at the end of it, you have another choice.
Life is wonderful - life is what you make of it 
9 months in from Tia at first treated it like a blip. I was very tired and very frustrated. Then anxiety crept in. Stomach churning all the time walking through treacle made me breathless. House work a struggle. Finally went to docs three weeks ago mirtazapine, propanamol. Took it for one week. No not for me living in a cloud now I was out of it. Now anxiety is absolutely vile but with docs ok just take half propanamol when rising to take edge off. Fatigue is getting better, not brilliant. Bought myself a sit-down bike to strengthen the legs, going upstairs was hard work, but slowly strengthening muscles. Ordered some meals from well known company for freezer, two tired to cook meals, although husband is very good but need our three a day. Always been active, always worked 74 years old head feels like 50. I feel useless old and that’s the problem but keep pacing yourself there are a lot worse out there just change a few things to make your life easier until you recover no quick fixes love to you all.
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As feeling groggy on Mirtazapine asked doc to discontinue. Im 7 days into 2 week reducing & stopping taking half tablet. Woke up this morning feeling anxious & useless. Is this normal