I feel I am taking two steps forward three steps back. My stroke was in February I aimed to go back to work May then my balance went so I have been working on that. I aimed to go back to work in September but the REACH team said not before October was aiming for that now I have shooting pains down my right thigh that has me screaming out in pain. I am also worried people will think I am trying to put off going back to work and that is not the case I miss my work. The pain wakes me and my husband during the night as I am screaming. I spoke to the doctor today she thinks it may be my hip but cannot see me until Thursday. I am at my wits end stroke has a lot to answer for or at least it feels that way.
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Hi there aodonnell I have weird pain sometimes. The other day my hips were so sore I just sat on the edge of my bed and cried! My right arm permanently aches and hurts and my hand and wrist look swollen in comparison to my good hand and it often feels numb. I’ve finally bitten the bullet and am going to see my dr so he can take a look. I’ve taken so many paainkillers recently which I hate doing. Like you I feel I take more steps backwards than I do forwards at times but when I look back at my journey I can see the improvements I have made. I just have to tell myself to keep going, practice my exercises, go to my strength and valence classes and try to believe that one day I will feel as much like the old me as possible. I hope things buck up for you and remember all of us have been there. Lots of love Suzywong x
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@aodonnell1743 I am so sorry to hear this. How awful for you. My spasticity has started to be accompanied by pain. Off and on, though. Do you also have spasticity? My Doctor warned me against ibuprofin (Aleve, Advil)…not good for stroke survivors. Tylenol hardly makes a dent. I may look into Gabapentin. Next week, for the first time, I’ll try acupuncture
I hope your Doctor can get you some relief. Prayers and best wishes…
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You should go to A&E, for all you might wait around there, at least you’d be seen sooner, get x-rayed and treated there and then. This is a new pain, but no one knows what it is until it’s investigated. That screaming pain sounds just as much like disk pain…as it does hip as they both affect the sciatic nerve. You could you have a slipped disk, that could send shooting pains down your leg and the pain is debilitating, I know both very well and were nothing to do with stroke. So unless your GP surgery is fortunate enough to have an x-ray machine, or better yet, x-ray vision, then you’re better off going to A&E. At the very least, they will get your pain under control far sooner so you and your hubby can at least get a good night’s sleep.
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@aodonnell1743 really hope you can get some relief from the pain soon.
With regards to work you shouldn’t go back until you are ready. It doesn’t mattwr what others may think. Often they aren’t thinking anything we just believe they are. I was off 18 months in the end although had hoped to go back 12 months earlier.
Sending my best wishes
Ann x
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Last twice i was at A&E I waited 8 and a half hours to be seen. Waiting time for other visit was 10 hours I will wait for my appointment tomorrow and keep taking strong painkillers in the meantime thank you for your concern x
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Thank you. I am so sorry you are in so much pain. It helps knowing I am not alone in this horrendous journey. I just feel when I get positive something else goes wrong.
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I have never been told of spasticity. I will have to look it up. I am unable to take anti inflammatories due to my heart medication. I am already on Gabapentin twice a day for muscle cramps. I hope the acupuncture works for you I had it for neuralgia in my face and it helped. x
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I am beginning to wonder if I will get back I think it may be time to consider early retirement x
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Thank you Ann, my boss has been lovely. When I had the heart attack 8 years ago nobody believed I still didn’t feel right said I just got a fright turns out my family and doctors were wrong and my artery was closed 99% so I cant help get paranoid about what people think. x
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I am very new to this forum and still finding my way around. It’s nearly seven months since my stroke. I was fine for a few weeks afterwards and have been going downhill since then. My balance is bad, as is my aphasia. I am having an EEG in a few weeks time. I’ve had to rethink my expectations and plans of when I might get better. I do hope that you find the help you need and get back on a path of healing very soon.
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Hi @Bibs just wanted to welcome you to the forum. It’s a good place for knowledge and support for all things stroke. Some members recently put this welcome document together in the hopes it might be helpful to new stroke survivors. It is rather lengthy so you may not be able to cope with or take it all in, in at one sitting, but good to read at your leisure in short bursts. Welcome - what we wish we'd heard at the start
In fact, if you wouldn’t mind me asking, could you give us your honest opinion on it afterwards, you can post your comments in the reply at the bottom of it. I still have mild aphasia but my stroke was over 2yrs ago and not all stroke survivors have aphasia. So it would be good to get your view point for things like readability, could it do with being broken down some more, is too wordy, just things like that to make it easier to read.
Thank you in advance 
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Hi @Bibs
Just wanted to add my welcome 
Are you in or from Fife or the Lothians? You mentioned Pittenweem & Inchcolm
Ciao
Simon
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I will do. Thanks for adding the link.
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I am in Fife. Straight across the Forth from Edinburgh. 
Queensferry? Kirkcaldy?
I’m in Danderhall about 2m from the ,RIE
If you can manage it would be helpful to get you views on…
Have you had advice about support services from chss & stroke association?
If so what? and did you have to seek it out or did they make first contact?, was it timely, relevant, complete, understandable, fit for purpose?
Do you feel they are standing ready as your needs emerge and develop?
Ciao
Simon
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Hello Bibs sounds like we are at about the same stage I thought I had ‘got away with it’ after my stroke a few weeks later asphasia hit it has calmed down but comes back if I am tired or stressed. A month after that my balance went I have vestibular exercises to do she said my eyes were ‘bouncing’ all over the place that’s why I kept falling. Always here if you need to talk. Hopefully you will get answers soon x
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Hi Derek,
on a bad day i have my glutes locked tight. It’s definitely painful. Lately I discovered a way of stretching out the right side of my body, my affected side, and waiting a minute until the muscle eases up a tiny bit. A little relief, finally. It took me 6 months to find this particular stretch. Have you tried anything like that?
Good luck, ciao, Roland
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@pando Hey Roland: A very popular stretch for nearly the whole body (If you are in perfect shape and strong not us.lol) is a dead-hang from chin-up bar. I, of course can’t do this move fully but I grab the bar both hands and just let gravity pull me down where I can handle it. Basically bending my knees. I hold this up to a minute. Wonderful stretch. As for the “Bum” lunges are great. Now: I don’t have the strength to do a full lunge, so I put one foot on a chair (a big heavy chair) and lunge into it for a good stretch, then switch legs. About 10 slow reps. Hold on to something or someone if you are wobbly.
I also like the “Back Bridge” for back AND glutes Here it is…
https://www.google.com/search?channel=fen&client=firefox-b-1-d&q=back+bridge+exercise#kpvalbx=_NDADZZPNBs2pptQP_PSfuAg_35
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