This is a very friendly and informative forum which I have recently joined.
I had an ischaemic stroke in May of this year. I am an 84 year old man, fortunate enough to have a wonderful wife who is a great support.
My symptoms were weakness on my right side and balance issues. These have lessened in the weeks since my discharge.
Reading the accounts of fellow sufferers and carers I realise that in one sense I have been lucky, in that my stroke seems mild by comparison to that of many others. However, living with any stroke is a shock and recovery feels like a a journey into the unknown. I am grateful for all the information I find on line and in Forums like this. Sharing our feelings can be of great comfort.
I have one or two questions which I should probably repeat on another part of the Forum.
My list of medications will seem familiar to many I am sure:-
Bisoprolol 1.25mg
Clopidogrel 75mg
Atorvastatin 80mg
Lansoprasol 15mg
I have almost lost my appetite and much of my sense of taste. Diarrhoea and flatulence are also annoying issues.
Does anyone have similar experiences and are these symptoms of the stroke or the medications? I have an appointment for a āmedication reviewā with a nurse but that is weeks away.
Thanks,
John
Hi Simon,
Many thanks for your quick reply and the tips about how to best use the Site.
I will read more posts as there is a huge amount of personal experience out there. I must be patient and not always expect a quick fix to be available. The āroadmapā scenario sounds right. I will read more.
As you may have guessed I am not a frequent user of social media but there are some unique benefits and perseverance is to be recommended. I was contacted by the Stroke Association soon after my discharge. This Forum is a good way for me to maintain that contact.
Many thanks for taking the time to reply in such detail.
Best wishes, John
I feel I must warn you that there are no quick fixes in stroke recovery mores the pity 
Its all gradual over months and years depending on severity. My stroke was 2 TIAās nearly 4yrs ago, although I still have a few minor issues, Iām functionally indepent now. Like yourself, I got off lightly compared to many on here. 
Hi @Jobe95
Welcome to the community, Iām sorry to hear about your stroke. Iām pleased to hear youāve already found the community helpful and Iām sure there will be more people along to offer you some comfort that youāre not alone with the symptoms you are experiencing at the moment.
If you need anything at all whilst using this site, please donāt hesitate to contact me using the @ symbol.
Anna 
Hi & welcome to the community @Jobe95.
Good to hear you have a wonderful supportive wife to help you on this journey. As @EmeraldEyes mentioned thereās not really any quick fixes on this journey but there are definitely many wins to be had & you should celebrate each & every one of them.
Taste & appetite changes are fairly common post stroke & hopefully they will start to return to normal in time. I have found though that my tastes have changed and some things I could eat beforecI can no longer tolerate & things I disliked I enjoy eating now. Its all a new adventure 
Best wishes
Ann
Thanks for your reply Mrs5K (āpossibly a park runnerā?)
Iām sure you are right to caution against quick fixes. Stroke starts suddenly but progresses much more slowly. My loss of taste could be a stroke symptom or a reaction to the medication. If the former, I can hope for a slow improvement or change as you have found. If I knew the medications were responsible I could try to have them changed. As with many questions in life there seems to be no easy answer.
Thanks again.
I was almost a park runner. I did regularly run 5k but hadnāt quite plucked up the courage to partake in a park run. The stroke has put an end to that for now.
Hopefully its your meds cauaing the taste issue & if so that should be fairly easily resolved.
Best wishes
Ann
Yes, hopefully so. I will let you know
Best wishes
John
Hi John
Welcome to the group. As someone once said, recovery is a marathon and not a sprint. So be patient and ve kind to yourself,
Oddly, I had the opposite reaction to you, to food and appetite.
3 years ago, I had a stroke which āknocked outā my left hand side ā hands, arm, leg and foot. I was in hospital recovering for 2 weeks. So couldnāt walk or do anything physical ā before the stroke I was an active runner and was a semi pro keyboard player. So this hit me hard as you can imagine. However, with rehab and sheer determination, I can now play the keyboards again. I canāt run very well, as my left foot keeps tripping up, but I can walk fast now (Garmin watch helps me target my speed). But the change to my taste buds and appetite were remarkable and which everyone comments on. Even beans on toast taste like food from the gods now! I eat everything. Before the stroke I was always the last at the table to finish as I was a nervous eater but now am often the first to finish. Was the latter down to my astronomical high blood pressure! Or have the meds played around with my taste buds. On another front, I was also a very nervous flyer; especially all the rigmarole beforehand ā security, passport etc. I even got some beta blockers from the GP to help. However. Post stroke, I take it all in my stride now ā no need for chemical; assistance! Again was that down to the BP? There have been other emotional/psychological changes which I believe the medical profession as a whole (and maybe the general population) donāt consider/are aware of (the focus is always on physical effects) with regards to post stroke recovery. Some have been beneficial and some not. But more on that in another post, when I can get down to writing it, as some changes have been remarkable.
Keep being positive.