Hi, I am in my late 50’s was diagnosed with silent stroke in December 2025. “probable small old left anterior insular infarct….a few scattered small volume frontal subcortical white matter hyperintensities”. I think it occurred last spring, I recall having an episode of memory loss (failed to remember my daughter being on holiday with me the previous year). I had another memory loss episode last week. After wasting 8 hours in A&E (triage/ bloods taken but nothing after that for 7 hours so my patience ran out and I left) I ended up with GP who identified high blood pressure. I am on new meds for it (losartan potassium) along with rosuvastatin and aspirin prescribed in December.
The dizziness/ fuzzy head that I have is really hard to manage. I can’t think straight. Simple tasks seem really complex. I am on sick leave, my job requires complex thinking. I was already planning early retirement in the autumn, all of this has cemented my decision. I work in a university, there are major cutbacks happening and I can’t wait to leave as I don’t want to be caught up in all the stress.
I am overwhelmed and feeling scared, emotional. I thought what happened last year was a one-off. My dad has dementia and so I have hyper-awareness about memory loss. Is that where I am heading?
My husband is autistic and talking about emotions can be hard. Some friends are great - supportive/ concerned, others including two close friends don’t seem to appreciate the seriousness.
I am trying to be proactive - thinking about what can I do with diet/ exercise. The fuzzy head makes it challenging though.
Thoughts on dealing with emotions/ feeling overwhelmed appreciated.
well that was longer post than I planned … thanks for staying to the end.
It is difficult to manage the dizziness and fuzzy head that stroke brings upon us. It can be along term effect but generally improves over time, for some it remains for some it clears, for me i get a day or so a month of fuzzy head when injust can’t seem tonget going. There are others here with more experience of ongoing dizziness and may have some techniques to help.
I know a few people who have been diagnosed with silent strokes after being treated for other problems. As you mention it does fall into place when you look back at the timescale - it will certainly help come to terms with things when you understand what may have been at the root of tthings.
It’s a really positive thing that you have been able to carry on so far without any major issues, it’s good the BP is being dealt with i think taking early retirement will be of great benefit on this front. I needed to change roles as i did a lot of data collection/analysis and project planning that i could keep on top of. I’m back to work as a hands-on maintenance engineer now and went to 4 days last year - i can’t believe how much better i feel for having done both! We need to look after number one. I’m not medically trained but I would expect you’d feel alot better and relieved if it works for you to stop work earlier, it sounds stressful enough without tha complication of stroke on top!
This forum has been very supportive for all of us and i hope it will be for you too, we all have lived experience innsome shape or form.
Hello @Fi-Bi welcome to the group. I haven’t had a silent stroke or fuzzy head but I have something called mild cognitive impairment or MCI which can be caused by stroke among other things. I think your idea of retiring early is a good one if you feel you can afford it. MCI is not dementia. Other members of the group will tell you about keeping your brain active. I wish you the very best. You are in the right place.
Hi @Fi-Bi & welcome to the community. Sorry you’ve had cause to join us.
Have you been put on any stroke meds following the discovery of your silent stroke? Also, if you feel you’ve had a 2nd event perhaps you could ask your GP to refer you into the Stroke Team so they can investigate further. I understand your frustration with A&E but waiting till they saw you may have given you some answers a bit quicker. I get it though as the last time I went I waited 12 hrs until I got seen.
I had dizziness, nausea & a horrid fuzzy head after my stroke. I thought it would never settle but it did to a point. I still struggle with dizziness & I have to say it is the one thing that really gets me down. I did get an ENT referral through my GP to check there was nothing else, other than my stroke causing it, , that may be something to discuss with your GP if it doesn’t settle.
If you have an option to finish work slightly earlier than planned then from what you say it sounds like a sensible option.
You will find much support and help on this forum. I note some excellent advice/feedback has already been offered and I concur with all that has been said.
@EssexPhil has pretty much nailed it with his response and perhaps you can relate to what he says.
@jenny-wren and @Mrs5K have also shared their thoughts and on this forum, these are based on personal experiences.
In closing I would just say that at the end of the day, we are all similar but we are also unique and so we must try to find what works for us as individuals. We can learn from others but stroke survival is not a one cap fits all even though it may seem like this is the approach the medical profession takes. I find that listening to what your body is telling you is the best way forward.
Your desire to retire early has been helped by the silent stroke diagnosis and in that respect I am pleased for you. I would like to wish you a long and happy retirement. Look after yourself and be kind to your body and mind
You should have a look at Different Strokes charity. They have regular Zoom meetings where stroke survivors can chat, in small groups, about anything. You can find out dates and how to join here: https://differentstrokes.co.uk/virtual-meetings/
