I agree with you 100%! I also posted on here about the tiredness etc and looking outwardly as if there was nothing wrong physically. I tell people I’ve had a stroke and 4 TIAs and they look at me and say that I look well and I have to answer that I’m glad of being able to move around etc but it’s difficult to explain the tiredness and fatigue I feel inside. The way I just loose thought in mid conversation and the frustration when I can’t get the words out and the anger/upset that comes with that feeling. I used to be so outgoing and, though I’m learning to be that way again, I’m just glad of what I can do and what in trying to do step by step. I’ve had to re-evaluate all I do but I’m determined to fight on!
Lorraine - Happy Birthday! It was my 65th on the 5 April so I think I’m close to your date? 3 years post stroke and 4 TIAs within that time frame but I’m glad I read these threads as it does help me evaluate what I’m all about!
Best advice I was given in the early days about trying to explain the head to others, don’t!
You just waste time and energy and get frustrated. Best to say “somethings missing and leave it at that”
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Hi Chris and welcome to the forum. I had a left lacuna infarct in February 5 years ago and like you it came completely out of the blue. I had retired when I was 60 and two years later I had a stroke during the night, I woke up totally confused and shocked by what had happened. I had an episode of high blood pressure a couple of weeks before and also had my thyroxine medication reduced around the same time so think this contributed to it.
I have some short term memory loss which is improving although there are some big gaps in my memory since the stroke. I find remembering peoples names so annoying but can usually get there by going through the alphabet a,b,c,d etc, usually get there in the end.
Fatigue is a real problem but I find if I only do one strenuous thing each day, whether it going shopping or out for a walk, I don’t have too much fatigue. The fear of another stroke has mostly gone now I’m on medication to help prevent this. Hope you continue to make good progress and stay well
Ann
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Hi Lorraine, I’ve had a few struggles with short term memory again since I had Covid which has kept me from replying to others posts but much better now. Hope you are keeping well. I think I read that you were going to take a step back from the forum, hope you’ve changed your mind.
Stay well, Ann
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I think you have summed up what it’s like very well.
I do like solitude more now which confuses my wife sometimes. welcome to the group
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I’m sue,
Reading your paragraph it’s like exactly what I’m going through.
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Hi Chris , totally know what you mean had my stroke January 21 and physically look fine and am fine . But fatigue for me is still massive made a lot worse I think by insomnia hardly ever sleep at all so sleepy all day can’t even nap during the day . Have tried everything and the doctor has tried everything he knows . So hard for relatives and friends to understand as you look fine . Let’s hope with even more time we improve and Till then just have to try and keep going as best we can.
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Welxome @Dexi hopefully youll find lots of support here x
Hi Lorraine, I wondered if you have tried any Calm sleep stories you can get free on YouTube. I’ve used them in the past and since having Covid and doing less than I was I’m thinking I’ll start them again. I liked the Nordland Night Train read by Erik Braa, but there are others you can try. I don’t know how they work but I never got to the end of the story I was off to sleep before it finished. I use ear phones when I listen to them. You’ve nothing to loose by giving them a go. Hope this might help as insomnia seems to make other stroke symptoms a bit worse.
Ann
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@mum2two hi Ann,
They sound like a great idea. I sleep ok these days but wish I’d known about them before. On the odd bad night I might just give them a tru.
Thank you.
From another Ann 
If you type Calm Sleep Stories- You Tube it gives you a list of stories. You know they are from Calm as they write stories as STORies. Hope you find some you like. Here’s to peaceful nights for us all, it helps in our recovery.
Ann ( spelt the same as yours, no e)
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Hi Chris
Thanks for posting and welcome to the forum.
I was 63 when I had a small stroke in 2009 ,caused by a blood clot that had gone up the vertebral artery to a part of the brain that affects eyesight,balance and fine detail use of the hands and fingers.
Not life threatening but life changing as i am no longer allowed to drive.
On the plus side I have adapted to any defects and can live an almost normal life.
The fatigue is always there but you learn to do things in short spells.
Short term memory is suspect so I write to do lists and shopping lists.
Emotionally I had a poor first year or so but this has lessened over time as I have begun to do things again that I thought had gone for ever.
Small victories on the journey add up to progress.
I force myself to do things but have to plan how rather than ad-lib .
I was a ski guide and chef in the ski chalet industry in France and after a gap of several years was able to ski again adapting to loss of peripheral left-side field of vision,I relearned my stance to overcome balance problems and cooking has been a therapy as it is something that I enjoy .
There have been setbacks on the way,as there likely will be with yours.
Learn to pace yourself to avoid tiredness,build in rest in between activity.
In your position I would have an honest talk with your wife as I think her support and understanding would be beneficial to your progress.
I write this on my laptop in a ski chalet in the French Alps where I am on holiday.
Weather is awful today so staying inside catching up on admin things.
Best wishes and good luck on your journey
Tony
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Thanks for that yes I will give anything a try even tried acupuncture which was quite expensive and dident work. Thanks again will give ago.
Hi Sue,
if you are going through my experiences I can assure you theirs light at the end of the tunnel!
can I suggest anti esteem as I found it very good and relieving due to my sensitivity around my lips and eyes 
,
my overall balance and brain fogging is also getting better I found reading also really helped.
I wish you well and a healthy and speedy recovery
wayne
You have my deepest sympathy. Everyone thinks I am back to my old self following a massive stroke in July 2022. I wish. It’s tiring putting on a brave face whilst feeling scared of the future. Every day is a bonus but … Wishing you all the best. You are not on your own. We are Stroke survivors and must live our lives as best we can. Xx
Thank you for this advice will definitely give it a try. 
Give it 6mths it will right itself with time, I had exactly that but can sleep now.
Over 2yrs post stroke now and sleeping through the night once again…just like a baby
In the beginning all I could do was shut my eyes and hope for sleep. During the day I’d do my physio in bouts between “naps” i.e. sit down and just shut my eyes. That was my sleep for months on end. Nigh time was the worst, lying in bed, the endless waiting for sleep to take, 'til my head would throb and I got up again. An hour later I’d try again, head down, shut eyes, up again a few hours later. But I felt it was important to at least shut my eyes to give the brain a rest at least.
The brain is so active in those first 6mths repairing and healing the damage done from the stroke. Is it really any wonder it’s too active to actually for a full on 8 hour sleep. Just go with it, give it what it wants, what it needs, get up in the night and do something…read…watch tiktok/tv…wash dishes…have a snack…whatever, and just keep on doing that. Gradually you will find that you did have a sleep…when you wake up from it! You may not feel the actual effect of being tired for a year or two yet but a pattern of sleep will reform itself over that time. It’s exactly what new born babies are doing all over the world 'til eventually they start sleeping through the night. Don’t fight it, don’t force your brain to go against itself, that could do you more harm than good in the long run. Just accept it is what it is for now and let it get with the healing.
Thank you for this nice to know theres some hope 2 years snd 3 momths have suffered this insomnia am at my wits end with it but as you say you just have to battle on . Noticed my so called naps are the same as yours just closed eyes . Thanks again for the positive words, and hope your revovery continues.
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Hi, I had an TIA just after I lost my husband of 64 years. Having nursed him at home for many years, I was aware of the seriousness of his condition but rode above the waves… I was dumbfounded that I suffered this TIA, as I aways felt so strong and capable. I read a lot of your reviews and can feel the many handicaps mentioned are similar to my own at times. Learning to cope is yet another issue to come to terms with and tiring. I push to keep going and made myself join two groups. No two days are the same due to how my body is behaving on the day. The medicatin also can give me weid sensations. One big problems is rushing pins and needles in both arms and legs. I found this slightly releived by stopping caffine and fruite juice. Taking notice of my body languages daily is now how I deal with fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath and body cramps. Resting is the key. Getting my family to accept I am not as able now as I was is hard at times. Grief has played a big part in my recovery, some days needing to be as strong as my husband was, other days I just cant do it. Thank you all for all your interesting and helpful comments
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