I’m 62 years of age and at the end of October had a TIA. I’m awaiting results of an MRI and a heart scan. Whilst the TIA was (I would say) mild and was only speech related it has left me feeling like a ticking time bomb . I am still in shock that it happened, the speed at which it happened with no warning, and the worry it has left me with (not just for me but my partner/grown up children/siblings).
I know that I am now on meds (Clopidogrel), statins and Ramipril to reduce the risk of having another stroke and I have adjusted my diet (perhaps too much as I’ve lost 12lbs in 4 weeks), the truth is I’m scared to death of eating normally. I’ve always cooked from fresh and we eat well with lots of fruit and veg. I haven’t had any alcohol since it happened either.
How do I stop myself worrying about it happening again?
It hasn’t helped cos this past week I’ve had flu for the first time in my life which has knocked me sideways. I’ve always been a positive person but at the moment I’m having frequent thoughts that it’s going to happen again.
Hopefully someone in this community can assist with how I move on and help me get back to the positive person I really am.
Welcome to the community @annieamh. I’m sorry to hear about your TIA, it’s a frightening and confusing experience. Rest assured that you’re not alone in feeling shocked and worried - I was the same after my TIA and struggled for several months. Others here will relate the same experience, it’s quite normal and not all surprising if you think about it. I found that understanding what caused the TIA helped a lot, and set me on a journey to looking at my wider health and ways to make my increasingly creaky body last a bit longer. Hopefully your MRI and heart scans will give you some answers and help you feel like you have a bit more control over things.
I lost a lot of weight as well, I think it was a combination of worry, new meds and changes in diet. I’m still at a healthy weight, though, so I’ve taken it as a bonus. A healthy diet will be an important part of recovery, physical and mental, but it will take time to adjust and work out what works for you. Once you know more about the causes you’ll have a better idea of what healthy looks like.
So give it time, trust your meds and when it all gets a bit much remember that what you’re feeling is probably just fear, not another TIA or stroke. Above all be with your family and take strength from getting through this together.
You’re in a great place here, some of the best people you could imagine are ready to help you. Good luck with your recovery.
Hi @harimanjaro, thank you for your calm approach. I am very emotional about it and as you say I need to await the results and will hopefully get some explanation as to why it happened and what I need to do moving forward.
My family have been very supportive but at the moment I think they think I’m now fine. I don’t want to worry them with my worry if you know what I mean. I am the one who always bounces back and ‘gets on with it’. They see me as indestructible whereas at the moment I feel very vulnerable and worry how they would all cope if I had a big stroke.
I’m sure all will become clearer over the next few months and your reassurance that it took you a number of months to get your head round it helps me enormously, thank you. Because my TIA was mild I don’t feel like I should be making a big deal about how I feel so thank for your reassurances.
@annieamh hi & welcome to the community. Sorry to hear about your TIA. Your feelings are pretty normal after a major event likeca TIA. I think most of us went through that worry & anxiety initially. For me time helped and realising that as time moved forward that nothing else had happened.
There are no guarantees in life but taking your meds, a good diet, exercise…all the usual things will help reduce your risk and that is as much as you can do.
I would advise talking over your worries with your family. They would want to help I am sure and that in itself might help you feel a little less anxious.
I agree with @Mrs5K, @annieamh, you should talk to your family about how you’re feeling. I was the same as you, convinced that I could protect my family from the worry, but with hindsight I think that trying to shoulder the burden on my own made my anxiety worse. And my family worried about me anyway, so I failed on both counts. A TIA may not be a big stroke but it is still a stroke and still serious. Better that you all understand that and get through it together.
Thank you @harimanjaro@Mrs5K i will find the words to have the conversation. What I don’t want to do is make it bigger than it is. I think I will wait until after my results and speaking to the consultant further. Thank you for the support .
Hi @Mrs5K thank you for your reply. I realise there are no guarantees in life (that would be too easy wouldn’t it!!). I have adjusted my diet a little too harshly at the moment so hopefully can readjust that so longer term I can settle into a more sensible long term healthy eating plan. At the moment I don’t feel able to allow myself any nice treats even occasionally!
I will also trust in the meds and get more exercise just as soon as I get over this flu .
Hi and welcome, I don’t think you are over analysing it is probably something we all do after this trauma visiting us. The advice given is from a place we all have found ourselves more so when we feel we have looked after ourselves ate well, kept fit and active please keep talking with us here and your family. I’m just past a year and still have daily morning rituals to establish nothing has changed overnight - just in case.
I think you are doing so well and are recovering as well as you can, wishing you and your family well for the journey ahead and hope that you continue in a strong recovery.
Hi there @Jbob, thank you! It’s funny you say after 12 months you still test yourself every morning. At the moment (and I know it’s very new to me) if I trip over a word or blur a word slightly I’m reciting things out loud to make sure it’s not happening again. If these ‘checks’ we do put our mind at rest then I guess they are ‘positive’ actions and keep us calm. Thank you for being so open.
I already feel I have somewhere to go to table my thoughts rather than them running amok in my head!!! Everyone has been so lovely I’ve cried reading every message . I’m sure I will calm down once I have some results.
Thanks again and I hope you continue to keep well.
Welcome to the community, I’m sorry to hear about your TIA and the anxiety this is causing you.
As others have mentioned it’s completely normal to have a fear of another stroke and over analise all the feelings and sensations you get. Over time this will ease but you may find it helpful talk things over with loved ones and also if you haven’t already, have a read over our information on anxiety. There are tips on there to help with managing this.
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.
Thanks Anna, I have already found the support on here very helpful and don’t feel so isolated in my thoughts. I will take a look at the anxiety resource and hopeful that will help further. Thank you so much
Time. Time is what seems to do it but to what extent depends on the circumstance and the individual. In the meantime, Mindfullness techniques can help sedate worrying thoughts. Early post stroke, I spent multiple times each day in persistent anxiety that another stroke was about to occur. As the months rolled over and the years passed, those thoughts started to decline but I still have them now, just not as frequently. As for lifestyle changes, that is also subjective. I recall, stopping coffee after stroke but as time passed, I realised that a cup in the morning actually helped clear some of the cobwebs that contributed to the brain fog. Moderate enjoyment of any comestible will not tip the balance of health unless one has an allergy.
I note there has been a good response to your post and I hope you are feeling you are able to move on towards being the positive person you really are
I don’t have much more to add to the already excellent and varied suggestions you have had. As we are all different and we deal with things in different ways, we ultimately have to find what works for us as individuals. On that basis, I would you might want to think of how you used to think before the stroke and whether you can continue to think in that way - the positive person you really are. What I am trying to say is, what has happened has happened and what will happen will happen “Que sera sera”.
You can only do what you have done and are doing e.g. healthy diet etc. etc. but despite all this, in my experience and going by the posters on this forum, you simply cannot stop a stroke from happening. But if you accept that and accept that worrying about it will not stop it, then you can move on.
We have accepted that despite leading a healthy and happy life, we had a stroke. It happened. We accepted it may happen again and followed advice to reduce the risk (that is all you are doing - reducing the risk and the reduction is not that significant, but that is not the discussion here). After that we got on with what is most important after a stroke …
… after a stroke, you must get on with life as best as you can and not worry about what might happen as it is not something you can change.
As individuals we must choose what is right for us.
@annieamh I am a stroke survivor of one year now and i have never thought that i may have another one, but then I think if I did I will deal with it if it ever happens. I changed what I ate, how I approach life and I had a stroke due to stress that I had in my life at that time.. I refuse to let stress in my life now and walk away if I feel it coming. I was bitter for a long time regarding y stroke, but I am past that now as if you don’t let go you ill let it define you for the rest of your life and will become bitter and twisted. I wish you well for the future and don’t dwell on if you have another stroke
If I can add my welcome to the group here. And you have done right getting in touch theres a mine of information on here.
Personally found the NHS excellent but afterwards when you get home the questions start! (For me anyway) and there seems to be little thought given to this other than - well you’ve got yr Clopidogrel and yr statins get on with it! Maybe im being unfair please someone shout me down if so……
On the plus side the local stroke association support coordinator was excellent approachable amd a mine of good honest info. Give him/ her a try if you haven’t already?
I had a second stroke thankfully minor and food was the only thing I thought I could improve on - I started a link here for ideas amd it is called “Eating healthy?” - most of the people who have replied to you have made amazing posts on that. I do find it a prroblem as I live on my own so I need easy but healthy meals and variety but also feel happy with some good options when I am out with the kids (KFC ). I think I have a workable balance now thanks to all friends on here. Please take a look and im sure you have many good ideas too….
The worry about it happening again- well it does ease with time and yep I know the testing yourself in the night etc. All I can say is ride with it and try not to let it dominate. It should get better as you feel better and ease on its own as you improve.
Again welcome - im sure others here have greater wisdom to share!
Hi there @IreneFC, thank you for your message. Luckily I am a positive person in the main so will move forward from this. I think the initial shock is lingering a bit but it’s still early days. Like you I have adjusted my diet and once I get the full results from the various scans I can do whatever I need to do ongoing. Keep well yourself
@annieamh I am one year on and have still not got over the shock of having a stroke. I don’t think I ever will. I am annoyed with myself for letting it happen and yes I have a lot to blame because I let stress in. Now I would deal with everything differently. Take care
@IreneFC you have reduced stress in your life so that is a massive plus moving forward. I can’t even blame mine on stress as I retired 4 years ago and lead what I class as a blessed life. These things happen when you least expect them but it’s how we deal with them that defines us. It’s early days for me and I still have worries but I will get there. Onwards and upwards!
Hi @ManjiB, everything you say is absolutely right and I have taken so much from all the comments I’ve received and already feel more positive .
It hasn’t helped that my blood pressure tablets were increased after it happened which has resulted in low blood pressure and associated dizziness/sickness. Meds adjusted now so hopefully over the next few days the dizziness will subside and I can start to feel better.
My best wishes to you also for your continued wellness and positive attitude moving forward
. I am still in shock that it happened, the speed at which it happened with no warning, and the worry it has left me with (not just for me but my partner/grown up children/siblings).
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even occasionally!
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. I’m sure I will calm down once I have some results.
). I think I have a workable balance now thanks to all friends on here. Please take a look and im sure you have many good ideas too….
