Hello, everyone! I’m glad I stumbled on this site as I was frantically googling symptoms and other things that have been going on with me post-stroke. I’ve found the conversations here helpful in discovering I’m not alone.
I suffered a stroke on December 15th. I had turned 50 in June. The effects to the left side of my body resolved fairly quickly. I spent two and half days in the hospital. Since my release, I’ve been working to keeping my BP under control - which is what doctors believe precipitated the stroke.
Some days I feel great - and I yearn for those days! Other days are so tough. I’m jittery, have foggy head and experience some tightness (for lack of better term) in my head/jaw area on the side the stroke occurred. I think I can be transparent in this space and say it’s scary. I so desperately want to feel whole again - every day. I know it takes time.
I started a new job 4 days ago. Mostly, it was a good week, but I had a few bouts of fuzzy head and weakness. Any advice for overcoming or preventing in the first place?
Thank you! It really helps to hear similar stories in this space. Each time I experience a new feeling, sensation I’m wondering if it’s normal post stroke.
@Drea - welcome to this community where we hope you will find much help and support . I think other members of this community may also benefit from your own experiences.
You will likely know each stroke is different and each individual’s response and recovery is different. I think it might be best if you listen to your body and follow any specialist advice information you may have been given by the stroke team that treated you. Hopefully your stroke team can offer guidance based on your health history and how to best move forward. They should be there to provide ongoing post-stroke support. As well as that there are many other resources and organisations such as this one who are there for us.
I would suggest you don’t rush anything and bearing in mind that changing jobs can be a stressful thing, perhaps you should take extra care to look after yourself. Work/life balance is always important but for you, this might be most important now.
You come across as someone who knows what they are doing and I am pleased that you have been able to start your job so soon after having a stroke.
Wishing you all the best. We are here if you need any help or support.
Hi @Drea welcome to the forum. And you’re right, it is scary! You’ve just been through a life threatening trauma🫂 But you have made it and you are doing well, recovering, and that’s what matters😄
The jitters and fog brain are all part’n’parcel of your brains major trauma and the current clean up and repair it’s doing. On top of normal functionalities, and this it just isn’t used to, hence lots of fatigue. It’ll take 6mths to make those repairs and you’ve just got the added pressure of a new job to top it off
Take all the breaks you can get, even if it’s just 5mins in the bathroom, for instance, with your eyes closed to at least block out visual stimulation for those short periods. It all helps to reduce some of the load on your brain. And plenty of early nights if you can. A multivitamin supplement wouldn’t go amiss either as any majore trauma requires a lot of energy and nutrients while it’s healing.
@Drea Hi & welcome to the community. It sounds like your recovery is going great. It is a scary event to happen for sure.
You’re doing amazing starting a new job so soon after your stroke. You should be proud. The fuzzy head & weakness are likely fatigue related and it’s uour bodies way of telling you to rest up.
It took me 18 months to get back to work byt from my own experience I would say make sure you take breaks throughout the day. Even if thats just 5 mins here and there. I also find i need to rest up after work. This for me means sitting quietly with my eyes closed with no stimukation around me i.e. no tv, music etc.
Hopefully they’ll get your BP under control & they will allay some of your fears. Time is also a big help with that.
Hi @Drea and a big welcome to our community. We are a merry band of stroke survivors who have all suffered different types of stroke and who are all on very different roads to recovery. Sounds like your recovery is going amazingly well.
I would just like to wish you well in your new job and hope that your recovery continues well.
There is always someone here to offer advice and information and we look forward to hearing from you as your road to recovery continues.
@Drea welcome to the forum. I can relate to the head tightness and i also get tightness in my face and other muscles on my left side. I suffered a stroke on 6th Dec, so its been just over 5 weeks for me. First time it happened it scared me. Now i realise its down to fatigue and doing too much. I too have been trying to keep going and getting some rest, but sometimes it catches up with me. Do make sure you take time out as others said in a quiet place.
All best in your new job and hope your recovery continues well.
Hi @Drea, sorry to hear about your stroke, but you’re in the right place here and will get great help from everyone who has been through similar strokes, etc.
I bought a proper blood pressure tester that wraps around the wrist. I jot down my readings which I then send or drop into the GP’s surgery who then add to my notes. I have also recently joined Headway.org.uk which is another great organisation who can help with head injuries/brain trauma. Just be careful and don’t push yourself with your new job;-) Hope all goes well, take care, John aka Bert
Thank you, Lorrine! I will certainly ask my GP about a multivitamin. The severe fatigue has tapered a bit. It’s just the jitters and hollow head that occasionally swamp me now. I’m learning that deep breaths help.
And yes, breaking from the visual stimulation is key. In my immediate past job as a tv news anchor, I was constantly plugged in to social media. I’m tapering off that a bit until my brain adjusts.
Thanks for the suggestions and support. It’s helps as I heal - and learn.
Thank you, Ann. I’m amazed at the immediate repair that started after the stroke. But these weeks following have been much tougher than the couple of days after coming home from the hospital. I was running at break-neck speed prior to the stroke, so I have to be intentional about breaks and getting proper rest. I WILL take your advice.
Thank you, Sue. You all are amazing! This is the support my soul and spirit need. My husband and teenage daughter are so supportive, but it’s difficult to make them understand what’s going on inward. From the outside, I look completely healed. Everyone says, “You don’t look like you’ve had a stroke!” I want to say, “Spend 5 minutes in my brain.”
I know this is a journey, so conceding that also helps my mental state. I appreciate your feedback and support.
Anne, thank you! I’m so sorry to hear about your stroke. We were just days apart, so I certainly understand where you might be in this process. The tightness in the face is scary, but I keep hearing from others it’s sometimes happens post-stroke. I will see my neurologist next week and have a list of items to relay.
I hope your recovery continues to go well. Do rest - and I’ll do the same.
Thank you! And yes, I’m pacing myself with the new job. I was a news anchor for 26 years and worked under daily hard deadlines. Five days before my final day at the tv station, the stroke happened. I was poised to enjoy a two-week break before starting the new position. Instead, I spent three weeks recovering.
Thankfully, the new job is much more flexible with no daily deadlines. I have an office with a door I can close to take those needed breaks. I can even get up and take a quick walk.
Like you I too had an extremely busy life pre stroke & coming to a complete stop in an instant took some getting used to. I have to say I don’t miss it now though. I work part time now & need & enjoy those extra hours off. I guess it put my life into perspective a bit. I was fortunate that my employer moved me from a very deadline driven role to one where I can work at my own pace. That has made a huge difference to me being able to continue working.
Good luck with your new job. Recovery is a marathon not a sprint. You will have ups & downs along the way but it’ll start to smooth out over time.
It is so nice to have an understanding employer
Well done on getting used to your new life - I can’t imagine it being easy transitioning from a very busy life to a slightly constrained one.
Welcome to the community, I’m sorry to hear about your stroke.
Well done on getting back to work, it sounds like your recovery is going well.
I’m pleased you’re already finding the community helpful and that so many people have already replied with great advice.
I know fatigue has been mentioned a bit in some of the responses so I wanted to share a webpage with you that has information about fatigue and how it can show up. There is also a link on that page about getting back to work post stroke which may also be helpful with some tips to help you. You can find the webpage here.
. I think other members of this community may also benefit from your own experiences.
