Is fatigue still a part of you 5 years after a stroke?

Hi all,

Just wanted to see how people feel after a full stroke and recovery after a period of time. I have a stroke 5 years ago, but being physically fit it took a couple of days to identify, I just struggled to complete sentences and my coordination had changed a lot.
I was really lucky to be honest.
I’ve never felt 100 percent since that day, and although I’ve worked hard and have a strong left and side of my body, my body really has never felt my own or the same. It’s hard to put it into words, I used to do triathlons, fitness challenges and rugby. I only really do fitness challenges now but nothing that lasts longer than 90 mins.
Recently I’ve just lost all my energy like I did after the stroke, this means I feel drained all the time and my executive function is really impacted, I can’t talk at times, find words hard to find, paper work is being harder to complete (I’m a senior manager in a special school) I do remind myself and I’m doing well, but I just wanted to know if this energy drop, physically and mentally continues.
If you met me you’d never know I had a stroke, but when I’ve mentioned it a couple of times when forgetting something, or struggling to organise myself I have had suggestions that the stroke is nothing to do with it.
I struggle to socialise with large groups of people (I never did before) and find the whole thing tiring and needing to put in a lot of effort to make small talk. My writing can be bad to, I seem to miss out all the connective words like it, a , is , of and often have to spend time checking what I write and this is becoming more tiring.
Part of me thinks this is stress of the job, we all have it, but also at times I don’t know what is the stroke and if I should be over it’s inpacts by now.

For info my stroke was caused by a hole in my heart and that has since been resolved.
The stoke ‘killed’ 2 parts of my right hand side of my brain both being the size of 50p.

Any advice would be fab.
Reading about people’s stories has been eye opening and made me realise how anything is possible after a stroke.

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@Seannoone Hi & welcome to the community. Fatigue can go on a long time but I would advise if how your feeling now is much worse than you’ve been for a while that you get yourself checked over. Some of your other symptoms might indicate the need to be checked too.

It’s very easy after a stroke to attribute everything to the stroke but we are all still as likely to get other illnesses. Your fatigue could be a deficiency in B12, Vit D or iron for example. A blood test would pick this up easily.

Hope you get some answers & start to feel better soon.

Ann

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Hi
Im 18 months in and i still get fatigue. I saw my gp last week as i have a uti. She explained that a stroke is a brain injury. Part of it died the night i had the stroke and ive had to learn new pathways.
I agree it would be a good idea to get checked out. I take berroca everyday, the ones you dissolve in water.
Anne

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I can only agree with you. I had a stroke about the same time (5 years ago). You describe how I am now perfectly. I am retired from work luckly. Just take the good days with the bad.

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Hi seannoone, can totally relate to the way you feel my stroke 3 and 1/2 years ago and like you anyone looking at me wouldn’t have a clue . One of the things that wears me out the most is talking especially on the phone and quite often forget what word comes next like brain fog . I think sometimes people probably think I’ve had a few​:smiling_face::smiling_face: let’s hope all improve eventually and if not just be able to cope. Take care.

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Hello, I saw your message with interest.

That your life was so active. Similar to my situation before a stroke.

It would be great that you and others were interested in my article :

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That’s a great, prompt within a hour, from you in Scotland.

We are so happy to receive your support !

Let’s wait time, see other thoughts before proceeding.

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Hi @Iain.Dyche & welcome to the community. Interesting to read your article.

Hopefully you’ll find the forum a useful & Interesting place to be.

Best wishes

Ann

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@Seannoone I hope you saw my reply. But after a week, it seems that Specialists/Coachs of Fitness Tracker’s are not interested to help or not reading this.

It gives me strength to know that you continue to run. For myself I am desperate to learn more information, in the way our fitness has changed due to a stroke.

A presentation: ‘Athlete’s Fitness after a Stroke’ …… is this available ? Can we organise this ourselves?

A good question and I have some clear ideas.

And thank you for writing about Sean.

But firstly, who are you ?

You provide prompt replies of depth.

Are you a paid worker for Stroke Association, are you their Editor ?

Kind Regards, Iain

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Hello, sorry long time since I’ve been on here.
Lots of great comments. I’d love to find out the impact of a stroke on fitness.
I did have blood tests and nothing was off. Rest was prescribed and magnesium supplements after a work out.
I’ve since recharged and the effects are really noticeable in my energy levels being much higher. I did a lot more self care and reflection about my priorities and how I spend time. I use things like chat gpt and grammarly to support with my paper work (just finding work arounds)

I won’t like it’s not a magic bullet, and I certainly notice that things like a cold drains my energy levels.

I feel fitter, but I know this is a roller coaster and easily can have dip, I certainly know that one will happen at some point, it’s just that I have found a few ways to cope with it.

For me I think the journey has been working out my new body, learning to listen to it, and listen to modern approaches to training, less is more, slow can be fast. Pace it don’t race it and most importantly do it if it makes you feel good :slight_smile:

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Dear @SimonInEdinburgh and @Seannoone
Simon, having reading your link, I apologise. But I am right, you are a good accurate moderator. We need you to point us in the right direction…
Sean has replied: Would love to find out the ‘Impact of a Stroke on Fitness’ - Spot on Sean !!! But I can’t find an article or a Coach or lecturer or specialist, is an article available ? If not, I think we could organise a solution.
Conclusion : In two posts, Sean talks directly of important aspects, relating to work, fitness, grammar and more. Some of the best I read, it’s important. It should be in a better window than this message format. Marketing I suppose, so that strokers can benefit from all the effort that Sean has taken in blood test and stuff. And obviously to include other peoples input in an attempt to improve our lives.
Simon… what do you think ?
Kind Regards, Iain
Ps. Seans thread title here is Fatigue, I’m thinking that fitness is the best way to fight Stroke Fatigue.

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@SimonInEdinburgh Thank you for your reply.

However, it will take me quite a time, to consider your data.

Catching up, Iain

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I had my cryptogenic stroke 4 years ago whilst out running despite being physically fit. A subsequent thrombectomy procedure removed the clot and i returned to running albeit at a slower pace and shorter distance. 2nd year post stroke saw my fatigue levels worsen and despite numerous blood tests nothing abnormal was found. Fast forward to today and fatigue levels have improved slightly. Technology with Garmin data has helped me understand how to manage my day better. Returned to work part time working from home but only work mornings as fatigue kicks in on the afternoon. The likes of Garmin and Whoop data are developing at a great pace and give us much more of an insight into what activities cause us most fatigue and can we change anything.
An example for me is to do an early morning run where there is less information for the brain to process vs a lunchtime run when the paths are busier. At work i prefer a phone call to a Teams video call. Pre stroke i could just lace up and run a half marathon without really thinking about it. Now i would be right on my limit in running that distance which would impact me for a number of days after.
I can relate to a lot of your work issues. I had a back to work occupational therapist paid for by my employer who had good experience of stroke survivors returning to the workplace. I started with an hour per day and progressed to 4 hours per day. Unable to work longer as many of your work related issues start to show themselves. I’ve recently finished a “focus on the brain” class at my local college where they went into great detail on what can impact executive skills so things like fatigue, stress, low mood, pain and environment will all have a negative cognitive impact. For me i am just trying to keep updated with latest technology / nutritional information to try and improve myself as well as meeting up face to face with fellow like minded stroke survivors in my area where we pool latest knowledge.

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@DPOUND just popping by to say hi & welcome to the community.

Good to hear that you have got back to running & that you have found adjustments that help you get through your working hours. I agree with you on Teams video calls. I tend to limit them but also leave my video off as do others. Less visual stimulation that way.

Best wishes

Ann

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I didn’t know i’d open up an active topic of conversation.
For me keeping fit has been key to my recovery and keeping me level. If that make sense. I do have to take antidepressants as emotionally I was all over the place as well. That possibly had some other underlying issues I needed to recognise, but like most things my mind set has been one to adapt, improvise and overcome.
Stat wise i do have an Apple Watch and keep an eye on how active I am. Run wise was really interesting. I used to do a 5k in around 23 minutes. Post stroke thats now 27. With the occasional faster one. Age and training differently probably features into this. But I know my body feels different and responds differently, I use more mental energy to exercise than I did before. But luckily having something to work toward like me doing a Hyrox event today keeps me focused. Saying that though it’s been a journey. At times the physical fatigue has just hit me like brick. My first Hyrox 2 years ago everything was going well then I just had to stop, the body said no more. It took 3 weeks to feel right again. This questioned if I was doing the right thing. Slowly I built up stamina again and today I feel good. Colds and any illness really impact me though, the stiffness in my left hand comes back and the brain fog is massive.
I have to slow right down for weeks. The original post I made in the summer was where I just could not function at all, but had expections to do so. I could not even tie my laces.

It’s been a strange journey and probably one where I grieve my old body. I’m lucky to have recovered as well as I did, but it’s hard to explain the lasting impacts.

Fitness has been a big part, I know my heart it different too due to the operation and medication I take, but it’s strong.

Happy to contribute to anything I can. Or give advice. If one thing can help someone else than that’s what this forum is here for.

Thanks

Sean

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Hi @DPOUND just wanted to welcome you to the community. It’s great to hear that you’re back doing running and it seems like you’ve been really proactive to figure out what works for you and your fatigue.

I hope you’ll find this community helpful, if you need any help whilst you’re here please don’t hesitate to tag me using the @ symbol.

Anna

Hi Sean,
My stroke was a brain bleed, just under 3 years ago, which affected my right side. I’m 66 now, slim and was eating what I considered was a healthy diet.
3 years on, I still need a sleep in the afternoon and typically, I sleep at least 12 hours a day and there seems to be no end to that.
I used to be a gigging musician and guitar teacher but, as with other stroke survivors, I’ve learned to accept my new situation.