Hey everyone looking for some reassurance more than anything.
i had a unexplained seizure in 2020 (aged 42) CT scan normal, had a follow up MRI which showed an old left thalmic infarction unrelated to the seizure.
Referred to stroke consultant who noted that this was an incidental finding and prescribed the usual preventative medication.
Since then my health anxiety is awful, i am healthy i run lots i have no other health issues but this diagnosis has taken over my thoughts. I am an anxious person anyway and have been suffering with TMJ for a few months due to stress. With TMJ it causes jaw pain, ear pain and sometimes dizziness, hence the more stressed i am the more symptoms i get. Of course with my previous diagnosis i am convinced that i am having āanother strokeā bearing in mind my previous one was silent/ unexplained/ incidental finding. Due to menopause i do get tired and brain fog but of course i cannot think logically other than is this another stroke. i am driving myself mad.
Does anyone else drive themselves mad like this? Will it ever stop?
Iāve been referred recently via Ear nose and throat for another MRI due to ear problems and some dizziness which i honestly think is TMJ, but of course i am so scared that they will find something else like last time when i wasnāt expecting it
Thank you in advance and sorry for going on and on
Hi, I canāt talk for others here but would say some of this anxiety is due to something each of us cannot control and like a good few were active, fit and healthy so it seems unfair too to an extent.
It does seem that you have an condition which is exacerbated by anxiety too which canāt be helping but you are also referred to have checks so let this happen, as a male cannot advise on the menopause and would not dare to. But as someone who has trained for sports and female friends have re-looked at things- Iām martial arts and a few of the ladies reduced high impact stuff and moved more to yoga and stretching as well as Pilates for health benefits. My friend dropped a few kickboxing classes and does yoga but still does weapons and one full contact class a week.
Iāve changed my outlook and moving to lower impact stuff but also aware as the years roll round have to look after the body in a different way. Talk to people get some information to help you plan- a lot of helpful, kind and smart people on here will give you sound advice, take care and hope you get answers you need and vey best of health too.
Welcome to the community.
I offer you reassurance and would like to suggest there is light at the end of the tunnel and you will come out and see it.
How do I know?
I donāt, but I know what is possible.
My Mum has been through pretty much all the nasty things people on this forum are going through or have gone through and what she has done is on each occasion she has taken it on and beaten it. Whatever hurdle was put in front of her, she looked at it, decided she was not going to be beaten by it, figured out a way to beat it and she did.
Not all smooth sailing - she had many setbacks, but each and every time, she took it on the chin, came out fighting and won. She continues to do this to this day.
She is a human being like you and me, but she has a ānever say dieā attitude and I am sure this is why she is where she is today.
Her key strengths are:
Accepting things that have happened and moving on - no point in crying over spilt milk
Nothing is impossible - where thereās a will thereās a way
Listen to your body - only you know what your body is feeling and you should listen to it
Listen to advice, decide if it is for you and take it on board if it is or discard it if it is not
If you try something and fail, no matter, try again
If try something and it keeps failing - stop. Clearly it does not work, try something different
Donāt beat yourself up over things you cannot control
Need a rest, feeling tired? Take as much rest as you need to fully refresh.
Donāt be afraid to ask for help.
Not getting the help you need, or not being listened to. Start shouting. Still not being listened to or heard? Shout louder - you will be heard and you will be listened to.
Never apologise for seeking help or advice.
Talk to anyone who will listen.
Donāt bottle things up - release any stress, pent up frustrations
Eat healthy
Exercise
Sleep
Relax
Well, thereās much more but that should be enough to get you going.
Remember, listen to everyone, but only take on board what is right for you.
@Michelle1978 Doctors have a way or worrying people unnecessary. I am a stroke survivor, but I try to not let it define me otherwise i will go crazy. I wish you well for the future. Nothing that anyone will say will reassure you unless you stop letting possibilities define you. Life too short, live it, dont just exist.
@Michelle1978 it is totally normal to have anxiety especially with things that are out of your control. Besides my stroke, I have had 49 different surgeries in my lifetime. 28 of them were due to congenital Hydrocephalus. There were at least 10 times we didnāt think Iād make it. To say the least, there were many times I felt scared, confused, overwhelmedā¦..especially when trying to get the use of my left side again and the speech issues.
All that said, I try to take the stance that the stroke I had, the hydrocephalus, deafnessā¦.are things that I have, they are not who I am and donāt define me. I have continued to live my life and have competed in open water swim races, running ultramarathons, I have a black belt in 3 different martial arts and I currently work in law enforcement.
I say all that not to brag but to encourage you to keep fighting. Do I still have not great days feeling down, frustrated or overwhelmed? Absolutely! I work through it and keep fighting. I then saw screw you stroke! I WIN!!
Adam - isnāt it funny how we seem to have to apologise for something like this? What you achieved and continue to achieve is absolutely amazing and you choosing to share it on this forum is not to brag, but rather to encourage others to keep fighting.
I really appreciate your honesty and courage in sharing this, for the very purpose you say, which is to encourage and motivate. It should never be seen as bragging and neither is it a suggestion that everyone or anyone can achieve the same - we are all different after all.
I too sometimes feel āguiltyā about posting achievements on here even though they are only meant to encourage and give hope. I donāt doubt that what some people have achieved may be something others may never be able to achieve, but if you are able to believe that it might be possible then then you can say āWhere thereās a will, thereās a wayā and āWhere thereās life, there is hopeā.
I appreciate your posts and hope you will continue to share and inspire
@Michelle1978 hi and welcome to the community. Sorry youāve had calls to join us but hopefully youāll find it a useful place to be. I would say anxiety after a stroke diagnosis is perfectly normal and it is natural to worry. However given that you werenāt aware that this happened and you continued to live your life not knowing then use that as some reassurance that things will be ok. You are on meds now that will reduce the chances of it happening again. Menopause can increase anxiety too so that probably isnāt helping either.
Try & find something that will help distract you from your thoughts. Maybe speak to your GP & see if they can help put your mind at rest.
None of us know what is around the corner & if having my stroke taught me anything I guess it was to make the most of every day.
Will it ever stop? I donāt know. It sounds like the anxiety is adding muddle to the mixture of medical issues you have been facing of late. This is my life every day. I think to work out medical worries and anxiety issues separately but it never always works out that way. As an example, I had terrible pain and then a visual disturbance, thought I was having another stroke. Went for MRI brain and neck. Clear. Then thought it might be my spine. MRI later, spine fine. Had annual stroke review, bloods, cholesterol vitamin levels, liver all fine. So what else? The last thing I ever address? My emotional state. So, that is one thing, however as a caveat, always check up with a medical professional. We can offer a sounding board but not the nitty gritty you may need from your GP.
Welcome to the community, Iām sorry to hear about your stroke and the anxiety this is causing you.
As others have said itās completely normal to feel anxious after finding out youāve had a stroke. Thereās some information on our website about anxiety after a stroke which you may find helpful to have a read of, there are also some therapies mentioned which you could try.
This community is a great place to get some answers and can help you to feel less alone so itās great that youāre here. I hope youāll find helpful.
If you need anything whilst youāre using the Online Community, please donāt hesitate to tag me using the @ symbol and my username.
