Hi. I had what many would call a mild stroke in 2021 and after fatigue etc got better apart from the usual aches and pains I seem to be ok until recently.
I have recently experienced a repeat of similar fatigue and weariness that occurred post stroke. I’ve also had about 5 instances of a shimmering effect in my left eye which lasts for about 15 minutes and a loss of feeling in my ring finger on my left hand.
I have been to my GP and have blood tests and and an MRI booked to check me out to see if anything else is the cause of the fatigue
Question to the stroke community is has anyone else had similar shimmering in the eye and a loss of feeling in fingers that could be the sign that I may have had another mild stroke without realising?
2½yrs post stroke right side affected. I have numbness in my left thumb and some rigidness in my right ring finger but I’m not associating either as stroke related. Could this just be an age thing, don’t know what age you are, and have you had your eyes checked yet?
I really hope your GP can get to the bottom of this soon for you.
Good luck
Thank you for the response. You’re right it could be an age thing on the numb finger as I do have other bits of arthritis in other fingers.
I’ve read somewhere that the shimmering eye could be a type of migraine, but it happened around the time of my original stroke, which made me worry. My annual eye test is due soon so I might chase that up to try and get an answer for that.
Thank you for taking the time to respond. It’s much appreciated.
Yes, they’re called migraines with aura. A lady in my Aphasia groups gets them from time to time and she had her stroke 15yrs ago or more. And I think there are some members on here who know about them. I’m sure they’ll be along too over the coming days so keep on checking in
Migraines with aura can cause that sort of problem. I used to get the aura migraines (no headache) in the past. They presented as flashing lines in my peripheral vision, lasted about 20 mins & made me feel yuck until they passed. I had these lines when i had my stroke although they were in my line of sight then.
Glad your MRI is next week. Hope all goes ok with it.
I have migraine aura without pain. The shimmering can get quite intense, but only lasts at the most; 10 to 15 minutes. These are not often, but happen during stressful times or if I’ve lost sleep. If I rest my left on (the good one) on an arm rest for any length of time the pinky can get totally numb.
The scans are so important.
Yes, I’ve had similar. My fatigue instead of being ‘ all day’ now requires me to have a sleep in the afternoon. Recently I’ve been experiencing pains in my shoulder coupled with a burning sensation in my left hand. I don’t think I’ve had another stroke but will probably try for a GP appointment next week. I take so many pills and they changed my statin that it may be some or all of these creating the issue. I can and do walking but having got there feel so tired when walking back. I’ve also have a morbid fear of stairs and falling! You are not alone!
Hi Richard,
There is nothing wrong with a sleep in the afternoon. They say there is nothing wrong with that, but it does get frustrating when you feel you shouldn’t.
I’m only in my mid sixties but now do have to pace myself and accept when I’m tired.
Who knows how the tablets affect us in the long run, but the statins appear to keep the cholesterol down.
Best to try and get a GP appointment if you can get one.
@musicman61 You seem to have good support if they have already booked you for an MRI
My experience is that that level of responsiveness isn’t available here
You said the effect you get is in your left eye. The normal caveat of we’re not medically trained applies. Something that affects one eye sounds as if it’s optical. It might be the optic nerve on that side I guess? Strokes in the optic nerve are a thing. Stroke merely equates to interruption to blood supply so can effect any organ
I used to get the flashing lights before stroke but haven’t had them since. Each time I had an episode it started small in the centre of my vision and then grew for 20 minutes and then went away. They also were definitely not ocular but brain related because they were present whether my eyes were open or closed.
When I did have an MRI as a result of a research project I joined not any part of the medical diagnosis or prevention strategies it turned out that I had had a number of silent strokes prior to the one that put me on a stroke ward and started this journey.
Migraine with a aura is not an uncommon occurrence and many people who experience them or indeed migraines with pain don’t have the legacy of a stroke however they are an indication that some attention to cause is indicated. The medical people that you speak to maybe more focused on giving you an answer than the ones I dealt with who were dismissive. However if yours are dismissive because they don’t find anything attributable my hindsight would suggest continuing to push them for answers and perhaps even without those answers taking some risk reduction measures
I assume you’ve the basics of blood pressure and statin etc?
Just a quick one - strangely - if anything anyone says on here really can be called strange!! - my hemianopia causes what I like to call the ‘nothng’ like in the neverending story…
it’s not black or dark or anything it just does not exist. eyes open or closed.
when i scan to the right with my eyes closed I then see the darkeness but otherwise the ‘nothing’ is there on my right if I don’t look that way every second I am awake…
I have bought a cheapish BP machine from amazon (£10-15?) and regularly take my BP just to keep an eye on it as mine is generally very high. You can probably get one from your pharmacy or even get your GP to prescribe you one!
But I recommend that if you’re worried about things as you clearly are take some regular readings if you can get one and when you speak to medical pros you call tell them what youve had and it may also reassure you that it’s steady or even if it’s bad or not steady you can then call your GP or 111 and discuss.
If I was buying a blood pressure monitor now I would definitely get the one that gives Wi-Fi transfer of readings in a spreadsheet compatible format EG CVS
It’s a real pain copying out a readings when you have to give three readings twice a day for a week I’ve never ever ever ever ever managed to do without making a ton of mistakes the idea that I could just transfer it to my phone and then email it is so appealing but I didn’t spot that in the beginning and I saved five quid maybe
