I am 43 and last Saturday I have done a head MRI as lately I suffer of migraines and there have been many occasion when my head felt “heavy” and I felt spaced out. In one of these occasions not long ago, I had severe vertigos.
The doctor called me today saying that everything seems fine but there is something at the back of my brain and it could be a sign of a silent stroke.
I never heard of it and I spent all day reading about it (this is how I found this community).
I will be referred to a stroke team but I don’t know when and I am so worried I could get a more serious stroke anytime soon.
I am just quite shocked and scared..
Any good advices? I am not good at the “waiting game”
Hi @Fab and welcome to the community. Hopefully you’ll find this a good place to be.
Has your GP done an urgent referral to the stroke team? I would hope they have but try not to worry too much. I know that is easy for me to say but not so easy to do. Many people have one stroke & never go on yo have another but keeping your stress levels under control will help reduce the risk of anything further happening. It also hasn’t been confirmed that it is a stroke yet.
Have you been prescribed any meds? Often something like aspirin/clopidogrel is prescribed but it may not be until diagnosis is confirmed.
I have copied in some links to other posts on silent strokes which you may find useful.
Others will be along later to offer their experiences.
He said that he was going to refer me and they will get in touch. At that point I didn’t realise what a silent stroke was so I was only worried that it could have been something else which doesn’t give much hope.
He didn’t prescribe me anything yet..
Thank you for your response and the links to the other discussions
Yes I have a suggestion. What many people are finding difficult is switching off their Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight or Flight) SNS. Put another way ; how to stop firing stress messages to their body chemistry… it only fuels more mischief. Instead what we must relearn & practice is how to return to rest & digest mode ( called Parasympathetic Nervous System) PNS. If you are permanently locked in SNS your ANS (go on, look it up) will soon go out of whack and next thing you know is an infarct.
Go to YouTube and enter “how do I return to Parasympathetic Nervous System?” Here are some starting points 1. Breathing Techniques
Slow diaphragmatic breathing: Inhale slowly for 4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds.
Box breathing: Inhale 4 → Hold 4 → Exhale 4 → Hold 4.
Longer exhalations (e.g., 4 in, 8 out) directly stimulate the vagus nerve (key PNS pathway).
2. Vagus nerve stimulation
Humming or chanting (the vibration stimulates the vagus nerve).
Cold exposure: Splash cold water on your face or take a cool shower.
Gargling vigorously.
3. Relaxation & mindfulness
Meditation, yoga, tai chi.
Progressive muscle relaxation: Tense and release muscle groups.
Spending time in nature (“forest bathing”).
4. Physical & social
Gentle movement like walking, stretching.
Massage.
Positive social connection (laughter, hugging, talking with someone supportive).
5. Lifestyle
Adequate sleep.
Balanced nutrition (avoiding large amounts of stimulants like caffeine).
Hi @Fab, and welcome to this community. You’ve already had some great advice from @Mrs5K and @pando, not much I can add apart from to say that my referral to the stroke clinic also turned into a bit of a waiting game, in the end I found their contact details online and rang directly to ask about waiting times and when I would be seen. It worked, I was in the next day. Might work for you too.
I hope you get some answers soon, and I know that you’ll get plenty of help and support here.
I can pretty much echo the advice and feedback you have already received.
I would suggest perhaps you might be reassured from the comment
But I can imagine it might of concern when followed by
To address this and for peace of mind, you could ask the GP is there is any medication you might be put on and also as @harimanjaro suggests
If it’s any consolation, my guess is if it was serious they might have done an urgent referral. But as we all react differently it is up to you how you would like to move forward.
Shwmae, my partner had a silent stroke eight years ago and only discovered it when she had an MRI last year for her neck. They are very common but rarely detected. Here is a small summary from Harvard Health …
“Silent strokes are actually far more common than strokes with symptoms. For every person who has a stroke with symptoms, about 14 others have a silent stroke. Researchers estimate that more than one-third of people over age 70 have had a silent stroke.”
So, doing the maths, if every five minutes someone in the UK has a stroke, it stands to reason that every five minutes fourteen people may possibly experience silent strokes. They believe it may be a contributing factor to aging related conditions like dementia &c.
However, having had one detected, they will ensure you are on appropriate medication to help prevent the possibility of a follow-up full stroke. A bit like what they do for TIAs, but I am to understand TIAs are far more of a warning that a full stroke might follow than a silent stroke is. My partner is now on post stroke meds but she spent eight years without it in blissful ignorance.
Silent strokes seem to be a hazard of entropy and thankfully they do not cause crippling symptoms but I don’t think there is anything anyone can do about it, no matter how healthy and mindful of lifestyle choices they are. There is also little option for knowing one has had one unless a person has an MRI machine at home.
When it comes down to it, even anti-platelet medication is not foolproof and, indeed, can cause bleeds. So, in essence, treating the anxiety is foremost so that you can lead a rewarding and fulfilling life without the shackle of anxiety. Easier said than done, mind.
Welcome to the community, I’m sorry to hear that you may have had a silent stroke. It’s understandable to be shocked and scared when you are told this. It’s good that you’re being referred, it will be helpful for you to speak with a specialist. Make sure to write all your questions down so when your appointment comes through you’ll have them to hand.
I can see you’ve already been given some great support and some links which may be helpful too. I hope that you’ll find this community helpful over the next few weeks and months whilst you wait to get some answers.
If you need anything whilst you’re using the Online Community, please don’t hesitate to tag me using the @ symbol and my username.
Hello Rupert - are you able to share what they actually did for your partner once the silent stroke was detected? Is there any benefit in knowing you’ve had one especially as the only way of knowing is if you have an MRI and I am guessing most people will not need an MRI?
This is true. Or a CT scan, depending on where the clot occurred. If ischemic. My partner was put on the bog standard meds straight away, statin and anti-platelet. Is it worth knowing? Depends on the person but chances are someone has little choice but not know. If one experiences degenerative mental capacities over time, how likely are they to get an MRI on that basis alone? And if an MRI was offered and a silent stroke had occurred, the same diagnosis would be made as to the degenerative mental capacity, train and stimulate the brain as best one can.
Just an update. I booked a doctor appointment to have a bit of clarification and peace of mind. I found it weird that I was the one booking the appointment and once there he did me a blood test, checked the blood pressure and prescribed some meds. What if I didn’t book it?
Anyway he prescribed me something for cholesterol and something for blood pressure. He confirmed that he referred me to the stroke unit and I have to wait for them.
Thank you to everyone. You have been very helpful!
Nothing - as far as I can make out, unless you are high risk or elderly, doctors do not contact you.
Until you have been diagnosed and flagged as at risk they will not contact you. It’s up to you to contact them but once flagged e.g. diabetic or high cholesterol, they will contact you and ask you make an appointment.
My Mum has been contacted to say her diabetic check is due, but that is just a reminder. They have NOT booked her. It is up to us to book her.
Mum is high risk/ elderly. I am not and my GP doesn’t even know I exist.
