I’ve finally let my anger emerge. After a year now into my ischemic stroke, my evil, and I do mean evil spasticity is progressing. I get it on the right side from my face, neck, back down the arm into the leg and foot. I’m angry that most therapists only know that you should stretch and I’ve been to the best therapists. No amount of stretching, prayer, meditation all 3 muscle relaxers, strength training, 8 hours of sleep even make a dent. At 6 months my walking was quite good and I was able to paint and play my piano. I have gone almost completely backward and walk like a penguin ready to topple over… I enjoy cooking and all I have to do is turn the spatula in the pan and my whole right side gets like cement. I am one of the unlucky 1/3 of survivors who get this. I need to vent. I’m losing it! They were worried I had a second stroke, but 2nd MRI showed nothing. After 6 months of therapy, I have to go back. Can’t get Botox, too many body parts are involved. The scariest thing I’ve read on the internet: Spasticity has no cure, only management. I’m not managing. So sorry to vent, but it feels good to relate to fellow survivors I won’t stop fighting.
Derek
I am with you. It seems so unfair to do all that work, have things going so well and then get hit with this freaking setback. Mine got so much worse at that one year mark as well. It continues to worsen even though I am able to work my body so much more, or maybe because of that. My choices are to lay around hoping it won’t cause as much pain, or continue to work my muscels hoping that will cure it. (i can’t remember how to spell muscels, AARGH!) if that doesn’t cure it, I still hope I will get used to it, like the ringing ears and only notice it here and there rather than constantly. I pray for us all that we find the real cure.
@Outlander so sorry to hear you’re suffering so much. It sounds horrid. I can’t offer any advice I’m afraid but send you my very best wishes & hope you find some way to get relief ftom it soon.
Ann
Your rant resonates so much with me. I was able to walk three miles until this god awful stiffness hit, not at just a little over a year it just gets worse and I can hardly walk close to a mile. I have also tried meditation, aquatic, physical, and occupational therapies plus medication to no avail. Please do yell and scream -it is absolutely evil to feel this cement like stiffness plus regress after so much effort. I hear you and wish the best for you.
Outlander-- Have you tried CBD OIl drops under the tongue? MY leg would “seize up” in a spasm at night. CBD stopped that for me. I’m 120 lbs, 78 yrs old–used 20-40 mgs. CBD(without THC, so no hallucinations, etc. ) If you decide to try it, check with your doctor first(My GP and Cardiologist said OK and that many of their patients use it. Use a respectible company. Start low dose(8-15 mg they say-lots of info on the net) and work up til you find dose that works for you. Everyone is different. Took me about 45-60 min to “kick in”. Started with 20 mg and if I didn’t feel better in an hour, I took another 20 mg. That never failed. The spasms would stop, and I could sleep. They would not occur again until the next night. Over time I needed to use CBD less and less, until now (5 yrs) I just keep it on hand and get a spasm maybe only once every 3 or 4 months. 
Jeanne
Thanks all of you so much. My problem is the stiffness during the day. If I can stay STILL in a recliner chair or in bed…I’m at peace. As soon as I just move my hand or leg, I spasm like crazy.
I would like to try the CBD., but fear being drowsy during the day?
Try it and see what’s worse?
Hi, I’m so sorry for your plight. I can’t offer any advice sadly but I do believe just letting your anger out to like minded people will help, if only a little.
Very best wishes going forward 
@Pisceslady2023 Thanks
@Loshy Thanks, I just ordered the best I can buy.
Simon; Aye ye’re A’ richt ye ken.
I have the same problem. My spasticity didn’t kick in until about 4 months after my stroke. Some days are better than others, depending on how much exercise I do/don’t do, how humid or cold the weather is, etc etc etc. Sometimes I feel as though I’m making good progress, then sit down for a few minutes and BAM! I seize up all over again. This week has been awful because of a new rotator-cuff exercise, which has left me with a bicep made of concrete. On top of that I was attacked on the bicep by a vampire gnat and now have enormous red lumps on my arm!
Meds haven’t helped. Along with others on this site, I am now going down the CBD route, but it’s too soon to tell whether it’s going to help.
I just wish the scientists would come up with something soon. I’ve had nine yearsof this. There are research projects on stem cells etc, but nothing concrete on the horizon (unless you count my bicep!)
Minnie: 9 years? my goodness. I wish you the best.
Thanks for sharing and I know what you mean in a way ?
In February 20/22 I left the hospital after I’ve been for a unexpected stroke and had the Northamptonshire stroke team came to my house each week and I was doing great as well as I could the stroke team said. I got a clot over the right kidney, yes I’m on dialysis three times a week the original source of stroke I would say, after a dialysis induced seizure some months before!
As I was saying I’m having stroke rehabilitation at home then got a clot on my kidney (lost right kidney) after embolism January to march this year 23 and I’ve gone back 20 paces and really struggling with anger at the moment I’ll just drop a milk top just dropping things I’m infuriated!!! As quickly as it comes it goes just as quick!
So I’ve just emailed an activity on referral from to a local sports centre to get back to trying again!!
Not that I’m not trying I’ve got a gig this week I’m doing sound at a small festival and a gig last week steel festival it went ok but some human errors that got me raising my voice at the guys doing the real work I’m just setting the mixer up, effects, monitors and front of house , the day went ok but I have this perfectionist thing going on always have had so somethings weren’t right that I normally set up so others are doing it but not right I’m really quite frustrated but this week I’m wiring the pa up so hopefully it goes we’ll ! always something goes wrong that’s gigging 
so just wanted to share about anger it comes quick and goes quickly I’m trying not to hang onto it !!! Thanks for the rant outlet!!!
Mark:blush:
Maybe your gig setup should be done in a t-shirt that says “warning I run on AM ( anger modulation)”
That would give you a segway into explaining It’s your ABI that flips you into different moods and it doesn’t mean for much.
On the back you could put " I have CDO, it’s a bit like OCD but the letters are in the right order"
I’ve had to come to terms with the idea that my perfectionist streak is incompatible with my post stroke reality
Keep on smiling
Ciao
Simon
Haha yeah Simon definitely perfectionism not compatible with stroke’s it’s frustrating!!!
Thanks for answering
It’s a good ongoing aspiration though while you I have aspirations then I think that’s another way of saying hope and hope is a driver for improvement
@Thewhiteark …tough going and I wish you the best. Speaking of gigs, I am lead singer and keyboard player in my band. I was super fast and supple on the keys, now I play like I have mittens on. I cried all day the first time I tried to get back to my keyboards. I do practice everyday though. I still have a decent voice and can sing with the band. I also am a fine artist, but I now have to use two hands to paint and the going is slow. We are supposed to make small improvements through time in our stroke journey, but with this kind of spasticity, one can go backwards no matter how hard you work, at least for yours truly…so far…
Dear Derek, Thanks for sharing your story. I am sorry to hear your difficulites, I agree stretch is not the solution. In my other posts, I have explained my view. Please have a look and let me know if you have any questions. Wishing you all the best. Kind regards Kusal
I clicked on Kusal’s (name, icon, picture); then clicked his name in the box that opened up and it has headings: Summary, Activity, Invites, Badges. Under activity, you will see a list of posts he has made. There are too many for me to read, but so far, I have found his advice helpful.
@Outlander
An alternative to the suggestion made by @DeAnn Is to look at the top of the screen where the magnifying glass icon is
click that
in the box that opens type what you want to search for so spasticity and then after that type @Kusal
Then click the search arrow
that will return just his posts that contain word or phrase . you’ll have to put phrases in “double quotes” to make the spaces significant - otherwise it will find the individual words