I had a ischemic stroke in february in the left side of the cerebellum. Vertigo and dizziness has been my worst symptoms. They come and go and I have seen better days. Statins seemed to cause muscle aches and parestesia, along with more dizziness.
Last month has been rough, I have a lot of muscle pain, even since I have been off statins for 3 weeks now because my insurance neurologist told me that for my case, since my stroke was caused by a dissection caused by a trauma (chiropractic) in my neck, was just a protocol and he told to continue just with aspirin.
My biggest challenge is the fatigue, I guess. Sometimes I feel a bit better but must of the time I still get dizziness, muscle pains after a short walk, specially in the evenings, burning, itchy and needles sensations in my fingers, legs and arms, which triggered a visit to the ER a couple a weeks ago (exactly by the tine when Hamilton won at Silverstone). The ER doctor sent me home after checking and discarding FAST symptoms. My pulse was elevated, they performed a ECG which came out ok, BP ok, even a bit low 107/75 (Im 44).
I had a glucose monitor for 14 days to check if I have been having hypoglycemic episodes, which I had like 7 years ago, finished yesterday and no hypos, but I found that carbs do spike my glucose level, something I can control now, specially bread something that Im now just totally leaving out of my diet.
Right now Im also going through some kind of cold that is making muscle, head and body pain even worse, the burning and itchy sensations are just worse, specially last night, feel like I have a ruber band around my head.
All allong I feel that this is getting the best of me and Im loosing the fight. I feel that I have gotten worse and Im very preoccupied about the future. I havent been able to work properly, just a couple of hours on good days, that are very few. In june I started some light exercises with bands at home which for about three weeks where just right and felt great, but the las week after exercising got worse on a friday and that sunday was the time I had go to the ER.
I think Im loosing this fight. When I feel less bad I get optimistic and even think about getting back home (I live alone but after the stroke, I got back home for a month and because of the dizziness I moved to my mom’s house, I still have my rented apartment with all my stuff but to date I haven felt secure enough to get back to live by my own) but when I feel more bad I just feel pessimistic and sometimes I think im just deteriorating instead of recovering, and is affecting ny mom, my sister and the rest of my family. Should I just get back home alone and take my chances? i feel a bit better beeing with my mom, sister and her family because I believe I have some backup in case thinks get worse, but am I beeing just spoiled? Is it what I need right now?
I dont think that much of another stroke happening, but I get the idea sometimes. What is worse is the feeling of not being able to be independent anymore in my life, and loosing all my financial independence (have my own design studio with no clients for this year).
I have a fear of having to depend on someone to live and with the burning sensations all over different parts of my body I have i fear that more than fatigue, central pain is waking up in my process and have so much fear of it.
My sequels are not that bad, I can walk, move, and do almost everything by mi self. I feel a bit selfish because I know so many survivors would give anything to have the capabilities I have today. I lost no mobility whatsoever but my walking and standing have been affected from dizziness, especially after some movements or standing up (I think I can call vertigo just the episode the day they diagnosed my stroke which never repeated, the rest I call light and moderate dizziness) and I think my muscle weakness make that even worse. I used to be a very active person, walking long distances, gym, but since stroke I’ve been very limited to move so maybe spasticity or muscle atrophy? I really just dont know anymore.
Next monday I’ll have an angiotac to check my dissected artery and some days after the 6 months control with the CVA center neurologist.
Im so anxious right now because I see no evolution and contrary feel Im going backwards and fear a fatigue that will never go, like so many people in the forum, or a new central pain that will be so challenging.
Sorry for the long one and my pessimistic emotional state right now. Im working with a psychiatrist for two months now but this kind of days, or weeks to be more precise, make me fell just like the worse is jet to come.