I had a stroke recently, aka my health went to pot post-40

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BenjaminRWT

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I don't post here often except to ask questions, but something happened to me last month that, almost a year after my Diabetes diagnosis, makes me believe that 40 was my cutoff point. Long ramble ahead...

Anyway, a month ago, On a Saturday morning, I woke up feeling dizzy and nauseous. The sensation was actually enough to wake me up early. My instinct initially was a possible hypo. It was the closest thing I could think of to what I was feeling even if I've only had one to my knowledge so far. So first thing I did was fingerprick, twice. 5.8 and 6.2, so it wasn't that.

I sat down at 7 in the morning like this, then needing a bowl. Without going into details, I knew if anything was going to happen, I wasn't making it to my bathroom in one piece. I rang 111, as I did not feel my life was in danger, but enough to know that I needed to speak to/be seen by someone and my GP was obviously closed.

I explained my symptoms as best I could while I felt like I was upside down, if not spinning. Eventually someone came, injected something into my backside and gave me tablets which were an oral version of what he gave me. He told me it was Vertigo.

I spent the weekend mainly sleeping. It was all I could do. Couldn't even watch TV. By monday I STILL felt like this. I think I expected more improvement by then. So I rang again and was told I should get to an A&E department. So I rang for a taxi and did just that. I happened to not be in work that day anyway, so I had no need to make any further calls that morning at least.

I got there and explained everything all over again, and that I wasn't sure what I had was Vertigo and I expected more improvement if it was.

Various tests & scans later that day, A doctor was able to tell me what was going on - I had suffered a mini stroke on the Saturday. So I wasn't going home, that day at least. Eventually they got me a bed and I was moved to another hospital a couple of days later, that was more equipped to deal with that.

Needless to say, I was shocked. We've all seen the adverts on TV telling us what signs to recognise if we or a loved one was having a stroke, and it was none of those. A day or two after I went to hospital I did start to feel better, but Iwas really unbalanced and uncoordinated and my left hand felt weird. Less sensation and not as strong. I couldn't really play guitar (something I love to do in my spare time. not in a band or anything), and I just felt out of sorts. But also I remember thinking this could be so much worse considering what I was told.

So I was hospitalized for a whole week over it. I did improve enough to go home, I was happy about that. To be honest, being home made me feel even better, and I was able to even leave the house to go to the corner shop, to get a few bits & bobs.

I turned 41 soon after, but I wasn't up to doing anything for that, but I plan to go out for the day tomorrow to treat myself to some stuff - I'd had a load of loose change I tuned into notes and it was a nice chunk of money to get something with. That was always a plan anyway.

Been having people come to the house for rehab stuff and they're remarking how quickly I'm improving and they're even saying there's not much more they can do with me.

But to go back to the thread title, this reinforces my theory that my health went to hell one I turned 40 - just after I turned 40 last year I went to hospital for an op I'd literally waited years to have (Covid affected that, eventually they were able to offer me a date for it). The op never went ahead because I had high blood pressure (oddly enough they explained I could have had a stroke under anaesthetic), and high blood glucose so they want to test for diabetes - Sure enough I was type 1 and am on tablets for the blood pressure, in addition to what I'm on now since the stroke.

My sick note runs out in a few weeks, and work for me is dead enough I could go back pretty much as it runs out, but I'm gonna talk to them when the time is nearer.

Again, I'm feeling much better now and feel like everything could have been so much worse for me.

My balance is stilla little off and there's a feeling in my left hand remaining. Good news is, I'm playing guitar again (I planned to use i to gauge who things felt and I noticed impriovements almost daily), and I ca do things aroundthe house, just taking it a bit early.

I was gonna be going to London for a gig on Good Friday, but I''m gonna see how I feel a week from now, I doubt I'll be going down the front for it like I always did but I'm feeling confident over it. Got loads of stuff lined up over summer, too, so I want to make those and one or two more I'm considering!

I really felt like sharing this for some reason, not sure why, maybe it helps me process it a bit.
 
Sorry to hear that @BenjaminRWT Wishing you a good recovery.

Your story could help somebody else, as well as helping you offload things.
 
Really sorry to hear that you have had such a serious episode but so pleased that you feel you can share it here both for your own benefit.... I know I find it really useful to process things by sharing them on the forum...... but also in that it might help others who also don't experience the classic stroke symptoms.
Must confess I had an odd episode the other morning when I woke up and felt really dizzy whilst still in bed and every time I blinked or mover my head the room spun. It only lasted a few minutes and I was pretty much fine after that and I assumed I had just cricked my neck in my sleep, but your post has made me rethink it a bit. Extremely minor of course compared to your scenario, but forewarned is forearmed as they say, so should it ever happen again, I will bear your experience in mind. Can't be too careful with stokes.

So pleased you are recovering now. I imagine it will have knocked your confidence a little but hopefully the speed of your recovery will enable you to get back to fully enjoying life again soon.
 
Goodness! sorry to hear what you’ve been going through @BenjaminRWT

Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery
 
BenjaminRWT said:
I don't post here often except to ask questions, but something happened to me last month that, almost a year after my Diabetes diagnosis, makes me believe that 40 was my cutoff point. Long ramble ahead...

Anyway, a month ago, On a Saturday morning, I woke up feeling dizzy and nauseous. The sensation was actually enough to wake me up early. My instinct initially was a possible hypo. It was the closest thing I could think of to what I was feeling even if I've only had one to my knowledge so far. So first thing I did was fingerprick, twice. 5.8 and 6.2, so it wasn't that.

I sat down at 7 in the morning like this, then needing a bowl. Without going into details, I knew if anything was going to happen, I wasn't making it to my bathroom in one piece. I rang 111, as I did not feel my life was in danger, but enough to know that I needed to speak to/be seen by someone and my GP was obviously closed.

I explained my symptoms as best I could while I felt like I was upside down, if not spinning. Eventually someone came, injected something into my backside and gave me tablets which were an oral version of what he gave me. He told me it was Vertigo.

I spent the weekend mainly sleeping. It was all I could do. Couldn't even watch TV. By monday I STILL felt like this. I think I expected more improvement by then. So I rang again and was told I should get to an A&E department. So I rang for a taxi and did just that. I happened to not be in work that day anyway, so I had no need to make any further calls that morning at least.

I got there and explained everything all over again, and that I wasn't sure what I had was Vertigo and I expected more improvement if it was.

Various tests & scans later that day, A doctor was able to tell me what was going on - I had suffered a mini stroke on the Saturday. So I wasn't going home, that day at least. Eventually they got me a bed and I was moved to another hospital a couple of days later, that was more equipped to deal with that.

Needless to say, I was shocked. We've all seen the adverts on TV telling us what signs to recognise if we or a loved one was having a stroke, and it was none of those. A day or two after I went to hospital I did start to feel better, but Iwas really unbalanced and uncoordinated and my left hand felt weird. Less sensation and not as strong. I couldn't really play guitar (something I love to do in my spare time. not in a band or anything), and I just felt out of sorts. But also I remember thinking this could be so much worse considering what I was told.

So I was hospitalized for a whole week over it. I did improve enough to go home, I was happy about that. To be honest, being home made me feel even better, and I was able to even leave the house to go to the corner shop, to get a few bits & bobs.

I turned 41 soon after, but I wasn't up to doing anything for that, but I plan to go out for the day tomorrow to treat myself to some stuff - I'd had a load of loose change I tuned into notes and it was a nice chunk of money to get something with. That was always a plan anyway.

Been having people come to the house for rehab stuff and they're remarking how quickly I'm improving and they're even saying there's not much more they can do with me.

But to go back to the thread title, this reinforces my theory that my health went to hell one I turned 40 - just after I turned 40 last year I went to hospital for an op I'd literally waited years to have (Covid affected that, eventually they were able to offer me a date for it). The op never went ahead because I had high blood pressure (oddly enough they explained I could have had a stroke under anaesthetic), and high blood glucose so they want to test for diabetes - Sure enough I was type 1 and am on tablets for the blood pressure, in addition to what I'm on now since the stroke.

My sick note runs out in a few weeks, and work for me is dead enough I could go back pretty much as it runs out, but I'm gonna talk to them when the time is nearer.

Again, I'm feeling much better now and feel like everything could have been so much worse for me.

My balance is stilla little off and there's a feeling in my left hand remaining. Good news is, I'm playing guitar again (I planned to use i to gauge who things felt and I noticed impriovements almost daily), and I ca do things aroundthe house, just taking it a bit early.

I was gonna be going to London for a gig on Good Friday, but I''m gonna see how I feel a week from now, I doubt I'll be going down the front for it like I always did but I'm feeling confident over it. Got loads of stuff lined up over summer, too, so I want to make those and one or two more I'm considering!

I really felt like sharing this for some reason, not sure why, maybe it helps me process it a bit.
Click to expand...
Oh man . You had a TIA. As you say a mini stroke I had one of those about 2001 bizzare for me . Woke up in the morning and was fine. Anyway I’m going to get this off my chest 2019 I was walking briskly through the local parks to get to town centre again feeling great, by the time I got to city centre my left leg went tingly and felt heavy. Similar sensation left arm felt disoriented keeling over to the left. I look pretty much like in my avatar.
Collapsed on the ground . Someone helped me up but I had trouble standing. People were asking me questions and I was slurring.
A few people had gathered and most assumed I was drunk.Ironically hadn’t touched alcohol .
Was a real problem for me early 1990s and I was lucky enough to go to a really good rehab centre. Never touched alcohol since.
I went to hospital I was all over the place ( bit of an expert on strokes now ) at the time no idea what was going on . This is where it gets really bad. I was seen by a consultant with my records in his hand. He did not do any tests on me not even my blood pressure . “ well it looks like you are back on the drink again” I slurred I don’t drink anymore . He started laughing. The only test he did was the old check on drink drivers . He asked me to walk a straight line. Clearly I couldn’t more laughing . Told me it was too early to drink I suggest you go home and sleep it off.
I did . Woke up in the evening ( 7 hours so far ) stood up and collapsed in a heap . In hindsight should have called an ambulance. My daughter was home now and she drove me to hospital. I was stuck in the queue in A&E on a Saturday night . It was full of drunks, stabbings, cracked heads all the staff were in Saturday Night mode. When I was assessed they just read the consultants notes from the morning. Eventually put on a trolley then everything was really vague.
Next thing I remember I woke up in the acute stroke unit. Stroke started 11am I was finally properly assessed at 1am the next day . If I’d had a consultant that knew what he was doing I would have been given a stroke buster drug.
I’d have been in hospital just for checks and I would have been fine. As it turns out the Acute Stroke Unit was the start of 10 week stay in the Stroke Unit.
The very long recovery “ you will never walk again “ on discharge from hospital to where I am now . Fully functional a lot slower but can do all the stuff I did before the stroke . That’s another long chapter involving a Nuero Physio genius who learnt his trade as a battle surgeon in the SBS and his insane recovery method. Sorry that’s a long post but I feel better for writing it . To end it for now I’m feeling brilliant then received a phone call I have regular blood tests. “ we are phoning you about your diabetes.
It was almost a bad a shock as the stroke. Since the phone call telling me the briefest details I’ve had no contact but not surprised a long lost any faith in the NHS. So I’m flailing around trying to find out how I change my diet. Some success on this forum but I have lots of really specific questions. Don’t worry I’ve seen you can have a messenger chat during the week. Thanks for listening
 
In November last year had a sudden severe headache with dizziness. Rang 111 was told to go to out of hours clinic at the hospital. Was there for just a few minutes when the nurse I was seeing just said we need to get you seen by the medical team. Rushed to the emergency department. Diagnosed with a small stroke, spent 11 days in hospital. Still weak down the left side. Much better now.
 
Really sorry to hear that @Bedford 1 Hope you make a full and speedy recovery.
 
manji said:
Oh man . You had a TIA. As you say a mini stroke I had one of those about 2001 bizzare for me . Woke up in the morning and was fine. Anyway I’m going to get this off my chest 2019 I was walking briskly through the local parks to get to town centre again feeling great, by the time I got to city centre my left leg went tingly and felt heavy. Similar sensation left arm felt disoriented keeling over to the left. I look pretty much like in my avatar.
Collapsed on the ground . Someone helped me up but I had trouble standing. People were asking me questions and I was slurring.
A few people had gathered and most assumed I was drunk.Ironically hadn’t touched alcohol .
Was a real problem for me early 1990s and I was lucky enough to go to a really good rehab centre. Never touched alcohol since.
I went to hospital I was all over the place ( bit of an expert on strokes now ) at the time no idea what was going on . This is where it gets really bad. I was seen by a consultant with my records in his hand. He did not do any tests on me not even my blood pressure . “ well it looks like you are back on the drink again” I slurred I don’t drink anymore . He started laughing. The only test he did was the old check on drink drivers . He asked me to walk a straight line. Clearly I couldn’t more laughing . Told me it was too early to drink I suggest you go home and sleep it off.
I did . Woke up in the evening ( 7 hours so far ) stood up and collapsed in a heap . In hindsight should have called an ambulance. My daughter was home now and she drove me to hospital. I was stuck in the queue in A&E on a Saturday night . It was full of drunks, stabbings, cracked heads all the staff were in Saturday Night mode. When I was assessed they just read the consultants notes from the morning. Eventually put on a trolley then everything was really vague.
Next thing I remember I woke up in the acute stroke unit. Stroke started 11am I was finally properly assessed at 1am the next day . If I’d had a consultant that knew what he was doing I would have been given a stroke buster drug.
I’d have been in hospital just for checks and I would have been fine. As it turns out the Acute Stroke Unit was the start of 10 week stay in the Stroke Unit.
The very long recovery “ you will never walk again “ on discharge from hospital to where I am now . Fully functional a lot slower but can do all the stuff I did before the stroke . That’s another long chapter involving a Nuero Physio genius who learnt his trade as a battle surgeon in the SBS and his insane recovery method. Sorry that’s a long post but I feel better for writing it . To end it for now I’m feeling brilliant then received a phone call I have regular blood tests. “ we are phoning you about your diabetes.
It was almost a bad a shock as the stroke. Since the phone call telling me the briefest details I’ve had no contact but not surprised a long lost any faith in the NHS. So I’m flailing around trying to find out how I change my diet. Some success on this forum but I have lots of really specific questions. Don’t worry I’ve seen you can have a messenger chat during the week. Thanks for listening
Click to expand...
Well that consultant should lose their licence if they can't tell the difference between intoxicated and a stroke, and no tests done! Unbelievable 😱
 
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