Recovering from a stroke

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  • yumesoraki
    yumesoraki Posts: 4,859 Member
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    http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/45/8/2532
    ^Yeah, that's 2014, but I couldn't find a more recent one.

    Once upon a time, I did exercise/fitness research for individuals with chronic poststroke hemiparesis (plegia) - which sounds like you don't have the paresis part. Even in this case, it was 30 minutes of cardio (60-80% HR Reserve targeted) 3/week, but again it was for research study.

    Depending on your limitations, your exercise prescription needs to be individualized for your interests, strengths, and current level of fitness. And not to echo the above, even with that, a lot of it is really, listening to your body and how you feel. I know that you're limited (at least in the US) on the # of PT/OT/Speech visits you can have so that option might be more costly. You might try looking into a trainer who has a NCHPAD certification or Post Rehab Exercise specialist, etc.
  • hbratset
    hbratset Posts: 28 Member
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    getskinny1973 wrote: »
    hbratset wrote: »
    Do you know what caused the stroke?

    They have been unable to determine the cause.

    If I don't know what caused it, I have no way to know how to prevent it from happening again.



    Exactly... that is what I was worried about. It would be nice to know. Like for example a blood clot disorder, birth control pills, etc. That must be stressful! I would just take it one day at a time and don't try to do more than you feel you can. Listen to your body. If you feel you could do more, maybe just add new activities very slowly.
  • JustKeepSwimming2008
    JustKeepSwimming2008 Posts: 174 Member
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    I agree with the above posts regarding anticoaggulation medications. Remember, it will be unique to that person, the type of stoke, and even financial factors as to which medication is the most appropriate. Aspirin (which is actually an antiplatelet) is often used for stroke prevention and heart health. However, aspirin is not right for everyone.

    My patients with hemmhoragic strokes are not usually on anticoaggulation medications right after a stroke as it may increase risk for bleeding. Those strokes can often be attributed to uncontrolled hypertension or even an anurism (but not always). Coumadin/warfarin are probably the least expensive, but require closer monitoring/INR checks and people need to be more consistent with their vitamin K intake to stay within therapeutic range. Heparin/Lovenox may be more expensive, but people may not want to give themselves shots everyday or multiple times per day. Other oral medications are more expensive yet (can be hundreds of dollars per month even after insurance), but don't require the monitoring of warfarin/Coumadin.

    There are many factors to consider if anticoaggulation therapy is needed. Those conversations definitely need to happen with you and your healthcare provider. It's not a one size fits all medication.
  • davidylin
    davidylin Posts: 228 Member
    edited March 2018
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    If you want a more direct answer from your doctors, you'll need to ask a more focused question and collect better data on yourself.

    I advise that you record the amount and intensity of your exercise over the course of a week, make sure you don't do more than 5% additional as you increase your exercise. It may be helpful to record your heart rate and blood pressure during exercise (or mid-session), as well as to write down observations on how you feel, perspiration, respiration, etc., as you move through your routine.

    You can get better advice from your doctors if they have more to consider. You can also ask your doctors to send you to physical therapists or physical rehabilitation programs where medical professionals will monitor you as you exercise and advise you on your intensity and routine.

    Bear in mind, you should discuss this with your doctor as well.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    edited March 2018
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    I have had a stroke two years ago at age of 43. I have atrial fibrillation and I take Lovenox twice a day.

    I have a hematologist (blood flow), cardiologist (heart), and neurologist (brain). While you may get a general practice doctor, I strong urge you to have all 3 doctors while you're investigating your stroke. One of them might have a guess at the stroke's cause.

    Exercise: Recovering from a stroke, you need exercise. You need it to be brain-healthy and body-healthy. I have stationary cycling, rowing, circuit training and since one month after a stroke. Whatever you feel capable of doing. Since I have been lucky - as to physically, I'm ok. My legs not been affected and my right arm was affected for largely a month. My brain has aphasia and apraxia :(

    Rehab: My YMCA has a program "Project Recovery" is an adaptive group exercise program for individuals who are orthopedically multi-handicapped, moderately self-ambulatory (i.e. 6 months or more post stroke), or living with other health impairments. It's $45 12-time group exercise (12 weeks) and a $52/monthly.

    Stop smoking.
    Prevent or control high blood pressure
    Control blood sugar.
    Eat healthy.
    Maintain a healthy weight.
    Manage cholesterol.

    Get support now! Stroke survivors group, aphasia survivors, all the hospitals have one.


  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
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    And another thing, 13 months after I had my stroke, I was diagnosed with epilepsy. Stroke, the gift that keeps on giving :)
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
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    You're only two months away from a stroke? And you're lifting weights and speaking/talking on a online forum? Go, girl!
  • getskinny1973
    getskinny1973 Posts: 74 Member
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    candylilacs wrote: »
    You're only two months away from a stroke? And you're lifting weights and speaking/talking on a online forum? Go, girl!

    I had some issues with my speech, but that has improved quite a bit.
    I still stutter now and then and get lost in my sentences often. Forget words, names etc
    But for the most part it's much better.

    As for the physical aspect.... as soon as I was able to walk again, I started going to the gym to do very light/short cardio workouts, just to try to regain some strength. I think it was the best thing I could have done. I feel like it sped up my recovery.

    As I felt stronger, I started do a bit more each time.

    I was lucky that the stroke hit the memory part of my brain, so there was no long term physical damage.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    edited March 2018
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    In 2012 I had a stroke after a chiropractor clipped my vertebral artery. I was barely wiping my own butt at the 3 week mark as the clot went to the base of my brain leaving me totally paralyzed but after about 6 months they recommended I start doing free weights as a way to recover some balance and I was still on warfarin/cumodin. I would talk to your neurologist because depending on your INR bruising can be a huge problem. Best of luck xx
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
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    6 months: Your brain inflammation should go down and the aphasia should be improved.
    1 year: Gradual improvement.
    2 year: Gradual improvement with sustained brain neuroplasticity.


    Testing for Aphasia
    You should see a doctor if you have trouble speaking or understanding what people say. A doctor will determine if there is a medical cause for your problem. A speech-language pathologist, or SLP, will test your speech and language skills. The SLP will ask you about the problems you have and what you want to work on. The SLP will test how well you:

    Understand words, questions, directions, and stories.
    Say words and sentences. The SLP will ask you to name objects, describe pictures, and answer questions.
    Read and write. The SLP will have you write letters, words, and sentences. You will also read short stories and answer questions about them.
    Find other ways to share your ideas when you have trouble talking. This may include pointing or using other gestures and drawing pictures.

  • getskinny1973
    getskinny1973 Posts: 74 Member
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    mrsnattybulking wrote: »
    In 2012 I had a stroke after a chiropractor clipped my vertebral artery. I wasn't wiping my own butt at the 3 week mark as the clot went to the base of my brain leaving me totally paralyzed but after about 6 months they recommended I start doing free weights as a way to recover some balance and I was still on warfarin/cumodin. I would talk to your neurologist because depending on your INR bruising can be a huge problem. Best of luck xx

    And how are you doing now?

    Have you been able to fully recover?
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
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    getskinny1973 wrote: »
    mrsnattybulking wrote: »
    In 2012 I had a stroke after a chiropractor clipped my vertebral artery. I wasn't wiping my own butt at the 3 week mark as the clot went to the base of my brain leaving me totally paralyzed but after about 6 months they recommended I start doing free weights as a way to recover some balance and I was still on warfarin/cumodin. I would talk to your neurologist because depending on your INR bruising can be a huge problem. Best of luck xx

    And how are you doing now?

    Have you been able to fully recover?

    I have no long term deficits. I did out-patient rehab (which I feel I didn't really need after 6 months) for a year; physically. Mentally was a whole other ball-game. I was a mess. Like a literal emotional mess. Every time I went to bed I thought I was going to die, every headache I got I ran to the ER (which is so not like me prior to the stroke) I really took it badly mentally. I will spare you the gruesome details of how I derailed my entire life in the 2 years that followed but if I can give you some advice? Get counselling even if you *think* you don't need it.
  • getskinny1973
    getskinny1973 Posts: 74 Member
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    mrsnattybulking wrote: »

    I have no long term deficits. I did out-patient rehab (which I feel I didn't really need after 6 months) for a year; physically. Mentally was a whole other ball-game. I was a mess. Like a literal emotional mess. Every time I went to bed I thought I was going to die, every headache I got I ran to the ER (which is so not like me prior to the stroke) I really took it badly mentally. I will spare you the gruesome details of how I derailed my entire life in the 2 years that followed but if I can give you some advice? Get counselling even if you *think* you don't need it. [/quote]

    I'm not quite as bad as you, in the fact that I don't run to the ER for a headache, but only because I think they might think I'm foolish, but I do convince myself that I'm going to die when I get a headache, even if I feel the slightest pain in my arm, or anywhere for that matter, I'm convinced I'm going to have another stroke.
    My anxiety levels are through the roof....I'm practically afraid to live.

    I used to line dance prior to the stroke, I'm afraid to do that now, because it elevates my heart rate quite a bit.

    I am afraid to have a few beer, like I used to always do.

    It's so hard to live in fear.

    It's nice to hear the perspective of someone else who has been through the same and know that I'm not alone!!

    I'm afraid to drive alone.

  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    edited March 2018
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    I think the only reason I ran to the ER was because there was a known cause for my stroke. It took 12 weeks for the tear in my artery to heal so I *knew* it was there and 12 weeks is a looooong time to know something that could kill you is still there and only being managed by blood thinners. Was I eating too much food that was green? How much vitamin K in this or that. I was stressed about food because some can interfere with the blood thinner. I was scared to raise my heartrate, I was scared to rest my neck against the side of the tub when bathing, it really was awful. I'm fine now but there are some days I get a bad headache that it all comes back. I wish I got counseling sooner but it's so hard when everyone is telling you how lucky you are to be alive, and they can't "see" what's wrong. 100K in cocaine and a destroyed marriage too late, but better late than never. I was pretty close to suicide at one point so I'm glad to be able to talk about this as part of my 'past' now.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
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    gotta look on the bright side; at least I got abs out of all this LOL
  • getskinny1973
    getskinny1973 Posts: 74 Member
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    mrsnattybulking wrote: »
    gotta look on the bright side; at least I got abs out of all this LOL

    I love that you have a great sense of humor about it. thats fantastic.

    Thank you so much for sharing your story with me.

    I feel less alone.

    And it's soooo true, my side effects from the stroke aren't something that people can "see"
    So people now just assume I'm fine, because I'm walking and talking,
    but there is still the emotional side effects and the speech side effects that I'm EXTREMELY self conscious about, but when I try to talk about that I get "well you're lucky to be alive" I know that's true, but it frustrates me,
  • orangegato
    orangegato Posts: 6,570 Member
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    mrsnattybulking wrote: »
    In 2012 I had a stroke after a chiropractor clipped my vertebral artery. I was barely wiping my own butt at the 3 week mark as the clot went to the base of my brain leaving me totally paralyzed but after about 6 months they recommended I start doing free weights as a way to recover some balance and I was still on warfarin/cumodin. I would talk to your neurologist because depending on your INR bruising can be a huge problem. Best of luck xx

    this chiropractor incident is my worst nightmare. Hope you are much better now
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    getskinny1973 wrote: »
    mrsnattybulking wrote: »
    gotta look on the bright side; at least I got abs out of all this LOL

    I love that you have a great sense of humor about it. thats fantastic.

    Thank you so much for sharing your story with me.

    I feel less alone.

    And it's soooo true, my side effects from the stroke aren't something that people can "see"
    So people now just assume I'm fine, because I'm walking and talking,
    but there is still the emotional side effects and the speech side effects that I'm EXTREMELY self conscious about, but when I try to talk about that I get "well you're lucky to be alive" I know that's true, but it frustrates me,

    Having been on both sides of this(observer and participant... mine was Traumatic stress not stroke, the family member was a stroke) But we've each lost mental and emotional capacity. I've lost no physical capabilities.

    You will be most acutely aware of how different you are from before, but as below, there will be things that you don't know are gone until you reach for them either mentally or emotionally


    Close friends/family members will be almost as aware, but they will occasionally forget.. expecting something that you've lost and don't even remember losing... a capacity or a memory or an experience, and that will be hard for you and for them.


    Casual acquaintances, New friends won't know unless you tell them, especially as you return to what appears externally normal and months, and then years, and then decades go by. As you care for your health both physical, emotional, and mental. It will be less apparent to those who you choose not to let in on the whole story.
  • getskinny1973
    getskinny1973 Posts: 74 Member
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    stanmann571 wrote: »

    Casual acquaintances, New friends won't know unless you tell them, especially as you return to what appears externally normal and months, and then years, and then decades go by. As you care for your health both physical, emotional, and mental. It will be less apparent to those who you choose not to let in on the whole story.

    This is true, people who did not know me before don't know that I didn't have a stutter and they think that's just "normal" me. This is what makes me self conscious. the fact that people will think my side effects are just me.

    They don't know that I didn't use to have these struggles.

    Does that sound petty?
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    getskinny1973 wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »

    Casual acquaintances, New friends won't know unless you tell them, especially as you return to what appears externally normal and months, and then years, and then decades go by. As you care for your health both physical, emotional, and mental. It will be less apparent to those who you choose not to let in on the whole story.

    This is true, people who did not know me before don't know that I didn't have a stutter and they think that's just "normal" me. This is what makes me self conscious. the fact that people will think my side effects are just me.

    They don't know that I didn't use to have these struggles.

    Does that sound petty?

    No, not at all. For a few years, It will almost feel like you're introducing yourself as hi, I'm skinny and this, that, and the other are because I had a stroke 9 months ago.

    As the worst fallout begins to subside, and becomes integrated in who you are, you'll speak of it less and less and become somewhat less self conscious. You'll never really get past it, but it will be so much a part of who you are that you'll get to a point where explaining it will become tedious, and then uncomfortable, because some peoples response of sympathy will start to feel like pity, and then the pain you see on their faces will be worse than the discomfort you're feeling in that instant.

    It's kind of like getting married or divorced or having a child.

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