Life after mini stoke

[fenderbullits]

Hi All

Where to begin about 5 weeks ago I woke on a Sunday morning feeling unsteady on my feet unable to button or unbutton my shirts all co-ordination had gone and to make matters worse unable to play guitar my worst nightmare , several weeks of blood tests , ct scans and an MRI scan revealed I had suffered a TIA or mini stroke ,mercifully it has not thus far affected any limbs and I am slowly returning to some sort of normality and have begun playing once more although my right hand is not yet up to speed when finger picking but practice will improve . I have plenty of time to practice as I'm not allowed to drive yet so practice keeps me out of her way and sane . I will possibly require surgery to clear blocked neck arteries . Has any body on this site suffered anything similar and how did you cope with it.


Regards
Martin

[noelford]

Martin, I've been really lucky in avoiding (so far) the problems that often come with advancing years - I can't imagine how I would feel if I was unable to play my guitars. I'm so pleased to hear you are on the road back and that you are able to play again. I hope your recovery continues apace.

All best

Noel

[abstamaria]

I have been lucky so far, Martin, but you get well and recover fully, ok?

Best wishes,

Andy

[pluckit65]

I too, have managed to avoid anything like that Martin. However, I do have experience of family members suffering the same and, even full strokes. As you probably have been told, stress plays a big part in it all. At least, from what you say, it wasn't a bleed on the brain stroke. Arterial strokes are easier to deal with and treat. Once your arteries are unblocked, I'm sure you will feel a lot better and, will be able to start doing things to aid your recovery. The most important thing is a POSITIVE ATTITUDE. I have suffered mild mental illness all my life but, I try not to let it inhibit me in any way. Like you, my guitar is my best friend and my link to sanity. It can now be your main assistant in helping you come through this with flying colours. Any time you need a chat, I am always happy to listen(PM or Email).
Good luck with your recovery and, BE POSITIVE my friend.

Regards
Roger

[fenderbullits]

Hi Noel,Andy and Roger

Many thanks for the kind words I certainly try to keep positive I am going for my first lesson again after about 5 weeks and looking forward to it. I started playing in my teens but found a good tutor a couple of years back and have had lessons with him once a week although to start with I'm only going every other week to start with but it will give me something to work on whilst I'm still off work.


Many Thank Guy's

Martin

[pluckit65]

Good to hear Martin. It is easy for someone not going through the same but, as with any illness, don't let it take over your life. You take it by the scruff of the neck and shake it.

Regards
Roger

[allclaphands]

Hi Martin
Sorry to read about your Mini Stroke.I have been fortunate not to have had one but I.do feel for you at this time.
A lot of us have experience health problems so if there is anything you want to ask or discus with us then I sure you
will find a lot of members to listen to you.My very best wishes and good luck to you.

Pete

[istvan]

Best wishes-practice a lot,this is the best medicine!

[kipper]

martin my mate who worked along side me was 52 yrs old and this same thing happened to him twice. i was with him at the time, that was about 5 years ago and i recently handed over the business to him (landscaping) and he is doing great. it came as a shock to us both at the time and as a result he didnt work for a year. when he started slowly back we both cut back on the work load (no more working weekends and late evenings ect). we both benefited from cutting back on the work. the only thing he cant do now is drinking beer and he did like a pint or two. one pint gives him a stinking hangover so he`s given it up now, which is a small price to pay. he also felt the cold a lot more in the winter which we both were surprised at as we were out side in all weather`s, he started to wear gloves for the first time, he did ask doctor about that and was told we all have a thermostat type thing in our head and when you have a stroke it some times gets damaged. we both recone it was a warning to cut back on work load. he did get depressed about it at various times during his recovery but once he was back working that seemed to mostly go away, that part i think effected him more than any other. he to was told he might have surgery to clear blocked neck arteries but they didnt do it in the end. i will say it has taken the 5 years to completely get back his old personality which did change he didnt always see it but others did. i suppose your self confidence takes a bit of a knock but just stick with it martin and you will get there i`m certain of that. he is living prove. reguards peter

[fenderbullits]

Hi Kipper

If they didn't do the surgery how did they treat him I only ask because the surgeon told me that in some cases if your blocked all the way up they can't operate and you have to live with medication.

Many Thanks

Martin

[kipper]

hi martin what happened was the junior doctors said we will operate then along comes the top guy the head consultant and he said no its to close to something i cant remember what it was now, but different doctors told him different things, he takes medication daily which he didnt like but got used to it. satins and stuff that stops the veins blocking up. he also has regular check ups. he is very vague about the tablets as he rarely took any pills before this, the odd aspirin thats all. but as i said he leads a normal life other than the drinking part. landscaping and general garden work is hard work, but he does all that but he is more sensible now doesn't over do it as before. hope this helps peter

[Deleted]

Hi Martin, glad you are noticing an improvement, that is a very good sign. Perhap's they will insert a stent to keep the artery open, I have five for my heart.
Eat healthily, difficult I know and follow the advice you get. Mental exercise is very important, and playing your guitar tick's all the boxes.

Get well soon my friend.

Regards, Duncan.

[mojolomjl]

Hi Martin,

Sorry to hear about your recent TIA. Last May (2013) I was diagnosed with having 3 TIAs and was found to have
a 60% blockage in my left carotid artery. Within 2 weeks I had the surgery to clear the blockage and
have not had any problems whatsoever up to now. My medication is to keep the arteries open and the
blood thin. My point is I don't feel any different now than I did before the operation so I hope you get
your surgery soon so you can carry on your life as normal. Anything I can do to help please ask.

Best regards,

Maurice.

[DaveC]

Hi Martin,

By coincidence this was in Tuesday's Daily Mail:

By Martin Scurr, GP
Published: 23:28, 18 August 2014 | Updated: 00:53, 19 August 2014


Q:
Recently I suffered a mini stroke, which resulted in my right side being paralysed. I was taken to a stroke hospital where I was kept in overnight. On my release I had fully recovered. However, I am now on medication, which I am told is for the rest of my life. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. I am 70 and have always been very healthy - I don't smoke and drink wine only in moderation. I also take daily exercise. Prior to my stroke I had a routine check and everything was normal, so can you explain how this can happen?

Barry Peacock, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Co. Durham.


A:
The symptoms of a mini stroke - or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) to give it its medical name - are identical to those of a stroke, eg, numbness, slurred speech or weakness in a limb.

However, whereas the effects of a stroke can last indefinitely, with a TIA they last minutes, or maybe hours. For you this was, understandably, a terrifying experience and also puzzling.

How can something so dramatic happen to someone who did all the right things and who had been given what amounted to a clean bill of health?

Most mini strokes occur because of narrowing of the two major arteries that supply the brain, the carotid arteries.
These can become narrowed with fatty deposits, known as plaques, and blood clots can form on the narrowed area. If the blood clot detaches and travels to the brain, areas of tissue may be temporarily deprived of their supply of blood and therefore oxygen. If the clot breaks up quickly within minutes and washes away, the brain tissue may not be permanently damaged and the consequence is a TIA and not a stroke.

Another, though less common, cause of mini stroke is a blood clot that's formed in the heart travelling up to the brain.
This can be caused by atrial fibrillation, when the heart beats irregularly for a period of time, which can, in theory, occur in someone who was previously thought to be in good health. You lead a healthy lifestyle, don't smoke, have normal blood pressure and are a normal weight, which should all reduce your chance of having a TIA.

However, there are things beyond your control that can increase your risk. Being over 60 makes the arteries more prone to thicken and harden and simply being a man makes the likelihood higher - women, it is thought, are partially protected, prior to the menopause at least, by their hormones.

As all your tests were normal there would have been no obvious need to send you for an ultrasound scan of the carotid arteries to check for fatty build-ups.

We normally only do that in high-risk patients such as those with considerably elevated cholesterol levels.
I would expect that when you were admitted to hospital, your carotid arteries were scanned, and your heart checked by an ECG (electrocardiogram) to measure the electrical activity - which can reveal atrial fibrillation - and an echocardiogram, an ultrasound scan of the beating heart.

I suspect you are now on aspirin or something similar to prevent clots, plus a statin to control cholesterol levels as well as to reduce and stabilise plaque.

It must seem unfair that despite your best efforts this has happened. However, I hope that when you are seen for review, you will be given a more detailed explanation to enlighten you about the exact cause of the TIA - this may help you regain your confidence.



The important bit about a TIA is the word "Transient": there should be no permanent damage. No brain cells will have died and any disruption to nerve pathways will repair if you get plenty of exercise and physiotherapy.

However, it's a warning that you are a candidate for a full-on stroke. To prevent this, you will be advised to take a small dose of Aspirin (75mg) daily and probably a minimum dose of a Statin. You may also be prescribed something to lower your blood pressure and possibly a Beta-blocker. If your carotid arteries are constricted they may fit stents. After this, you should be well for many years to come .

Best Regards
DaveC

[brileary]

Yes, I read that article Dave. Taking statins helps me to control cholesterol and approaching 69 I hope to avoid strokes--but you never know.

Whilst it's comforting to know that Martin has not apparently suffered to much immobility I also find it comforting that he can discuss this with his fellow members. I was told by Robbo on ShadMusic that if I wanted to chat about stuff other than Shad stuff then go to a place where the site allows this to happen. So I did.

Bri

[Charlie Hall]

Hi Martin,
Sorry to hear about your mini stroke. It could have been worse, you now have to follow all the advice you can get to minimise the risk of it happening again.
I reckon I have been more than lucky. I have never been in hospital except for a few hours about 3 years ago to have several teeth out. Even that was good, not the slightest pain at all. The thing is, it could all change at any time, so we have to make the most of what we have while we can.
Regards,
Charlie

[fenderbullits]

Many thanks for all the replies it's comforting to know that it's possible to live a fairly normal life even if on medication , prior to the TIA I used to walk the dog for an hour a day and then walk for about the same distance in the afternoon to bank the day's takings I have never even felt unwell apart from the odd cough and cold.


Many Thanks again for your kind replies

Martin

[allclaphands]

Hi Martin
What ever the treatment you will be on a number of tablets a day to combat you conditions in the future .It is in no
way stopping you leading a full and active life Most Important is to remain positive because you think lots of more
unfortunate people are worse of than a lot of us.We are a lot more resilient than we think by adapting to the changes
that happen to us in our lives and with the support of our loved ones and friends and the medical people onward we go.

Pete

[jimtidmarsh]

I suffered a TIA in March 2010 and was unable to play for several weeks. At the time I was grossly overweight and managed to lose 3 1/2 stone in the following 12 months. The doctor also told me I was drinking too much coffee & red wine, along with eating too much cheese.

I've managed to keep the weight off, take statins and an aspirin and feel better than I have done for ages. I still drink wine & coffee but in moderation - everything in moderation. I also paid for a course of physiotherapy that got me back playing my guitar far quicker than waiting for the NHS(!). The exercises I learnt there are still useful in keeping my hands flexible.

Martin, I wish you a full recovery and hope you get to feel the same as I do now - good! I took my TIA as an early warning to change my lifestyle.

All the best.

[meladdison]

Aug 19, 2014 14:42:38 GMT fenderbullits said:

Hi All

Where to begin about 5 weeks ago I woke on a Sunday morning feeling unsteady on my feet unable to button or unbutton my shirts all co-ordination had gone and to make matters worse unable to play guitar my worst nightmare , several weeks of blood tests , ct scans and an MRI scan revealed I had suffered a TIA or mini stroke ,mercifully it has not thus far affected any limbs and I am slowly returning to some sort of normality and have begun playing once more although my right hand is not yet up to speed when finger picking but practice will improve . I have plenty of time to practice as I'm not allowed to drive yet so practice keeps me out of her way and sane . I will possibly require surgery to clear blocked neck arteries . Has any body on this site suffered anything similar and how did you cope with it.


Regards
Martin

Hello Martin,

Thankfully I too have managed not to have the same illness as your good self, however I do know someone who has and can hopefully advise you of their problems and prospects.

As I understand it a stroke of the kind you have expressed does not just happen over night but can take months if not years to develop into what you have. It is where the vein in a major artery furze up and stops the normal flow of blood to the brain. As I understand it, once the artery or vein is cleared to allow the blood to flow normally you should feel like a different person, so much better than before. You may not have noticed yourself becoming slower in many ways but you should see a huge improvement when you have had your operation.

Best wishes Martin for your speedy recovery and return to full health.

Kind regards, Mel

[fenderbullits]

Once again many thanks for the replies and positive advice, surprisingly I have never been overweight I have however been on statins for many years my GP says my problem is not so much life style but my genes but I'll do my best to keep upbeat.


Many Thanks

Martin

[timryland]

Martin,

I suffered a TIA just before christmas 2012. I was a Driving Instructor at the time, and just starting out for a lesson when it happened. I can remember thinking I had had a stroke, as my father had one in his mid-50s.

To say I was relieved when the mobility returned to my arm and leg after a couple of hours is an understatement.

Strangely, I had just started playing guitar again after a break of a few months, and can remember thinking "b*gg*r, just as I'm getting back into playing"' when it happened.

As it turns out, it turned my life around.

As I couldn't drive for 4 weeks, I decided to swap jobs. I was getting disillusioned with driving instruction anyway. A local ASDA was just opening, so I applied there.

I recovered pretty much fully, have lost 5st, now only work part-time, got a dog, walk a lot more, started geo-caching and sailing, and now enjoy life a lot more.

Hope it goes as well for you as it did for me.

All the best,

Tim.

[fenderbullits]

Hi Tim

Many thanks for your post,I was very wobbly for about 3 weeks it took the doctors that long to decide what was wrong never mind that on my first visit to see a doctor I him asked was it a stoke , it was only when I s
aw my own doctor the next week that he got the ball rolling with blood tests and scans. But I do take your point about a change in lifestyle I'm self employed and 65 this December I have pondered for some time if I should semi retire and find a part time job to supplement my pension I think this little episode has made up my mind.I would need to find something to do mind as I could not sit at home all day.


Kind Regards
Martin

[kipper]

hi Martin i`m 65 self employed retired last november moved to a new house in pembrokeshire, dont regret it at all. i havent been tempted to do any part time work i have to say i havent missed work at all. i think because we moved house to a different place it has given me loads to do but all in my own time off the clock, its a great feeling. may be down the line i will get feed up but will tackle that when and if it happens. i thought i would have more time to play guitar but as its worked out i seem to have less???. i know its not for everyone but i think that after at least 50 years on the clock we all deserve some me time, i think a lot of it is in the mind maybe we are sort of brain washed into thinking we have to work all the time. who knows. peter

[noelford]

Although (as a freelance cartoonist) I love my work, I have begun taking on less and less. I've been doing it for nearly 40 years, so I now do just my editorial commitments and am very choosy about what else I take on. The result is I still enjoy my work and have lots more free time, a lot of which is taken up with music.

[joanie]

Martin,
Just carry on as per normal, I had my mid lung lope removed due to cancel 5 years ago (non-smoker). 1 Month after the operation I was playing the saxophone again, jogging 30 minutes on a daily basis, drinking my beer and play music in a club during the weekend. The doctor encouraged me to play the horn as it good for the lungs. Its all in the mind.
I also have AF (Arial Fibrillation) and on Wafarin.

As for minor stroke (TIA) I have many friends who had it but they went for acupuncture treatment which helps.

Martin you will be OK , just believe in the Good Lord and say a prayer every morning.

[John Haldane]

Hi Martin
I had same as you, but was told It was not a good idea for me to have the operation,so have been on medication for a a few years and seem to be doing the job,It does take a while to get back to some sort of normal life, but you will get there just keep doing what you can, good luck.
John H

[newliverman]

Hi Martin
Glad to hear you are on the mend. Keep positive and the big thing for me in my life after having had 2 liver transplants and 2 bile duct reconstructions was my music. The music by the Shadows is a great inspiration to forget any problems and keep the mind and fingers active. Unfortunately for me the 13 tablets I take a day have side effects which cause a slight hand tremor or shake but it saves having to use the tremolo arm!!! It made me think positively and I managed to raise £12000 pounds for liver research, as nobody knows what causes this type of disease. I am still playing ten years after the event and still have the shakes but I enjoy the music. The hardest is dealing with the fine motor skills required by the right hand when picking. But hey, it is a small price to pay for having 10years I didn't expect plus!!! keep rocking and stay positive. It's amazing what you can achieve! Good luck.

[fenderbullits]

Hi John and Newliverman

Thanks for your posts , I am trying hard to keep positive . I play for am hour most day's as it does keep my mind off things. As for 13 tablets a day I thought I was bad enough on 9 a day . I see the surgeon this Thursday and will know more about my options , John the fact that they didn't or couldn't give you the operation and medication keeps you going is positive news to me. Are you able to work or have you retired . I'm due to retire this coming December but would like to still do a bit if I'm allowed

[John Haldane]

HI Martin
I had already retired due to another illness,but i am sure your surgeon will be able to tell you about going back to work,they dont like to keep you in hospital to long these days
John H