Has anyone else suffered a carotid artery dissection?

[SICAD36]

Hello All, I am new to this site.

I suffered an internal carotid artery dissection when I was 36, I am now 42 and I am still suffering left hand side head pain, fatigue, memory impairment, poor concentration and now anxiety as I have had no help with my condition.

I used to be very strong; physicaly, mentally and emotionally. I now live my life like a 80 year old. I have had no help with my condition and don't know which way to turn. I feel like it's finally hit me that this is going to be as good as it gets.

I am on 60 ml of amitriptyline to help me deal with the pain but even this my husband had to Google 2 years after the stroke. Sorry to be on such a downer , this isn't who I am, I just feel like there is no help. I have been told by a couple of charitys that I need to see a neuro-phycologist but they seem to be very few.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give!!

[elizabethfleming]

i to have left hand side weekness and poor concintration i find i now right a lot of things down especially if it important i go to a couple off stroke grous which help a little some times i think i am loosing the plot as no one listens or understands tryed to go back to work which i made a mess of as my employer says i am a health and safty issue and dont no where to go from here ,i am still not allowed to drive dont no if a will ever drive again as i have lost my confidence and keep getting told my concintration is poor so dont no where to turn noe

[SICAD36 in reply to elizabethfleming]

Hello Elizabeth, I feel your frustration. It's a nightmare. You cannot get help from anyone. Please look at and join the Carotid Artery Dissection group on Facebook. My husband found it a couple of weeks ago and they are all having the same issues and there are a few of us in the UK. I was never told that this was a Stoke and basically got sent home to get on with it. I suffer from Memory impairment, poor concentration, fatigue, chronic pain and now anxiety as I'm a mere shadow of the person I used to be. Work is really stressful for me to as I now really struggle with simple tasks. Please contact Headway and also the Brain and Spine Foundation if you have not already. They have been quite helpful. I have done this in the last couple of weeks as I literally am having a breakdown as I can no longer cope without any help. I'm desperately trawling the Internet looking for a Neuropsychologist but they seem to be rarer than unicorns. Please join The CAD group. There are people joining all the time. Xx

[elizabethfleming in reply to SICAD36]

i have been to headways didnt like the wed group so i go to another group run by kath frew that is on wed night on last wed of month in the same buliding as headways for young stroke victims dont see ma self as young at 53 or victim but go any way as it breaks the night just wish a could get ma concintration back and get back to driving.i used to work 70 hours a week and now dont have the energy for 5 hours in 1 day just keep getting told it early days seams like a lofe time to me .there a new stroke group starting to morrow in ballieston might give it a try as need a reason to get out of bed i did that to going through the internet and didnt find anything so a no how flustrating it can be just wish some one would be honest and say what to exspect but all they ever say is all strokes are diffrent and are warry of giving faulse hope

[elizabethfleming in reply to SICAD36]

says it a locked group

[elizabethfleming]

still get very stressed and tiered easy but a no i am lucky as i can walk a little just get so angry at ma self when the stupid thing beats me a was silly enough to think if a went back to work and got an automatic car every thing else would fall in to place which has not been the case /a keep trying to do everything to quick as a think how can it take so long to fix if it does so impatent then a just make things worse witch makes me feel worse

[SICAD36 in reply to elizabethfleming]

Hi Elizabeth, don't think I gave you my name before, it's Michelle. I used to work all hours to and never got tired! I am working 4 days a week 7.5 hours and I just worn out. It's over 6 years for me. I can drive as had no outward physical effects. Try that group again it's the one with the picture of the face and the Artery. It's Just: Carotid Artery Dissection. Xxx

[elizabethfleming in reply to SICAD36]

h[i michelle a dont have any obvious synes of stroke think it my concintration and confidence that has gone/went to the new stroke group in ballieston to day it was ok .it just coming up to the year from mine and i still get tiered so easy and beginning to wonder if a will ever get over the ftiredness the thing is a loved my job in home care and am now been told that my employer thinks i am a health and safty issue they only going with what i said and not done anything to see if my concintration is as bad as i tink.if things are important i do remmember as i work with older peoplre they cant take eny chances think if a could drive they would have let me try

[SICAD36 in reply to elizabethfleming]

Oh Elizabeth, I'm looking into quite a few things at the moment! Hang in there. If I manage to get sorted you will be the first person I text! Xxx

[elizabethfleming in reply to SICAD36]

i hope what ever r looking at works outjust dont do as i do and try do things to quick as it will just make things worse just take your time

[moo196]

Hi, just wondered if you have tried the online headway section on here ? Sometimes I found/find it easier to"talk" to people that I don't have to meet .....and the hw group very supportive.

Contact remploy for advice about work/ employment issues. They were great when I needed someone to explain things to my then employers...when I wasn't able to think straight or put words together.

Hope those suggestions may be useful.

K

[Nuddles]

Hi, Just found your post and thought it sounded like me! I am 43 and have CAD. I was sent to AAU by my GP following a constant 3 week headache. Every medical professional I saw, said I had a migraine and was turned away 3 times with painkillers. Finally my GP notice my right pupil was tiny and had me admitted. I spent 5 days in hospital and was sent home with my diagnosis, Clopidigrel and a very high risk of stroke. I too have symptoms, but have been told I did not have a stroke, no bleed. Concerntration, emotions, etc etc as you write. My right eye just doesn't work properly. It does not adjust in focus and causes migraine, I now cover it for half of the day. I also have the constant headache that has never gone away.

I have a high stress job and have no idea if or when I can go back. I have just been told that I cannot allow my blood pressure to get high and take it easy. I feel like I am sitting there waiting for a stroke.

I too have anitriptolyne (sorry if spelt wrong, one of my many symptoms). I was prescribed it to sleep. I take 2 at night!! Just have paracetamol for pain now.

I don't do facebook, but may sign up if this group is that good. It would seem that you have to find out stuff for yourself. My GP keeps telling me that I should not have any pasting symptoms and that I have anxiety. I am the most confident person in the world and I am sure this is not anxiety. I am also sure that due to the reduced blood flow I have definitely got lasting effects.