Hello I'm a new member of Headway, I didn't know this site existed until today.
My eldest Son had a stroke in January and we are still reeling from the shock of it! He also has a severe mental health problem.
We noted a problem with his eye and mouth and saw the Dr, he said he didn't know what it was and advised seeing the Dentist which we did immediately. As suspected there was nothing wrong with his teeth he goes to the Dentist on a regular basis.
I then took him to the walk in centre whilst taking my Husband for a colonoscopy, ( I had to leave him without helping get him undressed for his exam, he had had a heart attack and a quadruple bypass 6 months earlier and was still really frail) there we saw a young Nurse and she said he has Bells Palsy, we then saw a senior nurse and she said the same, we returned to our Dr and he said he didn't notice his eye and mouth problem; that's why we saw him!?
We were asked to go home and he would speak with a colleague then phone us back and he did and we went straight back to the surgery and he said our Son indeed had a diagnosis of Bell's Palsy and gave a course of pills and said come back in a month.
After 6 days there was a slight difference and after 7 he said his face was more numb and he had a severe headache and I phoned out of hours. They sent a Dr out and he gave an injection saying he had vertigo and it was due to his Bell's Palsy? He couldn't stand and once again I said I was concerned that he'd had a stroke.
I phoned for a Dr at out of hours and she advised and ambulance immediately. Two very small young ambulance girls came out, they ask what the problem was and we explained briefly. One got her phone out and was telling my Husband and I that it was Bell's Palsy according to google and the other was saying there was nothing she could find that would concern her and tried to talk us out of having our Son admitted but we insisted.
She told our Son to stand and he hit the floor and she said, "You got down there quick!?" He had to shuffle along on the landing on his backside and down the stairs and when he was in the ambulance she said, "We are in no hurry you haven't had a stroke!?"
When we arrived he had several tests and scans and he had had an Ischemic stroke!
Every professional I saw I explained my concerns that he had had a stroke and not one listened!
He has a hearing impairment in one ear and Nystagmus which has affected his balance along with the stroke itself. He has problems with sensing hot and cold. He gets tired so easily now. He is doing better and there is progress and we remain optimistic for the future.
Thanks for listening
Regards