Strokes

[rosco1]

Hi Folks,

I know my question has nothing to do with Thyroid problems but I'm just curious and to see if anyone could help me. Would I be more at risk off suffering a Stroke when both my parents suffered a Stroke and unfortunately passed away.

[Yeswithasmile]

Hi Rosco1

I am far from the expert here. Others may comment hopefully.

From my research into this area (my mum has had a brain bleed) I think it is more about whether you are hypo or hyper. If left untreated/undermedicated or indeed over medicated then your risk is increased.

I am sorry to read that both parents suffered such a horrible thing. I’m sorry for your loss. As to whether it makes the risk higher for you I think it likely to be similar to several neurological issues. That being that whilst it maybe not genetic, it may ever so slightly increase the risk. But this increase is very small.

However you haven’t said whether either parent suffered from other health issues that may have been contributory to their strokes and perhaps medication or lack of it. So I would add that obviously the brain is very complex and there are a huge number of things that can affect it and if you’re worrying, don’t. A wise old lady once told me that no amount of worrying will change an outcome. Just make sure you are doing what you need to be as healthy as you can such as making sure your vitamins etc and thyroid medication is as optimal as possible.

Sorry I cant give you a definitive answer x.

[rosco1 in reply to Yeswithasmile]

Hi Yeswithasmile, Thank you for your reply. The reason I'm asking is I live alone and am frightened I can't get help quick enough if I sadly suffer a Stroke.

As for my parents, my mum was with my dad when he suffered his Stroke but sadly it killed him. He suffered a few small Strokes but the final one was a massive Stroke making him unconscious within hours, as for other health problems contributing to cause him to suffer I would say no. He had Bowel Cancer and was blind, so nothing for him to suffer a Stroke.

My mum lived with me since my dad passed away and thankfully I was with her when she took her Stroke, but again getting her help fast enough didn't do her any good. She couldn't speak and was paralysed down her right side, as for other health problems contributing to cause her to suffer a Stroke I would also say no. Don't get me wrong, she did have other health issues, but at her age ( 80 ) that was understandable.

I really can't get over my mum suffering a Stroke, it was the quickest thing ever. I passed her bedroom and she was fine then a minute later she's on the floor not being able to do anything, she couldn't even call on me. She lived for a week before passing away.

I miss them so much it breaks my heart.

Once again, thank you for your reply.

[Yeswithasmile in reply to rosco1]

Oh rosco1 that’s so tough. Your mum sounds like my nan. She had a massive stroke all of a sudden and died 5 days later. When it’s so quick and shocking like that it’s so difficult to come to terms with. Although I don’t think there’s anything worse than watching someone you love suffer and so I took some comfort from knowing it wasn’t for very long.

I’m so sorry for you and have no words to help you. But when I mention the wise old lady I knew, she spent so much of her life struggling with mental health. Agoraphobic, uneasy socially (you would never of known this as she was a pleasure to spend time with) worried about everything but one day she said that if she could pass anything on it would be how much she wished she hadn’t wasted so much of her time worrying about stuff she couldn’t change and that everything she did worry about never happened anyway. It may not be profound for most but as a fellow worrier this really shook me and I always think of her and those words and try my utmost to keep perspective in my life now. It’s not always easy but there are somethings that you just need to box up.

You will always miss your mum and dad but eventually your happy memories will take over from these sad ones and as hard as it is to believe now, you will smile when you think of them and know that’s what they want.

Take care x.

[Popeye44]

Sorry to read of your losses. My Dad had vascular dementia and TIA s with that and finally 18 months ago, what seemed to be a bigger stroke that took his speech and swallowing. He slept his way out of the world over 3 days with me at his side. Myum died 20 years before from a sudden cardiac arrest while in hospital. I miss them too but it does get easier as time passed.

There are 2 kinds of stroke: those caused by a bleed into the brain or those caused by a blood clot. Looking after yourself is the only way to prevent having a stroke. Keeping your blood pressure under control is a big help but not stressing about having a stroke yourself will help too. Just because that's what happened to your parents doesn't mean the same will happen to you.

Take care x

[rosco1 in reply to Popeye44]

Hi Popeye44, Thank you for your reply. I know keeping as healthy as you can and you BP ok will help.

That's a problem I can't get over with my parents, none of them had high BP, were over weight and didn't worry at all about anything.

It's such a shock to me with my mum, my dad had 2 or 3 small Strokes before suffering the massive one which we were told to maybe expected he would have.

I try not to worry about things and not think about if I might suffer a Stroke but its very hard.

[Brightness14]

There are online places like the stroke association have a look and please don't worry. My nephew is a stroke consultant in the UK. He lives a very healthy life style too. As long as you try you best to stay well and keep fit.

[Brightness14]

Like Popeye says try to keep your BP and HR in check. I am 76 years old and when my BP started to rise last year I started myself on Hawthorn, it's been used for hundreds of years.I take two a day and my BP and HR are fine. I use a BP monitor everyday just to check it.