STARs - Fatigue after stroke 

How r u feeling now ?

Me to prayer s

I’ve had a stroke for now nine months and I explain to everybody but the fatigue is not about being tired it’s as if I have no control of it and it weighs me down like a magnet pulling me it pulls on my neck on my wrist on my knee caps and on top of everything I have diabetic neuropathy I’ve got my numbers down to 6.3 and I hope they will go down lower because I’m told neuropathy will improve so the combination of fatigue again not having anything to do with tiredness tiredness And diabetic neuropathy I’m finding it hard to find a common ground I’m finding it hard to recover. How long can a person go without sleep at night I get up every three hours just to urinate and what the stroke doctors and nurses didn’t tell me that it’s very possible you could have neuropathy in your bow or gastric system and this has made me feel so in human “” like a monster. I walk like I’m drunk my arm in my leg have spasticity on top of the neuropathy when is it gonna give how is it going to give I exercise daily I do breathing exercises I do the stretching from my chair, I tried preparing meals etc. I live alone with my dog and I refuse to take the gabapentin or the sleeping pills for fear that I’m going to fall in the night and hurt myself. I don’t understand if they can put a whole human to sleep and operate on them how come they can’t figure out how to get a person well after a stroke it’s all neurological. I wish Cocacola still had opium in it because I bet I would be 100% better. I never drank smoked I was overweight and I loved my food but I am now about 160 pounds so better than the big chunk I was at around 290 pounds 13 years ago but I lost my weight coming to US VI and swimming and getting my life in order so I thought. Well not all dreams come true like they say and this is a dream that I have to reinvent, I miss brushing my hair properly I miss showering safely, I miss going to the bathroom regularly , I miss being me. I also don’t agree that medication for anxiety or depression will help because I don’t understand if the brain doesn’t know how to take a poop and how to urinate on demand and how to walk how is it going to know how to use medication, I’m in a quandary. At moments I feel sorry for myself but I know pity is not going to help me I’ve gotta stay strong and be resilient, but having pain every moment having to find my balance every moment it’s wearing thin on me lol. Looking for a miracle or any suggestions that might help! Against my therapist wishes I tied my dog to my walker that has a chair on it and I walk my dog regardless of the fact that she may take me over I really don’t care because I used to walk her three times a day before work after work and on weekends three times a day really missing my life trying to absorb this trying to stay positive. I think faith is important to. I know people have it for worse than me But when you are in it you feel like you are the only one and you can’t seem to find focus. I go to therapy and I make sure I get there early so I can walk outside in the shopping center and I do my own laundry and I get out and I see people so it’s not being isolated. I actually was more isolated when I went to work and all I did was work and do overtime to survive. If and when I recover I’m roaming Myself I’m going to have fun and enjoy life and maybe have a drink, lol I tried to be so good and stay away from all the things that supposedly cause your demise, well that’s actually not truth lol I hope you found a happy place

I know what you're going through, I'm going on 9 years post stroke. It's gotten a lot harder for in the past few years especially since I moved to another state, I have to rely on myself more to get things done. Except that some days will be harder than others, Pace yourself and plan things out, don't give yourself to much to do in one day, Prioritize Sleep and try to get 10 hours of sleep every night. More sleep is necessary for stroke recovery. Here's some info that might better explain Post Stroke Fatigue; www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3263555/

Our Advice Line nurses provide free confidential advice, support and information on all aspects of living with stroke. To contact the our Advice Line nurses: Call: 0808 801 0899 (FREE from landlines and mobiles) Email: adviceline@chss.org.uk

If you exert too much effort today will cost you excessive fatigue d next day

Please try grounding your bed.

Sleeping is necessary the brain repair itself