5 Ways to Prevent a Stroke From Disabling You

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I take blood pressure medicine anti rejection medicine, cholesterol and anti depression medicines. all for a kidney transplant which took place in August, 2001. before the transplant I was i n Peritoneal Dialysis for 18 months. My son was the only match out of 8 people that were tested. His kidney was a perfect match, 6 out of 6 for rejection and perfect antigens( spelling).
For exercise I have been swimming 20 laps of a 25 meeter swimming pool 2 to 3 days a week and doing water aerobics for one hour a day, 2 to 3 days a week.
This has been my work out for the past year. I am 65 years of age.
With this brief health summery am I doing to much for my condition. Will tacking all this medication cause the walls of the blood system to become weaker and cause the treat of a stroke. Thank you for your information. Ed

Ed McGilly of NY 3:49PM May 07, 2011

I could most likely prevent a 3rd stroke -if I only had insurance. I've been miraculously blessed after my 2 severe strokes(1st 4yrs ago on 6/1, 2nd last 11/5/10) they said my cholestrol is too high(220 1st, 240 last time) & I also smoke cigs. I try & eat low/cholsetrol, & I ride a bicycle everwhere,so I assume that would be considered plenty of excersize. And yes, I've cut my tabacco intake conciderably down,but not completely off.
The Dr's never give me any info or help. I finally got 1 follow-up appointment about 8 months after my 1st stroke at the co. hosp. The Dr. was so nice & almost in shock at my recovery. I never heard from the Dr's office for anymore appointments so I just went on with life.
This last stroke was so severe that I almost lost my complete right side. It was totally different from my 1st,that I really wasn't sure what was going on. I was kept in the hosp. almost 8 days. I was never given anything but a stroke info folder,only saw the assigned Dr. when she came on the last day & told me I had made such a miraculous recovery that instead of having to go to a live-in rehabilitation home, I was discharged,she called in a cholestrol med. & told me to do follow-up at the co. hosp. asap.
I haven't been able to get any 'follow-up' because the Dr. never sent a referral over to Co. & that was the only way I could get in. I ran out of my medication a few months ago.Am not elgible for General Assistance because I have 'no living children'( I lost my only child to suicide 20yrs ago) & finally was given a financial assessment appt. 3 weeks ago, but wasn't assessed,only told,'you didn't bring in the required papers,so you will not be asessed, or given a new appt. You'll only be assessed on a walk-in basis & only if you have the papers.' They wanted my boyfriend's paycheck stub & he wouldn't do it. I don't blame him,we aren't married. I took in every other item I was told to,all up-to-date & proper. Now we're having big problems & I'm out. So wow,no stress in my life. No where to go,no where to get any help.. No real idea as to exactly what happened inside my brain,or even where, or what type of stroke this last one was... I'm probably rapidly heading for my 3rd soon here. But hey, maybe I won't be another miracle this time... just another statistic. If only I had insurance... guess I have enough to handle without stressing over the 'if only's'.. my best wishes to all who've posted & sincerely pray that any of you prone to strokes, or high risk, to heed your body's signs & really apply yourself to prevention.Do what you're advised by your Dr. to do for prevention.
If you've already suffered 1 or more, really apply yourself to the Dr's instructions,if you're able to funtion. Education & Prevention usually doesn't hurt as bad. God Bless!

C.Kelley of CA 12:28PM May 07, 2011

I have lived a stressful marriage relation. Getting out of this relation has become very difficult for me,this adds on the stress.
Now my tong twists and I have risk of biting it when I try to speak. At times pronouncing some words gets a little problematic. I fill I am at risk of getting stroke. When it gets worse, I do some exercise and all the conditions I have describes become less noticed. I am 45 years.
What should I do? Is it true that I could be at risk of getting stroke?

Alfred of AL 5:34AM May 07, 2011

Hi am was 48 when I woke up in the morning, and all I could say was I do not know. I was thinking out loud in my head, but the words would not come out. When you think about stroke's there are many different types.
I had a PFO in my heart, the blood clot came through one side to the other and right up the brain.
My brochras are is affected, numbers, and ever a foreign accent, spelling and speaking.

anne of WA 11:33PM May 06, 2011

Imediately and suddently (the sooner the better) hit them on their nose. They automatically bleed and dicongest the brain and allow for blood to flow. If someone ever has a stroke in front of you..don't hesitate to do this. It may make the difference in that person being crippled or being able to continue with their lives. In the worst case scenario...you it just won't have any effect on them.

GK of PA 9:05PM May 06, 2011

This topic is so informative. You know, I have to read so much about the matter for a reminder in living each day. I have got many experiences witnessing friends who underwent stroke. One live a vegetable life--- one, with disabled arms and legs. Learning and adopting the kind of knowledge is so much a prevention.

Norma T. Mojares of PA 8:49PM May 06, 2011

I had a TIA three years ago and a stroke last September. CT scans BOTH times showed absolutely diddly squat, it wasn't until we had MRI with contrast and an MRA that anything at all showed up. My bp was 118/68 after having been admitted and told I had a stroke. My cholesterol was fine. I have never smoked. I was 41. My boss...also my primary care provider, was stunned. After a barrage of tests, the culprit ended up being an undiagnosed congenital heart defect. My advice? If it seems wrong, then take it seriously. I work in a clinic, and when I realized I'd done it...again.... I went straight to our most aggressive young doctor, knowing he'd take it seriously. Don't accept: "Well, I don't see anything, let's wait and see." As I did after the TIA. Had I been a lot more proactive, I wouldn't be dealing with a lot of the issues I have now.

shammy_dammy of WI 7:07PM May 06, 2011

I had an Ischemic stroke in December at the age of 38. I am healthy my cholesterol is 138, no diabetes, and well within my weight. I had only a few of the signs of a stroke. I had loss of vision and and memory loss. Just wondering if there are others out there that this has happened to. Doctors have no idea what caused it. I still have right sided blindness in both eyes. The urgent care Doctor sent me to the opthamologist because she thought I had a detached retina. After 4 hours the and finally getting to the hosital it was determined that I had a stroke. What are the percentages of my sight returning.

Steve of ID 4:27PM May 06, 2011

Marijuana as contradictory as you might think- is very good for people at risk or who have had strokes. In any form of ischemia (stroke/heart attack/drowning/ect) or blunt trauma (which causes brain swelling) regular marijuana use (even extremely small amounts) can prevent 30-50% of all damage done and speed up recovery. Cannabinoids also block ROS and TNF in your arteries- those are responsible for artery hardening as the plaque produce a cytotoxic reaction. Infact cannabinoids can even reverse artery hardening. You might say the smoke is a problem, with tobacco that is certainly true but in many parts of the body cannabinoids promote regrowth of damaged tissue- this could why marijuana does not cause emphysema, nor does it cause copd- or lung cancer. Even heavy smoking (around a dozen joints a day) for half a century shows no evidence of it.

EgadsNo of NJ 3:47PM May 06, 2011