do you have this?

[ksmith]

this is what I have everyday and was wondering if anybody else has/had this and how did you cope?

thanks

Kelli

 

 

 

 

(vertigo)Lightheaded, floating, or rocking sensation (dizziness)<LI>Sensation of being heavily weighted or pulled in one direction

Balance and spatial orientation

• Imbalance, stumbling, difficulty walking straight or turning a corner
• Clumsiness or difficulty with coordination
• Difficulty maintaining straight posture; tendency to look downward to confirm the location of the ground
• Head may be held in a tilted position
• Tendency to touch or hold onto something when standing, or to touch or hold the head while seated
• Sensitivity to changes in walking surfaces or footwear
• Muscle and joint pain (due to difficulty balancing)

Vision

• Trouble focusing or tracking objects with the eyes; objects or words on a page seem to jump, bounce, float, or blur or may appear doubled
• Discomfort from busy visual environments such as traffic, crowds, stores, and patterns.
• Sensitivity to light, glare, and moving or flickering lights; fluorescent lights may be especially troublesome
• Tendency to focus on nearby objects; increased discomfort when focusing at a distance
• Increased night blindness; difficulty walking in the dark
• Poor depth perception

Hearing

• Hearing loss; distorted or fluctuating hearing
• Tinnitus (ringing, roaring, buzzing, whooshing, or other noises in the ear)
• Sensitivity to loud noises or environments
• Sudden loud sounds may increase symptoms of vertigo, dizziness, or imbalance

Cognitive and psychological

• Difficulty concentrating and paying attention; easily distracted
• Forgetfulness and short-term memory lapses
• Confusion, disorientation, difficulty comprehending directions or instructions
• Difficulty following speakers in conversations, meetings, etc., especially when there is background noise or movement
• Mental and/or physical fatigue out of proportion to activity
• Loss of self-reliance, self-confidence, self-esteem
• Anxiety, panic
• Depression

Other

• Nausea or vomiting
• "Hangover" or "seasick" feeling in the head
• Motion sickness
• Ear pain
• Sensation of fullness in the ears
• Headaches
• Slurred speech
• Sensitivity to pressure or temperature changes and wind currents

[lharrison]

hi kelli, yes i suffer from all of the above, but as each day go bye it does get a little bit better and that is how i learn to cope kelli because i know as sure as i am here typing out the answer to your post is that it will get better, it does take time but it will chande for you kelli and that is how i cope because knowing this makes me happy

[WaltS]

Hi Kelli,

 

Wow! When you put all these issues on one page in a comprehensive list, they sure look overwhelming. Thanks for putting that checklist together for us. I must say that I can only account for about 25 out of the 34 items on your list, but I think I will replace those missing with a small list of about a half dozen of my own that I don't see here. I guess I passed the quiz(LOL).

 

My therapists at the RIC taught me to focus by taking very specific action, for a specific purpose, and not trying to conquer all my deficits at the same time. With the balance thing (that has been my biggest struggle), they added to my complexity of motion as I developed my mastery of an action. They also encouraged me to learn to trust my sensations, suspect as they are, and not constantly look down. I was also encouraged to look from one side, then the other (never down) as I walked in a forward direction. I was only able to do this with someone there to catch me when I faltered, and trusted as much or more in them than I trusted myself.

 

I was also given very specific vision balance exercises. One really good one was to draw an X on a post it; put it up on the inside of a wide doorway at eye level, and turn my head from side to side; at all times maintaining focus on the X. If you need to, you can hold on to the doorway while you do this.

 

Thank God I can't experience all of my strange sensations simultaneously! I think I will just try to deal with these as they come along, just like the days, one at a time...

 

With love and support,

Walt

 

 

[kanderson]

hi kelli, i have had alot of what you stated in all groups but most have improved over the years. as lenny said they will get better. give yourself some more time. all of them are troubling and hard to deal with on a daily basis, i really never had the dizziness/vertigo though. have you had your eyes checked by a neuro-ophthalmologist since your stroke? that might help you with the vision issues. my cognitive problems have improved greatly since my stroke. the anxiety/panic attacks have gotten better with the meds i take. is your neurologist aware of all of these things that you are experiencing? the way i cope is basically knowing i have to, if i have improved i know i can get even better. i just have to believe that, also recovery is a lifelong event now, so i move on, hoping each day is better than the previous one. i hope you find your way of coping and i think you will. just NEVER GIVE UP HOPE, thats the important thing. try to find within you, the kelli that has had to cope with other obstacles in your life before stroke, i bet you made it through those with a way to cope. hang in there and keep fighting. please let us know how you are doing.

[HostLinda]

Kelli,

 

My stroke happened back in June 08. Most of the list the you have compiled here I would have to agree with you on. Some of the these things have gotten better, some haven't. I have just decided its what I have to deal with now post stroke. It's not great, but it's still ok.

 

 

 

hostlinda

[merichsen]

Kelli,

Most of us have experienced and can relate to most of the issues you've listed. As Walt said to see them all on one comprehensive list is quite overwhelming. The fact that you are able to recognize each certainly says something about your cognitive ability. Most survivors it seems identify one at a time and attempt to deal with it. The rest remain the frustrating and devasting effects of stroke unknown yet to be tackled. With each issue addressed life does get better and improve greatly.

Your ability to recognize them may be a bit of a double edged sword. While you do know what needs to do be addressed, you can't force your brain to repair itself any more quickly than it's capable. Unfortunately that may make the coping part a little difficult. Recovery is a long road which unfortunately is often met with much frustration and angst.

Try not to be overwhelmed and look at the whole list. Just tackle one thing at a time and remember we are here to cheer you on, give you hugs, and be your friends. Mostly remember we've all been there and we all know that you will ABSOLUTELY get there and it will get better.

Maria :mwah:

[fking]

Yea, I took those test where you sit in the chair look at the spot on the wall, don't move your head, just your eyes to follow the dot. The machine prints out a couple pages of lines and dashes. Then they say you got vertigo and a few other things but I think you are still able to function pretty well.

[Pwilson18]

HI KELLI AND WOW..I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS AS I WAS EATING MY SOUP! I WISH MY HEAD WOULD QUIT BOUNCING AND SHAKING , THEN I COULD ENJOY MY SOUP. THATS A CHALLENGE ! IM EVEN LOSING SOME WT CAUSE OF THIS. I WENT TO THE DRS TO TRY AND GET MEDICINE FOR THIS, AND HE SAID THERE ISNT ANYTHING!!I PERSONALLY THINK THIS IS THE HARDEST PART OF THE STROKE, THE WANTING TO FALL, THE SHAKINESS, BOUNCING IN YOUR HEAD IT PREVENTS ME FROM DOING ALOT OF THINGS!!!IM 2 YRS POST STROKE AND ITS GOTTEN A TINGE BETTER OR MAYBE IM JUST USED TO IT NOW THAT IVE ADJUSTED TO IT. SOME MOMENTS I THINK ILL GO CRAZY FROM THIS AND THEN IT PASSES!!NOW I JUST REST WHEN NEEDED AND JUST LIVE WITH THIS. PATTY

[Sudz]

Hi Kelli the Spacial problems are definitely associated with right damageYes I have all or most of them it is the righ side of my brain that is damaged - thus left paralysisin addition sometimes I feel like the floor is moving(tipping) must be the balance I live where we have rapid & extreme air pressure changes

I now fell like I have sinus pressure headaches from that

 

I was very severely damaged 7 years ago now most of it is just a nuisance or just a fleeting feeling

It either improves or slowly becomes our new normal & don't notice it as much

Susan

[diane1]

Hi Kelli, I have most of the symptoms you listed. The most troublesome is when you roll your head in bed. It takes a few minutews for everything to settle down. My eyesight is a little more elusive. I generally have good eyesight in the morning but it degenerate during the day. No reading for me after about 6 o'clock. It is frustrating because it can happen, and it does, without warning. If I am driving. I sometimes have to hold one eye closed because of the double vision. I try to avoid driving at night. I would say that in all the "vestibular" issue4s have gotten better over time. Iy's been two and a half years for me. And I have just noticed that I can stand now without feeling the need to hold onto something.

[ksmith]

I would like to take props for that but it came from http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/symptoms.php

 

these all I have and it's rather a bother. Looking at me and hearing me, you'd not know. But inside i'm riddled with this problem. I contacted ASHA for a docotor here or in their department in MD to help me. I'm waiting for their response.

[ksmith]

I wanted to thank you for all your imput. I think I'm still in denial. There are

 

more people out there with what I have. reading all the posts, made me feel

 

better knowing someone out there has the same problems. The reaon I say that is

when I go to my doctors and they're only used to seeing stroke patients with

 

paralized arm or legs, when you approach them with symptoms that aren't seen on

the outside, it's hard for them to understand. It makes me feel like I'm a rare

 

case and it frustrates me. So if I go on like that, I'm sorry. I know the brain is

 

an amazing thing but there are so many things I don't understand. I guess fear

 

of the unknown.

[merichsen]

Kelli,

You might also like to look through some of these threads:

http://www.strokeboard.net/index.php?act=S...le+disabilities

[ksmith]

thank you I will

[JOHN BAR]

My husband is the one who had the stroke, but the vertigo symptoms were definitely part of it. He was going to a physical therapist to help deal with the problems. One time, the therapist told him to turn his head, and when he turned it to one side he just dropped like a sack of potatoes. When he was performing an exercise at therepy, He could hardly get his foot lifted to touch a line of cones. Later that same evening he was laying in bed, with his head hanging over the side, and he cracked his neck and the lack of control he had been experiencing was gone. Before that he kept getting very intense head aches which started from the back of his neck and circled around his ear to his temple. Called your trigeminal nerve. They wanted to give him anti-seizure medication, but he is against meds, because of the side affects. After he cracked his neck that evening he never got one of those headaches again. Now I am not recommending neck cracking, but he kept feeling that his neck was somehow out. Another really interesting thing that happened after stroke was he felt like he was in a fog like his head was in a bubble. Well we had lightning storm. He had accupuncture pins in his ears and he was on a cordless phone. He felt his ears tingle, like some kind of small electro shock, and this may sound strange but the bad fog was gone too. One thing I have been told is a hyperbaric oxygen tank is supposed to be very helpful to stroke victims. We have not tried that. It has been almost 3 years for John, and there has been improvements. Each case is different. I think we have had some interesting things happen. my husband has had success with accupucture, both reqular and electric impulse. Well hope some of these ideas help. My husband found that all the medication they wanted to put him on just made him feel worse. Each one has to make up their mind on that. Take Care From John & Yvonne

[JOHN BAR]

They figured that my husband's stroke was from a neck adjustment from a chiropractor. By no means does he suggest anyone get their neck adjusted by a chiropractor, "it should be outlawed"!

[ksmith]

They figured that my husband's stroke was from a neck adjustment from a chiropractor. By no means does he suggest anyone get their neck adjusted by a chiropractor, "it should be outlawed"!

 

 

I'm with you on that one. That is what happened to me. I know they work with some people. Not me. I attended a TBI ( traumatic Brain Injury ) meeting, and they kept on telling me to see one. That bothered me in a sense. They mainly had MVA ( motor vehicle accident) and I'm glad that helped. They brought up the fact that for balance, maybe a neck adjustment would align whatever in my ear.

If a chiropractor caused this, why would I want to go back? Will it change even if I don't go? I don't know

[ksmith]

and thank you for all your words of wisdom. I know I hear to be patient, but like you said, coming from a busy person to slamming on the brakes is hard. It's almost like my head is telling me, 'life is good and continue where you were'. I am working in being patient. Thank you for listening to me babble on and on. I guess I'm still in shock.