You can't drive straight away You must not drive a private vehicle for at least four weeks after a stroke. Commercial drivers must not drive for at least three months. This is because it takes time to assess the impact of stroke.
If you drive a car or motorbike and you had a single transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke with no brain surgery or seizures, you can usually start driving again after one calendar month.
You must stop driving for at least 1 month after a transient ischaemic attack ( TIA ) or mini-stroke. This includes amaurosis fugax or retinal artery fugax. You can restart only when your doctor tells you it is safe.
If you have had a stroke and you try to drive, you may: have trouble turning the steering wheel or applying the brake; ◆ become easily frustrated or confused while driving; ◆ drift across lane markings, into other lanes; and ◆ have difficulty thinking clearly about the traffic around you.
If you're unable to work for at least 12 months after your stroke, you can file a claim for Social Security disability benefits. To be eligible, you must provide proof of your stroke as described in the Neurological Impairment section of the Social Security Administration's Blue Book.
Some examples include being physically active, doing yoga, stretching and relaxation exercises, eating a healthy diet and getting enough rest. Physical activity can clear your mind, reduce tension and boost your energy.
If your stroke was caused by bleeding in or around your brain (a haemorrhagic stroke), you must avoid alcohol for at least the first three weeks after your stroke. You should then ask your doctor when it would be safe to start drinking alcohol again.
Recovery time after a stroke is different for everyone—it can take weeks, months, or even years. Some people recover fully, but others have long-term or lifelong disabilities. Learn more about stroke rehabilitation from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
You may be prescribed blood thinners for decades or even the rest of your life. If you abuse alcohol alongside taking this medication you can raise your risk of stroke, heart attack, or life-threatening clots. Your alcohol use can be just as dangerous as the sticky blood clogging up your veins.
Many people find that they have to learn what's 'normal' for them again after they've had a stroke. This means listening to both your body and your brain, and not expecting yourself to do too much, at least not to begin with. There's no need to be embarrassed about the way you're feeling – there's a lot to cope with.
Regarding the duration of fatigue after stroke, acute fatigue can last up to 6 months, whereas the chronic type can persist in 40% of patients after 2 years. Another study reported fatigue to be still present in one-third of patients up to 6 years after stroke onset.
Stress can cause the heart to work harder, increase blood pressure, and increase sugar and fat levels in the blood. These things, in turn, can increase the risk of clots forming and travelling to the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke.
Although just 10% of people fully recover from a stroke, 25% have only minor impairments and 40% have moderate impairments that are manageable with some special care.
Average life expectancy after a TIA
A 2019 research review states that people who experienced a TIA had a 4% lower relative survival rate in the first year after the attack. Over the next 9 years, the relative survival rate was 20% lower.
It is clear that stroke sometimes occurs while driving, and may lead to vehicle collisions. A previous study examined patients transferred to an emergency department, and found similar results, with 3.9% stroke onset while driving, and 16.0% rate of collisions.
Call 9-1-1 immediately if any of these signs of stroke appear: Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; Trouble seeing in one or both eyes; Trouble walking, dizziness, or problems with balance; severe headache with no known cause.
Fatigue is one of the most common effects of stroke. It can make you feel unwell and like you're not in control of your recovery. The signs of fatigue are not always obvious to other people and so they may not understand how you are feeling.
If you have a stroke and your brain scan confirms that it has been caused by a blood clot, you will probably be given a daily dose of aspirin, which you will need to take for up to two weeks. In the longer term, you will usually be prescribed a different blood-thinning medicine to reduce your risk of stroke.
Recovering from a stroke requires time, patience, and, perhaps most important of all, rest. Support and empathy from family members or a support group is highly encouraged as this can be a difficult process.
Alcohol may interfere with the action of certain medications, including blood thinners. Doctors recommend that people taking warfarin or drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid limit their intake of alcohol. Occasional, moderate alcohol use should be safe for most people who are taking blood thinners.
Because you are taking a blood thinner, you should try not to hurt yourself and cause bleeding. You need to be careful when you use knives, scissors, razors, or any sharp object that can make you bleed. You also need to avoid activities and sports that could cause injury. Swimming and walking are safe activities.