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.
Many stroke survivors experience overwhelming fatigue, both physically and mentally. Symptoms can include difficulty with self-control, emotions and memory.
Fatigue may improve with time but it can also be persistent and some patients may never be completely free of it. Tasks that may have come easily before the stroke may be harder and therefore require more energy then they previously would.
The most rapid recovery usually occurs during the first three to four months after a stroke, but some survivors continue to recover well into the first and second year after their stroke. Some signs point to physical therapy.
After six months, improvements are possible but will be much slower. Most stroke patients reach a relatively steady state at this point. For some, this means a full recovery. Others will have ongoing impairments, also called chronic stroke disease.
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.
Characteristics of post-stroke fatigue may include: overwhelming tiredness and lack of energy to perform daily activities; abnormal need for naps, rest, or extended sleep; more easily tired by daily activities than pre-stroke; unpredictable feelings of fatigue without apparent reason.
Even after surviving a stroke, you're not out of the woods, since having one makes it a lot more likely that you'll have another. In fact, of the 795,000 Americans who will have a first stroke this year, 23 percent will suffer a second stroke.
The rate of recovery is generally greatest in the weeks and months after a stroke. However, there is evidence that performance can improve even 12 to 18 months after a stroke.
Excessive daytime sleeping usually decreases after a few weeks. However, in about 30 percent of stroke patients, EDS can last for over six months. If your sleepiness lasts for several months and prevents you from practicing your stroke rehab exercises, talk to your doctor, who can help you find effective treatments.
You are still the same person, but a stroke may change the way you respond to things. It's not always possible to go back to the way you were before a stroke, but you can get help and support to make the best recovery possible for you. It can be hard for the people around you if they feel you've changed.
Walking outside or on a treadmill, stationary cycling, recumbent cross training and many other forms of exercise that get your heart pumping are extremely beneficial for stroke recovery.
Most cognitive functions will return with time and rehabilitation, but you may find they do not return to the way they were before. The damage a stroke causes to your brain also increases the risk of developing vascular dementia. This may happen immediately after a stroke or it may develop some time later.
Call 911 Immediately
Once you recognize that you or someone you witness is having a stroke, the next step is calling 911 quickly, Dr. Humbert stresses. Time is critical if someone is having a stroke. The longer a stroke goes untreated, the more damage can be done — possibly permanently — to the brain.
Your brain is amazing! It has the ability to re-wire itself, allowing you to improve skills such as walking, talking and using your affected arm. This process is known as neuroplasticity. It begins after a stroke, and it can continue for years.
Wondering how to tell if you had a stroke in the past or how to tell if you had a stroke in your sleep? Unfortunately, most people don't actually find out they've suffered from a silent stroke until they see a doctor for another condition and are ordered to have an MRI or a CT scan.
It is possible to live a normal life after a stroke, but you will need to actively participate in your rehab. Brain injuries can affect mobility, swallowing, speech and, therefore, your ability to do the vital tasks of daily living. So, you will need help, support, counselling, encouragement, and loving care.
Those who reported sleeping nine or more hours each night had a 23% higher risk of stroke than those sleeping less than eight hours each night. Stroke risk was 25% higher among those who took midday naps for at least 90 minutes compared with those napping for less than 30 minutes.
Sleep is critical, but sleep problems may follow after a stroke. Poor sleep can slow your recovery and lead to depression, memory problems and night-time falls. The good news is there are ways to improve your sleep.
In clinical practice, health care providers commonly refer to the clinical handbook, which recommends 8 to 12 weeks of physiotherapy in the community (short-term physiotherapy) for people discharged from hospital post-stroke.
Unfortunately, blood thinners can reduce the risk of clot-related stroke only to increase the risk of stroke related to bleeding and blood vessel rupture. To prevent unwanted complications from blood thinners, patients may need to make lifestyle and adjustments moving forward.