Hi SherBearSurvives,
I’m sorry to hear about your recent strokes and how they are effecting you. At three weeks post stroke, you are very early in the recovery process. What follow up do you have? Have you seen your GP since discharge? I recommend seeing him in the near future and discussing the problems that you are having in more detail. Here is some information about the areas where you are having difficulties:
Heavy periods
The stroke itself should not have caused any changes to the heaviness of your period but it is possible that it has changed due to other adjustments you have made because of the stroke. Have you started any new medications or stopped taking the oral contraceptive pill? Blood thinners such as Warfarin can cause heavy periods. Are you at the age where menopause is a possibility? It is best to go discuss the changes with your GP anytime you have changes in your period.
Numbness in hands, feet and head
Sensory changes including numbness and tingling are commonly experienced after stroke and are caused by damaged nerve pathways. They usually occur on one side of the body but it sounds as though yours are on both sides? Our fact sheet on Movement and Exercise after Stroke has some information on sensation changes from stroke and on sensory retraining. You may like to discuss it further with one of our OTs on StrokeLine on 1800 787 653. Other causes of numbness and/or tingling in the hands, feet and head are poor circulation and anxiety. If either these concern you, it is something else that should be discussed with your GP.
Headaches
Having a headache every day must be very challenging for you! Unfortunately headaches after stroke are common, particularly after haemorrhagic stroke. It is not always known what causes headaches but it can sometimes be a side effect of medications. Here is our fact sheet on Pain Management which has some information on headache after stroke. If you have a sudden onset or severe headache you should consider it a medical emergency and phone 000. If you feel as though the headaches are getting worse, again, it would be wise to discuss it with the GP.
Extreme fatigue
Yes, extreme fatigue is also a common occurrence after stroke. The degree to which it effects people and the time it takes to recover varies largely from person to person. Here is a fact sheet on fatigue after stroke with some tips on how to manage it. We also have a fatigue podcast that you might like to listen to.
I hope this information will help in your recovery.
Best wishes,
Melita (StrokeLine)