Hi nrsmd,
Thanks for your question on EnableMe. We are sorry to hear about the difficulties your wife and the family are having following her stroke.
Dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin plus clopidogrel) is recommended for the first three weeks following stroke. Plavix is a brand name for clopidogrel. After three weeks, long-term antiplatelet therapy should be prescribed to all people with ischaemic stroke or TIA who are not prescribed anticoagulation therapy. This is taken directly from the Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management.
Antiplatelet therapy is a long-term preventative measure. We recommend that your wife talks to her doctor, either her GP or neurologist, or pharmacist about ongoing stroke medication. They will be in the best position to provide advice that is specific to her and her medical history.
Fatigue is a common problem for stroke survivors and it’s an issue a lot of callers to StrokeLine talk about. You and your wife may find some of the tips from other stroke survivors in this post helpful reading to manage fatigue, along with our resources on fatigue here.
When you talk about ‘rigidity’, does your wife feel like the muscles are stiff or tight? If yes, she is likely to be experiencing some spasticity in the muscles. Our fact sheet on muscle spasticity after stroke has information about the effects of spasticity and the treatment options. There is also a podcast and video on this topic.
We would recommend that your wife talks to her GP or neurologist about her experiences and treatment options. For many people, physiotherapy and occupational therapy are the most effective treatment options. For more severe muscle spasticity, your doctor may prescribe medication or treatment options such as Botulinum toxin A.
Is your wife still seeing a physiotherapist or occupational therapist?
If you would like to speak to a health professional please feel free to call StrokeLine on 1800 787 653 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Best wishes,
Joanna and Simone (StrokeLine)