I Didn’t Know Having a Baby Increases Your Risk for Stroke

As advised to Jacquelyne Froeber

May is Stroke Awareness Month.

“Why is my face numb?”

As I stared at myself within the mirror, all the pieces appeared high quality to me. But the left aspect of my face undoubtedly felt numb. Then I remembered that the tip of my tongue felt numb the day earlier than.

Alarm bells began going off in my head. Was there one thing improper with me?

I knew I was juggling a lot as a first-time mother, however I’d been feeling nice up till that time. I’d had a speedy restoration after my C-section, and I was excited for my second day again at work. I felt like I had my life found out.

So, I satisfied myself that the numbness was no massive deal. I’d most likely slept laborious on my left aspect close to the newborn monitor. And I most likely burned my tongue on one of many many cups of espresso I’d been ingesting to really feel much less drained.

Days glided by however the numbness stayed, and the fatigue bought worse. I bumped into a buddy who’s a doctor assistant and advised him how I was feeling. “Do you suppose it’s Bell’s palsy?” I requested.

“Maybe … however get it checked out,” he mentioned.

I frowned. “What else might or not it’s? I didn’t have a strokeor something.” That was the one factor I might consider that was related to numbness.

He agreed that I didn’t appear to be I had a stroke, however thought I ought to nonetheless see my major care physician. Luckily, I was in a position to get in to see her that day. She mentioned I might have Bell’s palsy, however I wanted to go to emergency care to make sure.

I tried to motive along with her. I had work, a new child at my neighbor’s home, and my husband was out of city — did I actually need to go to the ER?

She mentioned sure.

Two imaging checks later, the ER physician mentioned he thought I’d had a stroke, however they wanted extra testing to make sure.

I was shocked.

I’d joked about it earlier than, however a stroke simply didn’t appear doable. My face wasn’t drooping, and I didn’t have slurred speech. I was a healthy, energetic, 36-year-old mother who simply had a splendidly boring, uncomplicated start. How was this occurring to me?

I was taken to the neuro unit of the hospital the place a nurse requested if I wanted a breast pump. I famous there have been a lot of pumps on the shelf behind her. “You wouldn’t imagine what number of new mothers we get in right here,” she mentioned.

Jess holding her son, Stanley, within the hospital after her stroke in 2019.

I thought that was odd however later realized that your physique goes into a hypercoagulable state after giving start, which implies your blood is extra prone to clot and also you’re at an elevated danger for stroke.

This blew my thoughts. I’d been frightened about 1,000 various things after having my son, however nobody talked about the elevated risk of a stroke.

The subsequent day the checks confirmed that I did, in truth, have a stroke in my mind stem. My hypercoagulable state might’ve brought about it, however nobody knew for certain.

My physician mentioned I’d most likely be high quality. He prescribed me some medicine and I went residence. No one appeared to suppose it was that massive of a deal, so I figured the worst was behind me.

Three days later, I awoke in mattress looking at two ceiling followers. We solely have one. For about half-hour, I tried to focus my eyes to make one fan, however I simply couldn’t do it. I stumbled my manner down the steps and advised my husband we would have liked to return to the ER.

After extra checks, the excellent news was that I wasn’t displaying proof of any new strokes. The unhealthy information: No one knew what was the reason for my double imaginative and prescient. I was prescribed one other medicine and went again residence disoriented and scared.

Unfortunately, the medicine didn’t assist. As disturbing because the double imaginative and prescient was, the fatigue was even worse. I felt like I was being weighed down by a thick fog that by no means lifted. The tiredness had develop into my new regular, so I did my finest to push by way of the fatigue and keep as energetic as doable. I knew caring for my bodily well being might solely assist in the long term.

Jess along with her husband and son, Stanley.

After two months, I did begin to really feel higher. I had extra vitality and my imaginative and prescient was nearly again to regular. But the reduction was short-lived. I began having episodes the place I’d lose command of my lips or tongue or my left arm or leg. The lack of motor ability solely lasted about 30 seconds — however every time it felt like an eternity. I by no means knew when an episode would occur, however they have been so frequent that I bought good at hiding them.

I knew the entire scenario was weird. Typically, individuals who’ve had a stroke present progress over time — I had a entire new set of signs. And nobody might inform me what was occurring.

Finally, I did discover a physician who mentioned I was having episodes as a result of my mind wasn’t getting sufficient blood. He mentioned if we might gradual or stop the blood from clotting, the episodes would cease after about six months.

For the following half of the 12 months, I took a new medicine and tried to be affected person with myself. It wasn’t straightforward. Every morning I awoke scared that I’d see two ceiling followers. And each time I had an episode, I feared I wouldn’t come out of it. Then, across the six-month mark, the episodes stopped. And they didn’t come again.

Over the years, I’ve been stunned by the quantity of people that both know somebody who’s had a postpartum stroke or had one themselves. I want I’d identified concerning the elevated danger — possibly I wouldn’t have shrugged off the fatigue and numbness for so long as I did.

After my episodes stopped, I was good for a very long time. But in 2021, I began experiencing trigeminal neuralgia, searing ache on the left aspect of my face — just like the place I had the numbness with the stroke. In the start, the ache would come and go, however as of right this moment, it’s been greater than a 12 months of fixed, unrelenting ache.

I suppose the ache is one way or the other related to the stroke, however the medical doctors aren’t certain why it’s occurring or the way to deal with the ache. It’s been a irritating and time-consuming course of, and a few days the ache is so overwhelming I really feel hopeless. But I know I must maintain pushing to seek out the assistance I want. Just as a result of I haven’t discovered it but — doesn’t imply it’s not on the market.

Have your individual Real Women, Real Stories you wish to share? Let us know.

Our Real Women, Real Stories are the genuine experiences of real-life ladies. The views, opinions and experiences shared in these tales are usually not endorsed by HealthyWomen and don’t essentially mirror the official coverage or place of HealthyWomen.