‘Dementia link to sudden low blood pressure and dizziness’
October 13, 2024
There’s a warning that strokes shouldn’t been seen as just an “older person’s disease” anymore.
Research for the Stroke association suggests the number of under 29s going to hospital with the condition has gone up nearly a quarter in the last 14 years.
It says in 2014, 1,486 young people were admitted, compared to 1,133 in 2000.
Strokes are still more likely among those over 65.
But experts say even younger people should be aware of warning signs like dizziness, difficulties speaking and changes in the face.
It’s claimed the rise could be partly down to unhealthy lifestyles, combined with population growth and more awareness of the symptoms.
The charity also says there’s been an “alarming” increase in the numbers of people having strokes in their 40s and 50s.
Elizabeth Ashmore was like most 20-year-olds, she went clubbing, likes Clean Bandit and loves Greg James.
But last year she suffered a stroke – it left her paralysed down one side of her body.
She says it now feels like she’s carrying three heavy sandbags around with her.
“Before my stroke I used to go clubbing quite a lot and shopping. I liked getting dressed up with all my girl mates, and making ourselves look pretty and going out and having a laugh,” she says.
“Two weeks before my stroke my arm went completely numb while I was at work.
“I didn’t think anything of it. I thought it was just because the night before I went drinking.
“My mum took me to A and E and they just said it was a trapped nerve, because obviously my age was too young to have a stroke.
“I was looking in my mirror one day a few weeks after and my face started to droop a bit. I looked at my ex-boyfriend and I asked him if it was and he said it wasn’t.
“I kind of made a joke about it. I said, ‘What would you do if I had a stroke?’ and kind of had a little giggle because obviously I didn’t think anything of it.
“I just carried on and pushed through because I didn’t think it could happen to me.
“I went to sleep and halfway through the night I couldn’t sleep very well so I called my step-dad upstairs. I was just laying on the floor. He put me to bed and just calmed me down.
“The next day I woke up and my mum was sitting on the end of my bed saying to me, ‘Why aren’t you at uni? Why aren’t you getting up for uni?’
“I looked at her and I looked really confused. I tried to move my left side and it just didn’t move at all.
“I was laying on my right side, so I tried to physically lift my left side to turn over to get out of bed and where my leg was paralysed I had no control over my core muscles, so I couldn’t swing my legs over to sit on the end of the bed.
“I looked at my mum and that’s when I started crying.
“The best way to describe [having a stroke] is like having a Slender Tone and when you put it on your stomach and it’s literally shooting into your stomach – that’s exactly what it felt like all down my face and all down my left side.
“It’s almost like having a three sandbags attached to your arm and just pulling it, so much so that your face is going with it and your whole face is lopsided and you can’t move your head or anything.
“When I got home that was when I realised that I need the independence to actually leave the house and get out and do stuff.
Face – Has their face fallen on one side?
Arms – Can they raise both arms and keep them there?
Speech – Is their speech slurred?
Time – Call 999 if you see any of these signs
“I was in a wheelchair when I came out because they didn’t want me to walk for quite a while. Being pushed in a wheelchair was quite difficult.
“I was looking at everyone walking around thinking, ‘I used to be able to do that and I wish I could do that again.’
“I was too tired to actually walk, so I used to just sit in my wheelchair and just feel really down.
“A lot of people look at me as if to say, ‘You’re 20 years old, why are you sitting in a disabled seat on the bus?’
“I have to do my lip liner a lot higher on the left side almost so I look like a clown. I have to draw the outline and get it all equal so it’s all equal with the other side.
“I have to think to smile equally, so if my boyfriend tries to take a photo of me, I’m like, ‘Right, you need to smile and I have to look at the camera to be like is my face equal and if it’s not I’ll lift my left side.’
“When I kiss my boyfriend it feels normal, sometimes I’ll dribble a bit so I’ll have to look at him and wipe it.
“I’m definitely stronger, from everything I’ve learnt this year and everything I’ve gained like friends, family and just having that support has helped me a lot.”
Source BBC