Ashley Tallyn
Living well after stroke

Managing a health condition and coping with the effects of your stroke can be demanding. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

You may have had one or more medical conditions before having a stroke. Or this may be a new condition that was discovered alongside your stroke.

Either way, managing a health condition can be draining. Physically, mentally and emotionally. Especially after a stroke.

To help, we've put together a few strategies.

Work with your medical team

After your stroke, you should leave hospital with a discharge summary letter. It includes details of your diagnosis. Discuss this with your GP or specialist. You may also want to discuss your diagnosis with a physio or occupational therapist.

If you have another health condition, make sure to bring this up as part of the conversation. Make sure any and all specialist nurses and doctors are aware of any medical conditions you have.

Schedule regular checks as recommended by your doctor. These tests could be for things like high blood pressure or cholesterol.

It can be a good idea to keep track of the results yourself on a spreadsheet or piece of paper.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If it helps, you could ask if they can write down the key information.

Stay informed

It can be helpful to do a bit of your own reading and research about your medical conditions. This can help you speak more easily with your medical team.

We provide accessible health information for stroke survivors, carers, friends and family. You can view this information in our health publications.

The NHS also provides more information on a variety of conditions.

Medication information

Read the patient information leaflet that comes with any medication you're prescribed. It can help you understand how to take it safely and any potential side effects.

If you have any concerns or questions, ask your GP or pharmacist.

Organisation is key

Keeping track of appointments and medication is essential, but it isn’t always easy. There are things you can do to help.

Appointments

You can use a diary or your mobile to note down appointments. If you use your mobile phone, you could even set up notifications or alerts to remind you ahead of time.

Many stroke survivors have trouble with their memory. In the below video, Jone and Martin share tips about how they manage their appointments. These include things like only having morning appointments. Or having reminders in specific places around the house.

Medication

There are a many things you can do to help you manage your medication.

Sorting your medication by day and time with a pill organiser or dosette box is a common one. Your GP or pharmacist may be able to help you with this.

You could also have alarms set on your phone to remind you what time to take certain tablets.

In the below video, Rachel, Keith and Wendy talk about how their manage their medication.

You can follow the link to learn more about how to manage your medication.

Ask for support

It’s important to remember you’re not alone.

Ask your GP about the support available to you. Your local council may also be able to help with transport to your appointments.

There are stroke recovery services and stroke groups in many areas in the UK. Check our page about support in your area to see if there is one near you.

You might find it helpful chat with other stroke survivors on the My Stroke Guide forum. Share your experience and hear other people’s stories too.

Ask your family and friends for support. They can help with reminders, provide encouragement and keep you motivated.

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