Stroke Prevention

[pops6927]

Of course, this is a thread I definitely wanted to start to help others prevent what I have gone through.  

I have recently watched a DVD from HealthSouth concerning strokes and, although I can't duplicate it and post it a/c copyrights, I can post notes I took watching it.  I am not that good a note-taker, by far; I was able to bring the DVD home, play it in my DVD burner and take notes, pausing it constantly while I was able to feebly type up the notes, lol!

I should add that this DVD was provided by HealthSouthPress and is part of an ongoing series on therapies, cognitive limitations, etc. and authored by Richard C. Senelick, M.D. Neurology Therapist for HealthSouth, a legend in his field!

I'll attempt to attach the file to this post:
https://statich.smokingmeatforums.com/5/56/566eba6b_strokemovie.octet-streamhttps://statich.smokingmeatforums.com/b/b5/b5ccc4a0_strokemovie1.octet-stream
 A lot may be cryptic but there should be some facts you can glean from the notes!

I provided it as both an .rtf (Windows[emoji]174[/emoji] Word Pad) and as a plain .txt document, whichever you can read on your computer.

 

[Bearcarver]

Pops,

Thank You for taking the time to do this!!!

I know how much time it consumes!!!

Great info!

Bear

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Great note taking, Pops! I had to decipher a bit of it, but it is understandable.

I'm still low risk and young enough to stay that way for hopefully many more years, but this gives me more to consider, not only for myself and my family's well being, but in the event of a suspected stroke, what to do and acting quickly.

Many, many thanks!!!

Eric

 

[supercenterchef]

Thanks for taking the time to put this together Pops!

werdwolf...you wanna weigh in on this?

Without launching into a complex statistical diatribe, I'll just say that Pops facts are all in place (except you probably mean 'vertebral' rather than 'ventricular' arteries)...what is hard to tease out of these facts is that some of them are areas of (varying) levels of debate by physicians.  Suffice it to say...the best defense is prevention...like pops says--eat right, don't smoke, don't (especially binge) drink, exercise and you'll be way ahead of the curve...

I know you're doing everything you're supposed to pops...if it's ok, I'll add my prayers in there too...

 

[erain]

long overdue... thanks Popps, i guess whether some things are under debate, the things not under debate are there are things we can do to help our health. eating right, moderation, yada yada yada.... but much more than strokes involved, high blood pressure, cholesteral, diabetes whether type 1 or 2, etc. have always thought there should be a forum for heart smart and other health smart recipes. i have been fortunate so far that with the exception of a slightly elevated cholesteral which i am working on, that radical dietary changes need to be made. but i want to keep it that way and i believe eating smarter earlier in your life is the key.

doesnt mean you have to totally give up the good stuff, just cut back a bit and enjoy it more. thks again Popps!Thumbs Up

 

[pops6927]

You are entirely welcome, don't want anyone to be passing out at work or getting unexpected operations or endangering their health!

 

[pops6927]

Rejoice!  The holidays are upon us!  'Tis the Season to be Merry.. and, be a little careful too...!

Use some self control when putting anything in your mouth.  If it doesn't go in, it won't hurt you.  Just three things to guard against, that's all!  Salts!  Sugars!  Fats!   Hit the vegetable tray and leave the dressing alone if it isn't lo-fat.  Avoid most of the salted nuts - sure, maybe a small handful.. repeat, small.  Ask if they have any unsalted!  Use Splenda[emoji]174[/emoji] or other substitute in your sweet drinks.  Don't know? Ask!  Check out the chocolates.. any of them sugar-free (and be careful of those... more than 2 and you'll run.. and not for joy!).  Heavy-glazed Confectioner Spice Cake may be tempting... choose the unglazed Carrot cake instead and keep the highs off your thighs!  Dark meat is fattier than white meat, and leave the skin on the serving platter.  The Prime Rib looks delicious... cut the fat off, stay lean... fat is mean..on your heart, on your arteries, in your bloodstream, puts you to sleep and you still have to drive home!  Two alcoholic drinks for the night is social.. any more, save a life or two or more and stay there until morning, please!  Don't forget... New Year's is coming...!  Don't miss it by deading yourself!

Have  A Safe And Merry Christmas And a Healthy New Year!

 

[daveomak]

Pops, Merry Christmas to you and your family..... Thanks for the reminders....  Dave

PS:: There is no way I can avoid Scarbelly's smoked almonds recipe... Just did 3#'s and they are AWESOME... 

 

[smokinhusker]

Hey Pops just found this and want to thank you for taking the time to put it together for us! 

 

[pops6927]

Pops, Merry Christmas to you and your family..... Thanks for the reminders....  Dave

PS:: There is no way I can avoid Scarbelly's smoked almonds recipe... Just did 3#'s and they are AWESOME... 

Nuts are good for you too!

Nuts help keep blood sugar steady because they're rich in monounsaturated fat. Fat slows the digestion process, so glucose enters the bloodstream more gradually. 
Reader's Digest

 

[pops6927]

Hey Pops just found this and want to thank you for taking the time to put it together for us! 

You are entirely welcome!  Are you a stroke or ABI survivor?  Check out my facebook page Stroke Strategies!, 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stroke-Strategies/213365988760723?sk=wall

 

[smokinhusker]

You are entirely welcome!  Are you a stroke or ABI survivor?  Check out my facebook page Stroke Strategies!, 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stroke-Strategies/213365988760723?sk=wall

No not a stroke or ABI survivor but my mother suffered a stroke at the age of 29 and passed when she was 40. I just figure it can't hurt to try a healthier approach to eating. Thanks for the link, I will check it out!

 

[pops6927]

Just as important, you were a caregiver; bless you!

 

[werdwolf]

Sorry I haven't been on here that much as the soap opera that was my life for a few months has ended and I can move on.

I still haven't figured out how to get from the forums to the groups, if someone could PM me that I'd appreciate it.

Pops, nicely done.

I think most of what you have in there is very accurate.

As far as surgical intervention I haven't researched it recently, but I have used the numbers of asymptomatic >70%  and symptomatic as a rule >60%, but I have seen interventionalist go lower.  That seems to be the standard here in my neck of the woods.

You mentioned the metabolic syndrome.  The insulin is the biggest problem with this for the majority of people, and I'm pretty sure I got on my soap box in another post so I won't go into that her except to say that while we need the insulin to move the sugar into our cells, it is lipogenic (fat generating) and causes inflammation.

You also mentioned the plaques and the "blood clots"  What actually happens here is the venturi effect (for those of old enough to remember carburetors this is how they work also)  As an area of the blood vessel gets smaller and smaller due to the plaque (which is caused by deposited cholesterol and oxidation/inflammation), the same volume of blood has to try to get thru there and so the velocity (speed) of the blood flow increases.  As that speed increases so does the force that hits the leading edge of that plaque.  At some point the plaque breaks open from the stress and exposes a "raw area".  Then just like if you cut yourself, the body activates it's clotting mechanisms, and poof a clot is born.  These can either be bad enough to stop the flow right there or break off and move downstream into smaller blood vessels until they get stuck and clog the plumbing.

So, as much as I hate statin medications they do lower the cholesterol and they do stabilize these plaques.  The other "blood thinners"  that Pops mentioned actually don't thin the blood, they just make things less "sticky" in an effort to prevent that clot from forming.

As far as the Tpa, this actually can dissolve a clot, but like Pops noted there is a VERY limited time window on this; 3 hours from the onset of symptoms.  That means you have to get to the hospital, be evaluated, have a CT scan of your brain and get the Tpa in this time period.  Do not dilly-dally here, if you have the symptoms get to the hospital!

Hope this helps.

Ed

 

[pops6927]

Yes, it helps a lot!  Glad to see you back!  They have since moved the time frame to 4.5 hours, a better window, but still close; the most important thing is to call 911 and get an ambulance there, don't drive the patient there yourself!  As soon as the ambulance arrives life-saving health care begins; if you take the patient to the hospital yourself the EMT's are unable to put monitors on, give fluids, injections, help stabilize, contact and communicate with doctors, and have the hosp. notified and ready to receive the patient!  I did that for my second stroke, the wife didn't want to pay the $1,500 ambulance bill for the transport and took me there herself.  Once we got there it was too late to administer a clot buster, even if I had been eligible to receive one.  Don't make that same mistake, call an ambulance immediately!  EVERY SECOND COUNTS and they are professionals who do their job and it's worth every penny.  It's like asking if a cancer patient needs another MRI - without it to save money you could die.. (my wife had 8 of them on her first cancer, and ins. only covered catscan pricing, paid $400 on each $3,000 MRI - but what was I going to say, "No, we'll take our chances and let her die to save a buck"?)

 

[pops6927]

If you would be so kind, please "like" my page:

https://www.facebook.com/bypops?sk=wall



If you know of someone who has had a stroke or ABI (Acquired Brain Injury) or has been a caregiver for someone who has had a stroke or ABI, please take just a sec and "like" my page to further promote stroke and ABI Strategies and awareness!  I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping!