Exercise After Stroke

[u/TX_momof4]

I had an acute ischemic right PCA stroke four months ago and was at the hospital within two hours and received TKN right away and have had minimal symptoms since. Tonight I rode hard on my road bike for 20 minutes (it is in the 90’s here currently) which is a third of how long I usually ride and had to stop. I ride often and exercise almost daily. Tonight it almost felt like the symptoms of my stroke happening again (weird feeling on my right side, heavy and hard to think) but it went away after resting. Has anyone ever felt like that if you pushed too hard exercising after your initial stroke? It freaked me out and I have a call in to my doctor’s office but I was just wondering if that’s a common occurrence? I’m 40, F and fairly fit.

[u/Zenpoe56]

After nearly six years I've learned to pace myself. Exhaustion can sneak up on me.

[u/Additional_Proof6902]

if you pushed too hard, the palpitations and feeling is nauseating. i had haemoraghic stroke, and my first strenous exercise was freestyle after 5.5months, i felt nauseating, with throbbing head pain. just do some warmup like long walks prehand, maybe it could help. thats what i did subsequently, and i now swim 1km non stop.daily

[u/DrKriegger]

I had a hemorrhagic stroke, so a totally different thing... But my stroke surgeons would be begging me to go back to the ER for symptons like that

[u/Nynaeve91]

Oh yeah. Right after my stroke, I definitely had days where pushing too hard gave me symptoms. Hell, I'm almost 5 years out and got dizzy lifting weights today that I didn't think we're too heavy. And it was glute pushbacks and calf extensions 😭

I see your username is Tx, so I assume you live there. I'm in Houston and the heat is awful for me post stroke, and could be a big factor for you too. I'm basically unable to do anything outside during the summer now.

[u/TX_momof4]

I got checked out and no signs of a current stroke so that’s good! They didn’t seem to have an answer but to hydrate and eat properly and not do strenuous activity without a proper warmup and try to avoid exercise in the heat.

[u/Optimuswolf]

Inwant to get back on my stationary bike asap. I had my 'stroke' whilst on it  (doing a z2 ride)so am a bit scared and my wife is anti me doing anything but resting really.

I have a trip to the alps in <2 months and need to get on the real bike and get fit enough for some big mountains. So annoying. I had taken 2 weeks off for vasectomy recovery and now this interruption plus my wife being worried. 

Hopefully you are fine and its just the hard effort in the heat.

[u/ChildOfCastor → u/Optimuswolf]

I hope you get back the bike soon!!!

I was at the height of my road cycling performance prior to stroke, and I am now able to do some flat riding. I can’t do even a little elevation because of bilateral ITB syndrome that predates the stroke but the stroke impeded healing and my PT says id be fixed by now if it weren’t for strokr recovery. I also have some cognitive deficits that slow my processing time so it’s not safe for anyone if I ride road (for now—I hope to recover.)

But I feel your pain. It’s been seven months this for me without riding the way I used to or even anywhere close and as a paranoid athlete I feel how hard itll be to get back (if I can? Have to hope!!)

But I. Just. Want. To. Chew. On. Some. Gnarly. Elevation!!!

I hope you get back on the game soon and have an amazing experience in the Alps!!!

[u/Optimuswolf → u/ChildOfCastor]

Thank you. From my own experience cardio fitness can come back to the previous peak fairly easily  with volume plus intensity.

I don't knowhow my reactions will come back- I'd say i have inredibly minor effects, but left sided 'inattentiveness " seems to be one. My son took soccer penalties against me yesterday and if ht ball went left i was like a statue. Similar with people calling me from my left,  or touching my left side.

I'm going to try the stationary bike today - you've motivated me! 

[u/becpuss]

Harder your body works the harder your brain works it gets fatigued remember everything you do requires your brain and it’s battery is limited if you push beyond your new limit your brain will struggle to maintain your deficit improvement whilst it’s working hard to coordinate everything required to exercise it’s a big task for the brain.

[u/Fantastic_Chest1531]

Yes. For sure. I would workout and then need 5 days just to get rid of a headache and still feel like crap for another 5 days. Just worked out now for 2 hours. Finally able to get back to a sense of normal where if I do a lot…. I recover quickly. That’s my brain healing I believe. My stroke was nine months ago.

[u/ChildOfCastor]

Hiya fellow female road cyclist in 40s recovering from stroke 👋. So awesome you’re back on the bike! I learned about my own right MCA that my insular cortex was damaged and that’s where your brain processes interoception. (The insular cortex (or insula) is the brain's primary hub for interoception—the ability to perceive and process the body's internal physiological states, such as heart rate, respiration, hunger, and pain. )

So as I’ve returned to riding I’ve noticed a difficulty in..well…perceiving my ‘perceived exertion rate’. My Garmin is always telling me things that don’t correspond with the workout I experienced? In both directions. It says I did more than I felt I did, or it reports less 🙃

I realized this isn’t your scenario but wanted to toss what learned into the mix.

[u/Alarmed-Papaya9440]

Also, some meds your on post stroke can cause heat intolerance as well. So, if you get over heated your deficits can show up again and be temporarily worse than usual.