First Questions to Ask Your Doctor After a Stroke

About Nicole Pajer

Nicole Pajer is a Los Angeles-based freelance published in The New York Times, Woman's Day, AARP, Parade, Wired, Glamour, People and more.

A stroke is a condition that affects an estimated 15 million people globally each year. People of all backgrounds and ages can experience strokes but the risk increases with age, meaning older adults are more prone to experiencing one. Being told that you underwent a stroke can be scary, but the aftermath can also be filled with anxiety about many unknowns. If you or a loved one has experienced a stroke, it’s important to educate yourself on the next steps in terms of treatment and prevention of future strokes. Here are 8 suggested questions to ask your doctor.

1. What type of stroke did I experience?

A stroke can occur when blood flow is blocked to the brain or when the brain experiences sudden bleeding. An ischemic stroke, which occurs in close to 90% of stroke cases, happens when blood flow is blocked and the brain is deprived of oxygen and nutrients from the blood. When this happens, brain cells start to die fast, within minutes. A hemorrhagic stroke happens when sudden bleeding occurs in the brain. This can cause pressure on brain cells, which damages them. Knowing which type of stroke you experienced can help to inform your treatment and recovery plan.

2. What caused my stroke?

Ischemic strokes are typically caused by a blood clot that forms in a blood vessel in the brain or somewhere else in the body and travels to the brain. Blood clots can occur for a variety of reasons, including poor diet, irregular heartbeats, blood-clotting disorders, inflammation of the arteries, smoking or excessive alcohol intake. This type of stroke can also occur from fatty deposits that build up in the arteries in the brain, causing them to narrow and restrict blood flow. Ischemic strokes, in more rare cases, can also occur from blood pressure that is too low reducing blood flow to the brain.

Hemorrhagic strokes can be caused by anything that damages blood vessels in the brain. This may include aneurysms, brain tumors, head injuries, Moyamoya disease and ischemic strokes that cause bleeding.

3. What are the potential complications or side effects of a stroke?

Strokes are medical emergencies and can lead to death if not treated in time. But the good news is thanks to modern medical advancements, less people are dying of strokes than ever before. Additionally, effective treatments are available to help mitigate disability and enhance recovery for individuals who underwent a stroke.

How someone heals from a stroke depends on a number of factors. Potential complications could include cognitive challenges or a change in physical abilities. This can include memory loss, vision and hearing problems, muscle weakness, depression, risk of pneumonia, mobility problems and increased fall risk, bowel and bladder problems, blood clots, seizures and more.

4. What does my rehabilitation plan involve?

A stroke rehabilitation program works to help improve different cognitive and physical challenges people may experience after strokes. Physical therapy can include motor-skill exercises that help improve muscle strength and coordination, mobility training and using mobility aids like walkers or canes to get around, constraint-induced therapy like moving only the affected limb while the other is contained and range-of-motion therapy.

People may undergo therapy to help regain the ability to speak and hear and cognitive therapy to assist with memory and thought processing. There are also treatments that may involve using robotic technology to instant impaired limbs, as well as alternative medicine practices like acupuncture.

5. Are there lifestyle changes I should implement?

Some lifestyle conditions like being overweight or obese, using illegal drugs, being physically inactive, smoking and/or binge drinking can increase one’s risk of a stroke. Your doctor may advise you to make certain lifestyle changes such as starting a workout routine, quitting smoking, reducing your alcohol intake and taking steps to alter your diet to help lose weight.

6. What medications will I need to take?

Taking medications can be a crucial part of stroke aftercare. Your doctor may prescribe things like tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) drugs that help break up blood clots that could have led to a stroke. Doctors may also prescribe antiplatelet drugs or anticoagulants - aka blood thinners. Some patients may need to go on medication to help lower their blood pressure, while others will go on medications to help manage their cholesterol.

7. How can I prevent another stroke?

1 in 4 stroke survivors experience a recurrent stroke, with the highest risk for a repeat episode occurring within the first year of the initial incident. Thus, it’s important to follow your doctor’s advice about steps you can take to help prevent a future stroke. They may recommend that you follow an altered diet – the Mediterranean Diet, for instance, has been shown to be helpful in reducing the risk of strokes. It will be important to keep up on taking any medications that you are prescribed. And doctors will want you to also follow their post stroke lifestyle recommendations like quitting smoking and staying active.

8. What resources are available to support my recovery?

A stroke can be a difficult thing to go through, both physically and emotionally. It’s important to take care of your mental health while recovering. Take time to connect with friends and family members. Seek out the help of a mental health professional, like a therapist, if needed. And look for support groups you can participate in. Ask your doctor for referrals for these types of services.

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