Stroke: Sufferer details his first symptoms – ‘I briefly lost the use of my arm’

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Stroke Association shares their new research found that 51 percent of people don’t realise where stroke ranks on the list of killer conditions. Around 18 percent also underestimate this serious medical emergency.

While stroke might be associated with older age and certain underlying conditions, Mr Eastick warned that you don’t have to be either of those.

The “young and fit” man suffered from a stroke as a 33-year-old in July 2020.

Now, Mr Eastick shared his first symptoms that pointed towards a stroke.

It all started when he was preparing his lunch, he recalls.

“I briefly lost the use of my arm for about 10 seconds and dribbled a bit but then continued making lunch.

“Then when I went into my next online session, I realised I couldn’t talk. 

“Nothing was coming out except the odd word. My client was saying, ‘Are you OK?’”

The signs Mr Eastick described are considered to be common warning signs of the medical emergency.

The NHS explains that different parts of your body might be affected depending on the exact part of your brain targeted by a stroke.

They share the main stroke symptoms form an acronym FAST.

The health service explains what to look for:

  • Face – the face may drop on one side, the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may droop
  • Arms – the person may not be able to lift both arms and keep them up because of weakness or numbness in an arm
  • Speech – the speech may become slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all; they may also struggle with understanding what you’re saying
  • Time – isn’t a sign but it stands for time to dial 999.

Mr Eastick continued: “My girlfriend Bex was out on a walk with our six-week-old baby Evie and as soon as she came back, she realised something was wrong as I was struggling to talk. 

“She called the ambulance and I was rushed into hospital.” 

When you spot the symptoms of a stroke, it’s important to act quickly, the NHS explains.

They advise to phone 999 “immediately” and ask for an ambulance.

Once Mr Eastick arrived at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, the stroke specialist treating him turned out to be one of his personal fitness clients.

A scan confirmed that Mr Eastick had suffered from a stroke. After, he was given drugs to dissolve the clot, which was blocking his blood supply.

Two years later, Mr Eastick has made a good recovery. His stroke was triggered by a “hole in the heart”, which allowed clots to travel between the chambers of his heart and up to his brain.

He had an operation to close this hole at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford last summer. 

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