Maintaining balance after a stroke

@suspenseful (40193)
Canada
October 24, 2008 10:28am CST
I do not mean maintaining your sense of worth, but when you have to be careful of walking on uneven ground because your balance mechanism does not work. That is what has happened to my husband. He can now grasp things a little, but if he turns suddenly, he will fall and his muscles are not strong enough to pull him up and I have to help. He says I do not understand, but I am not that emotional, and I do not have my heart on my sleeves so I do not react as he wants. But I was wondering how long will this go on. Will my husband regain his sense of balance, or will that be forever? And if he does, how long does it happen and is there anyway for him to get it back by exercise, etc?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
25 Oct 08
SOunds like the inner ear has been effected have you had them check that out! and if he is like this I would sugjest a cane for a walker is hard to push over uneven ground.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
26 Oct 08
He has a cane and is thinking about a walker. So it looks like he is getting worse. I have not noticed any change, but he does depend on me to hang onto him when we go over uneven ground. So does it mean that he is getting better? I do think the gym he has his physiotherapy at does not give an accurate picture because the ground is level. Outside it is uneven and that is where he can show how bad he is.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
27 Oct 08
MEn are clingy at times like this. and some people that havent had a stroke can get off balance on uneven ground when they get older the stroke has just made it show up more and sooner. Its sad when I person has a stroke and then puts it in their mind that they wont walk again or drive again and this way they dont get better. My mom thought that back in 2004 thats she wouldnt walk right again or drive again . Well I worked with her and when I figured the only time she used the walker was on ice which was god then. But then she could walk good any where else I put the walker up and she didt use it again. now since her last stroke she uses a cane. she is 88 years old and she drove from 2004 till stoke she had in 2007 and we had to stop her from driving for she would get lost. Now we have her in an assistant living home for she wouldnt come live with any of us kids! and they take all her check! So working witht hem and putting in head that they will get better helps a whole lot!
• United States
24 Oct 08
Those questions are hard to answer because each person is different. It is difficult to say. As for the reaction he wants from you, he wants you to be upset so you will agree to move into special assisted living housing or a home. You are so vital that I cannot see you being happy with that. I guess it depends on what it entails.
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@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
26 Oct 08
I figure that much. He is not getting a rise out of me. And I hope he does not want me to be depressed because with that threat of br*st cancer and if that causes it to come, that would be worse.
1 person likes this
@Munchkin547 (2778)
24 Oct 08
Strokes affect different people in different ways, it depends on which part of the brain is affected. It may be that there is some permanent damage to his sense of balance, although there could well be something that could be done to help. A lot of the time physiotherapists are involved in rehabilition of people who have had strokes, i would imagine that the hospital would be able to refer him if they have not done so already. If he can't get his full balance back though, things will still probably get better as he will learn to compensate for not being able to get his balance as well, for example by turning more slowly or holding onto things, these are things that he will have to get in the habit of doing, again a physiotherapist should be able to help him with these ways of managing the problem. As for you not reacting in the way that he wants, there is no set way of dealing with these things and if your way isn't to become emotional, then there is nothing wrong with that. it must be very frustrating for your husband to be going through this time, but also difficult for you, you perhaps need to talk about ways you can work through it together and understand how the other is feeling. xxx
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@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
26 Oct 08
I figure he is depressed because of it. We are getting railings for the front, but our bathroom door is only so wide, so we may have to change the rooms a bit to get it fixed. He went to physiotherapy but they said it is doing him no good. I do not know whether it is permanently damaged or it will take a longer time to get it done. He sits around the house most of the time, and the only time he walks is going to eat, or to the washroom.
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@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
26 Oct 08
I think so, but right now he is sitting playing monopoly and he wants me to bring the lunch to him instead of going to the table. Oh he does that for supper, but he is sitting down most of the time, The only time is when we go out or to the washroom.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Oct 08
the more he gets up and moves around, the faster he will get'back what he has lost. My mom had a stroke, and she made everyeffort to keep trying to walk and move around, and it really did work too as just months after her stroke she was already doing her own house work and moving really well. so yes he can recover in due course of time, but he cannot expect it to go as fast if he does not reallytry to get up and move more,sitting too long wont do it.
1 person likes this
• Dominican Republic
25 Oct 08
I suffered a stroke fifteen years ago and I still have some problem keeping my balance. If I turn suddenly I get deeze and if I don`t have something to hold on probably fall. Pardom my english for it is not my first language. Your husband will have always to be carefull on sudden moves. Doctors told me I recovered what they call 100%, I had problem speaking clearly, was confined to a wheelchair, could not move my right arm for about 6 months, had to become left-handed and still don`t have sufficient right hand and fingers speed to write on my keyboard using both hands, so I write with my both indexes fingers. Your husband should continue to attend his therapy sessions like I did and expect nothing but try harder every day and movement will come back slowly. I still walk with a little swing. Dijon42
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@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
26 Oct 08
The therapist is on holiday right now, and he has exercises to do at home, but does he do them? NO. He does want an excuse to get into a plus 55 apartment. I heard there are some exercises he can do, like do situps in bed since then he will just have to move his feet over the edge to get up and since he lies in bed to sleep, but because I suggest them, he would not do them.