"My mother, 60 yrs now, used to complain of headaches frequently. It ranged from mild to severe at different times. She mostly takes paracetamol as self - medication and other over - the - counter medications. She will never go to the hospital not until a fibroid that she had had to be operated on. Her vitals were checked as part of the preparations for impending surgery and she was pronounced hypertensive after consistent blood pressure checks. I do not remember the exact figures she had for the readings but I remember they were high hence her new diagnosis. So she was put on anti-hypertensives to stabilize her pressure before the surgery and ever since she's been on the medications for the past six years.
One day I noticed a change in the way she talks. Her fingers were clubbing and her mouth was kind of twisting. I quickly rushed her to see her doctor who asked we run some urgent scans and other investigations, after which a diagnosis of mild stroke plus facial palsy was made.
What?!
This is a woman taking her pressure medications alright with no omissions, yet she had been struck with mild stroke. But I remember the doctor and nurses, as part of the education given when she was newly diagnosed hypertensive, stated that lifestyle modifications play vital role in helping lower high pressure and preventing complications. Intake of low salt diet and low fat diet, quitting smoking and alcohol, exercising, avoidance of high saturated diet, reduction of weight if obesed, having enough rest periods are some of the modifications she was advised on.
But my mother, before the onset of the stroke ate everything everyone else ate at home, same quantity of salt and fat, working herself out and never having rest periods and other things she so desires as contrary to medical advise.
I just thank God she was not smoking or drinking, well, I cannot tell, but could have been worse I think.
So her medications were reviewed and she started keeping to the lifestyle changes. Two months on, I began to see positive changes and she became okay. The clubbing of the fingers and mouth-twisting were resolved. Her mild stroke got better too and she's now able to do her normal duties without a major help.
Medications do not just make it happen, your attitude and lifestyle counts"
Mr. Asare writes.
One day I noticed a change in the way she talks. Her fingers were clubbing and her mouth was kind of twisting. I quickly rushed her to see her doctor who asked we run some urgent scans and other investigations, after which a diagnosis of mild stroke plus facial palsy was made.
What?!
This is a woman taking her pressure medications alright with no omissions, yet she had been struck with mild stroke. But I remember the doctor and nurses, as part of the education given when she was newly diagnosed hypertensive, stated that lifestyle modifications play vital role in helping lower high pressure and preventing complications. Intake of low salt diet and low fat diet, quitting smoking and alcohol, exercising, avoidance of high saturated diet, reduction of weight if obesed, having enough rest periods are some of the modifications she was advised on.
But my mother, before the onset of the stroke ate everything everyone else ate at home, same quantity of salt and fat, working herself out and never having rest periods and other things she so desires as contrary to medical advise.
I just thank God she was not smoking or drinking, well, I cannot tell, but could have been worse I think.
So her medications were reviewed and she started keeping to the lifestyle changes. Two months on, I began to see positive changes and she became okay. The clubbing of the fingers and mouth-twisting were resolved. Her mild stroke got better too and she's now able to do her normal duties without a major help.
Medications do not just make it happen, your attitude and lifestyle counts"
Mr. Asare writes.
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