I thought my memory loss and clumsiness were the menopause but it was much worse
Pamela Hobbs, 55, is a former child and family worker. She is divorced, lives in Cambridgeshire and has two adult sons. Last year, after suffering a series of strange symptoms she assumed were menopause-related, Pamela made a shocking discovery about her health…
Settling into bed one night last October, as I lay down on my left-hand side I could hear a strange ‘whoosh whoosh’ sound in my left ear. It wasn’t painful, just very odd. But eventually I managed to ignore it and fall sleep.
A day or so later, I was at home when my vision went blurry. For about five minutes I couldn’t focus. Somewhat alarmed, I made an appointment with my GP immediately who agreed that something could be seriously wrong and referred me for an MRI scan.
After the scan, as the consultant at the hospital looked at my notes he gave me some shocking news. There was evidence of a stroke. I couldn’t believe it. I’d had none of the usual symptoms – face drooping, arm weakness or speech difficulties.
I’d had none of the usual stroke symptoms – face drooping, arm weakness or speech difficulties.
"Look at me," I said. "I look normal. I feel fine." But he was adamant, telling me, "Ms Hobbs, you have had a stroke, there is no doubt about it. I don’t know when but it must have been a silent stroke, which is why you had none of the symptoms you know about."
For a while I was in total denial and wanted to see a copy of the report. I asked whereabouts the stroke had occurred. And when he said it had been in the back of my brain, everything slotted into place.
Cluster headaches
Because suddenly I thought back to 2019 when something very strange happened. I’m more aware than most about head pain having suffered from migraines and 'cluster headaches' since my twenties.
These are incredibly painful, like someone jabbing an ice-pick in my head. They only ever occurred in the left of my head but I’d also dribble from the left of my mouth, my left nostril would run and my left eye would weep.
The only thing that helped was a pre-filled syringe of a drug called Sumatripan which I kept at home. Usually within seven minutes my cluster headache would disappear. Thankfully, I hadn’t had one for many years.
I was crying with pain, begging them to take me to hospital as I knew something wasn’t right. But they insisted nothing was wrong.
But that day in 2019 I had what I thought was a cluster headache in the lower back of my head. It came on suddenly and was horrifically painful. I used my syringe but it didn’t do anything. I took codeine but nothing relieved the agony.
I ended up calling an ambulance and the paramedics took my vitals and said it was probably just a migraine. But I was crying with pain, begging them to take me to hospital as I knew something wasn’t right. But they insisted nothing was wrong. I didn’t have any stroke symptoms and after some time, they left me in the armchair at home in silence, waiting for the pain to disappear, which it did after around five hours.
Unexplained clumsiness
After this incident I became more clumsy than I had been previously and the cluster headaches returned. I was constantly dropping cups and plates. I fell off a small stepladder twice while decorating my bedroom. But I didn’t connect the dots to the sharp headache I’d had in the back of my head. In fact, I put it down to menopause.
I tried vitamin supplements – magnesium, potassium, vitamin B12 – in the hope I could heal my body naturally. I was never offered HRT, even when the doctor confirmed I was menopausal a few months later.
Memory loss
Forgetfulness was creeping in. I’d forget certain words, I was having to write more lists and re-read pages of books because I’d forgotten I’d read them.
I became depressed. Nothing made sense anymore. I couldn’t understand why I was so clumsy, so forgetful. Although I loved my job, I couldn’t work through it. It was so awful that as one point I even attempted suicide. Thankfully, I ended up calling 111 and survived. But I was at my lowest ebb.
I’d forget certain words, I was having to write more lists and re-read pages of books because I’d forgotten I’d read them.
What added to my anguish was that my health in other respects was fairly good. My weight was normal, my cholesterol ok and I don’t drink much alcohol.
My son gave me some money to see a private doctor and he gave me more medication called Verapamil to help with the headaches. After that, I went for more than a year with barely any headaches. If I did get them, they were mild.
The shocking truth
After discovering I’d had a silent stroke and after looking into it, I realised that others had experienced it too and so many people are undiagnosed.
I really struggled to accept it at first. How can anyone have a stroke and not know?
I really struggled to accept it at first. How can anyone have a stroke and not know? I joined Wisbech and District Stroke Club which has helped me realise that I’m not alone. Even young people in their 20s and 30s can have silent strokes. Yet too many people – even medical professionals – do not know about silent strokes and I’m determined to make people more aware.
No one can say what caused my stroke yet. I’ve had a CT scan and I’m having more tests to find out whether the 'whoosh whoosh' sound is connected. I’ve been put on ramapril tablets for my blood pressure to help reduce the chances of another and I’m waiting to hear if I need more drugs.
The key to getting a diagnosis is asking for an MRI scan. These are expensive and doctors are reluctant to send you for one unless they suspect a stroke. But if you know your own body and know that something is seriously wrong, perhaps you have a headache unlike any other, or you’re dizzy or can’t walk, then push for a scan. It may well save your life.
Read more about strokes:
Warning signs of a stroke as NHS warns not to delay calling 999 (Yahoo Life UK, 9-min read)
Husband saves wife’s life after spotting signs she was having a stroke (Yahoo Life UK, 8-min read)
Stroke signs strike 10 years before the life-threatening event, study suggests (Yahoo Life UK, 3-min read)
