21yr old stroke survivor

[JQ]

Hi, I'm a 21 yr old female who had a iscemic stroke 3 months ago caused by my pill. I'm almost back to normal now living my life which I was before the stroke.

I'm on clopidagrel to thin my blood which I need to be on forever.

I want to hear from anyone in the same age bracket - to talk to.

[nika26]

Hi,
I had ArterioVenous Malformation ruptured in my brain in 2005, at 27. Similar effect to stroke with all bad aftermath of it. Now I am getting better and just wonder if anyone knows a good high-risk ob/gyn and neurologist for headaches and dizziness in Chicago area? Me and my husband might think about a baby soon, but are too scared for rihgt now. I do not want to go just to any dr. as i had pretty bad experience with first neurosurgeon Tim Malisch, who instead of preventing AVM from rupturing sped it up. I would appreciate advice.
Thanks

[caregiver222]

Plavix is not the worst drug in the world, and I has a relatively good safety history. It is being inappropriately promoted, but that does not mean that a physician is negligent for prescribing it. As for "taking it the rest of your life", maybe and maybe not. There is a great deal of difference of opinion. A dissected artery is a tricky thing. Ther is high mortality, and you are aware of that. One of the almost unsolveable issues is whether the dissecdted artery is a localized "one-time" event or some kind of genetic vulnerability. Let's give an example. An atomobile accident with a sudden stop can cause a tear/injury that may eventually result in a dissected artery. Or a punch from a boxer. A fall from a high place can sometimes do the same thing. On the other hand some people have a genetic susceptability to this sort of thing. You need to searchg MEDLINE and the net and to constantly look at the current literature, which expands our knowledge of these events every day. I would follow your physicians recommendations for the short term, but constantly review the situation, preferably every six months, and certainly not less than once a year. Do get a second opinion.

[losingit2]

Ok, what if you had a stroke that was caused by a dissected artery and you are taking Plavix for the rest of your life?  Is that acceptable or reasonable?  I am 42 years old. I do not take birth control pills.

[caregiver222]

Excellent advice tressa999! My personal preference is for daily fish oil and garlic, a daily multi-vitamin, and paying special attention to good hydration. Ginko works well, however it is a powerful anti-coagulent, but I would hesitate to self-medicate with that herb in a post-stroke situation. It is difficult establish what dose of the herb you are getting.There are several other non-prescription herbal substances that promote blood flow and lubricosity. I hesitate to mention them in this post because they all have pros and cons. You might consider consulting a physician with a naturopathic orientation.

[Tressa999]

I definitely think you should get 2nd and 3rd opinion about lifelong blood thinners.  If you are no longer taking the medication that caused the stroke, then there are much safer alternatives to something as risky as you're taking--aspirin, garlic, fish oil, nattokinase, gingko, etc.

[caregiver222]

For the record, clopadagrel, or Plavix, is being pushed by Dr. Garret Fitzgerald of the University of Pennsylvania, as an alternative to aspirin that does not use the COX molecules. Bristol-Meyers manufactures clopadagrel, and is in the midst of a massive marketing effort to promote this expensive drug as well as keeping track of it's post-stroke utilization in a massive drug study, the ethics of which are getting mixed reviews. This is not to say that this drug is bad or harmful or to refleck adversely upon Dr. Fitzgerald. Many lifesaving treatments have been developed by the American drug companies. It is a fact, however, that there are many rice-bowls involved, and there is often more in the selection of a drug by a physician than meets the eye. Low dose aspirin has been safety tested for over a century.