Hypersomnia

[koshik]

Hi, I would very much appreciate any feedback concerning my mother's hypersomnia.

She had her first ischemic stroke 8/08, in the right hemisphere. We were told she had very dense paralysis of her leg and arm. She went from not being able to hold her head up, to sitting up and being able to pull her arm and push her leg. Due to previous brain trauma/surgery, her progress was very slow. She was not walking and we started taking her to a physical therapy clinic that specialized in neurological deficits. With aggressive therapy they could get her to walk 100 ft. with two therapists supporting her on either side.

In March of this year she had a second stroke in the left hemisphere near the area where brain surgery had been previously done. This has been devastating. She is now paralyzed on her right side as well, although the paralysis is not as dense. Her speech is garbled. She has slept the last two months away, and because she's not alert enough the speech therapist is refusing a swallow test/swallowing therapy. She's been on a G-tube ever since the stroke. Her lack of alertness also means she's only getting passive range of motion, all PT has been stopped. She will be in a skilled nursing facility for another 6 weeks and then will come home. She is on a double dose of Provigil (modafinil), which seems to have have little effect. She cries out alot and asks for her mother and grandmother, who have passed away. My mother is only 73 and I miss being able to have a conversation with her. I am very saddened and discouraged.

[mothersick]

I, too, sent out a prayer for your mother.  My  mother, too, suffered a stroke on May 15th.  She also has hypersomnia.  She too mentions her dead family members, and my brother who recently died.  The sleep is caused by the location of the stroke.  If it is located in the midbrain, she cannot regulate her sleep cycles.   It isn't like real sleep.  
The brain is plastic and can heal.  Please do not let anyone tell you what the prognosis is (I myself am tired of hearing this).  The prognosis is undetermined.  It is not out of the question that her brain can heal.  If she can hear, encourage her always.

[sue_in_oz]

Hi

Also very sorry to hear about your mum's strokes :(

As youy know all strokes are different.  However the one thing we all seem to have in common is fatigue.  Just about everyone I know who has had a stroke has fatigue like no other fatigue they have ever experienced (in fact I am struggling to think of anyone who hasn't).  When you have fatigue, you sleep.  It's how our brains heal & take time out from excess stimulation.

You mum's poor brain has had a couple of bad injuries - it needs to heal - so please let it.  It is still early days (especially for the 2nd stroke).  By all means get her to do stuff but let her rest when she needs to.  Its about finding a balance between pushing yourself & pacing yourself.

Please keep loving & supporting your mum, she needs you.

HTH

Sue

[koshik]

Thanks for your kind comments, I really appreciate any thoughts or prayers for her.

The doctors have never clarified where the strokes originated from. I am assuming that it was due to cholesterol plaque and could be from inactivity, diabetes, hypertension and/or hyperlipidemia.

Has anyone ever dealt with stroke and hypersomnia?

[rangahome]

I'm very sorry to hear about your mom and my prayers for her well-being and recovery.

Have you figured out the cause for her second stroke? Did she develop any clots due to lessened activity?

Dont worry much about the G-tube. As I understand, one can have it for even upto 2 years or so. It only helps meeting her nutritional needs.