Neuro Fatigue After Stroke & Spoon Theory

Neuro fatigue after a stroke is frustrating to deal with and it’s a complex issue to treat. In this video, I walk you through common symptoms of neuro fatigue and how to explain it to others using Spoon Theory.

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Time Stamps
0:00 Intro
0:09 Neurofatigue symptoms
0:44 Good news & frustrations
1:20 History of spoon theory
1:55 Explaining spoon theory
5:24 Outro
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Medical Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as a substitute for medical advice or treatment from a physician or qualified healthcare provider. Talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise or therapy regimen.

[caritabirch]

spoon theory has changed my life! Especially the understanding that you can borrow spoons from the next day and really pay for it because you have less spoons to work with.

[brynyrdskynyrd]

Thank you for this. I had a stroke 6 months ago and at 29 years old it’s completely altered my life. I’ve recovered well and am able to walk and talk so I don’t “look” sick. I’ve felt so isolated and it’s like my friends and family can’t grasp what I’m going through. I cry every day from being so tired and lonely. This was very validating.

[JessLove]

Thank you this makes so much sense.. I had my stroke 3yrs ago right around when the COVID first came out and everything was shut down I didn't get to do my therapy when I was supposed to 😪 needless to say I have not recovered... My family and friends don't understand why I'm always tired I feel so alone

[normanmacfarlane]

Due to this I dance with suicidal thoughts because I get so frighteningly tired.
I get moments when I can see a future ahead but then I get so so very tired.
I no longer ever talk to my doctor about this issue. I go see him, get my bloods done and take the medication he prescribes.
I think, I hope it may get better .
Hope you are all well.

[lsnider]

thank you this was helpful for me to understand why I am so tired! My stroke was last week and I have been so wiped out, hey I cleaned house Sat and it must have used 20 spoons! Thank you again

[hemasookram]

Thanks for all of this. I had my stroke in February of this year it’s super difficult to wake up to this body everyday

[Coolmike]

That was so helpful, now I understand why I'm so tired and now I know what to do . Thank for the tip

[tenshiakui]

Had my stroke a little over a year ago, wish i had found your channel then, but it is nice to still have these now to help with recognition and understanding of what my new normal is.

[bellaspirit]

I haven't heard of that Spoon Theory I do remember getting tired rapidly sometimes just going to the couch if it was closer than the bed because I thought I was going to fall over from just being tired. I don't remember if I had expended any energy prior to those episodes but they were quite a few of them before they went away. Thankfully they did go away and thank you for this🎉

[brianmarshall]

Excellent explanation. I am 4-5 months into this "experience"... You can be as ambitious as you wish in your planning - but there is NO WAY you can accomplish even one tenth of it. The body just won't comply...

[briannajohnson]

Thank you so much for this, my dad just had a stroke last week and physically he has recovered so well in that little time, however mentally he’s just not there yet.

[theemilyelizabeth]

So glad I found your channel. Thank you! ❤️

[trevorstewart]

Thank you for validating that stroke recovery can have its ups and downs. Early in my recovery I was going "gang busters" with a "I got this" attitude and then I hit a wall of energy loss and apathy. It has taken a while to progress through that. I cook most of our meals as my wife still works a full day from home (she's 71) and I have noticed that standing to prepare the meal can be extremely tiring, requiring me to nap again for 30 mins (after the meal). This led me to a conclusion about energy conservation with the idea to think ahead and shape what I am doing to minimise this incessant drain of my precious energy. Sometimes I nap before a task that I know will be taxing, sometimes I will just sit and read a book (no screens) for an hour or so. But also note that a heavy meal of say steak or a lasagne can be equally draining, even though both of those can rebuild your reserve stamina/strength over the following hours. I have found that dietary iron intake can be very beneficial. I use red meats, oily fish, and dark green veg to build me up, but always a balanced diet of 100gms (3.5oz) veg, 100gms protein (meats, chicken, fish, eggs), and 100gms starch (potatoes, rice, couscous or pasta) per person which is enough for a sedentary office job. Plus, I try to exercise 2-3 times a week with a 10-15 minute walk, or a gardening equivalent (usually 1 hour). Sometimes I am too tired or "bushed" to do any of this so do not stress over it as that just wastes more energy. LOL

[donna]

What is lacking in the spoon demonstration is to show a parallel person who has not had a stroke and starts the day with 50 spoons. And as that non-stroke person goes through the day while the stroke person uses let's say 2 spoons just to shower the nonstroke person gets their whole morning hygiene routine done using 1 spoon. Even more telling would be that the nonstroke person actually ***gains*** a few spoons because the shower experience for them is energizing and costs so little to perform...not even close to 1 spoon. And then show side by side visually how each person goes through the day. A person without the stroke starts the day with not only significantly more energy spoons but also does not spend as much per activity as the stroke person.

[trevorstewart]

My chiropractor experienced a severe concussion while kite surfing (he's 70) which led him to consult a neurosurgeon friend about a recovery program for him. They likened the concussion to a stroke in its effects on the brain and from that he advised me about frequent "Naps" of not less than 30 minutes duration. I now take a nap about 2-3 times a day whenever I feel fatigued which rebuilds my "spoon bank". I prefer to use the example of a tank of "gas" or petrol in the car. I.E. you only have so much and when its low or gone its nap time. Some days that might be 3 times and sometimes I can train my brain to survive on one, albeit a 1 hour one about 4 or 5pm. The others I set my phone alarm to 11am and 2pm although it is an indicator not an absolute.

[cassiesteele]

I have a neurological disorder and I describe shower time as an event. With the spoon theories, that only gives me 3 events per day. It fits perfectly. Thank you for sharing. ❤

[curtpozzi]

I had my stroke in early March of this year. It hit the Pons region and affected my balance. I could use either side of my abilities, no effect on left or right. I can play my guitars no problem. I see your Vox amp( I have a Vox VT40). That's got to help my neuroplasisity! I walk a lot and made great progress along with my physical therapy. My wife helped me the most!! I'm going back to work next week, I've been off for 3 months and I'm on a few meds with some reductions on them. We can recover quite a bit from strokes if you fight it! Thank you for your insights.

[Jordanredux]

Thank you for explaining this I've tried to explain this to my parents and they just can't seem to understand, I'm running out of spoons and have to be very choosy about where I spend them, thanks again for your help

[cecimeci]

No matter what you explain to others, no explanation is possible

[lesleyrichards]

This is excellent. It makes such good sense. Thank you so much.