Cerebral Small Vessel Disease - How are you coping?

@nancywootten Hi Nancy, do you have any favorite dishes to eat? Do you have favorite cookbooks or chef online you watch for vegan fat free meals? I have not made a profile just yet but will soon. I have Atherosclerosis, I was told it was mild about 3 years ago. I have sick since in lots of different ways since. So I have not had to check since. I am almost afraid to check on it now. Eating low-fat and no meat would be great to do. I have done before in my life just not seriously like I want to now. I am waiting on an apartment. It will be even easier to eat this way after I move, Thanks for your time._____Carolyn

@jeans ive had 3 strokes and only got told last year that i have a cavernoma thats been there tears but now its bled a few times. Hope your well

Thank you gor sharing your experience.

Dr Pulliam, years ago, told me I had this. I did not really pay attention at the time. I witsh that I had!!
Now, i have major problems with it!!
He told me do not bend over or put my head down like that. He was spot on. If i bend over with my head down, down i got in a faint.
Dr Pilliam said to tell every medical person who touches me that I have this vascular disorder/dieade???
I do, some ask: what is that? None seem to care.

It helps me knowing laying down makes it better for you. Laying fown definately help mr!!
Sorry about spelling, loosing my eye sight.... i have had two strokes. Seizures. Damaged nerves back of ryes.
I wish you all the best.
Rise slowly it help little.
Ann

@tcainaru hello i am 58 and got small blood vessel and i got a brain of a 75 year man and i keep real bad headaches and my muscles hurt all the and hard to walk

@timothymay58 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Feeling like you have a brain of someone more than a decade older than you are would be challenging. Headache and muscle pain also are difficult.

Fellow members in this discussion such as @4leigh @tcainaru @foundryrat743 and others here may have some input for you related to the issues you mentioned with walking, headaches and muscle aches, in addition to feeling as though your brain is older than it is.

What has your doctor recommended for therapy for these symptoms you mentioned?

@timothymay58 Hello, sir! I am answering as foundry rat! I worked and retired from a foundry, where I got severe sinus headaches! Also, now that I’m nearly 80, I have small vessel, white matter brain disease, proven by an MRI! Yes, I have headaches from that, different from sinus headaches! Mainly my joints ache, and muscles not so much. Also, walking is very difficult for me. I am not able to walk in a normal manner, like most other people! I used to be able to do that, for years! I would walk in a masculine, confident, swaggering manner, and now I’ve been reduced to having to make sure that I can walk in a straight line forwatd, without wandering a bit! I have to concentrate on that, and lifting each foot high enough to make normal like strides forward and big steps forward, rather than what my legs seem to want to do, which is, basically, shuffling at an uneven width and pace, going forward! I have been going to physical therapy, and watch and exercise to videos on YouTube that address walking, balance, and coordination problems! However, even though I’m working on neuroplasticity when I do these exercises, where my brain is relearning how to walk better, improve my balance and coordination, one must keep in mind, that I have been diagnosed with chronic polyneuropathy, where I have numbness and pins and needles sensations in both feet and arms, which causes problems for me, especially if I am walking on uneven ground! Also, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease 10 years ago, which makes my legs seemingly wanting to just shuffle along, in small step fashion! Then one must also consider, that, along with the brain white matter disease, I have, also, had 2 Lacunar strokes ( according to MRI scanning ), So, i guess I have many factors that have interfered with my ability to walk well, and explains why I have to concentrate on every single step forward! Because of arthritic and knee injuries, I walk with a cane, prescribed by an orthopedic doctor. One good thing is that my thinking doesn’t seem to be falling apart! Ha! Ha! I’ll be 80, in a couple months, and feel that I’m still as sharp, mentally, as I was at 50 years old! Good luck 🍀 to you!