My hangover was actually a stroke when I was only 23 years old

Alex Bowles woke up with a throbbing headache and put it down to a hangover after eating dinner and drinking with friends the night before.

She spent most of the weekend at home hoping to get better.

But on Monday, the then 23-year-old’s head hurt so much that she described feeling like “half her head was gone”.

She was also sick, and when her cleaner arrived the next day and noticed that Alex was slurring her words and making no sense, she ended up in the hospital.

There, doctors discovered that she had both a clot and a bleed in her brain.

As a result, she could not read, write, understand or speak properly.

Alex, 32, from Brentwood, Essex, still struggles with fatigue and comprehension and was shocked when her mother also suffered four years after her stroke.

She said: “I had dinner and a drink with my friends on Friday night and the next day I felt terrible. “I had a few G&Ts so my headache is from a hangover.

“When I went shopping I felt so uncomfortable that I had to sit down. So I spent the rest of the weekend at home, getting sicker, feeling weak and wishing the pain in my head would go away.

“I didn’t go to work on Monday and when I spoke to a friend that evening, I told her it felt like half my head was gone.” That’s the only way I can describe it. I was sick that night and the next day.

“It’s so hard to explain how horrible it all was.” My feeling was that something was wrong, and it was more than just a hangover. But being myself, I always thought it would go away soon.”

After four days of feeling unwell, Alex’s cleaner came to her house and immediately knew she needed help.

Alex said: “I started talking to my cleaning lady and assumed I was being completely logical, but in reality I was babbling and gibberish.” The more I talked, the more worried my cleaning lady became.

“Fortunately, she called my mother, who immediately rushed there and called an ambulance.”

Paramedics quickly arrived at Alex’s home. They realized something was seriously wrong and rushed her to Queen’s Hospital in Romford.

Four years after Alex’s stroke in 2018, the family was struck by lightning twice, and her mother Karen also suffered a stroke. Take a photo with you

She said: “When I got there, there were a few delays at first.” And as time went on, I got worse and worse. As I lay on the hospital floor in my pajamas, I was a complete mess. I was constantly told to sit up, but physically I couldn’t. I finally found a bed.

“The shift doctors thought I had ‘excessive headaches’.” But luckily one doctor saw fit for me to get a CT scan before I went home. After waiting even longer, I finally got the scan that showed I had a massive stroke.”

Alex had both an ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke – a clot and a bleed in her brain.

She said, “I had a stroke called sigmoid sinus thrombosis with extensive subarachnoid hemorrhage.”

“I was told that the stroke was probably caused by a combination of things: a long-haul flight I took to Las Vegas the previous month, steroids I was taking for ulcerative colitis, and birth control pills.”

The Stroke Association says the pill is associated with a slightly higher risk of stroke, but warns that the risk is “very low”.

Alex spent two weeks in the hospital with her mother Karen by her side.

She said: “When I was told I had a stroke I didn’t record it because I felt so unwell. “I was extremely frustrated. I didn’t understand why I had trouble speaking properly.

“I could listen to my mother and know exactly what she was saying, but I couldn’t have a full conversation with her no matter how hard I tried. I kept coming up with random words.”

After his release, Alex relied on family and friends. Her mother constantly looked after her and took her to every doctor’s appointment.

She said: “I became less confident, less outgoing and increasingly emotional and angry.” For six months I could only talk to one person at a time. If there were more, the noise would annoy me. I was also very tired all the time.’

At the time, Alex worked at an animal shelter and as an administrative assistant at a day care center, but the stroke kept her out of work for a year.

She underwent occupational therapy at Brentwood Community Hospital.

She said: “I had to do a lot of therapy and brain exercises, which was very difficult for me.” I learned simple tasks and I wanted to shout: I am not a child. But I had to relearn so much.

“I was reluctant to accept that I was ‘different’, which made me very angry and sad.” Life as I knew it changed completely.

“I still suffer from the side effects of the stroke.” Even simple jokes can be hard for me to understand. Even when I talk to people, I sometimes lag behind, which makes me feel isolated.’

Four years after Alex’s stroke in 2018, the family was struck by lightning twice, and her mother Karen also suffered a stroke.

Alex said: “I was at home when my brother called me and told me my mother had a stroke and was in hospital. She had a headache the night before an event and someone noticed that she was not speaking properly.

“When I saw her, I realized she had similar problems to me. She struggled to find the right words and felt angry and defeated. I could certainly imagine how she must have felt.’

Karen, then 53, said: “When I had a stroke, I felt very confused and weak in my right leg and arm.”

“For a while I couldn’t remember ever having family or friends and I had to put sticky notes in the kitchen to remind myself to eat.”

“I still have problems with it now.” When I get tired, I can stumble because my right leg becomes sluggish. I also get confused when there is too much going on, but I just accept it. “I’m very black and white now.”

Now, at the age of 32, Alex wants to turn this traumatic time in her life into something positive. “Time has passed and they say time is a healer. “I’ve come so far in nine years, worked hard on my rehabilitation and feel I’m now in a place where I want to help other young stroke survivors.”

Alex said: “Unlike me, Mum was only in hospital for a few days and didn’t get a lot of support when she left, I think because she was fine.”

“Mum took care of me after my diagnosis and then our roles were reversed and I was there to support her when she needed me.”

Karen, now 58, said: “When Alex had a stroke I helped her learn to read, write and socialize again.” It’s only now that she’s committed to raising stroke awareness that we’ve both realized how different we are from other people.”

After the dual diagnosis, mother and daughter, although still suffering from a stroke, run a successful business together: they own and operate Merrymeade Tea Rooms in Brentwood.

Alex said: “A stroke can frustrate us both, which can make running a business together quite a challenge. “But luckily we have strengths in different areas, so everything runs smoothly.”

Now, at the age of 32, Alex wants to turn this traumatic time in her life into something positive.

“Time has passed and they say time is a healer. “I’ve come so far in nine years, worked hard on my rehabilitation and feel I’m now in a place where I want to help other young stroke survivors.”

Alex is hosting a support group at the Merrymeade Tea Rooms on Wednesday 15 November from 10am to 11am.

She said: “I’m starting a group for stroke survivors or anyone whose life has been affected by it.” Whether it’s recently or years ago, we’re all in the same boat in one way or another.

“For years I just got on with things. But now that I’m older, I feel like my past affects me in different ways and it’s hard to find others who understand or can relate to it. Maybe together we can learn to accept the changes within us.”

Alex is also supporting a campaign by the Stroke Association charity to raise awareness of the impact of a stroke at a young age.

“I think there’s a stigma that strokes only happen to old people.” I hope my experience will identify signs of a stroke and help people know what to look out for. The right support is crucial. I don’t want anyone to feel as alone as I do.”

• The Stroke Association can offer support. Visit Stroke.org.uk