A stroke survivor whose only symptom was an inability to read is urging people to recognize unusual warning signs that could save lives. Gordon Robb, a 63-year-old from Bonnyrigg in Midlothian, Scotland, is now participating in a groundbreaking clinical trial investigating whether anti-clotting drugs can prevent future strokes and heart attacks in hemorrhagic stroke survivors.
Robb's experience last September was unlike typical stroke presentations. While most people associate strokes with facial weakness, arm numbness, or speech problems, his sole symptom was that written words suddenly became meaningless. «I was in the garden, went in to have a cup of tea, listen to some music and check my emails on my phone – and it was like they were in a foreign language,» he explained. «I could see them clearly, and see who they were from, but the words meant nothing to me.»
The former biotech company vice-president initially dismissed his symptoms as fatigue. When friends messaged him about the Ryder Cup that evening and he couldn't read the messages, he simply went to bed early. It was his cousin who insisted he visit A&E – a decision made more urgent by her husband's death from a sudden stroke just three weeks earlier.
Rare symptom affects less than 1% of stroke patients
Difficulty recognizing written words as the only stroke symptom affects fewer than one percent of patients at the time of their stroke. Doctors diagnosed Robb with a hemorrhagic stroke, caused by bleeding on the brain. «I am incredibly lucky, and quite honestly felt like a fraud in the stroke ward because I was no different to how I am normally, except that I suddenly could not read words,» he said.
He emphasized the critical importance of seeking immediate help: «I knew some of the classic signs of a stroke like facial weakness, being unable to raise my arms or speech issues, but had none of these. It just shows the importance of paying attention to unusual symptoms, even if they aren't ones you have heard of before. If I hadn't gone to the hospital, and quickly received treatment, I could have been walking around with a ticking time-bomb in my head.»
Clinical trial tests anti-clotting drugs
Robb is now enrolled in the Aspiring study, led by academics at the University of Edinburgh and funded by the British Heart Foundation. The trial investigates whether antiplatelet drugs clopidogrel or aspirin can reduce the risk of future strokes, heart attacks, and premature deaths in people who have experienced a hemorrhagic stroke. Robb is currently taking clopidogrel as part of the research.
Professor Rustam Al-Shahi Salman, the trial's lead researcher, addressed long-standing medical concerns about using blood-thinning medications after brain bleeds. «It has been hard to overcome the instinctive fear that if people have had a haemorrhagic stroke, taking aspirin or a drug like it might cause more bleeding,» he said. «So we were very relieved when our research showed such drugs to be safe after a haemorrhagic stroke.»
The professor added that the Aspiring study will gather further evidence to establish if the drugs can help lower future risks. «I believe there is a huge amount more to be done to help these people, whose lives have been turned upside down and who may be concerned about the future,» he said.
Trial participation offers hope
For Robb, who remains a keen cyclist and runner, participating in the research provides both personal reassurance and broader purpose. «Being involved in this trial provides some reassurance, that this drug may reduce my risk of another stroke,» he said. «But it is also great to know that being involved could help improve treatment for people like me in the future, and relieve the pressure on the health system.»
His symptoms have improved, though he now takes longer to read and occasionally struggles to find the right word during conversations. «I feel extremely lucky that I did not have more long-term effects from my stroke, and that I have had the chance to try to help improve treatments,» he said.
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation, reinforced the importance of recognizing all potential stroke symptoms. «Facial weakness, arm or leg weakness and speech problems are well-known signs you or your loved one may be having a stroke, but there are some lesser-known symptoms like being unable to recognise the written word,» she said. «If you have a symptom that you feel is not right, however strange or unusual, it is really important to seek help. Every minute matters if you may be having a stroke or other medical emergency.»
She highlighted the foundation's commitment to protecting stroke survivors: «We know stroke survivors often fear having another stroke and how disabling this could be. That is why the BHF is funding clinical trials like Aspiring, which will test whether prescribing antiplatelet drugs could protect more people.»
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
