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NJ cardiologist suffers stroke likely due to COVID-19
Dr. Troy Randle discusses his experience with recovering from COVID-19.
PHILADELPHIA - A New Jersey cardiologist suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot while he was recovering from COVID-19. Health experts believe that the stroke was likely a result of Dr. Troy Randle's infection with the COVID-19 disease.
Dr. Randle, who is the Program Director of the cardiology fellowship at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine and also provides support at Virtua, joined Good Day Philadelphia to discuss his experience after came down with symptoms near the end of March.
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Immediately, Dr. Randle quarantined himself as the symptoms swiftly became more severe.
One of the prominent symptoms among the nine listed by the CDC is a headache, which Dr. Randle explained were most noticeable within the first two days of his illness.
The cardiologist also noted other symptoms such as a non-productive cough, fever, and body aches.
Briefly after Dr. Randle began to recover from COVID-19, his symptoms resolved but the headaches returned with a fierceness.
The headaches were so severe that it sent him to the ER, which is when he was diagnosed with the stroke.
From: Dr. Troy Randle
At that time, the side effect of strokes was unknown for the medical community and Dr. Randle was not responding to analgesic treatment for the headaches, which indicated that something else was impacting his health.
To his surprise, he learned that he had suffered a stroke due to a blood clot -- a side effect of COVID-19 that medical experts are commonly seeing.
Strokes are caused by a loss of blood to the brain and can result in severe damage. If not treated right away, either by surgery or medication, a stroke can prove fatal.
For Dr. Randle, the stroke was fortunately proved to be less life-threatening than it potentially could have been.
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"I just suffer from mild dizziness if I move too rapidly," Dr. Randle explained in an update about his current health. "When you think about the morbidity and mortality rate of strokes, I feel very blessed to be in the position that I'm in right now."
While Dr. Randle explains that he hasn't personally felt any significant changes to his health in the aftermath, his neurologist says he has suffered fine motor deficits.
In the last few weeks, the experience battling COVID-19 has really shown him that he isn't invincible.
"I think emotionally it was very difficult," Dr. Randle admitted. "I don't think I'm super human, but it is a gut check."
As a result, Dr. Randle has calibrated the pace at which he can work and notes a stronger perspective on the value of family and loved ones in light of his renewed health.
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