Student thought his stroke was a 'bad hangover'

Jameel Razak says his experience "has shown me what I’m made of"

A student who mistook the onset of a stroke for a bad hangover has urged others to be alert to the symptoms.

Jameel Razak, 25, returned to his home in Norton, near Stockton, after socialising with friends in March 2022.

Within hours he was unable to stand, struggled with hand-eye co-ordination and was suffering numbness, sickness and headaches.

He was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton, where he spent 17 days receiving treatment.

The Leeds University undergraduate was admitted to the stroke ward.

Mr Razak, who was weeks away from graduating, had persuaded his parents to "let me be for the night" after the symptoms emerged.

“I was pretty confident that I’d wake up after a sleep and I’d be good as new. Maybe it was just a little blip," he said.

But when he woke the follow day his symptoms worsened, prompting his parents to phone an ambulance.

Doctors carried out an ultrasound probe, known as a transoesophageal echocardiogram, and found a small hole in his heart.

It meant blood, and potentially clots, were able to flow between the heart valves and into other parts of his body, including the brain.

He was discharged and continued to receive physical and cognitive therapy.

He has since received keyhole surgery at Newcastle's Freeman hospital, which should prevent the recurrance of a stroke.

'Call 999'

Mr Razak, who now wants to raise awareness about strokes, has since enjoyed a "new lease of life".

He said: “I missed out on a lot last year.

“Having a stroke has shown me what I’m made of.

"I didn’t think I could ever go through something like that and come out the other side a better person, a better version of myself."

He now plans to finish his university course.

The NHS said anyone who is suffering from suspected stroke symptoms should call 999 immediately.