A stroke can be fatal — every day, 23 Australians die from a stroke. Among those who survive, 1 in 3 will have a long-term disability due to their stroke and are likely to always need help with talking, moving and self-care. Long-term complications of a stroke may include: weakness or lack of movement (paralysis) in your limbs difficulty speaking or swallowing difficulty reading or writing shoulder pain feeling tired (fatigue) or depressed changes to how things feel when you touch them (sensory problems) changes to how you see or understand things (perceptual problems) problems thinking or remembering (cognitive problems) problems with bowel or bladder control (incontinence) problems controlling your feelings and emotions Complete recovery is often possible since the brain learns to compensate for any damage. However, many people never fully regain their former abilities.