Sister Twins Suffer Strokes At 26: Birth Control And Smoking Could Cause Strokes In Younger Victims

With a growing trend of stroke victims in at a young age, Kathryn and Kimberly Tucker have illustrated that common activities like smoking or taking birth control to potentially factor into the epidemic.

Kathryn suffered a stroke last July which went undiagnosed for three days, reported ABC News.

"I was absolutely terrified," said the 26-year-old senior care coordinator of an Arizona insurance company.

"I slept for three days straight. Then, when I woke up, my vision was horrible. Everything was distorted and one-dimensional. I could barely get around."

While Kathryn felt the initial symptoms of sharp pains on the right side of her head, Kimberly suffered a similar fate nine months later on the left side.

"Honestly, it's rare for us to actually evaluate two sisters who've had strokes within months of each other," said vascular neurologist Dr. Joni Clark.

"It's quite uncommon."

Clark continued to talk about the rising trend of strokes in those under 45, which has reportedly jumped 14 to 20 percent.

"Here at Barrow, we see a huge population of stroke patients and, in my own experience, which is anecdotal, I see a fair number of young people with stroke."

Allegedly, the twins also shared lifestyle traits that are linked to increase the probability of stroke in young people, including smoking and taking birth control.

Kathryn, unfortunately, also had a patent foramen ovale (PFO), a small hole in her heart, which could also have contributed to her stroke.

Since the incident, Kathryn has stopped smoking and taking birth control pills to help her prognosis.

"Don't think you are impervious to stroke," warned Kathryn's fraternal twin Kimberly.

"We think we are invincible until we are not. This taught us a huge lesson that we are not guaranteed great health and we need to take care of our bodies."