Aubrey Plaza, known for her role in “The White Lotus,” recently shared a terrifying health scare she experienced when she was 20 years old. During an interview on SiriusXM’s “The Howard Stern Show,” Plaza described the aftermath of a stroke she suffered while attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Plaza recalled that the stroke occurred while she was having lunch with friends in Queens, New York. She suddenly became paralyzed and even lost the ability to speak. The paralysis lasted for about a minute, during which time Plaza feared that she would never be able to speak again.
In a previous interview on NPR’s “Fresh Air” program, Plaza revealed that her friends initially thought she was joking when the incident happened. However, they soon realized the seriousness of the situation and called 911. Paramedics initially suspected drug use due to her young age but later discovered that Plaza had indeed suffered a stroke.
Plaza was taken to a hospital in Queens where doctors examined her and confirmed that she had experienced a stroke. They suggested that the birth control medication she had been taking may have played a role in triggering it. Following this incident, Plaza decided to stop taking hormonal birth control altogether.
According to research published in Frontiers in Neurology, oral contraceptives can increase the risk of strokes in women due to elevated estrogen levels causing excessive blood clotting.
After spending some time in hospitals receiving treatment and therapy, Plaza regained her ability to speak and write. However, she still experiences transient ischemic attacks or mini-strokes from time to time.
Reflecting on this frightening experience, Plaza now values life more deeply and tries not to take things too seriously or get caught up in trivial matters. She has adopted an attitude of making the most out of every day because life is short.
Plaza’s story serves as a reminder of how precious life is and highlights potential risks associated with certain medications like hormonal birth control pills.
