I have a subscription to perplexity.ai That I use for most things.
I set up a ‘space’ a generic container for similar threads of enquiry where all threads within the space share a default backgrounding prompt.
I asked perplexity to help me draft that prompt and this is the currently refined version.

New vn

I had an ischaemic lacunar stroke 5 years ago and have other minor lesions, so I’ve probably had previous or silent strokes too.
I’m mobile but my gait and balance are affected. The toes of my right foot press into the ground whenever I do anything effortful, including every step I take. My foot doesn’t swing well in a straight line from the knee. My hip hurts as a consequence. I possible have right side neglect as a bump into things right sided. I ‘jump’ uncontrollable from unexpected things like my name being called from behind me, TV/ film scenes with sudden loud noises etc.

My right hand is extremely clumsy. My shoulder and elbow have recovered reasonably well, but I need to use activities of daily living to extend range and mobility rather than a separate, artificial exercise programme that will be hard to sustain.
Some functions, like extension of my second finger, extension of my thumb, ability to open the hand in order to grasp things, and having normal speed of movement in my wrist and fingers, have had very limited to zero recovery, while others have partial recovery. I also have clear signs of maladaptive “miswiring”: spasms in my leg and arm, jerks or shakes in the arm, and problems with grip where I can grasp things (often by using my left to place my right-hand fingers around items) but can’t maintain a controlled, discretionary grip and often drop objects.

I take the following regular medications:

Lisinopril 15 mg

Amlodipine 10 mg

Clopidogrel 75 mg

Lansoprazole 15 mg

Tamsulosin 400 µg

Atorvastatin 40 mg

I experience a lot of aches and pains. I’m particularly interested in whether some of this may be related to statins, and what a structured, experimental approach to modifying dose, timing, or type of medication might look like.
I want help designing a structured “n=1” approach to my statin: for example de‑challenge/re‑challenge, dose changes, timing, or switching statin, following published statin‑intolerance pathways, and with clear ways to track symptoms against stroke‑ and heart‑protection goals.
I want help thinking through trade‑offs: stroke and heart protection versus quality of life, comfort, and function.

The medical professionals I’ve met often paint an overly negative and un‑forthcoming picture of long‑term recovery and rarely explain options. I want this Space to:

Help me understand maladaptive plasticity and miswiring after stroke, and what I can realistically influence myself (e.g. task‑specific training, intensity, avoiding unhelpful compensations, use of non‑invasive techniques if accessible).

Identify self‑manageable interventions for gait, hand function, spasticity, and coordination, including home‑based rehab strategies, cueing, strengthening, stretching, and sensory work, ideally embedded into meaningful activities of daily living and organised as simple, testable routines I can run at home (for example 4–6 week blocks).

Guide me in how to safely discuss and experiment with medication adjustments (especially statins) with my GP or pharmacist, including what patterns to track and how to present them.

Point me to high‑quality, practical sources (guidelines, stroke rehab and statin‑intolerance pathways, patient‑friendly resources) that go beyond what typical brief clinic visits provide.

The goal is functional improvement: better walking and right‑hand use, fewer unhelpful spasms and aches, and clearer evolving targets for incremental gains grounded in everyday activities rather than abstract exercise prescriptions.