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Hello all: I had a NASAH almost a year ago on November 13, 2014. Like many others I had the quick onset of a brutal headache like nothing I had ever had before. Having suffered migraines in the past I knew that this was different. And bad. It felt like my skull was being pulled down into my shoulders and the back of my head felt like it was on fire. An ice pack did nothing but aggravate me and Tylenol 3 didn't even touch it. I had my daughter drive me to the Emergency Room at Lethbridge Regional Hospital. By this time I was slurring my words, what words I could actually get out. I had a hard time concentrating and wasn't able to form sentences. An experienced ER doctor recognized immediately what was wrong and got me straight in to a CT scan which revealed the bleed. It was determined that it was too cold that night for STARS so they put me in an ambulance and within 3 hours of my initial onset I was in Calgary Regional Hospital in the Neuro Sciences ward. There I underwent another CT-A scan, An MRI, an Angiogram and an ultrasound. They couldn't find the source of the bleed and determined that it must have burst and then immediately sealed itself off. I was very lucky in that I required no surgery. The headaches that followed have ranged just like the neurosurgeon said they would. "Your headaches will vary in Location, Duration and Intensity for anywhere from 6 to 18 months" I've experienced the feeling of ants crawling around up there to the feeling of a rusty axe embedded in the back of my skull. I've felt like my brain was a fat guy wearing spandex that was too small to the vice clamping down on my temples. Along with a myriad of other feelings that are just too long to list. I returned to work after 3 months on a graduated return to work but was unable to keep up the pace. I went back on long term disability for another 3 months and went through exhaustive rehabilitation therapy. Physical, mental and emotional therapy ensued until now I'm doing another graduated return to work. I'm now on 6 hour days 3 days a week. It seems to be working but I'm only at the half way point so we will see how it goes. The headaches have evolved to mostly tight pressure headaches and the occasional axe to the back of the head feeling. I still struggle emotionally. I have a very hard time dealing with stress in any form. It causes more headaches and I just lock up and shut down. I can't think and can't even function. Most times I just have to walk away. My short term memory is pretty much shot. Its kind of like throwing Jello at the wall. Some of it sticks... most of it doesn't. I've found a LOT of help already in the forums here and offer any help I can to others going through the same thing. Feel free to message me if you have questions. I'm a pretty open book and can talk openly about most anything. Good luck to all Frank

Wow Frank you need as much time out from professional life as you think you can afford (an more, even if this means a life change I reckon)... I am thinking along these lines with my family at the moment. It is a hard decision to make. Since my NASAH on June 2, massive headache one afternoon, unconscious two minuteslater, helicoptered to the neurological emergency room in the city centre, then 6 weeks hospital. I've had exactly what you said in your message ""Your headaches will vary in Location, Duration and Intensity for anywhere from 6 to 18 months"" .... sometimes these are really invasive and scary but they have vastly diminished in the last two months (screens make them worse). Meanwhile, I will have to return to hospital in December for a few days tests including an LP which I'm toying with the idea of telling them to give to someone else !! Oh yes, and my memory has just evaporated, no longer just a question of lack of concentrtion but really whole conversations and events from yesterday fade away like ghosts like they never existed and I am quite shocked when someone insists enough on the fact that I have just forgotten and not that the event never existed. Concentration span of a house fly too. Hope this starts to improve, I'd hate to have to write reminders everywhere. Look after yourself, make sure the head pain at the back of the head isn't vasospasms, these should be seen to an sorted if it's the case. A friend sent me a short but spot on article on brain injuries on Facebook. How can I get this to you / to BTG? Sammy Anne xx

Hi Davie! Great subject and one I've been embarrassed to talk about. So glad you brought it up. When I first got home I was so scared to sleep as I was sure there were ghosts in my room. I even swore I heard voices. I did have my sah in the bedroom while I was sleeping so I think that was part of it. Then my son brought in fleas from a job he had outdoors. You should have seen it. I was usually the one that never had them bother me but, of course, maybe medication, they picked my ankles to rest on. I was so scared and paranoid that I had to powder everything in the house. It looked really weird and I would have probably been put in an institution if anybody but my family saw it. Then it was spiders, etc etc etc. Oh...and mice. When I can't sleep I used to come downstairs and mess around on my computer. Unfortunately I happened to see a little mouse race in, grab a piece of cat food and run back out. I was petrified enough that I won't come down anymore. I'm about a year and a half out so am mellowing out a little bit. Thank God! You'll be better. Just try to say to yourself that it is a leftover of your SAH. I too wake up at night still (not always) but mostly because my ears are pounding so hard that the volume wakes me up. Don't put that in your head as something that might happen. I'm just weird. Ask Win. WONDERFUL picture by the way. It is so special. Baby adorable. Hope you feel better Davie. Keep coming hear and join the banter. There are probably lots of threads relating to fear. Love Carolynusa

I know colleen, I thought the same thing, put me out! Too be honest it wasn't that bad with just the right amount of sedation. Win, I would love to come to England...never been. My husband spent some time there for work and said it was nice. We live in Oregon, the fall here is absolutely beautiful but along with it comes environmental allergies and according to my allergist I'm allergic to almost every single one of them! Thank you again for your thoughtful comments. Very good talking to you. Debbie