Megan Erickson

I am now almost 4 years post non aneurism SAH and still get regular headaches. Weather and hormones affect it huge and I make sure to have T3 on hand at all times. It's not as bad as the first two years but it is still there as a dull ache. Not sure how many others are the same, but that has been my experience.

Although it was, now, over three years ago that I suffered my SAH I do remember having horrendous back/hip and leg pain. It was so bad that during the second angiogram I had spasms (almost like seizures) and it was dreadful. I had assumed it was because the bed I was in was an air bed - and I have always had hard/firm mattresses, so hearing this brought back some memories and understanding. I found great relief from my sciatic pain by seeing a chiropractor, however, I wasn't allowed anything to do with neck adjustments for about a year after my SAH. Massage was also helpful, but not as much... Rotation between heat and cold helped me a lot once I returned home. Thank you for sharing.

I suffered a 'no known cause' SAH myself three years ago. When I got out of the hospital I had extreme anxiety as well and it took until just over a month ago to finally be able to sleep through the night. For me it was a form of PTSD and I would get a second opinion on the suggestion of not medicating because you can't heal if you can't find peace and sleep/relax. I find sleep hypnosis has been a huge help for me - gives my mind something to focus on while I'm falling asleep and depending on the topic help me with other issues (self esteem, codependency, etc). Routine is key right now - make it a routine of now I do this and now I do the next step and your body will learn to do it on it's own but you have to re-teach it again. At least that is what I found. As for the memory loss - I was losing my cell phone 12-15 times an hour when I first got home. I went to the dollar store and bough 4 ugly place mats that I left around the house. I had to train myself that if I was going to put my phone down it had to be on one of the placemats - and then when I couldn't find the phone I would check the placemats first. You aren't alone and we do understand - and I know that helps me each and every day. Megan

Since my last post things were starting to get better, and by a lot. My optometrist gave me contacts to wear instead of glasses which rest on headache pressure points. I have also started walking 3-5 Kms a day with my dogs. Life has been pretty good, until this setback... We recently traveled to Saskatchewan from Alberta for a family gathering and I had a great time. I made sure to get in some walks to keep my health in check and drank lots of water. However, when we returned home to Calgary my head has been absolutely horrible. Could it be the altitude and barometric pressure changes? The headaches are so bad that it hurts to blink and when I wake up in the morning (I've stayed home from work for two days now because of this) I open my eyes, the pain sets in and my anxiety increases along with my blues. "Oh great another day of pain" is the first thought I have. Anyone else have this issue after traveling and what have you found helps?

Good evening, When I was asking for advice or suggestions I wasn't meaning medical - I was looking for alternative ideas - meditation, yoga, etc. I am finding the silver lining is harder to locate these days. I have found comfort in a number of posts/topics here and appreciate the kind words in previous messages too. The talk of "new normal" makes me feel slightly resentful but I understand that I just have to let the past go and look forward instead of backwards. Not always easy. Luckily I have gotten most of my memory issues sorted out. I had a photographic memory prior to SAH and just after I had no short term memory at all - I lost my cell phone a total of 75 times in one day it was so bad. It's not 100% back to the level it was but its very good - better than what most people have I believe so I have learned to cut myself some slack in that aspect. I find the idea of meditation difficult - not sure I could actually manage to sit still long enough to do anything for 5 minutes never mind longer. However maybe that's a sign I should work on it? Anyone have any pointers on where to start with this? I located a chronic pain clinic as well as Calgary Headache And Migraine Program (champ) so will discuss being referred by my doctor to this and see what they can do for me. The idea of having to rehash the entire history with someone new frustrates me but that is what I'm going to have to do in order to get the help I obviously need. Thanks to all for just listening and understanding. It's nice to not have to validate my feelings because you understand.

Good day my fellow SAH survivors; I am fast approaching my two year anniversary from suffering my NASAH. I was 37 at the time of the event and was in very good health, overweight but nothing too serious. Unfortunately work was my life at the time - as could be witnessed by being on my blackberry during the first few days of my hospital stay. I was in hospital for 2 full weeks until the vasospasms subsided and was deemed safe to go home. It took me another 3.5 months to return to work only to be let go upon my first day. I have since found other employ and totally love my work. I suffered short term memory loss at first, but that has since corrected itself. I am now a sonic listener as I call it. Very sensitive hearing but that is slowly getting better as well. I get easily tired and moody - much to the annoyance of my family. I find keeping hydrated and rested helps but I am very rarely able to sleep more than 3 hours at a time (habit formed by regular stat checks in hospital 2 years ago). I find I'm afraid to fall asleep in case I don't wake up. I suffer daily headaches. I have tried various pain medications from my GP - gabapentin (allergic to it - I would swell up badly), trazadone (don't like the lingering feeling the next day), and now propranolol. It seems to do the best but still have daily headaches and sometimes they are debilitating. Each new day that I am suffering the throbbing pain I find that more of me disappears - being eroded away by the pain. No one around me seems to understand what it is I am going through. I feel trapped in this torture chamber of my life and I need to get out of it before it becomes the new me. I have been afflicted with depression and anxiety since I was a teenager, but now it is getting worse. I am currently dealing with a new found food allergy and the prednisone the doctor has me on not only makes the depression worse but makes the headaches almost as bad as the SAH pain - yes that bad! Unfortunately it's the only choice I have for the rash so I'm hoping it heals soon so I can discontinue taking it as well. I live in Alberta, Canada and I would very much like to get in touch with ANYONE that may have any suggestions on what I could try or who I could see in order to lessen the grip this daily pain has on me. Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you Lola. I am more than willing to take the necessary time. Thank you for sharing your experience.

I am now three weeks post non-aneurism SAH. I have been told by one of my neurosurgeons to take 12 weeks leave from work, yet another says only 3-4 weeks. I know my body is no where near ready and am starting to worry that I may be forced back before I can handle it. Any advice ir experiences you could share?