Importance of Hospital Follow Ups...by LesleyMox

Its a relief to be able to write this without the fear of boring someone about your experience and how you feel.

I suffered a SAH on the 19th August 2007 completely out of the blue. I had just started to make the evening meal when I had the worst headache I have ever experienced, went into my husband asking him to call the doctor, then it felt like someone was trying to break my head and shouted for him to call an ambulance and to please not let me die - everything then went black and I cant remember anything until the Wednesday morning when waking up in hospital.

Apparently I passed out, the person on the end of the phone thankfully guided him as to what to do until the paramedics arrived and he put me into the recovery position and I was sick. From the time he rang 999 until the paramedics arrived it was only 7 minutes and only 17 minutes to when the ambulance arrived. As my symptoms were classic SAH diagnosis was fairly quick which probably saved my life. I was awake in the hospital but I cant remember this and I did sign my own consent form for the operation to coil the aneurysm which was carried out the day after. Fortunately I did not suffer from a stroke but I was left with double vision for about 2 months (it just gradually got better by itself). I was in hospital for 3 weeks.

I had a follow up scan 6 months later and then again a year later, the consultant explained to me about the coiling and said that there was a residual aneurysm but that it wasnt anything to worry about, but of course it terrified me and I was worried that it would burst again. I received a letter in 2009 saying that they did not think I needed anymore scans and this really did worry me I liked the idea they would be keeping an eye on me.

In August last year I started getting more headaches and at the insistance of my husband and children went to the doctor who got in touch with the consultant. He asked me to attend in September for a cerebral angiogram and they found that the aneurysm had grown again. He suggested more coiling and in October I had another two coils added and two stents - I was absolutely terrified as they tell you all the risks but I am now fine and thankful that my family insisted I see my doctor.

The consultant said that the people who have further ruptures are those that are not monitored, so from now on I am going to insist on being seen on a regular basis.

There is not a day when I do not think about having the SAH, it has made me very appreciative of the little everyday things in life but it has made me very aware of how quickly your life can be over. Headaches still terrify me and I hate being alone for very long.

Sorry this has been so long - hope I have not bored you.