My SAH by Diane2010

Hi All

I had my SAH in September 2010. Firstly I must thank everyone on this site. I have been 'watching from afar' since I discovered this site in October/November last year but have been too insecure to join until now!

I'd had a very busy day at work and had loads more to do the next day. My neck had been aching while working on the computer but put that down to stress and tenseness. I had a bath in the evening. I got out of the bath relaxed and bent over to pick my nightie off of the floor (where it had fallen to). Whilst bent over this enormous headache took over. I called my daughter (my husband was in the shower). I struggled to put my nightie on when my daughter arrived. my head and neck were both hurting so badly. My daughter helped me into her bedroom, which was closest, and I laid on the bed in absolute agony.

My husband arrived and then rang the doctor. He got the out of hours doctor who rang him back. The doctor insisted on talking to me, even though I was holding my head and neck in agony. He told me he thought it was a migraine. i told him I didn't get migraines so he said that they can come on suddenly. I really was in so much pain I just remember thinking what a fool the doctor was!! He suggested that I go to his surgery in Reading (10 miles away) just to check.

Consequently I didn't - I knew it wasn't a migraine but had no idea what it was but thought it was a trapped nerve! The pain subsided slightly so my husband helped me into our bed. We went to sleep. At 11.30pm the doctor rang us. My husband told him that he was taking me to our own doctors the next morning.

This we did and my doctor told me it could be a bleed on the brain (shock)! We went directly to Royal Berks Hospital, Reading CDU where my doctor had rung through to book me a bed (joke!). Well no-one seemed to believe that I had an SAH! It took from 10.00 am until 5.00 pm when they finally gave me a CT scan. I had spent 3 hours in X Ray dept on my own waiting for CT scan! Suddenly there was activity and I was given a bed (had been chair hopping with other people all day).Then I was transferred to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford - arrived there at 8.20pm.

Overnight my condition deteriorated and started vomitting. Superb at JR Oxford. By 9.30 the next morning, I was having my coils fitted!!

Spent 10 days in JR then home. It hasn't been easy. In fact it has been hellish but I know I shouldn't moan - I'm still here thanks to the fantastic staff at John Radcliffe.

I am self employed so therefore my income stopped immediately. I have had to go through some big hoops and major trauma to get my employment support allowance and with my lack of concentration really struggled with the appeal but managed to succeed. I am now trying to get back to work but my brain feels so sore that I'm finding it difficult to get back. The consultant at the hospital said it would be at least 3 months before I went back to work. I tried to aim for this but had wobbly brain syndrome and sore head. I thought I would be the exception to the rule and be back to where I was pre SAH but it has yet to materialise!!

I always did push myself too hard but I am getting so frustrated that I can't do what I used to be able to do! Outwardly I look the same but inwardly I'm a pickle!! I don't like crowds (so towns are out and anyway don't have the cash!!). I find big stores too much for my brain scanning the shelves looking for things makes my eyes go weird!!

Anyway- thought I'd just write a little bit and have waffled on out of control!!

Thank you all, once again. This site has been and is still, an inspiration to me.