Liz D

Hi Tracy Welcome to BTG. It's still very very early days for you, well done in logging on and finding us! It took me months to be able to sit at the computer! Everything will get easier for you in time. Take care.

Hi Alan I think the physio will be thinking about how tiring it will be for Erin to have the kids around, but sometimes the fatigue is worth it. Even though after doing something that we know we are going to be left shattered and with headaches, it's worth it! But that's a conversation for you and the physio. My GP told me, in the early months of recovery, not to think about recovery as going forwards and then having setbacks. He said think of it as having ups and downs. Up days were good days where you can do more and use up more energy, down days are healing days, healing days are getting better days! Good luck for Thursday and looking forward to Erin getting online.

Hi Michelle I returned to work last December and was being supervised by our occy health doc. My manager (who was put in place during my sick leave) ignored his advice and put me under intolerable pressure. I was signed off again in February with work related stress. She even met with the occy health doc and tried to get him agree that I was cognitively impaired and therefore unable to do my job, which was a nonsense. He refused and told her if she continued down this route then she'd be looking at a tribunal. He then told me that it would not be good for my health to return to that office and I was put on the redelpoyment register. My confidence was rock bottom by now and because of my "new brain" I wasn't sure if I would be able to learn a new job or cope with getting to know new colleagues! I got quite worked up about it. I returned to work at the end of June and did a job for 3 weeks and then was moved to where I am now. I've to be here for 2 months. I've learnt 2 new jobs and met some great new colleagues. They know my weaknesses and give me support when I need it. I'm finally starting to get my confidence back and am now so glad that I know longer work in that office. But it's taken me a lot to get to this! I couldn't have coped without my union, Unison. They speak on my behalf and any contact from the Trust has to go through them. My union official comes to my meetings with HR and advises me throughout. Our redeployment policy states that HR have 12 weeks to find a displaced employee a job and the employee can refuese 2 of these, however a 3rd refusal and the Trust deems you to have made yourself unemployed. Again this was huge pressure for me. However, the union stepped in and the Trust has waived this "12 weeks/3 strikes and your out" in my case. I would advise you to contact a union. I don't know which one is most suited for you, but once yo've paid you first payment, you're covered! There is an organisation called Health Working Lives, www.healthyworkinglives.com, that gives occupational health advice to employers and employees. Their aim is to keep people in work and sort out any problems before they get to the stage of being signed off sick. I think this is a Scottish Government initiative, might me worth a look. I hope this has helped a little, take care.

Hi Michelle Something similar has happend to me. I've just done a reply but I've been timed out and it's gone! I'm about to go out but will do the reply again when I get back!

Hi Caroline What a lovely post, full of positivity and energy! So glad things are going so well for you.

Hi Donna Welcome to BTG. Gosh you're young and very early in your recovery but are doing really well. It took me months to be able to sit at the computer for more than 5 mins without getting a headache! Looking forward to hearing more from you but take your time and get lots of rest!

Just though I'd add a welcome to BTG to you Lorraine. xx

Hi Angela Have just read this thread. Once again thank goodness for advice from fellow survivors! I'm lucky as my GP has seen quite a few SAH's in his time, he saw SAH's during a rotation when he was training and I trust his advice! I hope you are getting any treatment you may require at the moment and hope to hear from you soon. Take care.

Hi John It is disgusting they way people recovering from SAH are treated. Why don't these people get it that we've had a brain injury!! I returned to work 9 1/2 months post SAH but I wasn't supported by my manager, quite the opposite, and was signed back off again 11 weeks later, for a 4 month period. The first return to work was to be a phased return over 6 months. My second return to work was the end of June (16 months post SAH) and I went straight back into my 35 hours and I'm coping really well. You will be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act on your SAH's first anniversary. I've copied and pasted this from www.direct.gov.uk The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The definition For the purposes of the Act: •substantial means neither minor nor trivial •long term means that the effect of the impairment has lasted or is likely to last for at least 12 months (there are special rules covering recurring or fluctuating conditions) •normal day-to-day activities include everyday things like eating, washing, walking and going shopping •a normal day-to-day activity must affect one of the 'capacities' listed in the Act which include mobility, manual dexterity, speech, hearing, seeing and memory. Why can't they see when someone is very motivated but still not well enough to try a return to work!

When I left hospital I could have slept for Scotland! I got very little sleep in hospital and that was one of reasons my neurologist wanted me to be discharged home and not to my local hospital. I've just found this thread! I was aware that I wasn't remembering my dreams. When I go to sleep it's the same for me, darkness and I go out like a light, but I am refreshed in the mornings. But until recently I had to sleep with the bedroom door ajar and the landing light on. About April I was getting a sort dejavu feeling during the day, can't really explain it any other way. But prior to my SAH I had a photographic memory. When I waned to recall something it was like I was rewinding a video. Now when I try to do that I get blackness. But since June I have remembered 3 dreams! The dejavu feeling got stronger and hey presto I remembered a dream! I'm off to bed now, wonder if I'll have any dreams to night!

Hi Paris I had my SAH on 10/2/09 and was told then that I would be monitored for 5 years following it. Even told again last July at my outpatient appointment. I had my 12 month angio in February and saw the consultant neuroradiologist, that did my coiling, in July this year. He showed me the scans and went over everything with me, from my admission to my discharge. There was a Dutch researcher at this appointment who wanted permission to copy my notes. He then said that they didn't need to see me again. There had been no leakage and the artery was completely shrivelled. So no more appointments and no more tests, yeh!! The researcher was told not to contact me. My consultant felt I'd been through enough and acknowledged the stress caused by these appointments. Future appointments would be more about them gathering data about me! So it really is great news that your partner has been discharged and I wish him and you all the best for the future.

Hi Angela Glad it all went well. I was really nervous about my follow up angio in February but I didn't find it nearly as bad as I thought it was going be and I also found it very uncomfortable (in fact I shreaked a very loud aaghh that made everyone jump!) when he tried to put the catheter in at first. Hopefully all will be well and you will get the results quickly. I felt a bit spaced out too, but I put that down to being back in the hospital and remembering things that I'd forgotten. I got quite emotional in the days following it. My leg was a bit painful for about a week after, especially when going up and down stairs. But the puncture site was fine, only had a little bruising. But you should keep an eye on things and contact your doctor if you feel it's not getting better. I'm glad you mentioned the strange sensation in your head, I got very dizzy and disoriented when the dye went in. Last year I kept my eyes closed both times but I couldn't close my eyes this time because of the dizziness and actually watched it all on the screen and the neuroradiologist kept pointing things out! Strangest conversation I've ever had!

Hi Zoe It's always nice to read positive news. Maybe you can have a bit of a belated 10th anniversary celebration in 3 weeks! Take care.

Hi Liz (from another Liz!) I too had my coiling in Edinburgh Western in February 2009. I was 49.My neuroradiologist was Mr Robin Sellar. I was in wards 32 and 33 and spent 2 weeks in hospital. When I came I had to sleep in the spare room with the light on. I would wake up in the night having a panic attack, thinking it was happening again. I couldn't bare sleeping in the dark and had such fretfull sleeps that I kept my husband awake. It's also very scary being left at home alone at first. I slept for most of day in the early weeks, it took me 3 weeks just to be able to stand up rather than sit on a chair, in the shower! It's such a shame that we leave hospital with so little information about the recovery at home. If there is anything I can do to help please do not hesitate to ask. Louise I have sent you a PM.

Hi Sonia You have a lovely positive attitude to life. I agree with Karen about not saying to your son, I too would do the same thing. In fact I didn't want my 81yr old mother to know about my SAH until after the coiling procedure. She lives more than 100 miles from me and I know she would have been worried sick and tried to get to see me beforehand. Sometimes it's better to be told after it's all over. A wedding in Thailand and a baby grandson, not to mention riding an elephant,exciting times! Leuchars is a beautiful place but the weather is much better in the west country! This is a stressful time for you but keep focusing on all the great things you have in your life, it will help you get through. Take care.

Hi Eddie Sorry to hear about the pneumonia, hope it clears soon but he sounds as though he's doing well. Long it may it continue! Take care

Hi Sally I was replying to your post and have no idea what button I touched but it's disappeared, what an idiot!! But I just want to say congratulations on you first anniversary. I had mine in February and have come on leaps and bounds since then and I hope you find the same! It's the changes in us that's harder to come to terms with. But that's also really good news that you don't have to see your consultant again. What you have been through is way more invasive than coiling. I'm working in the admin office of our NHS Trust's Psychological Services Dept. Psychologists have a degree in psychology and work with the person to help them find a way through a problem and try to help them think about things differently. They use different therapies and specialise in different areas and specialise in either adults of=r children. This is a sort of partnership with the patient but in Scotland you are given 6 sessions. Only in severe cases are they allowed more sessions. Your GP should be able to refer you to this service. A psychiatrist has gone through medical school and then specialised in psychiatry. As they are medical doctors they can prescribe medications for mental illnesses. This is more your usual doctor patient relationship and you go on seeing him/her until you are well, the appointments are not limited. I hope this helps a little and is not too rambling!

Hi Kasim Thank you for the update on Myra and I wish her all the best. When I was having my procedure, my neurosurgeon told me that he would do a balloon occlusion and then go on to coil the aneurysm and my left vertebral artery. He explained that "legally" he had to do the balloon occlusion first. I would be awake during this part of the procedure and I remember them asking me lots of questions like move your fingers, your feet etc. I was awake for the first 2 hours. It was during this part of the procedure that I had a brain stem stroke and my left shoulder and arm were paralysed. I was then given a GA and the rest of the procedure took a further 6 1/2 hours. However my aneurysm was dissecting my artery and the artery would have bled again and that was why they went straight to coiling both the artery and the aneurysm. I've had months of physio for my arm and shoulder and it's helped a great deal. I'm left handed and can write, although I still drop things and can maybe take 2 or 3 goes at picking things up! At my appointment in July I asked my neurosurgeon about the balloon. He explained that sometimes balloons are used and that I had to be awake for 30 mins whilst they did neuro tests. Usuallythey use two but in my case he used one balloon and 9 coils. But if you have any questions about your mother's treatment may I suggest that you speak to her surgeon. It might be an idea to write down anhting you wish to know, minds go blank at these times! Take care.

Hi Sam Welcome to BTG, so glad you posted and look forward to hearing more from you. Take care.

Hi Karen What wonderful news! Thank you so much for the update on your mum, she sounds like a very special lady!

Hi Sonia So glad you've found us! My husband's family live in Gloucester and we've had a few trips to Weston! Frenchay is a wonderful hospital (although the building's a bit old fashioned!) and I'm sure you will be well looked after. It's all happened a bit quick but maybe it's for the best, rather than have weeks to think about it. Stay positive and take care.

Hi Zoe Sounds as though Richard's progress is going well and I hope it continous this way. I hope you enjoyed your birthday and congratulations on your 10th wedding anniversary!

Hi Tina and Lemonade Welcome to BTG. I too suffer from anxiety but it's a lot better now and I take a small dose beta blocker (it was prescribed for my blood pressure but helps with the anxiety too). I'm 18 months post SAH. I had flash backs and would waken at night thinking it was happening again! It's only very recently that I now can sleep without the hall light on and my bedroom door open! I found this site 8 months after my SAH and it's been a godsend. It took me about 6 months to just to be able to sit at the computer and not have my head start to pound! But there is light at the end of the tunnel! It can just be very hard to see at times! I took inspiritation from members that were further down the road in their recovery but had the same feelings etc in the early days of their recovery. I am now back at work and coping very well, this time last year I thought I would never be able to cope with work again! Take care.

Hi Angela I've just caught your thread. Hope it went well yesterday, you'll probably be very tired today. I had my followup angio in February and was very nervous but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. But I slept for most of the next day, I think the tiredness was caused by the nerves! Hopefully they were able to give you some of the results straight away and hopefully it was good news. Take care.

Hi Jo My goodness what a stressful situation. I think maybe it's time for you or someone on your behalf to start making some noise! Maybe you should think about another hospital, I think maybe a second opinion could be helpful to you. I had my SAH in February and there were a lot of emergency admissions with the same thing. The sister told me that it was "aneurysm season"! My cousin had had a SAH the previous February. She said they expect to be very busy Feb/Mar and again Oct/Nov because of the change in temperature and change in air pressure! She did say that they dealt with SAH's throughout the year but during these months they were rushed off their feet! I know that I was having a lot of stress due to a family issue at the time of my SAH! I do hope things get better for you, take care.