KelBel

Thanks Momo x

I got my letter today from the hospital to say that I only need to have an MRi check-up in a years time!! No further angiogram necessary!!! woohoo!!!! :razz: kel x

Hi Brenda I was a ball of stress before my 1st follow-up angio 3rd Dec this year (following my coiling last December) and it turned out okay. A little bit boring lying flat for 6 hours afterwards but otherwise okay. The nurses in the ward couldn't understand why I was worried but once I got down to the vascular department they were lovely, and told me to ask any questions before, during (unless they told me to keep still and not swallow!) and after the procedure. They ran through what they were going to do, what the risks are and what they needed to find out, as well as how long it might take. Mine took about 30 mins from them inserting the catheter to removing it. I did write about it in this thread. I did have a little bit of migraine aura and headache immediately after the angio, due to the flashes of light whilst they took the pics they needed. Hope it all goes ok for you too. Take care Kel x

That is brilliant news Eddie! A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family! Take care Kel x

Hi Surfer Sorry to hear that news. I can understand you are scared. Do you know when you are due to go back for your next angio? It's certainly not the news you want this close to xmas but it is good that you sought a 2nd opinion and that they will be re-checking everything. I do hope you don't have to wait too long to get your next appointment and that it all turns out good for you. Kel x

Congratulations!! A very Happy Christmas all round for you and your family! :razz: I am hoping to get the same news any time now...just waiting for my letter... Kel x

Hi Donnamarie Good luck for your appointment; they should definitely be able to give you a follow-up of your MRi by then! Sorry I haven't heard of Lyrica. Hope all goes well for you Kel x

Thanks everyone! Maggie - it really wasn't as bad as I had feared...I was in such a state about it beforehand, hence the rather elevated blood pressure! But they were so lovely, and were chatting to me before, during and after the procedure, and told me to ask any questions at any time (other than during the procedure when told I could not move or swallow whilst they got the right pics!). It was okay, and quite interesting actually, especially when I asked them to turn the screen round so I could see the arteries in my brain and the offending aneurysm! Hopefully only another week to wait for my follow-up letter... Kel x

Hi Brenda As everyone is saying, you're definitely not alone! I cried a river for months after my SAH, which was a year ago this Saturday!... It does get easier, and as others have said it does help to get some counselling. Once I started counselling and the counsellor told me I was suffering Post Traumatic Stress and told me it was okay to feel the way I was feeling, I felt I could then start to recover because I knew what was wrong. Good luck with your continued recovery Take care Kel x

Hi Neil WOW that is fantastic news!! :razz: It is always good to hear such great news! You must be over the moon. Much love and luck straight back at ya! Take care Kel x

Tracy Definitely ask the doctor what he is on about! And ask whether him or his secretary can interpret it into English for you also! No wonder you haven't a clue what they are on about... ...we all want to know what it means now... Hope you get some answers in non-jargonised language! Kel x

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!! Also a very Special Merry Christmas to Karen & her family, and Chris and Keith for their continued hard work keeping this little extended family going Take care all Kel x

Thanks everyone. x I did forget to add that whilst the lady who done the procedure was leaning on my groin I asked to see the pic of my annie on the screen... i asked if it looked okay to her and she said it does but they need to check all angles taken against last years pics. I also asked if it is a medium-sized berry aneurysm but was told that it is a medium to large saccular aneurysm. I could see the white lines of the coils showing on the image, like a scribbled fluffy cloud within a mass of black lines (arteries). Interesting stuff... Kel x

My 1st follow-up angiogram went okay yesterday. My sister-in-law got me to the hospital for 7:15am and we waited around for a bit, as they don’t start on the ward until 7:30 anyway. My BP was sky high again... 178/103... clearly anxious! I went down to the vascular unit at 9:30am, and that was when my sister-in-law left. I recognised the nurses from last year, and reminded them about my projectile vomiting by the lifts after I came round from my coiling op... They remembered me well then... It was done under local anaesthetic, despite being told last Monday that it would be under General! They did end up injecting about 5 lots of anaesthetic in the end as it kept hurting when they tried to go in... it then took only about 30 minutes to get the pictures they needed for my album ( ) then 10 minutes leaning on the groin area (which wasn’t that uncomfortable actually) so they could seal the puncture site and it was all done. I could go and get a cuppa then! I did start to get vivid migraine aura for about 30 minutes afterwards and started getting a headache too. I was given a paracetamol drip which helped and they turned off the lights in the vascular waiting area, whilst I was waiting to go back up to the ward. I got my cup of tea then too, by straw, but it was good to get a cuppa... I felt so tired afterwards, and did sleep for a few hours as I had to lay flat for 6 hours... I did get a tramadol too for the headache. It was a huge relief to finally sit up and then get myself dressed. I was home by 7:40pm. Just gotta wait a couple of weeks for a letter from one of the consultants confirming their findings. Kel x

I do have some very vivid dreams which seem so real that I wake up and have to then realise that they were just a dream! I think I have less dreams post-sah to what I had pre... I used to have dreams which would continue over a few nights, sometimes the same dream or a continuation of the same dream... I had a few nights on holiday where I had some weird and strange dreams, probably because I was chilled out enough to sleep through the night properly and I was in a different setting?... You're not weird Andi, you just have a creative mind, vivid imagination and probably don't get enough rest! so when you do get to sleep there is too much going on inside your mind. Kel x

Hi Lorriane, I managed to get an appointment with the Neuro consultants via the PALS (Patient Advisory Liaison Service) at the hospital - I searched online and found their email address. I don't like to wait around! I wanted to know exactly when my appointment would be so that I could prepare all info and questions for it. I didn't actually get to see the consultant when I got there though, I saw one if his assistants, which was a little annoying, as it would have been nice to have met the person who operated on me... but I did get a chance to ask questions. Kel

Hi Nita Sorry to hear you have been knocked down again. However you have pulled yourself back before so you already know you CAN do it again. Are you having physio to help with the weakness? and are you able to speak to your GP about arranging some counselling to help you pull through this? Virtual hugs being sent your way Take care Kel x

Hi Zoe That sounds like you had a really good weekend with Richard. Hope you have another good one this weekend and the trial run goes well with the carers. Things seem to be looking up for you guys now and you so deserve it as you have been amazing. Take care Kel x

Hi Anne I must have missed this post originally, as I just read the whole thing wondering what I could say to help their decision... and then I reached the update... that is so sad Please pass on my condolensces to your friend. Kel x

Hi Donnamarie It seems to vary from place to place; I made an appointment for a check-up 2 months after my SAH, which I had early Feb and then I had an MRi at the end of Feb as I had mentioned some episodes of numbness & tingling in my left hand, left foot and my tongue... and had suffered severe vasospasm during my op with initial left-sided weakness. Most coiled patients seem to have a 6th month angiogram and then one a year later if everything is okay and doesn't need any more regular checks; however I will be having my 1st angiogram on 3rd December (nearly a year after my SAH & coiling). Not looking forward to the angio, but it has to be done... Kel x

I am 11 months post-sah and do get knocked out with fatigue at times but nothing like it was during the first months. I went back to work on a phased return and had to have at least an hours sleep when I got in after work. I've been back to work full-time since June and no longer need the hour when I get in 'most' of the time. There are still days where I could fall asleep at my desk in the afternoon and may need a nap when I get in, but mostly I am okay now. Just have to accept that I push myself too much at times then need to rest up Kel x

Well done 'grandad' John You have come so far, and I hope your return to work will be as successful as your recovery so far. Take care and keep up the fantastic positive outlook you have Kel x

Oh yes!!! :lol: I actually stood up and said "I wish you would just * off right now" as I knew he was planning to leave... I then walked away to calm down a bit, then came back and asked to speak to my manager. I told her exactly what I had said, and that I really meant it too!! Australia are very welcome to him. Long may he stay there... kel x

Hi gg I did have trouble with one colleague, which resulted in me telling him to * off! Which I realise is not the best way to go about things, but at the time I shouted it at him then walked away, as I most definitely felt like using him as a punch bag! He kept complaining about the fact I needed the blinds closed, and his whol manner when I returned was unbelievable. I am sure he felt that I had taken more time off sick than was needed, and he kept on and on at me to take on extra tasks whilst I was doing my return to work. And he was the same level as me! No higher...although he liked to think he was. He was actually just a jumped up little boy who could manage to have a power-trip about everything and nothing! We ended up having a mediation meeting with 3 line managers involved. It did not go through to HR, but I almost wish it had now... luckily for me he left our company months ago, so I did not have to put up with him for very long. It would have gone to HR otherwise. Do not let this person beat you down. You have not come this far to allow someone to drag you down. Get back on to the Union to ask when you will be receiving the service you have been paying for. You need it now. Do they not have a framework they have to adhere to? I do hope you get some help and resolution as this is not something we should have to deal with, when we are trying our best to get back to work and get our lives back on track. Take this time to rest as much as possible and look into your rights. You may be able to contact the disability officer at your local job centre or the CAB may be able to assist? Kel x

Hiya I don't think mine are any worse than they used to be, just as awful really! I do get quite heavy periods, and get very emoitional...and more tired than usual, and I have a huge appetite too!! A colleague offered me Feminax yesterday as I had terrible stomach cramp but I checked the box and can't take it! Cos of hypertension and stroke... how annoying! Kel