Gill C

I know it's a very personal topic but I haven't been on the pill for years as we struggled to have Nathan but post SAH I need to take some form of birth control. The last time I was on the pill it didn't agree with me so was thinking of mirena coil but that has added hormones so wondered if anyone had used it post SAH & if so how did you get on with it?

Hi Sonia, I eho everything the others have said, you can alwyas find an understanding ear or shoulder on here. I hope all goes well with your coiling

Hi Sam & welcome, it really does help having otther SAH'ers to talk to.

Karen , so pleased to her your mum has recovered so well, it's a long slow business for sure but the brain can find ways of mending itself which are totally amazing.

Good luck for Thursday Angela

I think I eill go tomorrow as the nurse specialist if off until WEdnesday. It's not the scar apparently but there is a sore spot by my ear which is tender & goes across part of my cheek so I need her to look at that too:frown: Not full of the joys of spring today:crazy:

Hi Sonia & welcome to BTG, it really has been a lifeline for me1 I look forward to hearing your story & see how life is 10 years on.

Hi lemonde. I'm 8 weels post op & struggling wiht my emotions, a GP friend of mine suggested counselling & I ahve spoken to Wessex & they are referring me for counselling so it's worth asking what alternatives are available to anti d's or in conjunction with them. I think if I were further on in my recovery I would feel the frustration b0oioling over & could easily turn to depression. I think it's such a common thing to feel after what is a very large operation & it's sad that you aren't offered routine support once you are discharged. I didn't even know/ think that I would benefit from counselling until I asked on here as it's not something I would normally do. I find it very hard now to be limited in what I can do & am in some ways am more tired than when I was in hospital because I'm doing so mcuh more than just lying in a bed. I feel for you as I know how furstrating this all is but you really do have to slow down & take small steps to recovery. sending you lots of hugs (())

Thanks Paul, I plan to see the GP tomorrow if I can get through therubgy scrum for appointments in the morning! I know my hormones are all over the place as I've been so emotional lately!

Hi Gary, no I'm not on any medication at all now:redface:

Sorry this must be my week for quesitons! Has anyone noticed that they seem to be healing slower than nornal since their op? I still have lots of needle marks in my wrist where they attempted to put lines in & they are as clear as day even over 2 months later. I also had a line put in my clavical artery (shoulder) with the long line on & this was stitched to keep it in place ( I have terrible veins so hence the needle marks of failed attempts). The stiches were removed 5 weeks ago but the scars are taking a long time to heal, the marks are still clear & scabbed. I normally seemed to heal pretty quick so I wondered if it was someting anyone else had noticed? I'm not overly worried yet but just curious!

Thanks Tina, was beginning to think I was the only one clipped! It's odd realy cos my scar has been relatively pain free (apart from the jaw pain when yawning) excpe for the bit nearest my ear which has been lumpy ever since the staple was removed. It's more the fact that the tenderness is over my cheekbone but I guess that oould be due to nerve endings repairing? I will get it checked out though just to be on the safe side!. I see my neruosurgeon on the 19th so I will mention it so him as well, it'll be on my list of things to ask!

Sally here is the link to Dial, they are very helpful & as they are a charity I found the ladyI spoke to very empathetic & understanding (I guess volunteers who have probems themsleves) http://www.dialuk.info/ Thy are fab at advising how to fill forms in or appeal to the best effect, I have a 4 hour apointment to fill in my DLA form at the end of the month

Thinking of Richard & wishing him a spedy recovery, also thinking of you & sending you lots of strength.

Janevo enjoy Turkey, my fave holiday destination in the world & the food is generally very good. I haven't a problem with taste buds but when in hosptial they were giving me sodium tablets & everything tasted sslty including weetabix!

Sally it is odd to have all the nuirses & dr's buzzing round you in hospital & then when you come home nothing! It seems like you are abandoned & a GP friend asked me how the aftercare was going so I said 'what aftercare!' AS for the scans as you wree clipped like me you only need to be reviewed in clinic & don't need to ahve angio's every 6 months (for which I am glad). Isee my Cons at clinic for review after 3 months & i guess maybe another 6 months after that? AS for my eye I had a review last week & then will ahve one in 2 months or so but I suspect if there isn't much improvement by then it will be at least 6 months before they ask for me again:frown: If you feel you need counselling you could ask your GP or the hospital where you were treated. I wasn't aware of anything like that & no-one offered it as a matter of course. In my opinion is should be offered to all after nuero surgery. i am now wait for the neurophyscologist to contact me, not sure what the difference is between them & a physciatrist except that one deals with defined mental problems rather than offering support. As for the work thing it's worth either speaking to DIAL for advice or Headway, the benefits advice line were very helpful too. Huge (()) I do think recovery from SAh is a lonely business

I had quite a bit of scar pain but my scar is healed well & hardly visible, the last couple fo days my cheek/net to my ear feels very tender & when I yawn I get the same muscle pain I had immediately post op. It's 2 months today since my clipping & it just seems ood to get tenderness now? Anyone had this happen even when things seem to ahve healed well externally?

Hello Alan, you've really been through it & I feel for you with coping with the children. I have a 4 year old 7 my DH (dear husband) was fab at keeping things normal for him unfortunately it meant I got no visitors in the evening as we wanted to keep to a routine. I too haven't had the physical problem although I did have some LH side weakness about 10 days into my recovery & it did come back. I have double vision which we are not sure will correct fully or not but there are signs of reccovert but like the others ahve said it's going to take time. I was told genreal recovery 3-4 months but I think it's going to be more lieke 6 months+ As for rehab my Dad had a major stroke & was in rehab for a year doing physio & relearning how to do common tasks & he made an amazing recovery & came home to live independantly & could even drive. I hope yur wife makes the same strides, the treatment & physio they give now is far avanced in the last 15 or so years. I agree with Lin you will see small steps forward & it will give you the strength to get through this. Be strong & keep things normal for the children but don't be afraid to talk to us when you need it or ask for help when you need it

Thanks Liz, we are lucky with where we live (used to live in the Peak District) as it's one of the nicer cities around. WE live off the island but only a few miles out of the centre.:redface:

donna I am the same as you & have been told to lose weight but on the days I don't go out for a walk & just rest I an put on 3lbs. I need to walk to lose weight as unless I stop eating altogether I just don't lose much. I am seriously considering something like DietChef meal plan or something similar. As for losing weight to get pregnant I was overweight when I got pg & I actually lost weight in the early weeks & didn't put much on whilst carryinfg & lost it breast feedin within the first few weeks. Despite what my mw said I had a very good pregnancy & had no problems with blood pressur or diabetes, if you eat snesibly your weight shouldn't be a problem. Rather than tell you to lose weight see what help your GP can offer to support you, I believe you can get swimming lessons on the NHS in sme areas so i you can swim & are safe to do so it might be a good form of excercise for you? Good luck hon, it's a real battle I know

Hi Mace & welcome to BTG, I've only been here a week but it's helped me so much talking to other people who've been through the same thing. Sorry that you're still suffering head pain (()), the drunken gait is common as I have it too, but for me it's only being able to see in 1D rather than2. I had my anny clipped at the beginning of June & am finding it really does payto listen to your body & rest when you need to. I've pushed myself too much over the weekend & had to rest for 2 days to recover. I know what you mean about guardian angels, I think I have a couple too. Take care & take it easy! xx

Have my nuero clinic follow up on 19th August, looking forward to it strangely! Also have asked for a neuropsyhcology appointment at our local hospital to help with the emotional side of things which hopefully won't take too long to come through.

Thanks Sarah, I hope your apoiintment with the consultant goes well on Monday & it's nothing to worry about.(()) I can't blieve that even with classic SAH symptoms people get left without treatment or diagnosis. I am so lucky my SAd didn't bleed as my Cons says I woulld have died (sobering thought).

Thanks luisa & glad you managed to gt back on BTG has become my lifeline very quickly! My eye now opens halfway & the pupil is less dilated than it was.I don't get that horrible flare on a bright day like today any more. OMG 15 days??? Were you in pain that whole time? My pain was managed after a bit but sleeping with the pain was inpossible & the less sleep i got the worse I felt! I cn't understand why it takes so long to be diagnosed as clearly when you pupil is dilated itis' something serious? I had my GP & my GP friend saying it looked like a bleed weeks before the MRI. My palsy started to kick in after 10 days from my initial presentaion at the medical admissions unit with the pain in my eye/head. The MRI was 17 days after the CT so in all it was 27 days. I had been to teh GP at least 4 times between the fist visit & the MRI & spent over £40 on prescriptions of diclofenac & anti b's for an eye infection!!

Smithy that is so scarey as I didn't fit with my SAA either, how can he think that everyone does?? Surely it depend where the SAH is & where the blood goes?? I hope he is going to investigate your headaches further & if he doesn't get another Dr's opinion.