Gill C

I was put on amytriptaline whilst my anni was undiagnosed & it was the only thing that allowed me to sleep relatively pain free. Since then I have taken amytrip every night as I've lost the knack of natural sleep, I am reducing the dose & hope to get rid of it all together but whilst I'm taking it I know I will get some sleep . I think most of us will say that if we don't sleep well or enough our symptoms get worse -headaches, blurred vision, slurred speech, memory problems. I think if your husband is not getting decent sleep it will slow his recovery down, if its on offer for a short period of time I really think medication can be useful/ It is really up to the Cons so discuss your concerns with them & see what they have to say. Fingers crossed hubby continues to improve xx

Hi Debbie & welcome to BTG I think we can all relate to the expectation of being 'better' after the 3 month mark or even the 6 month mark! unfortunately not many of us are back to how we were after that short time. Medically we may be healed or almost healed but our brains & emotions take much longer to heal than bone. On the home page read 'A letter from your brain' which really helps put things in perspective. The only realistic time scale I was given was by the neuro psych I saw who said 12months -2 years but people further down the line will tell you recovery is still happening years later. Rest is important in the early days as is lots of water, if you feel lightheaded or have headaches this is often the indicator that you are doing too much. Its hard to find the balance between doing too much & pushing your boundaries a little at a time but you will find your own way. Just rest when you can or when you start to tire/get brain freeze & push things a little further when you feel able to. If you have any questions just shout & someone on here will be able to help or offer advice. Take care xxx

I also agree with what Lin Lin says & she says it so much better than I could!! I think I do all those things subconsciously & add in time for being quiet & resting. Occasionally the fatigue jumps out & bites me on the bum but mostly I know when I'm doing too much. last Nov on holiday we did a trip on the Dungeness railway & that was one of those times, I hadn't factored in the noise & movement & the cold weather which sapped my energy big time, it took 2 quiet days to recover! there are lots of things I would love to do but I know even doing part of them will make me so tired its really not worth it. London will still be there & the stamp show is on every year so I still hope one day I will make it!!

Juliette it is more difficult to judge distances without a doubt but I underestimate rather than over estimate so its def safer! I find parallel parking really hard, I think I'm a few inches away from either car & get out to find its more like 18 inches or so but I can live with that. I try not to parallel park if I can help it & prefer to go in with the drivers side near the pavement rather than the drivers side on the outside. Reverse parking is fine & the same with motorway driving or stopping in traffic. HTH? xxx

Hi Iola I too get this tight head feeling. Its usually like today when I haven't slept well but also when i'm getting tired & need to rest. Its one of my warning signs that I am beginning to hit the wall of fatigue.

Liz its me that drives with as patch, the vision in my left eye meets the DVLA standards as does the right one but as the right one does not move properly or focus that is the eye that needs to be covered. I was under the eye clinic at the local hospital & they had to provide info that my left eye was within the correct limits & that having one eye covered stopped the double vision. As I am now 3 years post op my eye isn't going to improve any more so I actually have the right lens of my glasses frosted. Much easier & more hygienic than having tape over it. There are people who only have one eye/vision in one eye that drive ok. I had 2 refresher lessons with a qualified instructor once I was given the all clear, mostly to be sure that I was safe ferrying my son about. If you need any other info feel free to pm me xxx

I've done a couple of sessions at the local hospice trading offices, co ordinating the volunteers. Nothing too taxing so far but the heat & work are just too much in one day. Sadly I can't carry on during the summer hols so won't be back until Sept. I really hope to do a job that helps others as have always done admin in seemingly meaningless areas before. I haven't done any spreadsheet work yet but from doing a session at Headway a while back I know that will be much harder! Will update more in September unless they need me on a Fri pm (hubby finishes at lunch time on a Fri)

I had a full third nerve palsy before my op, I regained use of my lid & the left/right movement of my eye but the pupil is still dilated & does not respond to light & the up/down movement has gone completely. This means that the double vision I have is permanent & after 3 years its not going to get better. Mine is a result of the anni pressing on the 3rd nerve rather than due to blood on areas of the brain to do with vision. I now have to have the right lens of my glasses fogged to meet DVLA requirements for driving. I can see out of my right eye but the picture is not the same in each eye so I feel permenantly sea sick without the fogged lens.

I've been meaning to pop in to join this thread properly having done 2/3 sessions of voluntary work at the local hospice offices. The first session was a disaster as I had to leave early to sort a packed lunch for Nath, the second session went ok although I was doing very basic stuff, I was pleased that I coped ok & did a reasonable stint. This last Monday I was battling the heat (there is no air con & we only had a few useless fans stirring warm air around) but was left to deal with things in a tray so although I needed to ask lots of questions I did manage to sort a lot of stuff out. I'm helping deal with applications for new volunteers so sometimes we need to ring & get references which I was quite nervous about. I did one & think its just a matter of finding a 'patter' that works for me. Anyway the lady I am working for said I did well, I was ridiculously pleased with myself!! Afterwards I went to nathans concert which was also very hot & airless & I really feel it was one step too far after working that morning. I came home with a tight head, feeling sick & feeling very tired but I wouldn't have missed the concert for the world. next Mon will be my last session for the summer hols unless I can do some time on Fri afternoons as Ian finishes early that day. I need to email them to see if they need me that week. I'm happy to be working again & pleased that they are understanding that if I say I'm done (done in!) then I can leave when I need to. I think concentrating on one tas k at a time is the way forward for me, I really couldn't deal with the computer, the phone & people in the office all at the same time. I probably haven't added anything new that hasn't already been said but its new to me! xxx

Telrick you are right you do need to inform your insurance once you are allowed to drive again after DVLA approval but they are not allowed to increase your premium as a result. In fact my ins co told me they didn't even keep a record of my call to them & that if the DVLA said you were ok to drive that is good enough for them. Although my licence was never suspended & I was told over the phone I could continue to drive I still didn't until I got approval. It was 4.5 months for me without driving & I had a couple of refresher lessons with an instructor to make sure I was safe (for me I have only single vision after a third nerve palsy). Fingers crossed you get the letter soon xxx

I did about 3 hours of proper work, was nervous making a call to get a reference for someone but it will get better with practice. It wore me out but I didn't find it as bad as I thought it might be!! I watched Nathans school leavers concert with tears in my eyes, 3 years ago if things had been different I would not have even seen him start school!!

my bp was always fine pre sah but it has risen post sah & now I am on a tablet daily to keep it where it needs to be. Most gp's I saw post sah didn't even bother checking it but my lady GP I always try & see is much more involved in keeping me as well as possible. Like most I had lots of headaches pre sah & now I prob have less but I also take fewer pain killers, I tend not to take anything unless its pretty bad or going on for too long. Pre sah I would prob take something every couple of days, after the pain of my anni most headaches don't seem too bad! Apart from the headaches I had no other symptoms We have a monitor at home & I had the surgerys one at home for a week too, my lower figure was high so now I am bp meds & its good. Hubby is the one who is more active, eats healthy but his bp is always high.

Lesley I think you'll find most of us are the same although I did have a 3 months checkup & was then discharged & have had no contact since. I did get given the ward number & the one for the neuro nurses but I never used them as I felt silly wasting their time. I am sure you should have some kind of checkup though so if you haven't heard anything soon I would ring the neuro to see whats going on.

yep I agree with Penny, Arnica for bruising. I took arnica (pillules) after having Nath & also put them in my bath. I healed pretty quick & without any problems. It may help with the swelling but not sure it will do much else for you. Def google & see what the internet has to say. Personally I don't think it is a miracle cure but it does help bruising to come out & then heal a wee bit quicker

I would see the orthoptist not a regular optometrist as you may need a prism to correct the nighttime double vision. I saw the eye clinic for 18 months in the hope that I could have a prism to help but my vision is too far out from normal to be corrected. Not sure a regular optometrist would be able to do that for you but you can always ask.

Teechur has put it so much better than I could but I wanted to talk about the miscarriages. I only had one miscarriage & it was truly horrible. A friend of mine had 3 & had to have it surgically managed each time, she now won't try for a baby again. The pain of losing a baby should not be misunderstood, you do need to grieve for your babies as I do for mine. I lashed out at hubby cos all the important dates are engraved in my mind (due date, scans, test date) & he doesn't remember any of them. I do feel like I'm the only one who felt that baby was a real person from the moment I knew I was pregnant. I never understood that before but I planned names, bedrooms & all the stuff that goes with a new baby. I did grieve for that and for the person I used to be pre op. I still get angry about it & sad for myself & my boy that I'm not the same person any more. I may not be the same but in some ways I am better & you will get there too, part of accepting who you are is to grieve, get angry & shout that life is unfair & then maybe get sad that things won't be the same & then comes the realisation that things can be better. Perhaps the new you will be more compassionate & understanding & won't need to 'cowboy up'. Bottling up is not good for you, it has to be let out & then you can move forwards. I'm sorry if this doesn't really help but I really felt for you & your lost babies, just wanted to show some empathy. If I can help any other way just send me a pm (private message) Take care of yourself xxx ps your youngest will only remember the you you are now, perhaps you need to be the best you you can be now?

Tracey I know how upset you are but the wheels of the dvla grind very slow. In the end it was my gp's view that the DVLA wanted (the neuro had to write to her & they eye clinic had to write to her too) & they never did contact the neuro directly (every case is different tho). One thing I could suggest is for you to speak to PALS if your surgeon has had the form for weeks without completing it. than that there isn't much else you can do. It may also take the DVLA some time to process the form when they get it so a response won't be immediate sadly I was told I was ok to drive until I was told otherwise, I erred on the side of caution & did not drive until I was give the official all clear. I do know how upsetting & frustrating it is for you but the rules are there for a reason.

David glad to see you back & well enough to be on here. Hubby has bought a bp machine & has also been told if his bp goes up he must go & see the Dr no question. I think its a valuable lesson to us all too. Take care & REST!! xx

Sarah be kind to yourself, its very early days still so perfectly normal to be anxious. How about gradually increasing the time he goes out for until you feel confident you can manage an evening? Things are much easier broken down into baby steps. Say 20mins to go the local shop & then add on 10 or 20 mins until it gets easier? I remember having panic attacks when I went to college for the first time away from home. I set myself a goal of doing something nice for myself if I managed all week without wanting to run home. I found & it much easier to break down the time & aim for something small as being alone (I wasn't alone but I was away from home) for a whole week seemed so daunting. As for the feeling rough just rest as much as you can, I remember sleeping in in the mornings & having a nap in the afternoon, making tea & then going to bed in the early weeks. Again gradually you will build up the time you can be up & active. Lots of water will help too. Read a letter from your brain (home page under inspiration) & that helps to put things into perspective. Big hugs to you Sarah xx

I understand how you feel totally. My son was only 4 when I had my op. Hubby was allowed to work at home for 2 weeks after I came out & Nath went to nursery for some of the week after that. I would say def talk out how you feel & then perhaps build up to him going out for the evening by him leaving you for an hour & then maybe 2 to see how you get on. Keep your phone with you & say you will text him every half hour or so to say just 'ok'. If you don't text then he is to ring home straight away? If your 11 year old is sensible he will be fine just as long as he knows what to do in case you need some help. The first few weeks home after 24/7 care are scary but I just made myself remember they wouldn't let me home unless I was 100% ok. Be kind to yourself & be honest about how you are feeling & I'm sure you will do just fine x

Thanks for the update, so relieved he got checked out. Send him our love & healing vibes won't you xxx

Thanks for letting us know Mary, I hope he is doing ok x

I know my hairdresser has had a few TIA's as there is some scarring on her scans of her head. I don't think she is aware of what a TIA is cos she didn't seem very worried about it. I agree with what everyone else is saying GET YOUR BUM TO THE HOSPITAL!! get checked over & then let us know how you are x

Glad you are feeling much better Win, don't ever feel that a bad head is a whinge!! Hubby bought a bp machine from Lidl & it works fine for him but every time I try to use it it comes up with an error message!! Then my bp goes up each time it fails!! :devil:

I've now stopped saying I am tired/emotional & instead say I'm not good company which seems to be received better (well I think so anyway). I do get periods like that but I have to say at 3 years post op they are much fewer & further between. Lack of sleep really doesn't help & as I'm not sleeping well I think I will hit a blip soon! Hugs Kris (())