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ClareM

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Everything posted by ClareM

  1. As Sami says 3 months is still very early in your recovery. Make sure you drink plenty and get as much rest as you can. I do think you should have a chat with your GP though to put your mind at rest. Take good care and keep us posted Clare xx
  2. Hi Charza and welcome to BTG. Sorry to hear about your bleed and also about your sleep issues. I too suffered a NASAH but have not had sleep issues since relating to the bleed. My sleep issues are related to stress that I am prone to now. Possibly a chat with your GP would be helpful as suggested by the Neuro nurse, it is getting easier to make doctors appointments now. You don’t mention how long ago your bleed was. If recent, it could still be the blood dissipating down your spinal column but you should get it looked at. Take good care and come back to let us know how you get on Clare xx
  3. I can’t say that, you need to speak to your GP. Sorry can’t help more xx
  4. That does seem like a high dose of Candesartan. I really think you should give your GP a call. It may be that’s what you need but I’d certainly get it checked out. Do it before Christmas Lynsey just in case it can help at all. Although I am a healthcare professional I’m not qualified to give advice so please call your doctor and ask them xx clare xx
  5. Hi Lynsey just out of interest what blood pressure medication are you on? I’m a pharmacy tech and could ask one of the pharmacist s I work with if tingling is a side effect. I am sure stress and anxiety aren’t helping either. Just try to keep in mind the chances of this happening again are extremely small. Clare xx
  6. Hi Lynseylou welcome to BTG. Sorry to hear about your SAH have you thought about putting an intro in the Introduce Yourself forum? It’s good to hear individual stories and you may get more response there. It is extremely unlikely for people to have 2 bleeds, that said it does happen. However you are on BP medication now which I hope should reduce that risk. The tingling may be a side effect of the new medication, maybe you need to have a chat with your GP. They can check things and give you reassurance. I know it’s hard to see a GP nowadays so if that proves difficult maybe a chat with the nurses at the team that treated you? Anxiety is very common post SAH, I suffered and found talking to my Neuropsychologist really helpful. Don’t be scared to reach out for help, you’ve suffered a life changing event. Let us know how you get on. Clare xx
  7. Hi Holly sounds like you have had a really rough time. But how amazing that you have come through it all! You must be really strong. You are still early days in your recovery and to be honest it’s probably fortunate that you don’t have a job to think about returning to. That was my worst experience post bleed as it took so long to accept I couldn’t do the work I did before. Hopefully you will get back to doing the things you enjoyed before the accident. I’m fitter now than I was before as I have gone back to running and gym. I can’t help with your dizziness but hopefully someone on here will face some tips to help cope with it. Have you tried the charity Headway for some support? Congratulate yourself on coming as far as you have in such a short time. Clare xx
  8. I once had a conversation with a brain surgeon about my NASAH. He said it was more than likely caused by an aneurysm that blew itself out leaving nothing to see on the angiograms I had. My bleed was very large and caused hydrocephalus too requiring a temporary EVD. I have never had any previous history of concussion. Clare xx
  9. Sorry late to the party Jess! Happy anni-versary, you have done really well and should be proud of your family. xx
  10. Sorry missed your anni-versary - congratulations! Hope you managed to get your scan, always good to get some peace of mind. 8 years for me too last February, amazing how time flies! Hope you are well xx
  11. Hi Jo, I echo Sami's words totally. I too lost a lot of friendships post bleed, but I have made new friends. They didn't know me before the haemorrhage so accept me as I am now, not how I had been before. I too looked very well and everyone used to say how well I had recovered. Little did they know what was going on really and how I was struggling. My mood was affected and I have been on anti-depressants for some years now. I hate taking them though I know I need them, but as Sami says if you had a headache you would take a tablet, what's the difference? They keep me on an evenish keel so for the time being I'll stick with them. I'm now 8 years post NASAH and sometimes forget how tired I still get. We went to the IOW recently for a family break and I was exhausted afterwards. We walked and talked so much that it must have just worn me down and I forgot that I need to still take regular breaks. I needed a few days afterwards to get over it! Pushing myself is one of my major downfalls, particularly at work. If you can try and step back a bit it will help but sometimes your characteristic traits are so strong that it's hard to do this. Just bear that in mind, your mind may tell you that 'of course you can do that' while your brain is saying ' slow up - I'm struggling' Hope everything goes well at your follow up, keep us updated. Clare xx
  12. Hi Karin, a lot of my job involved computer screens but it wasn't just that that made me decide to cut my hours. I just couldn't cope with the overall fatigue which I'm sure you're suffering with. You may attribute it just to the computer but have you considered that it may just be work. Full stop. As others have said taking regular breaks may help but it may just be that you need to think if you can continue working these hours. Sorry to sound negative, but once I accepted that I just couldn't cope with full time work things did become easier. I still get fatigued but that's because I push myself so it's almost self inflicted. Good luck with whatever you decide.
  13. Hi, congrats on year 1, you've made it and can tell the story. You are not alone in your struggle, there are many here who will identify with what you have and are still going through. Just remember we will all still be here in the coming years, ready to celebrate with each anniversary! Clare xx
  14. Awww Denise you sound so like me. Yes one step at a time and it will get better - but you need to give it time. I'm 7 years out and still struggle with the cereal dilemma 😂 Clothes shopping is a nightmare, I lose interest very quickly and struggle to focus. Hence online shopping is much easier - not so much sensory overload and I can take my time. I too went back to work too soon but that was due to financial reasons - I was only paid for 3 months. After lots of changes with hours and employees I now work 3 days a week, Tues, Thurs & Fri. Giving me plenty of recovery time, but I will say I'm floored on a Friday after 2 days solid. Things do get better with time but also it's then easy to forget your limitations. Try and accept the new normal and work with that - something I am STILL dealing with. Take good care Clare xx
  15. Hi Jo, as Tina says warm welcome to BTG. You are really early days and I hope you are not thinking about returning to work anytime soon? Most people are recommended to take 3 months and then a phased return. I too was quite fit when I had my bleed at 55 in fact I was out running when it happened. It took me several weeks before I was able to go out walking alone and a few months until I ran again. I am now running up to 5 miles 3 times a week and attend a couple of gym classes too. I really think that the running has helped my mental and physical health though many people ask how I can run after having a bleed during running! Things will hopefully improve with time though maybe your current symptoms are are caused by you doing too much too soon. Try and make sure you get plenty of rest in between those walks! Take good care and keep us updated with your recovery. Clare xx
  16. Hi Nic, your symptoms sound very much par for the course. I too had a NASAH though mine was complicated by Hydrocephalus and having a temporary drain inserted. I have a lovely dent in my forehead to remind me now - not that it's anything I would be able to forget! As others have said it's really early days for you and I am glad the Occ Health team have been in touch. The service they are referring you to is Neuropsychology. I wasn't referred until a year post bleed but found it the best thing for my recovery particularly with work. She has been an amazing support for me - we still speak now! Make sure your family and friends are aware of how long your recovery may take - get them to look at this site or even google subarachnoid haemorrhage. I can't believe they discharged you with the advice to forget it happened. I sometimes think these doctors need to do a bit of research! Take good care, rest up, drink plenty of water, get as much help as you can, particularly with the children, and be kind to yourself. My heart goes out to you. Clare xx
  17. I am 8 years post NASAH bleed. I’ve asked the question many times what caused it. Mine was a large bleed causing hydrocephalus and the necessity for a temporary drain. The best explanation I had was that it was an aneurysm that blew itself out and then sealed up, doing the job the neurosurgeons would have done. I started with a neuropsychologist a year after the bleed and still see her. My main reasons for such long therapy is that I have had to change my job several times due to stress and fatigue. She has helped me immeasurably, I would have never coped without her. Talking about what has happened is so important and especially to someone who recognises that although we all look well, there are hidden issues. Not many people understand that. And yes it’s still fine to talk about the same thing for several years, going over and over in a safe space! 😊 Best wishes for a continued good recovery. Clare xx
  18. Happy Anni-versary SM, been a sad last 12 months for you. Hopefully the next year will bring travels and happier times xx
  19. Hi Denise, welcome to BTG. Glad you found us and are finding some of the posts useful. I coming up for 8 years post bleed and have had a lot of changes since the event, mainly with work. Are you back to working your full time hours already? I phased back over several months building up really gradually as I could manage. I have never been able to go back to full time hours, I reduced to 4 days (2, day off then 2) and now am only working 3 days a week. You say your job is complex, it may be that you need to cut hours if that's possible, and give yourself more rest time. I still take it easy on my days off, I know about it if I don't. I think returning to work is often problematic and unless handled well can make you feel like your progress is stalling. Do you have the opportunity to reduce hours at all? Your brain has been injured and may not be able to cope with the complexity of your job for sustained periods of time. I could manage my old job but not the fatigue. Re the brain fog, this still happens to me now if I am tired, it's usually a good indicator that I need to take a break. I do feel for you as you are still fairly early in your recovery and learning your new limitations. I hope you manage to find some ways to make things a bit better. Take good care, Clare xx
  20. Hi Lily I too had pressure pain after my bleed. I bought a hard memory foam pillow and this really helped. I still use it now. Hope that helps. Clare
  21. I work as a pharmacy technician with a small team of pharmacists and technicians. We support patients in the community with managing their medication. It's all about compliance and hospital avoidance. Many, particularly elderly people, are admitted to hospital as they are not taking their medication correctly. Our aim is to assess and rationalise medication regimes with the intention of making things more manageable. We see so many patients who just need a bit of help and it's so nice to be able to make a difference. Maybe you should take some time out over the weekend and see if some rest helps the dizziness. It may be that this is your brains way of telling you that it needs a break. Keep us posted as to how things go over the weekend xx.
  22. Hi Carmen, see how you get on first. It appears that you have a sympathetic boss and as it's presumably Local Gov they can't get rid of you that easily. Occupational Health should support you with any decisions you make, and you should have a pensions advisor you can ask too, but don't sell yourself short. I could have retired when I realised I was struggling but I kept working and I am so glad I did. 50 is very young to be retired - unless you fancy it - and as you say it will affect your pension. I presume you enjoyed your work pre bleed, I loved my job and had intended to retire in it. Due to pressures I had to change and that was problematic in itself, but luckily, I found my dream job and am so glad I persevered. Clare xx
  23. Hi Carmen, I travelled on holiday to Menorca approx 12 weeks after my bleed. Although I enjoyed it, I was very irritable whilst away and slept every afternoon (in bed not on the beach!) My tips for travelling are: factor in rest time, if flying it's worthwhile booking an airport lounge as it's so much quieter - the busy airport environment was difficult for me. I also always have an extra day's holiday after return to recover. I was 55 when I had my bleed, it was 7 years ago. I was out running and collapsed. I'm back to running, started about 4 months after the bleed. Ran tonight 4.5 miles with a hill and a rain shower - loved it, it's great for my mental health and even after a busy workday it makes me feel much better. The girls I run with all say we run as much for our mental health as our physical health I too returned to work after 3 months, too early, because of salary, see if you can take some of the holiday you've accrued to stretch out the return. I'm sure your work would rather have you back well and able to manage than having to go sick within weeks. It must be in their benefit to have you with all your experience back and well than having to re -recruit. But bear in mind you will possibly struggle to manage your pre bleed hours especially if it's a stressful job. Clare xx
  24. Hi Carmen welcome to BTG A SAH is classified as a type of stroke, it is a haemorrhagic stroke as opposed to the more common ischemic stroke. I wonder if your dizziness is due to fatigue from doing too much. I remember I used to feel very wobbly and lightheaded if I was particularly fatigued. You are still fairly early in your recovery so need to make sure you get enough rest. I wish you good luck with your phased return, I hope 6 weeks is enough. You may find the noise of primary age children very challenging; I still struggle with noise 7 years on - children and babies are a real problem. I'm glad to hear your work are being supportive though, it can make such a difference. Hope your recovery goes well, come back and ask if you have any other questions, there is usually someone her to help Clare xx
  25. Hi CHall glad I could help It can be confusing when people use different terms to explain what happened to us. I would say I have recovered fairly well and about 90% back to pre bleed. I won't say it's been easy, I've had to change my job 3 times due to fatigue, anxiety and stress and reduced my hours by half. I now work 22.5 hours a week over 3 days - I love my job now and the time I have off for recovery. My advice would be to not to push yourself too hard, don't rush back to work (if you do work), and definitely have a phased return. If your memory or concentration are poor, use reminders for everything. I have developed loads of tick lists, proformas, etc. to help me in my job. Mobile phones are brilliant for prompting and reminding. Rest when you need to and don't feel guilty about it. And please come back and ask any questions you think of, there is always someone her to help Take good care Clare xx
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