ClareM

Walking and swimming are great too Kerryn. I started my physical build up by swimming at my local pool and gradually moving on to running. Get the all clear and go from there. Just take it slowly and gradually build things up. Like Chris I have good and bad days and adjust accordingly. Last night I was fairly exhausted after work so I cut back the distance. It meant I still ran but not so far. You will get there. Take care with work though as a 6 weeek return to work seems ambitious. Many here have at least 3 months off and admit longer would have been better. Whatever you do just take it slowly as working will put extra pressure on your brain. You won't know until you try it but be cautious and take heed of the signs your brain gives you when its had enough and stop. Good luck, good to hear how you are getting on. Ckare xx

Hi Kerryn welcome to the site and glad you are finding it so useful. It certainly helped me on my road to recovery and has been a great source of friendship and understanding. 13 days home is such early days, make sure you get that rest and keep those fluids up. I too was running when I had my bleed and am glad to say I am back to it now. It has been an immense help in my recovery as it helps alleviate stress. So wait a while, get the go ahead from your medics and then get back out there. There will be you, me and Chris out there running again on 3 different continents ? All survivors. Take care and keep us posted Clare xx

Hi Jenni As others have said 5 days out is very early in recovery. It sounds like he is doing really well so keep encouraging him and try and lift his spirits. It is a bit scary when you are uncertain about the future which he must be. Encourage him to drink lots of water and to eat anything he fancies. I lost over half a stone whilst in hospital but soon put it back on when I came home and started feeling better. As Sarah says look after yourself too, it's important that you keep well so that you can do a good job looking after him when he comes home. Clare xx

Hi KO welcome to BTG sorry to hear you have had 2 bleeds must be very scary when you get a headache. Have you thought about making an introduction and telling us more of your story? Be interested to hear more about you. Clare xx

H Matjaz Welcome to BTG, glad you have found us. It is very common to be discharged without any information or support. I am lucky that I had a nurse specialist I could call on with any questions but must admit most of the information I got was from this site. It sounds to me like you are doing a lot at only 3 months out. Maybe that is why you you are suffering from the constant headaces and fatigue. Try cutting back a bit and taking more time for yourself, Your brain has suffered and needs time to recover. Mine was a non-aneurysmal bleed but was not perimesecephalic, I also suffered from hydrocephallus.. 2 years later and I still suffer from fatigue if I do too much or put myself in a situation my brain has difficulty coping with. It takes time to learn what causes your individual fatigue, keep a diary and see if you can learn what causes yours. Goos luck and look forward to hearing more from you. Clare xx

Hi sounds like your husband is coming on in leaps and bounds you must be so proud and happy for him. The next step must surely be rehab hospital. Have you pushed for this yet? I presume the the peg feed is to ensure he keeps gaining weight and if he carries on eating solo will be removed. Keep pushing for answers to your questions and keep coming back and sharing the replies with us ? Good luck xx

Hi Kimberly, welcome to BTG. Brain fog is very common post SAh and is a sign you have done too much. When it happens try and make a note of what you have been doing beforehand and then try and avoid it in future. I know when I get it, it is usually when I have been concentrating on something for too long or having an in depth conversation. Even talking with friends becomes too much sometimes and I find I have to sit back and let them do the talking. I'm not sure about the hot/cold, maybe as Tina says it will be worthwhile having a chat with your GP. Take it easy and let us know how you are getting on. Clare xx

Hi Steve, welcome to BTG and thanks for sharing your story. It sounds very similar to mine, did they ever find a cause of your bleed? Sounds like you are doing really well, you are lucky to have found Headway and a counsellor so soon. It always helps to be able to talk to someone about what has happened. A bleed is such a life changing event and many who have not experienced one find it difficult to understand how it affects you. Glad that you have found BTG and that it has been helpful to you. I know in my early days this site was a great source of knowledge and somewhere I could come and speak to people who 'understood'. Hope your recovery continues going well, take it slowly and don't rush back to work. Drink plenty of water and take lots of rest. Be good to hear more from you. Clare xx

Hi Kindra Your story sounds similar to mine except I had the complication of hydrocephallus and and evd which stopped me driving for a period. My blood pressure was historically low too so interesting that it should happen to us. Sounds like you are doing really well only 4 months out and back at work full time. The signs that you are doing too much are as you describe. You fall apart emotionally and have to do nothing for a while, perhaps shortening your hours would alleviate this problem. I am 2 years out and still suffer from fatigue and have days when I fall apart. This is usually after doing too much. The problem is that while you are doing it you feel fine, it's afterwards that the problems arise. This can be quite difficult to control so you need to set some type of time limits on your working periods and stick to them . It's hard - I know - but it does help in the long run. Time is a great healer though and things will get better. As everyone else has said keep up the water it really does help. Keep us posted on your progress Clare xx

HI Gemma Sounds like you Mum has done brilliantly, you should be so proud of her. I had a NASAH in Feb 2015 and had booked a holiday in Spain for May 2105. The nurse specialist at the hospital I was treated arranged for me to have my follow up MRI before the holiday. This ruled out any problems and in fact showed I had no aneurysms so was clear to fly. I did not have to declare to my travel insurance as I was discharged at that point. In fact I was a better bet to insure as at least I had a proven MRI to show I was clear. HOWEVER! The trip really took it out of me, I slept a lot of the holiday. I was in bed early every night, slept in every morning and had a nap every afternoon. If mum is cleared to travel this is what you need to take account of. She will be exhausted and you need to make sure everyone is aware of this and makes allowances. I hope she continues to make a good recovery, a very brave woman! Keep us posted on what happens re your wedding and if all else fails a small ceremony at home will be lovely - and your mum will love it too. Clare xx

Hi Liz Welcome to BTG. My NASAH was almost exactly 2 years before you, it's a long road but you'll get there. You are still really early days so don't expect too much. Rest plenty and drink lots of water. The headaches should subside soon and you will start to feel a little more human. But it takes time. Just plan to do those 2 simple activities a day, no more, and when you feel up to it add something else in. That's what I did, there's no point in beating yourself up trying to do more. Your brain simply won't let you so let it be the master of your life for a while. The fatigue may continue for some time, I still suffer now though no where near as in the early days. Hope the cognitive therapy helps let us know how you get on. Keep us posted and good luck, glad you have such great family support. The dogs can help too, just a gentle walk in the fresh air is great- mine even knew I was unwell and never strayed far from me. Take care and remember you are not alone, you have us all on BTG now ? Clare xx

Hi Tom I didn't have a ruptured aneurysm but had an EVD for a week. I don't think I ate much at all while in hospital, I vomited a lot in the first week. I clearly remember talking to my brother and 10 year old niece and then saying, 'Now I am going to be sick, Anna may want to leave!' I lost over half a stone in 2 weeks and one spoonful of yoghurt was a meal for me. It took a long time to get my appetite back but by the time I got home the vomiting had more or less stopped. That was after 2 weeks. As Sami says eat little and often. Eat what you fancy and sip your drinks. I found if I ate too soon after moving about that I felt sick, so maybe rest a while before eating.. Keep us posted, hope you feel ok soon Clare xx

My tastes did change for a while but seem to have gone back to normal now. I went off tea and drank a lot of squash, that helped with keeping my fluid intake up too. I also found I could not abide alcohol, but unfortunately ( actually fortunately for me ) that has changed and I can now drink it again. Clare xx

Hi welcome to BTG, sorry to hear about your sister. I am am sure she is nervous about coming home it is a daunting prospect after being looked after 24/7 in hospital. My my advice would be to give her peace and quiet. Don't expect her to do anything about the home unless she really wants to. Encourage her to rest and drink plenty of water. It may sound awful but try and keep the kids away from her if they are being noisy, I really struggled with noise at first, even the TV had to be on low. You have made a good start by coming here and asking for advice. There is loads on this site so take some time to look about and read others posts. Let us know how she is doing. She is lucky to have such a caring brother. Clare xx

Hi Karen Welcome to BTG glad you found us. Sorry to hear about your mum, sounds like she has had a rough time of things. Is she having some kind of rehabilitation as this should help her. Like Chris my experience was very different to your mums. I had loss of memory initially but it is much better now and I just suffer from some short term loss and fatigue. Has she had a chance to see a neuro-psychologist? I am sure this would help her as they would be able to suggest strategies to cope with her difficulties. If she has not seen one you may find the nurse specialist at the hospital she was treated will be able to make a referral to one. I am sorry am not able to offer much advice, this must be a very difficult time for you.. Keep on being there for her and constantly remind her of her missing 5 years. Keep us updated with her progress. Clare xx

Hi Graham Have you had a consultation with a neuro psychologist? Mine did a report which my works Occupational Health took very seriously. Something like that would help in your claim. I think if you do research you will see that a large percentage of people having suffered a sah never return to their pre bleed working hours. Whether it is aneurysmal or not is beside the point, many people with aneurysmal bleeds make good recoveries. Good luck! Clare xx

Just to my twopenneth worth in too how about NASAH and family history. Unbelieveably my brother who is 3 years older than me had a non-aneurysmal bleed when he was 16. He too was treated at Wessex with a prolonged stay in a local hospital afterwards. They did things diferently in the late 1960's. When we mentioned this to Wessex they were very interested but when they heard how long ago it was they then said they did not keep records that far back. Interesting though that 2 people in the same family should have similar bleeds so maybe there is some hereditary link with non-aneurysmal bleeds too?

Hi Apr90, welcome to BTG. Sorry to hear about your mum but glad the site was of help to her during her initial recovery. It's impossible for us to say what is causing her sudden headaches and we are not qualified to give medical advice. Has she had a chat with her GP re this complaint? He may be able to give a diagnosis or if not will be able to refer her to someone who can. Alternatively is there a Nurse Specialist at the hospital she was treated? If there is maybe a call to them to discuss the headaches. Sorry I am not able to be of more help. Hope you and your Mum manage to get some answers soon.. Keep us posted on any progress you make and hope your Mum is not plagued by too many headaches. Clare xx

Hi Sar67 welcome to the club. Like Chris I had my NASAH whilst out running, I don't think that was the cause as I wasn't running very fast . I don't think the docotors know the cause with non aneurysmal bleeds which can be rather frustrating. However I have had several angiograms and a big MRI and they have not detected any reason for me to have another bleed. That's all well and good but we still have to deal with the legacy of the one we have had. I have some short term memory issues and still suffer from fatigue. I am learning to live with that and am back exercising. In fact today I did a 10k run, it was hard but I did it so can't all be bad. My neuro-psychologist says to me "keep running it's your time for release" and she's right. I can be very stressed at work and find a good run after helps relieve that pressure. Good luck with your recovery, as others say, plenty of water and focus on the future, not the past. Clare xx

HI Phil A warm welcome to BTG glad you found us. As Subs says what a traumatic series of events you went through though I do think you were luck to have got back to the UK before a proper diagnosis and treatment. God know how long you would have been stuck in Mexico. I'll respond to your questions by number if thats ok. 1. Work, you say you are back for 30 hours a week, hopefully that was on a phased return. Your bleed was 7 months ago, at the same point I was probably about where you are now. I eventually made it back to 34 hours and that is all I do now. But it is spread over 4 long days, 9-6 with half hour for lunch. I work Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday with Wednesday off. This was a conscious decision as I felt I needed the rest in the middle of the week to recuperate. I am now 2 years down the line and STILL need that rest. There is no way I could work 5 days a week for long hours. I find that if I overwork my stress levels increase and the fatigue gets worse. You may get back to full time but be prepared not to and really think hard about that. What is more important? A good work life balance is best for those post SAH as stress really does affect you after your brain has had a battering. 2. SAH has stolen part of my memory. I too had a very good memory pre sah and was known as a walking phone book. I can still remember all those old numbers but try and remember a 4 digit key pad code for where I work - took me weeks and I still know it by pattern rather than the numbers. Memory problems often get better in time but you may well be left with some deficits..I have had a neuro-psychology report and test done for my memory and they show some slight deficits mainly with working and short term memory. You will find methods of coping with this, I use my phone a lot by putting notes on it to remind me. 3. Stress affects us all in different ways. I find now that stress cause me to become a lot more emotional about things, very teary and unable to cope. When I get fatigued and stressed I find I lose words and forget what I am saying part way through a sentence. So keep stress levels to a minimum if possible. I have been told that the chances of me having another SAH are the same as any other member of the public. Mine was non-aneurysmal though and I believe yours was an aneurysm. If you have had follow up MRI's and been given the all clear then I believe your risk is the same as mine. I do not think it is worthwhile worrying too much about the chance of having another SAH, just embrace the fact that you survived this one. 4. Normal? What is normal? I think I am still finding my new normal now. Headaches, tiredness and fatigue are all the legacy of a SAH, they do get better in time you just have to learn to listen to your body - and brain- and slow down when they tell you to. Take your time, don't push too hard to increase those hours and take stock about what is important to you. Hope to hear more from you her on BTG. Clare xx

Lol Daff, I think we all have the toilet challenge story! I do vaguely remember mine, however I rememeber the solo shower challenge better. Lovely shower managed alone, back to the ward, stood by the window and sang; ' Oh what a wonderful morning' then prompty threw up and then slept for 4 hours. Well done Daf on a great story, think we can all find something in common in it. Clare xx

Welcome to BTG Cat, sounds like you have made a good start on the long recovery road. Noise was and still can be a major issue for me. I remember that when I first came home from hospital I had to have the TV turned down low, could not stand the noise. It was impossible to watch any programme with a lot of cheering or shouting and I must admit I still have some difficulties in that area. But it's easily remedied, turn it down or off! I also have a problem with repetetive noises (babies crying is one!) and even some music if it has a very repetetive beat or sound. I will say though that this problem has lessened with time. Are you back at work yet, if so hopefully it is on a phased return. You are still in the early months so take it slow and drink plenty of water. Will be looking forward to hearing more from you, hope we can be helpful in answering any questions you may have. Clare xx

Hi Daf Welcome to BTG and to the runners nasah group that there are a few members of - Chris, Josie and myself to name but a few! Mine happened 2 years ago on 10 February 2015. I've made a fairly good recovery and actually ran 5.5 miles last night with my running group. That was after a bad working day when I nearly didn't run. But I knew i would regret it if I didn't go and I am glad I did. My brain had been fried at work and it was nice to just run and not have to think about anything. Take your phased return slowly, don't push too hard as you will regret it. Your brain will tell you when to stop so take notice of it. Drink plenty of water and rest when you can. Well done for coming out of the shadows, look forward to hearing more from you. Clare xx

Hi Tim Glad you went back to the doctor and talked about how you were feeling, talking really helps and makes you realise you are not alone. Persevere witht the increased meds, may make you feel a little empty headed to begin with but hopefully with time you will settle down with them and they wil have the desired effect on your mood. Life post SAH can be very challenging and you are not alone in feeling that you don't want the fight. But bear with it, things do get better but as Macca says don't expect it too soon. I still have down days, today is one, but I know there is always someone I can talk to on BTG so keep coming back and sharing your feelings. We've all been there and worn the T shirt so we recognise how you feel. Clare xx

Hi Tim As the others say low mood is often a symptom of SAH. The medication you are given often takes a while to build up in your system so give it time. If things don't improve soon go back and see the doctor again, sounds like he is understanding anyway so that's good. There is light at the end of the tunnel you just have to find the right torch to get there. ? Try some exercise or doing something different to your normal routine. Change often helps. Good luck and let us know how you get on. Clare xx