ClareM

Hi Josie All the symptoms you are experiencing are normal. You are still very early days and the tiredness may well continue for some time together with the difficulty in concentration. I am 2 years on and still suffer from fatigue, not so much as the early days and weeks but still there. I think it is possibly one of the longer lasting legacies of what has happened to our brains. As Super says if the low mood persists it may be worth a chat to your gp. I know you like to run, have you managed to get back to any exercise yet? Often getting out in the open, even just walking can lift the mood. It really is still early in your recovery, try not to expect too much too soon. Drink plenty and rest. Things really do get better, slow is definitely the way forward Clare xx

Tomorrow will be my 2 year anniversary but as I have a neuro-psych appointment at 8am followed by work from 9am -6pm, followed by an evening with an old work colleague I thought I would post now. ( I'm exhausted after reading that let alone living it ). I look back over the last 2 years and consider everything that has happened in that period. Some has been good, some happy and a lot sad. I had to leave the job I loved, I lost friends I loved but I kept my life. I'm lucky that I now have a job that suits my lifestyle, that causes me minimal stress and I have friends who care about my welfare. Saying that , I do miss my old life and all the friends I had in it. All my losses would not have happened if my brain had not exploded that day. Do I wish I could turn back the clock? Well yes I do in certain respects but no in others.- and seeing as I have no choice in the matter I need to focus on the no's! I have a family that love me and try and understand the new me. I have a job that is less stressful in many ways, even though I need to addresss the day to day pressures. I have new friends who understand me as I am now but I do have some old friends who accept the new me too. We cannot change our destiny and although I yearn for my old life I am accepting my new life and my new 'normal'. One of the most positive things in my new life is BTG and all the new friends I have found since being a member. Thank you to everyone who has been with me on my journey, I hope you will all be with me in my future travels. Clare xx

Yes Sami I get that too. The wind is the worst! Clare xx

Happy Anni-versary Super, you are an inspiration to us all. Glad you enjoy your holidays, you worked hard before your SAH and deserve them. It's great that you have the confidence to go away on your own and visit places off the beaten track. Keep taking those holidays and keep posting your great posts on BTG. Enjoy your day. Clare xx

Smeg, I remember lying by the side of the road vomiting with the headache from hell thinking, ambulance? What are they going to think? Headache and sickness do I really need their service? Well I did and so grateful to them too. I still re-run it now. You will get there, just take your time. Clare xxx

Hi As Super says you are early days, my bleed was similar in yours in that there was no cause but I had the added complication of hydrocephalus and an EVD which led to an automatic 6 month driving ban. This actually led to 10 months off the road due to DVLA delays. Sounds like Susan has got it right with the DVLA, so long as the bleed did not involve any surgery you are ok to drive. Smeg, things won't be right for a while but they will improve. Keep up the fluid intake and rest. Eventually you will feel improvements, they may be small and infrequent but they will be there. I'm nearing 2 years post bleed and if you had told me 2 years ago how I would be and what I would be doing now I'd have laughed. I'm not laughing now (I'm too tired lol!) but I'm smilimg and I quite like the new me and my new life. I hope you get to like yours too Clare xx

Hi It sounds to me that you need to STOP. Full stop. No work, no helping others no housework just rest and helping yourself. You are only four weeks out from a massive trauma to your brain, it is going to take time before you reach the point you may be able to call your new normal. I cannot believe the crass way you were treated in hospital. A bleed whether caused by an aneurysm or not is a bleed. And it is the blood that causes the damage and subsequent fall out. Sounds like you are lucky with your local doctor. Listen to his words, he is right it's going to be a long haul. Please see if you can find more help at home and consider not working at all for at least a few weeks. Your brain needs time to recover and by resting and drinking plenty of water you will give it that time. I so feel for you and hope you will be able to find the help you need. We understand here on BTG so come back for advice and compassion when you need to. We don't think you are a fraud, we've been there and know the script. It will be a long haul but you'll get there and hopefully you'll get there quicker if you stop now and take some time. Keep in touch Clare xx

Hi I can understand you being apprehensive but as Super says it is better to get the time bomb treated than take the risk of the bleed. I think that it is the blood that causes the damage and problems in a SAH, If you can have treatment to avoid this it has to be a better option. Coiling is done by angiogram something I have had done twice. The first time I was unconscious from the bleed but the 2nd I remember, with fuzziness! It wasn't painful and I did feel that the person carrying it out was in total control. Speak to your neurosurgeon or nurse specialist, get some reassurance . There are many here who will give more advice, look forward to hearing from you. Clare xx

Hi Josephine You are in such early days, headache and sore neck are very common complaints. Try not to worry too much, make sure you drink plenty of water and keep up the pain killers. I took regular paracetamol for some time after my bleed. Rest is equally important as you will get tired really easily. Hopefully you have support at home, make sure you let others do things so you can relax. There is always someone here on BTG to listen if you are worried so keep coming back for reassurance. Take care Clare xx

Wow Graham you certainly have been very fortunate there! It's not what you know but who you know Sounds like you will hopefully get a good result. I do think these insurance companies are crooks really. From never giving their best price on renewal premiums until you phone up and barter, to situations like yours. They really don't do themselves any favours in the popularity stakes! Keep us posted on your progress and hopefully it will be more positive. Clare xx

And that Graham is what you need to work on. It is imposible to do a before and after test which is why they have control parts built into the test to ascertain your general intellectual capability and this would have been taken into account. The fact that there is a wide divergence of scores proves that you have been affected and I think it seems unfair that the insurance company have conveniently decided to ignore it. Good luck with your appeal, I think it is sad that you have to work so hard to get what they probably used the hard sell on, to sell the policy to you buy in the first place. I have not returned to my previous level of employment, fortunately I was able to afford the drop in salary. I think an awful lot of people who have suffered a bleed find it hard to return to their previous hours, at least in the first instance. I wish you all the luck. Clare

Hi Graham Was there a neuro-psychology report with the test results? My neuro-psychology testing had similar results but togehter with the report it found me having subtle changes in the way I work and learn and my resilience to work. My occupational health department decided that although my difficulties were subtle, they were there and therefore I should be treated with disability legislation. Very helpful for me as it means I can limit the amount of time I spend carrying out certain work tasks. I presume the neuro-psychology report was requested by the insurance company and is therfore probably weighted in their favour. See if you can get your own report done. Good luck, sorry can't be more helpful. Clare

Ditto what Sami says Josie and welcome from me too. I too was running when my bleed happened so will be interested to hear more of your story. It it took me a while to get back to running but I have. I actually run more now than before. My biggest achievement was completing the Great South Run last October. An emotional moment when I crossed the line about 21 months after being discharged from hospital and 3 years to the day I lost my mum. Not fast but I did it and hopefully you will get there too. Rest and and drink plenty of water! Look forward to hearing more from you. Clare xx

Hi Deb That appontment for the 10th of Feb seems like a very worthwhile meeting. My follow up was with the Nurse Specialist who had reviewed my MRI at the MDT meeting with the consultant. She was brilliant and answered as many questions as I could remember to ask. She also eventually referred me to a Neuro Psychologist who I met and am still seeing at the hospital where I work. My meetings with her have been invaluable and if you get the opportunity to see one please take it. I feel that in your position it would be really helpful for you. With regard to your current situation I do feel for you. Dealing with your daugher on a day to day basis is much like returning to a job you have known well after your SAH. It is ingrained work and therefore is easy to slot back with. The meetings with others is a different kettle of fish now. You have to use your brain to deal with the all the new information being fired at you from these people trying to help with your daughter. It's a little like me when I started my new job. Basically the end result was the same as before (I am now a hospital pharmacy techncian), a box of tablets withe correct details on it. But the way of getting there was so different to the way I was used to (I was in a community - local chemist - pharmacy) that it was like starting a new occupation. New job later in life is one challenge, new job later in life after a SAH another matter completely. That is what you are dealing with now and it is going to be challenging and it is not surprising you get frustrated. I can't really advise you on how to deal with all this except to say take your time and ensure they know you have been ill and need support. The neuro-psychologiist will really be able to help with this so the sooner you see one the better. Also they will be interested in YOUR welfare, not that of your daughter which although is important, is not helped if you are not coping. Good luck, keep us posted. Clare xx

Hi Joanna Welcome to BTG, still early days for you despite it being last July. Are you drinking plenty of water as it really does help. My son used to bring me a large mug of tea and a big glass of squash every morning for me to drink in bed. I remember lying in bed, head under covers just waiting till I felt ok enough to sit up and start the day. I doubt that hung over feeling is due to the paracetamol and ibuprofen, they don't have that effect, it's probably just the after effects of the sah, but if you are worried get it checked out. You have the added complication of a 3 year old so that must make things that much more difficult. The fatigue can go on for a long time, I still suffer now and am coming up for 2 years. Just take it easy as much as possible and try and accept that life may be just a little more different now. Not worse, just different and eventually you will accept the new normal. Good news about your memory as that is often a lasting side effect. I expect the short temper is due to fatigue, try stepping back a little and let others do things. I am sure many others here will have plenty of advice. Sounds like you are doing great, be good to hear more from you. Clare xx

Hi Joe welcome to BTG, six months is still very early days, hope you continue to make progress. Be good to hear more from you. I remember reaching the 6 month stage Deb, was phasing back to work and wondering how I would ever cope. Things do get better though I still suffer from fatigue and poor memory particularly when tired. I think it's just a case of accepting the new normal and adapting your life to fit it. As you say though the underlying feeling has to be 'Thank goodness I am still here' Clare xx

Normal Jan? what is normal, I'm darned sure I can't remember............. Clare xx

Hi Jan My vision has changed too since my SAH but only minimally. You probably need to go back to your optician to discuss your close reading problems. I wear contact lenses and find if I want to read small print when I have them in, that I need reading glasses on top. However as you have vari-focals they should be able to adjust them so you can read. Get an appointment to get it all checked out. I use Specsavers but have heard that Vision Express are very good and as thats where you went last time I'd go back there. Good luck Clare xx

Hi Irene i think you need to be very careful with insurance. You did have a SAH and the the type was Perimesencephalic. The key to me not having to declare to my insurance was that I had been discharged, you do not seem to have been yet. Insurance companies work on the theory that if you have not been discharged that there is still a query over your condition. I would just check with the hospital treating you to see what they say. It would be awful to go away, something happen and then find the insurance would not pay. Good luck Clare xx

Hi Irene I was told by the nurse specialist where I was treated, that once I had had my follow up MRI and no aneurysms were found that the chances of me having another SAH were the same as anyone who had never had one. Therefore I was discharged with no follow up. I did not have to declare anything to my insurance company as there was as much chance of me having another SAH as the next person on the street, in fact there was less chance as I had had an MRI showing no aneurysms. I know other people say you should always declare the SAH but in my case and as mine was a NASAH I was told I did not need to. Clare xx

Hi Sophie Thats fantastic news at least you should get an answer tomorrow. They must think it important to get an appointment so quickly. Make sure you keep us posted and good luck! Clare xx

Hi Robert Happy New Year, glad to hear you had a good time over the festive period, must have been nice to be back with your famlly. Sounds like although you had some issues with not taking enough rest that you managed to address the problem with the help of your partner. It's great that you managed to talk to her about it and that she had seen what was happening. Talking really does help and that you have managed to do this can only be good. That feeling of that heavy rock lifting off is so good, and also makes you want to share more in the future as you know how good it feels to have worries shared and understood. At least now you can reconise when the fatigue is hitting and what to do to help relieve it. I am only now accepting that I mustn't get to the point where I go into meltdown. I need to remember that I can't do things like I did before and to limit activities and work to the point I know I can deal with. It's hard accepting that but makes life so much easier post SAH. When is your Headway appointment, I will be interested to hear how that goes. Great that you are managing to help others in a similar situation to you. You are helping others here on BTG too by reporting on your progress Keep in touch, and remember to listen to your body - and brain. Clare xx

Hi When in hospital I remember having awful back and leg pain. I was told it was the blood dissipating and it did pass after a few weeks. I was left with coccyx pain for a while longer but all resolved eventually. As Daff says being a hero to the pain is not a good idea. Keep the pain meds topped up as being in pain will not help his recovery. I hope he starts to improve and is in less pain soon. Keep us posted. Clare xx

Hi Myra it really is still very early days for you, and do not see how you can consider working 64 hours straight. I Believe you're in the US and I'm not sure the employment laws there. In the U.K. We have rules regarding the way employers can treat you when you have been sick and have to phase back to work. Perhaps you need to try and speak to someone who knows about such things in the US. Try and get some help as it really is unreasonable what they are requesting. Keep us posted, hopefully someone from the US will read this and have some ideas of the legislation. Good luck Clare xx

That's wonderful news, hopefully in a few days she will be able to talk to you. My daughter used to come and visit me every day, I don't remember a lot but I do remember her giving me a facial. Just a wipe over with a face wipe and a moisturise. I really appreciated it. Also it was nice to have my lips moisturused with vaseline. Glad to hear she seems to making progress, how are you coping? Do you have family with you too? Keep us updated. Clare xx