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Hi, went to see my consultant yesterday for first time since SAH on 31st December 2006, Non Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage, in the middle of my brain? Anyone else had this?? Would be interested to hear of after effects, recovery etc? Love Suexx

Andy, just been reading through your posts, WOW! let me just say this, you and Heather have a really strong marriage, you sure are going to be pioneers in your field!!! Bless you both, keep on the path that you're on, Love Suexx

Hello Kirti, please accept my apologies for not saying hi sooner! Annie is right, I am another Non-A person, I had the SAH on 31st December 2006 and it was 4 days, with a visit to A & E and 4 G.P.'s later that I had a CT scan which gave my diagnosis. Since that time I have had no follow up from my consultant but after much hassling on my part, now have an appointment to see him on 14th May! I had an MRA scan on 24thMarch and am hoping that when I see my consultant he will give me some good news! I have lots of questions already written down to ask him. It seems that whether you have an aneurism or a bleed without cause, the recovery proccess is still the same, the best bit of advice I can give your dad is like everyone else says really, that is to listen to his body! Kirti, can't emphasise just how important this is. Sometimes, especially when we are a few months down the line, we get this surge of energy that makes us feel like "hey! I'm really feeling better now!" Then we use that energy up,cos we are feeling good, then end up totally worn out. So it's best that we learn to pace ourselves (something I have found difficult, to say the least) Anyway, i'll speak to you soon hopefully! Did you say you were Indian Kirti? you have such a pretty name, 2 of my grandaughters are half Indian. I haven't heard your name before. Anyway, speak soon, love Suexx

Hi Doreen, yes, I do get headaches and dizziness as well but much more since the SAH. Must admit though post SAH symptoms are very much the same as Hypothyroidism, even my GP says the same.

Hi everyone, my thyroid story is a bit different but makes me wonder if there is some link somewhere along the line. Years ago I was diagnosed as having a very overactive thyroid, had some radioactive iodine treatment which actually overshot the mark a bit and it became a bit underactive, for years now I have taken 100mc of thyroxine every day, not long before the SAH I went to my GP feeling generally unwell, he sent me for blood tests, this was during the week before Christmas, I had the SAH on 31st December so didn't get my results untill after I came out of hospital, they showed that my thyroid at that time had been grossly underactive, my GP said it was probably that that saved my life, cos everything in my body was slowed down at the time of the SAH, he was reluctant at first to give me a higher dose of thyroxine as it was not long since the bleed but has now upped it to 125mcg per day and on this dose my thyroid has levelled out. Who knows? It all seems a bit odd! All interesting stuff though.

Hey Frances, Karen, my hair was always very blonde then got darker as I got older, so now i have it hightlighted blonde just a couple of times a year, but must say, since the SAH my hair growin thru seems much more coarse and grey!!!! Oh my life am I about to become that granny figure!!! Noooo not at all! Speak soon, Love Suexxx

Hey Molly, a bit late but welcome to the site, everyone here is so lovely,you get lots of good advice and lots of encouragement! Love Suexx

Hi Karen, I'm in the proccess of writing my story...... I actually go days without writing anything but.... I will get there, then submit it to the homepage. Thats a promise. Love Suexx

Hi, can't stand the smell off coffee post SAH, nor the smell of cigarette smoke, was a 20 a day smoker before. Suexx

Hey Firefly, good to hear from you, its interesting to hear about your creativity since SAH, I reckon creativity comes from all sorts of trauma in our lives! A few years ago, my eldest son was badly assaulted, the docs never said he had a brain haemorrhage but they said his brain had been shaken badly when his skull was fractured. Rich had always been a sort of "arty person" but the creativity that was released from his brain injury was amazing!! In a different way, my husband had a triple heart bypass in 1998 following a major heart attack, I myself, like Richie, had always been fairly "arty" I found myself with a new "talent" when John was hospitalized having his bypass, I started painting glass, it was my way of passing the hours while my husband was so ill. (earned me a fair few quid as well!!) Like you, I put my trust in God, He is the only way I cope with my life!!!! In fact, my last clear recollection after I had the SAH, (which incidentally was when I was in church!) Was of someone praying for me when I was lay on the floor, not able to lift my head!!! Speak to you soon, love Suexx

Karen' as always you really are an encourager, it just seems so hard to sort my emotions out at the mo, God Bless, Love Suexx

Sami, thanks for that info about the bleed affecting the emotion sensors in the brain....... that is very interestin!!! My emotions are all over the place, big time! Sometimes I think its because of the SAH sometimes I think its cos my dads died, still feel I've not come to terms with it yet, when I went to his funeral it was only just over a week after my discharge from hospital. My brain was in such a fog then. Speak soon, love Suexxx

Hi, I think the more stressed you get about not stopping smoking the harder its gonna be,have you tried patches or any of the other things on offer? your doc should be able to suggest something. Don't worry either about losin it more than before! Think that happens to most of us. I can't handle half a much stuff as before and what would have been the easiest thing pre SAH suddenly has me in floods of tears now. Hopefully it will pass!! love Suexx

Hi, Happy Easter and welcome to the site. Sure it will be a great help to you, it certainly has been to me. I had my SAH on 31st December 2006 so about 6 weeks before you had yours. Like you I was diagnosed as having migraine and after my initial visit to A and E I saw, over 4 days, 4 different G.P.s who came to my house to see me, (I couldn't get out of bed only for the loo) All said the same thing, migraine, sinusitus, even a chest infection, in the end I couldn't stand it any longer and my husband called an ambulance, got to hospital, had a CT scan, diagnosed with an SAH then immediately transferred to neurosurgery hospital. I think you're right about the fact that if you look different you're sometimes not accepted, its a bad attitude to have!! It's good to be different!! Glad you're not going to have any more speed, I'd never thought about it being able to cause an SAH before but like Karens said to you, there are loads of things that can do it. Before I had my SAH I smoked 20 cigs a day, thats supposed to be a contributory factor as well. Haven't had one since though. Like you I get very disorientated in crowds of people, still get very tired, memory is shot! But, hey!!! We're here to tell the story!! Anyway, have a good day, Love Suex

Hi Jane, just to say hi! and welcome to the site, sorry it's a bit belated! Had my SAH on New Years Eve 2006 and must say this site has been ace for me!!! Everyone on the site has been so welcoming and kind, when I have a bad day I can sign on here and always feel like I'm at home, yeah, there are other people who feel like I do! As Sami said to you, we are going to have a Midlands meet and it would be good if you could come too! It's just getting round to arranging it but it will be done!! Anyway, it's off to bed for me now, speak to you soon, love Suexxx

Hi, my experience seems the same as most of you, I do tend to spell things wrong but my biggest thing is getting my words wrong, or just blanking in the midst of a sentence, told the girl in the building society the other day that the town was really quiet, not much furniture around!!!! mmmmmm...... I think I was a weeny bit like this before as well, but ots now good to have something to blame it on. Love to all Suexxxxxxxxx

Keith, just a quick note to say that my husband, who has quite bad heart probs and multiple other things, takes Simvastatin and it has been a fantastic drug for him, his cholesterol is at an all time low, which can only be good. Love Suexx

Hi, my blood pressure's always seemed to be okay before and after SAH, though come to think of it, it went quite low after, when I was in hospital? Joan, I just love readin your posts, you make me laugh!! I've been to my moms today with my sister, we're all missing dad so much, (he died just after I got out of hospital) To start with we all felt a bit emotional, then somethin funny happened an we ended up in hysterics for ages!! Feel so much better now for laughing!! It's a real tonic don't ya think? See's me through a lot and thats for sure! Have a lovely weekend all, Love Suexx

ThanksLouise, will let you know how I get on when I've been to see the counsellor Love Suex

Hi Aine, I went to see my GP yesterday as I was thinking I may need to take antidepressants, he didn't think it was a good idea because even though there are some symptoms of depression, he thinks alot of it is down to after effects of SAH, also, just 3 days after I was discharged from hospital my precious dad died, I think my head was in somuch of a fog at that time that I am only just now coming to terms with it. So he's referring me to a counsellor instead. Also, he showed me a whole list of antidepressants on the computer and they all show that there is a risk of causing a bleed!!! So definitely no thanks!!! I've just started doing some walking again, (not as much as before,) just short walks to start with, and I find that it def does lift the way I'm feelin, in a couple of weeks i'm going to start swimming again, so hoping that helps too. Speak soon, love Suexx

Hi, I smoked from my teens (now 56) up untill 1988, stopped for 7 years (had also had half hearted attempts before to stop) Then in 1995 my husband had a major heart attack, I started again, through stress I suppose, carried on smoking till December 31st 2006 (day of SAH) Had one cig. before it happened and haven't had one since. I was smoking between 15 and 20 a day, (dependant on stress levels!) I now can't stand even the smell of smoking, my youngest son Matt has also stopped completely, my husband has cut down by at least half and my eldest son Rich has also cut down drastically, which is great, no-one smokes in the house anymore, my husband made that decision while I was still in hospital So now they smoke outside. Hope I never want to smoke again!!! love Suexx

Hi Keith, glad you're back from Dublin safe and sound. Good also to hear that you had no ill effects from flying. By this time of year we have always booked our holiday but am only almost 10weeks into recovery and haven't even had my angio yet. So one day I've totally made my mind up we're not flying this year an the next day I'm gazing longingly at bargain hols in the window of the travel agents! So everyones comments about their own personal experiences or thoughts will help in the end i'm sure!!! Love Suexx

Hi Karen, you're right, it's the thought of flying thats scary. Funny you should say about Devon and Cornwall, my eldest grandaughter Charlotte who lives with us has recently been to St. Ives, with my daughter and her family, she absolutely loved it there, as they all did. On the plus side, the long range weather forecasters says we are in for a hot hot hot summer!!! The thought of pain in my head as well as my ears when flying is scary, think i'm sure that i'm not flying this year. Thanks for your views. Love Suexx

Hi Karen, I'm still in a bit of a quandary about hols this year.We nearly always go to Turkey ( We love it) but must admit I feel a bit wary to say the least! I have always suffered really badly when landing from pain in my ears due to pressure, when I said to my daughter we may go to Spain instead (shorter flight) she did in fact remind me that she has seen me so many times actually cry with pain when landing! So now I am thinking maybe go on holiday in this country. I haven't been for my angio yet, in fact I was supposed to have had it 6 weeks after discharge but have not even had my appointment come through yet! So I think I may wait till I've had that and seen the consultant before I decide for sure Love Suexx

Hi Karen, I'm going to email Sally in a bit, sounds interesting. Reading your bedtime line-up made me smile -sounds just like me - is being awake at 4am in the morning a common thing? My sleep pattern is all over the place. I'd like to hear about others sleep problems,as I'm still pretty new at this just 8 weeks on. Love Suexxxxx