weedrea

Claudette I've just had my 6 month scan but I'm in a different position to you. I've got 2 aneurysms. One was coiled after a bleed and the other is too small and difficult to get to for coiling. When I was in hospital the lovely nurse did tell me my op was "fairly sucessful"....lol very encouraging but like you the problem was a little neck that could do with an extra coil. When I saw my surgeon before I was discharged he showed me my scans and suggested that they'd probably consider more surgery in 6 months and sensed they'd like to do it quite quickly. Now at 6 months my scans are stable....so I'd love them to offer me more coils but there's not enough room so hoping in the next 6 months my coils settle appropriately!

Hi Peter & Irene. Currently 21 weeks for DVLA to review paperwork....only 6 weeks to go for me!

Saw this in my local newspaper....I'm so thankful for the NHS. I can't imagine having to go through this and then also having to worry about the costs as well. https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/islands/orkney/809158/familys-appeal-for-help-after-orkney-man-suffers-aneurysm-in-thailand/

Letter might say 9 weeks but it's currently more like 18... And great your hubby knew the signs....my A&E doc didn't even recognise the signs! Took 15 hrs till I got a CT scan!

Yes I'm quite sure they're standard questions....but they don't help my stress levels to even consider that the scan might be dangerous! They've got access to my medical files and I hope they'd make it clear what's been done and that MRI scans are safe for aneurysm coils! As I've said before, I really feel like I got very little information from the hospital...but maybe I was in too much shock to ask the right questions!

Hopefully my experience will give you a laugh..... I was treated in Glasgow, which is 250 miles and a 2 1/2 hr ferry ride from where I live. To make things easier I asked if I could have my first scan in Inverness as I work from home but my main office is there so I can always tie a visit in with work. So I went last week for my scan. The guy who came to talk me through what was going to happen (radiologist I presume..but he looked far too young to work the big machine lol). After going through all the usual questions he said "So Glasgow haven't given us much detail about your condition. Did they tell you what they did?" To which I answered, "coiled one aneurysm and left the other for the moment". Then he said, "So did they tell you what type of coil they used? Not all of them are safe for MRI scans. Did they tell you it's definitely MRI safe?" At this point I don't know whether to laugh or cry! I said that I'd had an MRI before they released me following my op and...well if they're sending me for an MRI can we not presume it's safe?! He said he'd consult my notes just to make sure!! Then nothing else was said but he did causally say when I was being put in the MRI...."now remember, if you feel anything odd in your head or anything hot, please just buzz us immediately." As it was, it all went fine and he said he did an extra, different scan too just in case they wanted to see that too. Hopefully it's not an ominous sign and it was just him doing extra because I was there ....I'll just need to wait 2 or 3 weeks now to hear what they say. Andrea

Interesting to read this....need to keep remembering to look after my hubby through this too! He was a rock when I was medevac-ed after my SAH. He had to travel down to the hospital when I was in surgery...tells me he was crying most of the way waiting for an update from his parents who were with me at the hospital (best part of a 12 hr journey that couldn't start for 12 hrs after I left due to living on an island). I know I've been very fortunate and other than my temper (oh what a lucky husband living with me!) and tiredness, I'm mostly back to normal. But I'm only 5 months from my SAH. I am getting my first post op scan next week (likely to need more surgery) which is worrying me a little. I've been kicking back a little over the festive period, drinking more than I should (but not much compared to pre-SAH standards!). And I know it's worrying my hubby. It's not fair I make him feel like the policeman making sure I behave....I must take responsibility myself and behave! It's been a stressful few weeks (had a car accident, thankfully no injuries...other than to the car) and it's been nice to just act like *normal* again...but it's not fair as it's just adding a different kind of stress. So anyway, lovely to read this thread and it was (in keeping with the tread) a nice kick up my backside to behave and remember that things are not like before and also a great reminder to look after my wonderful, long suffering husband. Andrea

Lucky you! Funny I phoned the DVLA today and was told the same thing...currently only reviewing cases from August/Sept and mine wasn't sent until October. But they did say my licence hasn't been revoked so there's no problem with me driving if my GP says it's ok so might chase it up with them. Hopefully my phone call will get the same outcome as you and I'll receive my letter next week!! On the other hand I quite like not being able to drive....makes a great excuse for not travelling as much with work. Andrea

Has anyone managed to get life insurance after an sah? My life insurance ran out a couple of months after my sah (small one clipped plus another mini one being monitored) and I've been rejected for insurance. It was a grade 1 bleed with no complications. Insurer asked for access to approach my doctor for more information (which I reluctantly agreed to!) and now they're saying they won't offer me anything at this stage (4 months post bleed) but will review in 3 months. Keen to try another insurer...I thought I'd gone with one that had been recommended as accepting sah people but I'm not keen that more insurers see my file and then reject me! Any recommendations, please let me know (or pm if it's not appropriate to post here). Many thanks Andrea

DVLA wrote back to me a couple of weeks ago to confirm that they'd got a response from my consultant (within 6 weeks). They wrote to say there was a delay reviewing and they expected it'd take "up to at least 9 weeks".....good English!

I am very fortunate that my husband has been continually with me since my coiling at the end of August. I am now beginning a slow return to work - again I'm fortunate that I work from home and can minimise any travel for the time being. Previously I would be travelling most weeks (flying as I live on an island). Clearly travelling now with work is a more difficult as I'm not driving but I do have a concern with travelling (flying in particular) and being away from people who know my heath history. I have a partially coiled aneurysm and a second aneurysm that's being monitored. I feel like I need a bracelet or a card in my wallet to say I've got aneurysms and if I keel over please deliver me to the nearest neuro unit! Maybe it's overkill but has anyone else felt like this? Thanks Andrea

Hi there I had coiling done on my ruptured aneurysm at the end of July. I was told at the time at it was only partially occluded - my aneurysm is small (5mm) and now has a coil in about 60% of it. How long have other people had to wait to have their first scan after the coiling? I had one done in the hospital and got the neuroradiologist to talk me through the scans. He suggested having a scan after 3 months given it was only partially occluded. However, he's now left and the hospital say I'm in the system for a scan after 6 months. How long is normal to wait? Thanks Andrea

Hi there Hopefully this will be of use to someone...I've been watching 2 videos by Neil Martin at UCLA on aneurysm treatment. The videos cover treating unruptured aneurysm but it's a good overview of the processes and interesting to understand a bit more the risk vs benefit assessments for coiling and clipping treatment. In the first video (Unruptured Aneurysms: When and How to Treat) he does a good Q&A on living with aneurysms (I think it's about 25mins 30secs in). The second video (Latest Treatments in Brain Aneuryms) is more recent and the first 25mins covers a lot of the same material but then he explains stent assisted coiling which wasn't covered in the first video. At 29mins in he starts the Q&A - different questions to last time (I think he covers yoga, pregnancy, exercise, flying etc) . The last section of the video he gives a great view of recovering from an SAH. Very positive on how amazing the brain is at recovering and to never give up and that improvements can be seen years after the SAH. I know for us who have had a SAH, the risk parameters in the video will be different and I'm not sure if there is a different emphasis in the UK to do coiling over clipping (clipping was never suggested to me as an option but from many things I've read it may be been the preferred option in the US as I am relatively young....not sure!). Hopefully you'll find this interesting. I have a second very small aneurysm (though my first one that ruptured was equally small...) and I find these videos really help my understanding of the decisions potentially ahead of me. Thanks Andrea

Hi thanks so much for all your welcomes and support. It is much appreciated. Also great to hear from others around my age going through this - what made me laugh most in hospital was my neuroradiologist was 39 too!

Hi there. I had a SAH in late July this year and have been out of hospital now for 10 days. My diagnosis, like many others, was as much a shock to the doctor as it was to me. My wonderful husband took me to A&E at 2am after an hour of the worst headache and vomiting. My hubby was convinced it was something serious...so much so he even packed me an overnight bag! I live 40 mins from the hospital so there was no point waiting for an ambulance. Nurses gave me pain and nausea meds and fluids but it was clear from the off everyone was convinced this was a migraine. I saw the doctor at 6am and he sent me on my way with ibuprofen. By 9am I was back home having been for a short walk with the dog and I got a call from the hospital doc saying that he'd spoke to a colleague and they thought I should come in for at CT scan....precautionary, no rush. I had a few hours sleep and headed back in for about 4pm. CT revealed a small bleed and doctors informed me that they'd spoken to the neuro unit in Glasgow who wanted me sent down there straight away - I live on a Scottish island and Glasgow is the nearest neuro unit. A few hours later I'm on the air ambulance (pretty disappointed I wasn't on the helicopter lol) and in Glasgow by 10pm. Had another CT scan and was told at midnight that that bleed was caused by a small aneurysm. Had it coiled by lunchtime the following day. The most difficult part for me was not having my husband with me. He had to travel down separately and so didn't arrive until after my surgery which made it so much more stressful for both of us. My aneurysm is very small and the coiling has only been a partial success and they anticipate to do more in 6 to 12 months. I also have another aneurysm that's going to be monitored. I know I've been so very fortunate to have had a small bleed and small aneurysms but it is a challenge reconciling all of this! I am 39 and have none of the risk factors for an aneurysm. I know I've got a lot of "processing" to do (whatever that means!) and it's great there is a forum such as this to learn from and share experiences. Andrea