Karen

Hi Keith, Many thanks for submitting your story! Love K xx

Hi Keith and Andy, Thanks for the kind words. Keith - I knew that you would rise to the occassion !! Love the new piccy....which one of the 7 dwarfs are you?? Dopey, Bashful?? Well, you put a smile on my sad old face! Yes, I'm wearing my fat clothes and only I, can understand my cat!! Well, I'm sat here with a "peel off" face mask on......first facial I've given myself since the SAH......at least my skin is taut...that is, until I peel it off in a minute!!.....more than likely need a chemical peel...or face lift!! :lol Perhaps I'll just leave it on permanently! no comments please!! Well, yes, you blokes are lucky not having the girly stuff to put up with as well!! You don't know you're born!! (Jeez, I sound like my Mother) Andy, you're probably right.....think that I do need a change of scenery or something.......just don't look forward to much at the minute, it all feels like too much hassle.....I know that I need to break this chain of thought ..... but every time I take a step forward, I take two back. Anyway, I've got a couple of weeks until I see the Doc and then I will talk it over with him. I had to fill out another form for anxiety/depression when I went for my balance assessment last week, so it will be interesting to hear what they have to say on it. I'm now at a point where if there's something that can help me regain some sanity, I will probably take that option and see how it goes. Thanks for cheering me up guy's, Love K xxxxxxx

Hi Sami, Well, you're well "sprung" now!!! Lots of love K xxx PS: I'm sure that the men on this site aren't that bashful???? No jokes about PMT though please!!!

Hi Sami, Yeah, I will ask the Doc about St.John's Wort.....I know that it interferes with the contraceptive pill though, but got to a point where I think that I will probably come off that anyway, as it doesn't seem to be working too well. Have had horrendous heavy periods as well.....but he's testing me for that as well. My body seems to have gone to pot!! Thanks for another big hug and one back to you as well! Lots of love K xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Sami, Thanks for the big hug ( I can still enjoy those!!) .....like you say, it's not a question of wanting anybody to feel sorry for me.....but I just want to be honest and to say that even at this stage I struggle with the whole damned thing.....wasn't sure whether to post this or not originally......but I think that it's important to be honest with anybody looking in, who might be going through similar feelings. I don't feel down 100% of the time and I still have positive moments...but it's not enough, well not for me anyway. I have to weigh up whether the threat of seizures returning versus Anti-deps.........which is something I don't take lightly........but my mental health is probably beginning to be more of an issue than the seizures. Still, I have a couple of weeks to see how things go....but the trouble is with me, I can be too ****** sensible at times!! Lots of Love and a big hug back, Karen xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi, Well, as I started this site up, one of my main considerations has been to be honest about my own recovery and try not to "wrap" it up too much. Just made myself an appointment with the GP for Dec 5th to consider going on anti-deps. Still, haven't made up my mind as to whether this is the right road or not, would like to think that I can still find the strength to pick myself up, but as time passes I'm not sure that I can. Having a later appointment will, however give me some time to reflect Think that I'm at the point of not knowing if it's the mental issues or the physical issues that are pulling me down, or if it's the combination of being left with both. :? The physical stuff is a constant reminder.........go to bed with it, wake up with it.........as much as I work with it, it's still there. If I look back on this time last year ..... my spirit was definetly higher, even though physically I was worse. I know that I have improved greatly, but it's a real hard slog and the coping factor is harder after 16 months. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel sorry for myself and I don't want anybody else to feel sorry me, it's not a question of "why me?"....... I would just like to have the odd couple of days, where I felt like me and the SAH wasn't ruling my life. Anyway, thought that I would put my thoughts down for anybody else out there who's looking in and is feeling the same way. Lots of love to you all, Karen xxxxxxxx

My one piece of advice would be to sleep/rest up when your body tells you to..... Love Karen x

Hi Andy P, It was also very good to talk to you......hope all is well. Not doing too badly at the minute....hopefully things are on the up! (til the next time!!) nice to have a chat though......speak to you soon, Love K x

Hi Barney, Yep, sticking to Barney is better for me.......wouldn't be able to get used to Wayne!! Hope all is well with you and keep us posted with your progress, it's all very interesting. Take care, Love Karen x

Hi Sami, Well, I'm really happy for you!! Did, you really think that I wouldn't look in?? especially to see how one of my girls was doing?? I looked in at about 8.00am....to discover a post by a so called "guest" titled "How to enlarge your ....." I'm sure that you can guess the rest! Not sure how he/she by-passed the log in system...but hopefully Chris has banned their IP address. There's always somebody out there that will get in to try and sell their wares and that's why I like to check!! I've had a better day.....started pretty badly, but my mood has improved, even though the body is still reluctant! I'm trying to ignore the dizzy phases and keep going.....but it's hard at times. I have my appt. for Balance assessment tomorrow.....so they will put me onto some sort of machinery to measure how wobbly I am! (I hate hospitals!!) My "halo" is in the cupboard at the moment.......I shall wear it when my language isn't quite so fruity! Really happy that you've had some good results today......it all keeps me going in my mad hours! Love and hugs, Kx

Hi Wayne, (can't get used to calling you Wayne after calling you Barney!! ) Well, if you're diagnosed with this one, it would make a great story!....at least it would explain why you had your SAH....do you feel that it would give you some peace of mind as to why you had the bleed? It's all very interesting stuff! Take care of yourself, Love K x

Hi Sami, Really happy for you! That's great news! Love and a big hug..... K xxx

Hi, My reasons are the same as Sami's for keeping up the fluids.....re: dehydration/headache.....although, excessive water intake can wash away the minerals and salts in the body.....so it's finding the right balance and not taking it to extremes....like most things in life! Love K x

Hi Barney, How very interesting to read your post....just been looking the condition up on the web. It's something that I've never heard of......have you been diagnosed with the condition now? Hope all is well, Love Karen x

Hiya, I found out that my aneurysm hadn't been totally occluded after the follow up angio at 8 months post SAH. I suppose or am presuming that after a set period of time that the coils settle to a degree. Occasionally, I get a bit of a dull ache at the back of the head where I think the coiling was probably carried out. I only started to get this though at about 12 months post SAH along with the pulsing sensation. But, yeah, it does feel a bit weird. Love K x

Hi Sami, I can definetly say that I get a pulsing/heartbeat sensation at the back of my head (especially if I'm tired or get stressed) and I can sometimes feel something at the back right hand side of my head.....which is where I'm presuming my coiling is. Love K x

Hi Sami, I've decided to give it until the end of December and have a look at the stats on the site, which should give me a good indication of how things are going. Our main referrals are from Wikipedia anyway......we are about 32 on a Yahoo search for Subarachnoid Haem. support Group and we still seem to be doing okay and people are able to find us. If the figures go down during December then I will have to review the charity option. Love K x

Hiya Keith, Glad that you're doing okay..... that's the trouble after a SAH.....you feel better, then do too much etc..... then have a couple of bad days....I still haven't learnt that one!! So you've had a house full then, must have been nice for you, but that's probably quite tiring as well. Yes, it's nice that the support nurse calls to see how you're doing.....I think that I got one call from them, probably at the same stage as you...I used to e-mail Sarah with the odd problem...usually med related stuff, as the GP couldn't give me much help. She was always very good with getting back to me. Why's your GP waiting to get your blood pressure down? I would have thought that he would have put you on something asap. Well, you have another month at home watching Daytime TV, will you be able to stand it!! Great that you're doing well and take care, Love K x

Hi Ember, You must be really pleased with your progress and great news about the driving! At least they've clarified a few things for you. I too, had the awful back and leg pain, a couple of days after my bleed started.....it was worse than the pain of giving birth.....but they also explained to me that it was the blood draining out down the spinal cord. Hope that you will keep us updated as to your progress. Take care, Love Karen x

Hi Keith, It's interesting to know that you also suffered from migraines post SAH. I also didn't get them frequently, but sort of had clusters of them, maybe three close together in one month and then nothing for a couple of months. My trigger used to be stress or bright light .... especially camera flashlight. I used to have the migraines with vomiting....but once I had kids, I started to get the "aura" prior to migraine, but the sickness stopped. It was scary when I first experienced the aura. It would also be interesting to see if our non-aneurysm SAH friends also had a history of migraine prior to their SAH. Anyway, hope that you are keeping well, you've been pretty quiet on the site, so hope that everything is okay. Have you had any news about your angio results? Love K x

Hi Andy, Does Heather get any pain around her eye?.......I still get some nerve pain, especially when I'm tired. Love K x

Great Results for the site this month 20,645 page views! It's a very encouraging result and thanks to everybody for their contributions and support. Love Karen x August (5188) September (12609) October (20645)

Hi Louise, Well I'm still lying horizontal on the sofa....still tired....not looking forward to doing the exercises....but I know I have to, if I want to improve things. If I need any IT help, then I know who to come to in the future!! Yes, last night was so strange and I found the experience quite frightening...I don't think that I've ever woken up with such a jolt.....my sleep since the SAH has been so strange and I'm also dreaming about things that happened in the past when I was a teenager....stuff that I had completely forgotten about....almost like my brain is unlocking information...I don't know what's going on....it can be either a fascinating experience or a scary one. Perhaps I just need therapy! Love K x

Hi Andy, Yes....I think that everybody has their own theories on this one. My migraines became worse after having children.....I started to experience the "aura" for the first time. Interesting hearing about Heather's. Prior to having kids, I would just have the thumping head and vomiting. I still think that there's a connection to aneurysms.....even if it's a loose one .... surely, the more an artery contracts and expands, the more wear and tear it's going to have than normal and it will eventually lose it's elasticity. Anyway, I'm still running with this theory! Love K x

Hiya, I've never had to see the GP about migraines in the past.....but my current GP has now put this on my notes......I haven't had any migraines since taking Propranolol, which is a beta blocker, but it's also used for migraine sufferers. I'm on the beta blocker for heart palpitations as it slows down the heart rate, but he suggested that I should now stay on it indefinetly. It was interesting to here the latest theory, that people who suffer migraines are often found to have a small hole/tear near the heart....this affects blood flow and can be the cause of migraines. I saw a tv programme, where a severe migraine sufferer had this tear, she had it repaired and bingo, her migraines stopped over the course of the next few months....but it's a very interesting theory. I also don't have high blood pressure, but I'm happy to take the beta blocker if it stops the migraines. I know that the "classic" type that I get with aura..zig zag lines across the eyes, are particularly bad for you. My theory is that my heart palpatations/flutterings could be linked to the migraines, that eventually lead on to the SAH. If your experiencing migraines where your arteries are dilating and expanding over a long period of time, then like an elastic band, it's going to develop a weak spot and perish. Still, it's only a theory, but interesting to here about you low blood pressure. Love K x