Karen

Happy anni-versary to Mrs. Subs! A lovely, generous way to celebrate the day by raising funds for the emergency services .... hope you raise lots of money. Have a great day! xx

I asked for a sedative for my follow up angiogram ... I'm in the UK and you have to ask for it, as it's not offered routinely and has to be administered by a Doctor. It did help and I felt calmer and much more relaxed. May be ask them if they can have something underneath your spine/back to support you and to make you feel more comfortable whilst lying flat. I didn't lay there for three hours ... it was probably about 30 minutes. x

Paul, I so feel for you and your Wife, but you need to go and have a chat with your GP....perhaps together. Please do not order Viagra online. As far as I know, you can only order Viagra online in the UK, if you have a prescription from your Doctor. Anything else that you order online, probably wouldn't be safe and not tested in the UK. Please go and see your GP and discuss your problems .... Erectile dysfunction is pretty common for many men, irrespective of having a SAH or taking any other medication. I wish you well...x

Daff, enjoy those precious hugs today and I wish you a happy SAH anniversary. For me, my SAH anniversary is always a day of reflection and a celebration of life and being thankful for the extra time that I've been given. Life is different and very challenging at times.....but it's certainly taught me to take time to smell the roses. One of the greatest rewards of running BTG is seeing the progress of individual members over time and despite all of your tough challenges Daff, you've done so well on your journey and it's been my pleasure to personally meet you along the way. Thank you for all of the help and support you give to this site and for sharing your experiences with us and I know that many members, including myself have found great comfort from your compassionate and thoughtful responses on the forum. Hugs Daff.....wish I could give you one in person today! x

Hi Sarah, You're still pretty early in your recovery and add the return to work into the equation with all of the pressures that it brings, it's probably no wonder that your headaches have increased. I will say the usual and that's to make sure that you are keeping hydrated, as that does help. I haven't heard of Zoplicone, but does the taking of this medication tie in with the increased headaches in any way? Maybe you aren't ready/fit enough to return to work at the minute and as Super Mario has said, that many on here have had to take 12 months off work. The 3-6 month time zone that the hospital give us, tends to be the minimum time frame and just a guide really, as we all vary medically post SAH ...I don't think that I've seen many people successfully go back to work at the 3 month stage. It's certainly worth going back to your GP as there are many different types of medication that can help .... one size doesn't fit all and something that suits one person, may not suit another. Be kind to yourself and don't stress if your return to work doesn't go to plan at the minute .... another month may make the world of difference to how you feel .... also go and have a chat with your GP re: medication. xx

Some really good responses on this thread .... love to all. xx

Hi Nat, Your fear is pretty normal to be honest ... it takes time to build confidence up ... in the sense that your body won't let you down in such a horrendous way ever again. Stop searching .... I realised that Google wasn't my friend after a while and to be honest, you'll just drive yourself nuts with worry.... I know that I did exactly the same as you and now, I don't search at all re: SAH, unless it's website related ... sit on your hands and don't be tempted..... you won't find the answer that you're looking for and you'll just make your anxiety worse and then it becomes a vicious circle. Time is definitely the best healer and it does take time to re-build confidence. My first two years were the hardest ones to tackle and as time passes, it gets easier and the negative thoughts will go. If it helps, I've been running this website for nearly 10 years and I don't know of one member who's had a re-bleed. Take heart Nat ... you will be okay and as Super Mario has said, go see your GP and get help if it's overtaking your life. xx

Hi Mark, You perhaps need to say a little bit/fill us in about your medical history.... and what you drove before? None of us here are medically qualified to be able to interpret or say what you're results mean.

Well done Clare and sending love and hugs.....xx

Hi Andrea, It might be carolynusa that you're looking for? ...... http://web.behindthegray.net/index.php?/user/1169-carolynusa/ - just click on the link. x

Yep, low pressure affects my head .... I call it a "barometer head" and the weather lately has played havoc with it. If it's cold and windy I find that I have to wear a hat now. Pre-SAH I was only sensitive to thundery weather and it would normally give me a migraine, so I knew there was a storm coming.

Congratulations lovely on your 12th Anni-versary!.... As Macca has already said....you're an example and an inspiration. You've turned a negative situation into something positive and where you still find much joy in life and I know travel is one of those pleasures and that it brings you much happiness. I agree and it's pretty much my mantra too post SAH .... you can't change what's happened in the past and you can't alter what the future holds ... the SAH has taught me one valuable lesson and that's to live for today. Thank you so much for all of the help and support that you continue to give myself and all at BTG ....Hope that you're celebrating this evening! Hugs and love xx

Hi Tricia, It sounds as though he knows what he's doing and is in denial or doesn't want to face up to the problems he's causing himself and the family. He could well be depressed and using the alcohol as a means of coping .... however, we know that alcohol is a depressant and will make a situation worse with feelings and actions and I can see how it's affecting you and your family. If he's drinking excessively, then he may not remember in detail, how he acted towards you, the night before. He sounds as though he's in denial and if he won't listen to the recording then it would make me think that he has some recall and knows he's got a problem and probably feels bad for it, but then goes to the pub to take those feelings away again ....a vicious circle really. Your husband probably doesn't feel physically great, the morning after either! I know that some of us on here, can't tolerate a lot of alcohol because of the headaches etc. I was on anti seizure meds for some months post SAH and the withdrawal wasn't easy physically or emotionally. I was so worried about the seizures returning and it was a very rough patch for me. I am actually quite surprised that your husband is drinking heavily whilst still on the meds as I was told by my GP that alcohol can interfere with the action of the meds. I wasn't on Keppra - I was on Phenytoin and had regular blood tests to check for levels, which included a liver function test for tor any Phenytoin toxicity. I can't really suggest anything, apart from go back to the GP if need be. I would also try to have a conversation with your husband, not about the drink but try to get him to open up emotionally. You've said that he's normally a loving and sweet man, so you will have to pick a quiet moment and have a calm conversation with him as to his worries. I know of a few BTG male members, not dissimilar to your husband who struggled emotionally and who were depressed, suffering anxiety etc post SAH, but they did eventually seek help....some with counselling, others anti depressants and in some cases both. Sadly, it's not seen in society as a manly thing to admit to feelings of helplessness and where most of us women natter away about our worries and share it, I think that it's much harder for a man to feel that he can or should seek help. I wish you the very best of luck. xx

Congratulations Gemma and good to hear that you're celebrating! xx

Congratulations Sharon on your 1st Anni-versary xx

Gilly, I take Propranolol ... my dose is 40mg x 1 .....it used to be 40mg x 2 in my earlier days post SAH, which would be more than yours. I was prescribed it for a number of reasons - anxiety, classic migraines with aura and an irregular heart beat....like palpitations. I find the dose okay for me now .... I also have low/average blood pressure. If your Doc thinks that the dose is good for you and for the symptoms that you have, I would say, just run with it. It's not caused me any problems. xx

Gilly, most bedding/linen shops normally sell them ... I bought my latest V pillow from Dunelm Mill - click on the following link http://www.dunelm.com/product/dorma-full-forever-v-shape-pillow-1000047414?searchTerm=v%20pillow

Gilly, try sleeping in a more upright position, rather than laying too flat. I still use a V pillow to sleep with, as I sometimes still experience head pressure and dizziness and laying flat seems to exacerbate it .... but that's just my experience. If you're worried about the pressure feeling and dizziness, go and get yourself checked out, as it will give you peace of mind. xx

I've got an infundibulum on the opposite side to the original aneursym that bled .... I'm alive and kicking 10 years on ... I believe that its funnel shaped... I'm still being monitored, brain wise and haven't had any significant changes. Ask your Consultant or ask your GP to contact them. xx

Congratulations Sarah! It's my complete pleasure to know you too. Sending you love and hugs. xxx

Louise my friend, it's a complete pleasure to know you and congratulations on reaching your 16th year ... I know what a tough journey it's been for you, but I can also see how far you've come along.... I know that this time of year is always a tough one for you ..... keep your chin up my lovely and thank you for posting. Love and hugs xx

10 years on for me and any association with the SAH really does and will get better ... Sleep can be pretty tough post SAH as it is, for a lot of reasons and your body clock can be thrown out....I also had nightmares and sometimes I would still be awake at 4am and only just going off to sleep when the family were getting up and going off to work .. it will and does get better....xx

Hi Claudette, I'm glad that you're finding some comfort from the site. Feeling scared is only natural and I don't know one of us survivors that didn't feel scared, it would perhaps be abnormal not to have those feelings? Time is a great healer and bit by bit, your confidence will return .... you can't put a time limit on it and it won't happen overnight as we're all individuals and some of us take longer than others with the healing process, both physically and mentally. In my 9 years of running this site, I've seen people move on and move forward with their lives in a very positive way. When they first came to behind the gray, they were just like you and needed the support and comfort of knowing that they weren't alone. As time passes, their confidence returns and they need the site less and less, but in return they become the members who give advice and support, as they know how valuable that support is in the early months and years. In my long winded way, what I'm trying to say, is that you will get there too Claudette ... I wish you well. xx

Hi Davie, Hope that you go and see your GP. I would imagine that everyone here can empathise with you ... we've all pretty much had the same feelings and also coping with the shock of the SAH too. It does and will get better .... but my advice would be, don't struggle and do seek help. The sooner that you do seek help, the better you'll feel and be completely honest with your GP regarding how you feel. I spent far too long thinking that I could do it all by myself, struggling and I was a mess. The brain is a complex organ and there's a huge amount that it controls, including your emotions. Be kind to yourself and book an appointment.... I wish you the very best of luck in your recovery. x

That's so good! Walking the journey with you... x