Karen

Greg, I would always advise to go with your gut feeling ... only you know what you're feeling and if you're ready to go back to work, even on a phased return. The Doc is probably waiting for you to say, what "you" can do and if you're ready (most GP's don't know a huge amount about SAH or it's fallout)....so always be honest and always seek additional help with your GP if you need it and many of us do post SAH. I know that it's hard to ask for help, but it may help to get you back on track faster than struggling.

If you're stressing about returning to work and know that it's not the right thing to do, then you need to say so and I'm glad to see that this is what you're doing, so, well done!

Also glad to hear that you're contacting Headway ... they're a very good organisation.

Wishing you all good things. xx

Debbie, anxiety attacks are huge post SAH.... I experienced them and many of us do. There's a fine line between anxiety and depression. Go and speak to your GP about it and they should be able to help. My GP did ... I've never had depression, but the anxiety was absolutely awful... especially in the early months and first few years. I also had seizures/fits before and during my hospital stay and this added to my anxiety.

What you've gone through is something that most people will hopefully, never have to experience ... you might be experiencing a bit of post traumatic stress too? ....  Don't do what I did and sit on it and struggle alone .... go and see your GP and be totally honest with them....it's never a failure to seek help.... that's why this site is here.

I wouldn't worry about your appointment too much ...they're probably checking your health generally, irrespective of the SAH.....each patient case post SAH is always different, but it looks as though they're looking after you.

Don't struggle with the anxiety/panic attacks .... tell your GP and get the help that you need.

Hugs coming your way and I can only say that it will all get better. xxx

Clare, I didn't take Ibuprofen in the early months post SAH. I can't advise you on medication as you will need to check with your GP as each patient case varies.

However, are you sure that you're not doing too much and if it's happening when you're out and about and not at home then perhaps you're overdoing things, maybe a little anxiety kicks in and it's your brain's way of telling you that you need to rest? 

I would also suggest that may be a scarf around the neck and keeping your head warm with a hat may help with the wind and cold weather.

Also, keep yourself well hydrated with water .... I always used to carry a bottle of water with me to stave off the headaches. 

I was told that it can take 3 months for the blood to fully dissipate down the spinal cord.

7 Weeks post SAH is so very early in recovery terms, go gently and be kind to yourself. xx

I'm just going to chime in here .... I still have some sleeping problems, but if you're experiencing anything like restless legs/muscle twitching, it can be a side effect of a brain problem which may be short term, but it can also be caused by lack of iron, especially for the Ladies.

I can't offer medical advice, but I was found to be iron deficient. I also had heavy periods at that point and my muscles used to twitch away at night and it would drive me absolutely nuts.

I was eventually put on to iron tablets after seeing my GP and after having a series of blood tests .... and it helped solve the problem.

I was also found to be severely calcium deficient and to the point where I was about to be admitted to hospital and put on to a drip.

I would always say to every member, that don't ever put everything down to the SAH, especially if you're a female ... Periods and the menopause or peri-menopause can give you symptoms that you might attribute to the SAH, but something that you might not have to put up with if you seek help.

Sometimes a simple blood test is all that's needed .... I've learnt the hard way over the years and in my early recovery years, I did put everything down to the SAH when it was something that could easily be sorted out or at least helped, rather than struggling.

I've encountered the peri-menopause and some of the symptoms can often mirror the SAH fallout too .... with trouble sleeping, fatigue etc and I would encourage anybody not to "normalise" symptoms but go to your GP and rule out anything else that may or may not be the cause and not struggle if you don't have to. 

xx

Paul, your first account registered as Paul Cummings has been deleted. If you wish to add your surname to your current log in name, you can do so in your profile, under My Settings.

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Hi Paul, I can delete the Paul Cumming account and then you can edit your user name. Let me know. 

Good luck Mandy, it's one of the first milestones and you're bound to feel jittery, it's only natural. Sending some hugs  xx

Andy Howland joined Behind the Gray in its infancy in 2006 after his lovely wife Heather had a SAH. At the time of Heather's SAH, they also had a young son.

It was the first time that I learnt about hyper sexuality and sexual disinhibition post SAH... you have to remember that I was only one year post SAH myself, still recovering and didn't have a clue either with running a support group or knowing anything at all ....we were both on a steep learning curve... Andy much more than me .... I couldn't help him, apart from listen to him and to accept his comforting words and to start researching into Heather's condition .....to learn more.

Andy was of great comfort to me personally and to others on here and I realised that I was at the start of that journey in learning "all things SAH" .... brain injury .... it's fallout .... both physically and mentally.

Andy spoke about a subject that I hadn't heard of and was willing to talk honestly and frankly about Heather's condition and I wondered why there weren't more personal accounts ....perhaps it's because it's a taboo subject, too personal to say out aloud ...and a subject matter which certainly didn't have any publicity ... because it just wasn't spoken about.... until Andy came along.... 

Andy was brave enough, loved his wife enough, to make a difference and to share his and Heather's personal journey and to get the help that Heather desparately needed .... You can find their story on BTG by clicking on the following page link: http://web.behindthegray.net/index.php?/page/articles.html/_/your-story/coping-with-hyper-sexuality-and-sexual-disinhib-r154

Over the years, both Andy and Heather have raised awareness of hyper sexuality and sexual disinhibition post brain injury in the media from magazine/newspaper articles to appearing on UK TV and with much credit to them both, they still continue to raise awareness.

They've both recently appeared in a documentary for ABC 20/20 and it's called My Strange Affliction.

To view this documentary, click on the following link: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/women-dominatrix-brain-trauma-gave-intense-sexual-desires/story?id=29595458

With thanks and much love to them both for continuing to raise awareness and for making such a difference ... xx

Kate- how are you feeling after you were diagnosed with RCVS? How often do you experience it? Are you on maintenance medication for it? From Shazanne.

Posted on behalf of Shazanne - http://web.behindthegray.net/index.php?/topic/3615-shazanne-new-member/ 

Sub, my aneurysm isn't totally fixed and this is my 10 year scan...I've also got another dodgy artery on the other side of my brain that may turn into an aneurysm ... my last official one was 5 years ago. Hopefully should hear the results about two weeks after the scan. Thanks for your good wishes. xx

Good luck with your wife's scan Sub .... I've got mine on Tuesday ... I shall be thinking of you both. xx

You're in my thoughts too Janey .... hope all's okay. xx

Thinking of you Jane and wishing you well again .... hoping that the repercussions from the stroke that you experienced are just temporary and I would well imagine that you're very glad to get this operation out of the way .... good news that the other aneurysms haven't grown.   Take it easy and as Tina has said, let us know how you're doing once you're feeling better. Big hugs xxx

Good luck Janey, I'll be thinking of you and wishing you well. Sending hugs and love xxx

Hugs Carolyn ... I also participated in research with a coil that may have gel in it - HydroCoil/versus normal coiling .... I still don't know which one I have (which was part of what I signed up for)....normal or gel one...but agreed to take part in the trials and to be honest, if it has good results and makes a difference to the next person that follows me....then that's good for me. I've got another scan this year.

HydroCoil info - http://newsroom.heart.org/news/new-device-improves-healing-of-some-ruptured-aneurysms

I can see the relevance of using a pipe like device and it kind of makes perfect sense to me..... you can only do what's good for you lovely.

Weigh up what you personally need to do .... nobody else can ever make that decision for you and you need to feel happy with your own decision. xx

Ponigirl, you are most welcome from me as well. 

Just know that you will feel better with time and you will move forward...  we're all here to support you whenever you need it.... us older members have all been through what you're going through right now and understand how you're feeling.

As for spreading the word re: recovery information and if that's something that you want to do, then maybe that's a good focus for you, so you go for it lovely lady xx 

 

 

 

My husband, Bob is truly my hero!! He told me years ago that the only reason the good Lord put him on this earth was to take care of me. I always thought that was so sweet- especially since he is not a religious person- but he knows I am.

Ponigirl, if the shoe was on the other foot and it had been Bob that had suffered the SAH, you wouldn't have thought twice about doing the same as he's doing for you at the moment.....would you have?

It sounds as though you have a very good relationship with Bob and at the minute there's a period of readjustment in both your lives. However, some of this may only be temporary.....such as being frightened of being left by yourself. This feeling will eventually go as you become more confident, but that does take a little time. I don't know of many SAH'ers on here who haven't experienced that feeling and it is horrid.

Hold on to the thought that life will get better and it does, you won't always be feeling like you do now .... Bob is quite right in saying that he's the lucky one in still having you around. I think that many of us have imagined the devastation that we would have caused if we hadn't made it. SAH recovery does require a period of adjustment, but it doesn't mean to say that you will be stuck this way forever .... try to keep as positive as you can and you will see changes over time.

Hugs xx

 

 

Interestingly like you and Karen 5 hours seems to be my absolute max for now if I want to have anything Left over for family and homelife but even then I have to make hard choices about what I choose to do as stamina is still nowhere near where it was.

Interesting to hear that you're currently experiencing the same Daff.  I was lucky to be self employed and I could dictate my hours to a degree and would work around the company's needs too. I did sometimes push it to 6 hours approximately 4/5 years post SAH and I managed it, but didn't quite know how I got home and to be honest I didn't feel that safe either when driving, even though it was only a couple of miles home.... It was a massive relief to get inside the house though and just to shut off for a while.

To be honest, I don't think that I could increase those working hours even now with more recovery behind me .... however, I'm 53 this year and may be age also has a part to play and combined with the effects of the menopause that mimic the SAH fallout in quite a few ways too. 

xx

Dawn, strangely enough when I was temping many years after the SAH, the maximum amount of hours that I could work for was also 5 hours per day.... 9am-2pm and just grabbing the odd tea break (I was still self employed at this point) I never managed to go over that amount as by the time I drove home or picked up a bit of food shopping on the way, I could feel that I was shutting down and starting to feel uncomfortable. 

I'm glad that you've found what's good for you to work with and wish you well. xx

I`ve found it interesting to note that many SAH members on this Forum had their coiling done often on the day after their SAH. . My wife had her coiling done almost three and a half weeks after-

Hi, I think that it also probably depends on how poorly the patient is before they carry out the operation as would imagine that they would want to make sure that the patient is in a stable condition and strong enough to physically cope, rather than put them at risk. x

Hi Sharon and welcome.... 

Which support group are you attending? I only know of about 3 hospitals that have support groups so that's fabulous .... it does really help to meet others in the same position.

Wishing you well .... early days for you post SAH, but it will get better. 

Take care xx

Jill, I know that you're terrified of losing your license but you must really go and get yourself checked over by the GP.... any tightness across the chest along with your other symptoms needs to be investigated. Please don't take any risks Jill. xx

Sounds as though you might need to have a chat to her GP to get the pain relief sorted out if the current meds aren't helping. 

I had 14 days in bed and lost about 1 stone in hospital ... muscle wasting and was as weak as a kitten.... a lot of us experienced the same. It's probably a combination of both. I personally think that it's too early to consider Physio for her....have a chat with her GP, he/she sound as though they know what they're doing and you can try a different route re: painkiller. I actually found taking Paracetamol had more of an impact than the Codeine based drugs.... but taking them regularly rather than waiting for the pain to kick back in.

I was also told by my Consultant that blood can show up in the CSF 3 months after the event ... but it obviously gets less and less ... and the pain less and less. 

Yes, I did .... I was told that it was the blood dissipating down the spinal chord and irritating the nerve endings.  The 2nd week of my SAH was absolutely hell on earth due to the back and leg pain and I was on liquid morphine for it whilst in hospital, but that barely took the edge of it .... I do feel for her, as the pain was worse than the head pain.

17 days in bed wouldn't have helped her either .... make sure that she does drink enough water with her painkillers as they will get into her system faster and to keep hydrated generally by drinking water as that helps the headache.  It honestly does and will get better. You can also try a packet of frozen peas wrapped in a towel on her lower back if cooling it down helps or the alternative of a wrapped hot water bottle behind her back....either hot or cold depending on her preference.

If you haven't got one already, I recommend a V pillow .... it helps support the back and neck, especially when resting up on a sofa etc. 

If all else fails, go back to her GP and see if they can recommend a different painkiller.... one size doesn't fit all. I really feel for her, as I know what it's like ... I can remember once saying that the pain was worse than giving birth.