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Good luck Theresa,

I hope the surgery goes the best and keep positive thoughts. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Let us know.

David

Hi there-

Thanks to everyone for their replies. The work thing has gotten a little better but even the healthy people at work are complaining about the office being tooo hot. Sandi that was brilliant about the Ice I may try it. The heat just makes my neck tight and headaches bad and cant think. Im very encouraged to hear that the outside heat may not bother as much because we do get hot humid summers. It has gotten a little better so I am coping now. Thanks.

David

Hi folks:

Been off the site for a while as I am back to work and it takes every ounce of my energy to get thru 25 hrs a week. My question is: Does anyone else get bothered by extreme heat? My office has been so hot lately and it makes me so weak and sick. I have a fan and it helps some but not when Im up and around. It has been so hot lately, it feels like about 78 degrees and my head absolutely tightens and I feel so weak. Does anyone else get this? I am worried also because I love to golf and it gets hot here in the summer and I cant imagine going out for 5 hours in the hot sun and playing golf. And so much for any beach time. Work says it set at 71 degrees but if its 71 then Im James Bond. I know its not gonna change cause already brought it up but it's not helping in my recovery.

Thoughts anyone?

David

Hi Sandi,

Your situation sounds so similar to mine. I deal with alot of people and there is so much going on. I used to be so good at multi-tasking better than most but now I have to focus on one task at a time to make sure I get it right. I also send out checks for thousands of dollars so getting it wrong won't be pretty.

I am working 25 hours a week with Wednesdays off. I feel ok in the AM but by 1-2 oclock I'm getting wired and my head tight. I take a quick lunch at 2 and then get thru the day. I feel I am improving slightly. Work has been understanding so far.

Keep trying Sandy, it should get better or so they tell me. Are you on any pain meds? I try like heck not to take them at work. One day last week my head was ready to explode at 1pm. I took half of a pain med and that relived the pressure and I kicked butt the rest of the day. How can you work with a exploding headache.

I hope you are resting today as am I and gonna cook a nice dinner. Stay positive.

David

Hello,

This is my 3rd week back to work. I felt so good on Sunday and Monday, almost normal. Today felt kind of crappy. I have been drinking a ton of water and I truly think it's helped me. I have tomorrow off and plan to rest and cook a pot roast in the crock pot. Supposed to be rainy and cold. This is my last week of pay before I will only get paid for the hours I work. I'm going to try and stick it out financially for a month and not overdo my hours.

However, the inevitability of going back to work full time is daunting. I'll have to make it though. Wife is having all kinds of medical and mental issues which is adding to stress. I am doing my best to take care of her but I;m nowhere near 100%. One day at a time I guess.

Thanks all,

David

Hello David,

Welcome to BTG.

You are doing so well so soon after your SAH, but maybe too much too soon??

My SAH was 14mths ago, I also suffered all the time with head pains and temple pressure. It has got better over time but I still get them. Now as I type this even. It is alot worse when tired or stressed.

For me the biggest step was when I accepted that I'm not and will never be the person I was before my SAH, it's all about acceptance of who you are now.

I can totally understand your concerns for getting back to work, maybe you could do less days to start with? Have rest days in between. I myself have started my phased return to work this week,I'll be doing half days Mondays and Thursdays for a few weeks,see how it goes from there.

Don't push yourself too hard, you don't want to end up going backwards in your recovery.

Drink plenty of water, it really does help.

I know it's really hard but please remember your health and wellbeing comes before money and work. Well, I believe it does / should!

I wish you well with your recovery.

Take care,

SarahLou Xx

Thanks Sarah,

You make alot of sense and your advice is well taken. Your SAH I believe was worse than mine so I can only imagine what you're going through. Its my 3rd week of work and I'm doing ok. Today was pretty crappy but I know bad days are common. One amazing thing. I kicked up my water intake recently and really noticed a difference, Sunday and Monday felt almost no symptoms of SAH and think it may be the water. Hope you are doing well.

David

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I went to ER today and had the usual 5 hour ordeal. It was my day off and was supposed to rest. Oh well. They gave me 12 perc and I talked my nurse today and they should refill me tomorrow but i am not for sure. I feel better now. Earlier today i felt like I had just come out of SAH surgery. That bad. I know you all can relate, it was a bad day. One day at a time I guess. Today just about wore me out but I do want to respond to some the posts individually as they have been great. Try tomorrow. Thanks everyone.

David

Hello,

I have a question for the group. How long does it take to get off pain meds? I am currently on Percocet 5Mg and have been since my SAH of 2 1/2 months. I know pain meds have bad rep and many people get hooked. However, my headaches have yet to go away. I ran out today and am waiting to hear from doctor. My headache is currently an 8 (10 meaning hospital and SAH). I have no intention of staying on them but right now the pain is not manageable. It is ridiculous. I know it's different for everyone, but generally how long before you can stop taking the pain meds? Thanks.

David

Hi Folks:

I am learning so much from everyone so Im gonna try and jump in the middle and share my thoughts. Had SAH 2 1/2 months ago. Still don't feel a whole lot better. Went back to work last week and that is on my introduction thread. I have to go back to work for financial reasons. My company has been great with me so far but I could feel like they needed me back. Going back 1/2 days M-f for now. Had headache for 74 straight days 24/7. Not trying to be dramatic it just I cant wait for that FIRST day that I don't wake up with a headache. Fatigue is relentless and intolerable. Beginning to wonder what kind of life I'm gonna have. Can only hope it gets better. It does get better right? Pleeeaaase.

David

Hi David.

Welcome to BTG, glad that you found us so soon after your event.

I am quite shocked that you returned to work so soon. In the UK, the advice is usually, take your time and give yourself at least three months to recover.

A bleed is a bleed and a NASAH is no less an event than any other brain trauma.

A 73 day headache is bound to sap the drive and energy from you.

Many people on this site have been unable to return to work for many different reasons. Fatigue, depression or physical disability.

If you are among the "lucky" few who do not suffer from the common symptoms that affect most of us, you still need to ease yourself back with due

attention to what has happened to you.

Your boss should be made aware of the severity of your event and not put any pressure on you to rush back to work.

This is not a broken arm or sprained ankle or any other visible medical trauma.

It is a common feature of SAH or NASAH, that people , in general, forget very quickly that anything has happened to you at all.(no visible symptoms).

This only adds to the pressure to return to normality.

I directed my boss to this site and found that her understanding of my condition improved when she realized the nature of the recovery process.

No two people recover in the same way. Some never recover. If you can return to work and feel able to put all of this behind you, well, good for you.

I hope that all of this is just a temporary set back.

Take your time David, drink loads of water, (it seems to help) and return to work on your own terms, in your own time.

Listen to your body and cut yourself some slack.

Best wishes from across the pond.

Bill B.

Hi Bill,

You're words are SO TRUE. I may have to have my wife read your post. I am not ready to go back to work but have to for financial reasons. My company has been great but they can't go on without me forever. It is so hard with the fatigue and headaches. I wasn't trying to be dramatic with the 73 days but it just a fact. I've had a headache 24/7 for 73 straight days. I only count the days so I can celebrate the first day that I don't have one. My doctor has kinda dumped me off and let me go. I know I didnt have a coil but I still had an SAH and my symptoms are still the same. You were very helpful, hope to chat again.

David

Hi David welcome to btg listen to your body and drink plenty of water. Look forward to chatting sometime. Jess.xxx

Thanks Jess,

Hitting the water pretty hard but can only rest so much with work, the best advice is to listen to our bodies, no one know it better than us. Hope to chat sometime.

David

Welcome to BTG David! Glad you've found this site. People here are great and i find this site very helpful and comforting. I had my SAH back in May, May 24, 2011 to be exact. I was in the hospital for a week, took a week off after that and came back to work the following. I was fortunate enough to have bosses that understand and support me greatly on my road to recovery. I get headaches as well and tightness in my head daily. As i learned from this site, drink plenty of water as Bill B mentioned ..it really helps (Bill you're awesome!) Reading different people experiences here will definitely help you and ease the uncertainties and worries. I recommend for you to read SandiK's thread back to work, it's a great thread. Lots of experiences and wisdom here...Welcome!

Ryan

Thanks for your reply Ryan. Yours about two months before mine. Dont know how you went back to work so soon. I am in my second week back and struggling with headaches and fatigue. Trying to will myself back in to it. Not to mention I'm out of medication and wont see the doc til Thursday. Hope to chat with you again.

Hi David, welcome to BTG! Lots of great experience here to learn from and great people to lean on. Please read my 'back to work' thread. I don't want you heading down the same path I did. We all recover at different rates and some NASAH's seem to bounce back pretty fast. I'm not sure where I fit in exactly but I bet I'm average at recovery time for a NASAH.

I do get days where I feel 'normal' and they are GRAND!!!! But are followed by reminder days, my brain telling me I still need rest. I'm having a reminder day today. It's been 11 months for me and frustration with this barely covers it. Some days I think my head will explode again due to the anger I feel. But statistics show that won't happen. NASAH's are lucky that way, it's like being hit by lightening and not expected to happen again.

Some members have their spouses read BTG too, it might help your wife understand what's happening with you better.

I'm glad you found us. I think I was at about as far along when I found BTG and these people have been amazing support.

Sandi K.

Hi Sandy,

Havent figured out how to reply individually so hope this is right. Thanks for your welcome and advice. I did read the Back to Work post and then read it again today. I hope I dont have the symptoms you had, they sounded horrible. It is so comforting to have others feel as I do. I have read many of your posts and you seem like such a nice person. I hope I can talk and listen as well as you do. Bye for now.

Hello all,

Found this wonderful site and hope to learn some and contribute. I had a NASAH on 7-30-11. It has been about 2 1/2 months. It has been rough. I have had a headache for 73 straight days. It started like everyone's 10 and has now gone down to a 4 or 5. I was in the hospital for 12 days. I know I am lucky to be alive and in many other ways.

I just went back to work last week. 1/2 days M-F. Monday was a blur. tuesday fet better. Wednesday absolutely hit the wall, zero energy and had to call in sick. Thursday was gonna call in but went in at 11 and worked 4 hours. Friday was just ok. Had a long talk with boss today and they have been very supportive but I know they are not gonna put up with this forever.

My wife has been great, but she has had a few meltdowns lately. I know it has been hard for her but any stress is not good. I just wanted to introduce myself to the group and try and learn from you nice folks. You should see me often as I am a bit gabby for a man . Hope to feel normal again someday.

David