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boozysuzi100

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  1. Maya, I am coping much better than expected. My son is 12 so probably not as demanding as little kids. I too am a nurse and as I work nights, I have struggled with sleep. many people say they sleep for hours after surgery but I haven't. I do struggle to get to sleep until the early hours and then feel tired when I get up around 9.I wish I could nap during the day but don't. My partner is doing the school runs so that burden is off me. Even if my surgeon gives me the ok to drive next week I'll not do that till after Christmas. I manage all the usual household chores and am back to taking the dog out etc. I do feel bushed at night though. With your kids being young I would advise you to enlist the help of family if you can. As I have the house to myself during the day there are not many demands placed on me in respect of childcare. I have also had to de-stimulate my. life a little and am trying to leave a few blank spaces in my diary - when is your surgery? Keep us updated.
  2. Thank you all - recovery continues but have had to stem the tide of visitors whilst I'm off work. people have been dropping in regularly. I'm usually very sociable but recently have found it overwhelming and intrusive. It's weird, we have had a loft conversion and have had deliveries of furniture. I can only have one delivery a day, any more and I feel anxious and overwhelmed. I feel I need to be on my own for a while to recharge - I suppose this is the neuro fatigue hitting.me - I feel mentally worn out and just want to be on my own during the day with my dog until the family get home. One of my friends told me not to become reclusive and I think I've offended her by telling her not to come so often. This makes me realise I'm not ready to return to work.
  3. Hi - a quick update. I'm doing fab. Back pain has gone and on reflection think the upright sleeping position caused it. I am completely pain free and have been off all my pain relief for 9 days now and can even sleep on my craniotomy side. I feel like I'm buzzing and much to my partners wrath have decorated a bedroom this past week. I feel quite energised and relieved to the point where I asked my gp if I could return to work next week but he said no to my return 3 weeks post op and told me to think about it after Xmas. So I will! I really don't believe unruptured aneurysms don't cause symptoms - I have absolutely no headaches at all. It was uncharacteristic headaches which lead to me seeing my doctor in the first place. A week prior to my surgery I had started getting awful squeezing pains in the base of my skull ( my aneurysms were at the front of my head) which have now completely disappeared. My surgeon told me he was pleased to clip them as they had grown from 5mm and 7mm to 8mm and 11mm respectively since August. I also had a severe Vasospasm which fortunately left me with no defecits as he said he dealt with them effectively and rapidly. I thought they only occurred after a rupture ( maybe I bled during surgery?) I will ask him at my follow up appointment as I wondered if I was having mild ones the week before my surgery and that was what was causing the squeezing pains- or maybe my annies were pressing on something. I feel blessed and grateful for my life and my uneventful recovery. My biggest Hurdle has been looking after my 76 year old mum ( who came to look after me) .I booked her an appointment at the local hairdressers to treat her, only for her to come back 2 hours later with a huge black eye ( to match mine) after slipping on some cobbles. what a few strange looks we have had with identical matching black eyes- lol- bless her.
  4. Hi everyone, I'm alive and fairly well after my clipping 9 days ago. My aneurysms were both successfully clipped and apart from.a vasospasm surgery went well. As I was having open surgery, the surgeon said he was able to deal with it effectively and quickly. He remarked he was glad to remove them as my 7mm MCA and 5mm ACA had both grown to over 10mm since August. The first three days were a breeze until my day of discharge when I had the most horrendous vomiting. Iv fluids then home on day 6. 3 days on, the headaches have subsided and just a little light headedness remains. my sleep pattern is normal for me and I don't seem too fatigued. My most troubling symptom is muscle spasms in my lower back near my tailbone which are particularly bad when I stand up.I am wondering if this is due to prolonged periods in bed whilst in.hospital where I slept in an elevated position. I am grateful to be alive, God is good and i would love to thank you all for your kind words and reassurance prior to.my surgery when I was afraid. I am hoping I can now be in a position to reassure others.
  5. Thankyou- I can identify with what you are saying bagpuss. As I have no choice but to have one of them clipped the decision was easier for me. People often remark that clipping is more invasive and has a higher risk but my rationale is that the need for follow up is more or less negated. I too hated the angiogram but for me the worst bit was the dye which caused me terrible pain at the base of my skull and a sensation if losing consciousness. If you consider the inherent risk of the angiograms and the possible need for repeat treatments with coiling, I feel there is not much between the two as regard overall risk. Also if anything does go wrong access to the brain is direct. Saying that would prob have been tempted if coiling for the two was an option.
  6. It's funny really, most people remark on the horrors of a craniotomy, fears of not walking up etc. Although I don't relish it, I know I'll wake up but it's the risks of complications that worries me. I also worry that as one is quite distal and complex, I'll wake up and he'll tell me he couldn't get to it. to be honest I think being a nurse sometimes hinders rather than helps. You question everything and research which makes things worse. On a positive note he has told me that clipping gives me the best chance of drawing a line under it and being given the opportunity to get on with life.
  7. I am a nurse and am aware of the side effects of anti- convulsants. I agree with you Karen as I took.them for a short period when I was diagnosed with neuromytonia to lessen the fasciculations ( twitches) that I get in all my muscles but decided I would rather manage without due to the side effects which can be quite toxic. The surgeon told me there is an overall risk of stroke/ seizure with the clipping procedure but he considered the risk small. I asked out of curiosity more than anything as it seems standard in the USA that following craniotomy they are prescribed them for a month after surgery as a precautionary measure. Thank you both for your kind words and reassurance <3
  8. As I have posted previously I am having my 2 annies clipped at the end of the month. One of my biggest fears is developing epilepsy due to.the massive impact it would have on.my life, not being able to drive, ferry the kids about etc plus I am a community nurse so rely on my car for my job. I did ask the surgeon but he said anti- seizure medication would not be prescribed and the risk especially with unruptured aneurysms is relatively low. I have noticed that on the American forums people seem to be routinely prescribed anti seizure meds following a clipping surgery. I just wondered why the practice is so different here - I'm sure I would feel safer with them.
  9. Hi, I am going back to work 3 nights a week from next week. I work alongside the police but my nose is going to place me with colleagues at the hospital who I am close to and will support me- I hoping time moves more quickly x
  10. Thank you all so much - I am tired of being anxious but to be honest I've been fine up to a week or so ago and then it all went downhill.It seems strange to be having major surgery when you're not in agonising pain but I realise I having major surgery to prevent agonising pain .A few weeks ago before my angiogram he remarked the ACA annie may be inaccessible but seems to think he can get to it now so I'm assuming the angiogram gave more clarity.Just hoping now I don't wake up to be told he couldn't access it.
  11. Have just had a call to say next week's op is rescheduled for 31/10- to say I am peed off is an understatement as I had psyched myself up for it - the scheduled anaesthetist is unable to make it and his secretary said he is picky about who he uses for aneurysms. Have been off work the past 2 weeks as the worry was getting too much but now wondering if going back will take my mind off things a bit as I am living and dreaming aneurysms and also only get 6 months full sick pay and would rather leave it for after in.case recovery is slow -
  12. Hi, I am new to.the group and this forum.was recommended by another group. I have 2 aneurysms discovered after I had a 'swimming head' feeling back in July. I have been told following an mri that I had a 7mm ACA and a 5 mm MCA but my constant headaches and woozy head were not related to the aneurysm s and I had probably had a silent migraine. I've never had a migraine in my life and don't suffer from.headaches so I'm.not so sure. Before I even had the mri and discovered the aneurysms I had complained to my family doctor of a sharp intermittent stabbing pain above my eye, Anyway, moving on, following my angiogram I was told that the MCA could be coiled but the other was wide necked and complex and clipping was my only option, myself and the surgeon have decided that as I have to have a craniotomy, he may as well clip both and that will negate the need for regular follow up. The hospital rang today to book me in for next Wednesday. I am terrified now but after going on various sites, the thought of a rupture scares me more. I have felt frightened for the past few months but feel the situation is now in control. I am aware of the risks but my surgeon reassures me that dealing with an unruptured aneurysm with preventative surgery is much more predictable and uneventful. This will be my 14 th surgery but by far my biggest. Maybe due to this I don't have the fear of anaesthesia etc and know I will wake up but just hate the thought of someone tampering with my brain. It somehow feels more invasive and personal.
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