Anne Fleming

Hi Norma I found my eyes very sensitive to light after my SAH. My GP thought it might be to do with the anti-epilepsy tablets I was taking at the time (I had a seizure a few days after my SAH) and when she took me off them, the sensitivity to light stopped. best Anne

Hi Paris I had a seizure at the time of my SAH though I don't remember having it. I was on anti-epilepsy medication for a few months after my SAH. I came off my anti-epilepsy medication as I was having a lot of problems with taste/smell and the doctor thought it might be linked to the medication. It wasn't but I do remember stopping the medication all at once rather than cutting down gradually. I've not had any epilepsy symptoms since my SAH and like others have said, as time goes past you do tend to worry about it less. With best wishes Anne

Hi I got a letter from my GP's surgery saying that I'm in the "at risk" group and should have the swine flu jab. I've put on an appointment to get it on Thursday. I think it must be due to my having a SAH though I've not been called for ordinary flu jabs. I've only had one cold/upper respiratory tract infection since my SAH and it did seem to take a lot more out of me than usual. Best Anne

Hi Rod I lost quite a lot of hearing in my right ear after my SAH. I don't think it was due to the SAH itself but due to a very bad vasospasm I had following the operation which caused a kind of stroke in my right ear. I also have constant tinnitus in my right ear though now 2 years down the line, I don't notice the tinnitus so much. I think the tinnitus occurs as a result of hearing loss - I don't have it when it's quiet but I do have it when it's noisy so it's an odd kind of tinnitus - almost as if my right ear is still putting up a fight to try to hear. I found out much later that if someone has sudden hearing loss caused by nerve damage, if they are treated with steroids soon after the event, it can help to improve the hearing loss but ideally this has to happen in the first couple of weeks. In my case it took quite a few months for me to get my hearing tested and I have been told, due to the unusual nature of the hearing loss, that a hearing aid won't help me though I think I will keep trying to find one which might help. I am sorry to hear of the family bereavement and illness. It's all a lot to cope with. With best wishes Anne

Hi Helen I'm now 2 years post SAH. The first few weeks after I came out of hospital I was on a complete high and so glad to be alive. It was only when I started attending rehab day hospital that I realised there was quite a lot wrong with me. I then went through a mourning stage over what I had lost and then I went through a phase of feeling glad to be alive in spite of my losses. I think now at 2 years I have evened out a bit and the SAH is beginning to feel like something that happened quite a while ago. I think an outburst and a good long cry is very good for you. It could also indicate that you might find it helpful to speak to someone outwith your family and friends about what has happened and how you are feeling. I saw a neuropsychologist and OT for 6 months and chatting it all through with them helped enormously. I think it prevented my emotions from becoming too overwhelming and out of control. But rest assured, you are doing well and how you are feeling is pretty normal. Warm wishes Anne x

Hi Holly I've not had those particular visions you're having and I don't have migraines. However for quite a while after my SAH I did get visual hallucinations when I was in the process of waking up. I would see shapes and sometimes even see a strange person sitting by my bed. My GP did not seem to think it was anything to worry about though it could have been linked to the anti-epilepsy drug I took for a few months after my SAH. Best Anne x

Hi Sam I saw my GP on a regular basis after my SAH and she only gave me sick notes for a month at a time. On the positive side, if you have to visit your GP fairly regularly after SAH, they get to know you better and I think that means, if they're a good GP, that they can be more supportive if you need them for anything in future. Hope that makes sense! Also GPs still make house visits so if you can't get to the surgery, they will go to see you. Best Anne xxx

Hi Leo Yes there is no answer really to your question. I went back to work after 6 months, first on 3 afternoons a week and then increasing to full time after a few months. I'm now nearly 2 years post-SAH and I would definitely say the first 6 months back at work were the hardest, the tiredness let up quite a bit by the end of 12 months and there has been further improvement over the past 6 months. I think improvements can be so very slow that they are difficult to spot on a day-to-day basis and are only really apparent when you look back at how you were. I think your stamina will improve - maybe don't focus too much on it just now - a lot of patience is required! best Anne

Hi Louise Yes I did contact my OT for advice though not sure she could have offered much more treatment herself at Astley Ainslie but it was good she was able to refer me on. Will let you know how it goes. Love Anne x

Thanks everyone for your comments. Your support's much appreciated and it's helped me feel a bit better and encouraged me to take action. I got back in touch with my OT at the rehab hospital and she's referred me to a type of employment agency which deals with people who've had SAH and other illnesses so I may get a mentor to help me through it all. I think a lot of it boils down to confidence. I get a bit overwhelmed as I sometimes don't see things (nothing wrong with eyes, more things don't register with my brain) and hearing poor and when I'm a bit down I focus on all the things which are wrong with me. Anyway, thanks again and I'll let you know how it all goes. Love Anne x

Thanks Louise. Yes I work for a voluntary organisation and it lost its main funder about 20 months ago so staff knew redundancies were inevitable. I think its's just one of those tricky things I have to get through. Hope you keeping ok. Love Anne xx

Hi Not sure if my query really appropriate for the forum but thought I would ask anyway. It was a real struggle for me to start back at work after my SAH, I was off for 6 months. I am now being made redundant from my job after 13 years. (nothing to do with my health or recession) I feel that having a SAH has made me much less confident about looking for another job and coping in a new environment. Just wondering if anyone on the site has experienced anything similar? I feel I was doing really well after the initial first difficult year post-SAH and was getting used to all my "deficits" and now this redundancy problem seems a bit overwhelming to cope with on top of everything else. Best wishes Anne x

Hi Caz Well done on getting back to work. I think your feelings of fatigue are normal. I went back to work 6 months after my SAH. I started with 3 afternoons per week and I remember after my first Monday afternoon I went home, collapsed into bed and didn't get up until the Wednesday morning, I was just so exhausted. But it's got easier. I think just now concentrate on geting through work and leave housework for another time. I think you've done the hardest bit, getting back. best wishes Anne x

Hi I've had 3 angios since my SAH - next time I go it's going to be a MRI scan. Do you think this is because there is a limit to the number of angios someone can have? Just wondering why they change to MRI? I have another small aneurysm they are monitoring. Best Anne x

Hi John Welcome to BTG. Yes it will be a very emotional time for you. People kept telling me I was lucky to be alive after my SAH and sometimes I agreed with them and at other times I felt quite the opposite. You are very early on in your recovery (another thing people kept telling me!) and it takes a long time to recover from a SAH and it can be a slow road. That seems to be true for most people, it certainly was for me. My mum died from a SAH in 2001 and I think they do run in families in some cases. It's annoying that your housemate is not being more supportive; he seems to be on his own planet. I've found BTG really helpful and a great support especially in the early days and it's one of the main thins which got me through. Will look forward to hearing more from you. Best Anne

Hi all Yes I got Top Sante yesterday (they are difficult to find, a few years ago they used to be sold in every newsagent). Yes it's a really inspirational article and Yasmin, you look fabulous in your picture so certainly no one could guess all you've been through! Like you I feel I've been given a second chance. best Anne x

Hi Evelyn My hair didn't become thinner but I noticed my first grey hairs in the months after the SAH. Everyone said it was age (I'm 45) but I wasn't convinced as mum didn't go grey until her late 60s. I've had no more grey hairs since, that I can see. I think our bodies are out of kilter after a SAH. I had such dry skin especially on my face, have never had anything like it, was very painful and my periods were haywire. Both took a long time to settle down and am back to normal now, skin/period wise. But do see your doctor as there will be help available on the hair front. Best Anne

Hi Michelle Not sure if my reply too late. I saw a neurpsychologist for 6 months straight after my SAH, as an outpatient at the rehab hospital. The neuropsch worked closely with my OT. Seeing the neuropsch helped me tremendously. Her role was to carry out an awful lot of tests on all aspects of my memory, cognition etc etc. She was also someone I could speak to about things and at the time I was really distressed about my taste disorder (food tasted very sewagey) and she did cognitive behavioural therapy to help me come to terms with the taste problem. At the end of the 6 months my nueropsch compiled a detailed report on how I was and my cognitive abilities, which was sent to the OT, my GP etc. Seeing the neuropsc gave me a lot of answers to things I'd noticed - I have difficulty recognising people (my eyes are fine, it's my brain not working properly for that) and she was able to explain what was wrong and she also gave me tips to get round things. I think everyone should see a neuropscylogist after a SAH. Their specialism isn't really counselling, more analysing cognitive abilities. Look forward to hear how you get on. Best Anne x Hope you get on well.

Hi Adam I was off work for 6 months on full pay, which I really appreciated as we're a small voluntary organisation. When I got back I didn't raise the question of holidays with them, as (like Kim) I felt they had gone out of their way to support me. However if you company is more one which sticks to rules etc then you should have no qualms about bringing it up with them. Hope it works out. Best Anne

Thanks everyone. Yes I'm making an appointment with my GP who's very good and always tends to fear the worse so a good doctor to have in many ways. I think there is some kind of connection between the little anni and this sore spot. Will let you know how I get on. Anne x

Hi everyone I have a second upruptured aneursym which the doctors are keeping an eye on. The consultant said it is situated in the space between my eyes. For the past few years I've had a very painful area just there - a sharp pain which I feel when I press on that area. The doctors say it's nothing to do with the little aneurysm but I feel it is too much of a coincidence and it must be pressing on a nerve or something. Just wondered if anyone else has experienced anything like this? Now that I feel I am reasonably well after the my SAH nearly 2 years ago (progress has been very slow but seems to be continuing) I do worry that it could happen again. What would anyone advise? best wishes Anne

Hi everyone Just posting to say my motivation came back about 10 days ago. I think I got "stuck" as I had a big piece of work to start at work and also my flat was full of clutter and I felt overwhelmed with it all. I started on the tidying up at home and once I got started, felt more energetic and things improved from there. Am also going out less and looking after myself much better too. Thanks for all your useful comments & encouragement. Love Anne x

Hi Perry I'm glad you got somewhere with your appointment and your concerns taken seriously. I'll look forward to hearing how you get on with Stormont! I think if I was campaigning for one thing post SAH it would be for everyone to have a chance to see a neuropsychologist as part of their rehab & support afterwards. Best wishes Anne x

Thanks Perry and Louise. Yes I wondered whether motivation linked to a specific part of the brain but I don't think it can be, it's more a state of mind.Yes Perry I think mine is more circumstantial linked to ongoing uncertainty at work rather than as a result of my SAH though that could play a part too. It will resolve in time. And Louise, I agree about the hot humid weather making it more of an effort to concentrate and do things. Anyway, just writing about it on the site has made me feel a bit better already. love Anne xxx

Hi everyone I was wondering if anyone experienced a lack of motivation since their SAH? I'm sure it's probably quite common. I think mine is due to a combination of fatigue and also a lack of concentration as I flit from one thing to another and start something and can't be bothered finishing it. To be honest I think I've always had bad concentration, even before SAH but now it's worse. I have always had a tendency to do several things at once eg when I watch TV, I have to do something else like knit or flick through the paper. I've tried meditation but I found I was too restless to do it for long. I'd be interested in hearing how people have got round this problem, either at home or at work? Thanks very much Anne