NicolaR

Thank you so much everyone for your responses! It has been comforting and such a relief to share my experience with people who have been there already. Since my last message, i've had a call from the Occupational Health team at Kings who were very cross that i'd been discharged and hadn't been consulted by the neurologists. Apparently they hadn't been informed, and neither had the brain injury team. So i've now been referred to my local neurology team who called me today and have put me on the local referral list (apparently there's quite a wait), and are looking in to whether i am able to be referred to the neural psychology team. Not sure what they do but we'll see! I also have a GP appointment tomorrow so will talk to them about driving. I'm still struggling with lots of symptoms at the moment but understand - thanks to you all - that this is to be expected. Main things are: headaches - sometimes pressure, sometimes ice pick headaches fatigue nausea if i stand / walk for too long or feel overstimulated pressure in my head - almost like i'm upside down, or have been for too long very stiff neck and shoulders - is it safe to have a massage? Another thing i might check tomorrow problems sleeping - i find headaches and anxiety are worse at night and my sleep pattern is a bit messed up from being in the hospital feeling like i have things crawling over my head or someone tickling my my head sudden rush of warmth in my head horrible brain fog - like i'm thinking through treacle huge anxiety - fear that this will happen again, or that they've missed something else more sinister, or that this is because of something i've done or not done feeling totally overwhelmed and overstimulated by lots of noise, lots of people etc just a general feeling of being totally vulnerable in a physical / health way Are these all normal? I'm guessing they are. I've probably missed some stuff out but trying to remember them all is difficult with this foggy brain! @Jo_S and @KJ_online it would be wonderful to keep in touch and hear how you're getting on. It's so frustrating to have no information! I just keep thinking surely there must be some kind of reason. I guess that as it's not life-threatening and doesn't cause permanent changes (from what i've read so far), no research goes in to this kind of haemorrhage as there's so much work needed for brain injuries or illnesses that are so much more serious. But yes, let's chat and compare notes. Anything you come across that has helped too, let me know. I'm an aromatherapist so am trialling some analgesic oils and ones that are really good for focus / anti brain fog. I'll let you know if you fancy anything that's good to use. Thanks everyone again, you are all very much appreciated. Nic xx

Hello! I’m Nicola and I’m 39 years old, from Kent, U.K. On Tuesday, I was sat with my youngest child (I have a 2 year old and 5 year old) about to do bedtime when I felt a sudden excruciating pain. I knew it was different. I managed to walk my little one upstairs to my husband and eldest and get out that I had a headache. I got down the stairs and felt like my head was going to explode. Felt very nauseous. I called 111 who sent an ambulance. They sat with me for a while but recommended I go to hospital with them for a check. Once there, I still felt horrendous and was in a lot of pain. Light sensitivity and neck stiffness also kicked in. I went for a CT scan and vaguely remember a doctor saying they’d found a bleed and that I needed another scan with dye to look for a cause. I remember being terrified and crying and wondering how my husband and kids would cope without me. The second scan came back all clear for aneurysm thank goodness. I spent that night on a trolley in A&E and it was awful. The next day I was sent to a ward and was told that the neuro team at Kings College wanted me there for an angiogram just to check again for a cause. Due to my age, non-smoker, healthy weight etc they didn’t want to miss anything. I was transferred on the Thursday afternoon. Had the angiogram on Friday morning (yesterday). It was horrible and invasive and left me very sore, but I’m so appreciative of this amazing procedure, and our amazing NHS. I was keen to get home to my children and husband so they sent me home last night. I basically got no information though. One moment I was hooked up to a drip, the next a nurse came in and asked if I was ready to go… I asked to speak to a doctor to ask a couple of questions. He said that I didn’t need to report it to DVLA (!!! Seems that might be incorrect?) and the best thing I could do was draw a line under it and pretend it never happened. Listen to my body for tiredness etc. That’s it. Now I’ve slept most of today but have felt very guilty for doing that. I’m full of health anxiety. My head feels fuzzy and foggy and weird. Normal level head ache if I don’t take tablets. Sinuses have been full of pressure. Feel like someone is squeezing the sides of my head. I don’t know how I’m going to have the kids on my own come Monday, and I will need to drive the eldest to school which I’m not sure I should be…? It’s a short journey but I don’t feel like I can stand up and cook yet let alone drive. I feel like it was hugely downplayed to my husband and I - so now his expectations are probably very unrealistic too, as mine certainly were / are. I just don’t really know what to do! I had this incredibly traumatic, brain haemorrhage (which still feels crazy to write) and although I am so lucky that it was a NASAH, I’ve been told to just go back to how I was prior to Tuesday and I don’t see how that’s possible. If anyone can help / relate, that would be amazing. I only found this wonderful site as I found a patient leaflet from Bristol hospital online which listed it. Kings gave me absolutely nothing. I mean, they were amazing, but bedside manner and send home left a lot to be desired. Worth noting I was told I would be asked to go back for a scan in 6-8 weeks, which is reassuring. Thanks in advance and apologies for the essay - writing this has been quite cathartic! Nic