Jo S

Hi, I just wanted to recommend a book that was given to me by a good friend who works in the medical profession. The book is called 'Recovery The Lost Art of Convalescence' by Dr Gavin Francis. It is a really lovely little book and for anyone (like me!) struggling to accept that a period of convalescence is needed it is a really wise and practical guide. Before my NASAH in February I was very fit and working full time as a primary school teacher. After being discharged from hospital my recovery went really well. Walking everyday, off painkillers, sleep improved, hearing improved and I honestly felt I would be back at work and back exercising within weeks. I still had mild headaches and weird sensations, tinnitus and noise sensitivity but I felt pretty good. 5 weeks after being discharged I stupidly went for a little run and it felt good to be back doing something I love. It was so normal and natural for my body having been a runner all my life. So the next day I went for another run and it still felt good and then really stupidly the next day (....you guessed it) I went for another run. At the same time as doing this I was also building up to my return to work after the school Easter holidays. Surprise, surprise ...my recovery then a took a big nose dive! For a whole week I experienced awful headaches, I had a horrible dull ache in my neck and up the back of my head, I couldn't focus on anything and I felt excessively tired and tearful. I am now feeling a lot better again after a week of tears, sleeping and just walking! I have learnt a very big lesson that a gradual approach to building up to previous levels of activity is needed!! It has made me accept that I have to take things slowly and I do have to give myself time to recover. I also made a hard but right decision not to return to work at the moment. I have realised it is being unrealistic to think I could go back into a noisy and busy job so soon. I am very lucky to have a very supportive Headmaster and work colleagues. So if like me if you are struggling with accepting that you need to give your body time to recover, please try reading 'Recovery'. I found it a very wise and helpful little book. Hope you are all having a good day. Jo

Hi, It has been 6 weeks since I was discharged from hospital having suffered a NASAH. I am making a good recovery but progress does appear to have stalled over the last few weeks and I have developed some strange sensation! 1) The bridge of my nose feels strange. It feels like I have just bumped my nose or a bit like sinusitis. 2) I feel slightly wobbly on my feet. Really mild and hard to describe but find myself drifting slightly when I walk. 3) My neck makes really odd crunching/squishy sounds. Not painful but a horrible noise. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced any of these strange feelings? Many thanks Jo I

Hi, I hope you don't mind me commenting on your post too! I just wanted to say how useful it is to hear all your experiences. Although it is hard hearing that getting back to work is not going to be easy and that you have all found it challenging, it is making me accept that a return to work will need to be phased. I'm a primary school teacher and my plan was to return to work after the Easter holidays . I was so sure of this a week ago that I actually popped into school just to say hello to my class and my work colleagues! I was positive that my recovery was going so well that by the end of the Easter holidays I would be fine to go back to work but now I am so unsure. I am still very grateful for the good recovery I have made as it is only 6 weeks since I was discharged from hospital. I continue to walk a lot, don't need pain killers and have slight tinnitus but still some noise sensitivity. However, I am very aware that other than walking my brain is not doing much else. The thought of all the multitasking, decision making and communicating that I will have to do when I go back to a class of 6 year olds just feels me with dread! What happens when I speak to a parent and the brain fog and words go missing?! When I return to work if I show any signs of not being back to my normal self, will parents question if I am able to do my job?! Having been so fit and healthy before the NASAH and someone that normally bounces back very quickly, I am finding recovery very frustrating. There is definitely no nice gradual recovery curve whereby you feel a little better each day ......it just seems like 'two steps forward one step back' or 'even one step forward and two steps back' some days! I think this also makes it so difficult for other people to understand too. Thank you for sharing your experiences. Take care Jo

Hi, Once again, thank you to everyone for responding to my message. In these early days of recovery they have been a great source of comfort and information. I have been reading through lots of the posts and everyone is so amazing. I feel a little bit of a fraud as my symptoms are minimal compared to some people. My headaches have settled and are bearable without painkillers. My hearing is improving slowly but I still have tinnitus and painful oversensitivity to certain noises. I have just purchased some Loop Earplugs after reading Jo_S and Karin's posts. I hope they might help and perhaps save my marriage as my husband coughing still appears to be a problem! Jo_S is was great to hear that you are back running. As you said, walking in these first few weeks of recovery has really been the best thing for me mentally and physically. Before this happened, my body was used to running and gym 6 days a week, no medication (can't remember the last time I swallowed even a paracetamol) and very busy days as a teacher. With suddenly no physical activity and all the medication whilst in hospital I don't think my body knew what had hit it.......especially the codeine and laxatives!! I am not really suffering with fatigue but I am very aware that since leaving hospital I have not really done anything other than walk. I will continue to take try and take everyone's advice and be patience and take things slowly. The school I work at is not putting any pressure on me but as I said earlier I do feel a bit of a fraud when I am out and about walking. Yesterday I bumped into a parent of a child who attends my school! Didn't really know what to say other than look guilty and a quick 'Good Morning!'. I feel very lucky to have found this site and grateful for the recovery I appear to be making.....keeping well hydrated definitely helps but I also wee soooo much! Many thanks for all the advice Jo

Thank you so much for your responses. It has been really comforting to hear that other people who were fit and healthy have also suffered from a NASAH and great to hear that symptoms improve with time. Also, really reassuring to hear that activities like running will hopefully continue to be part of my life once I recover. 😀 My recovery continues to go well. My hearing/tinnitus is definitely improving but still very sensitive to certain noises......one of the worst remains my husband coughing! Sleep problems remain but last night was a little better. Also, I didn't sleep that well before all this happened....I put this down to the dreaded menopause! I am still finding it difficult to come to terms with the fact that it has happened when there is no real reason why. I can't help but keep questioning why it happened. Also, I find it difficult to explain to people what has happened. Several people have asked if I have had a Stroke. Is a NASAH a stroke? Once again, thank you for your advice. Jo

Hi, My name is Jo and I am 52 years old. I have twin boys who are 21 and I am a primary school teacher specialising in PE and Sport. Three weeks ago I was in the gym and suddenly I experienced pain up the back of my head and over into my forehead. I went home, took a few painkillers and rested for a few hours. Over the next few days I continued to suffer with a headache, developed pulsing tinnitus and then my lower back/hamstrings completing seized up so I couldn't pick anything off the floor. Stupidly from Thursday until Tuesday I continued with normal life (trip to hairdressers on Friday, food shopping on Saturday, work on Monday and Tuesday and even went for a run thinking I would shift the headache and it might loosen things up..........I know!). On Tuesday I realised the headache, tinnitus and general feeling of being unwell was not going away. I tried to contact me GP but there were no appointments so on Wednesday my husband persuaded me to ring 111. I was advised to go to A and E. After a CT scan, lumbar puncture and angiogram I was diagnosed to have suffered a NASAH. I stayed in hospital for a week and was then discharged gripping my NASAH leaflet and not quite believing that the last few weeks had really happened. I am a very fit 52 year old. I have been a runner all my life and 3 weeks ago I was running 3 times a week and going to the gym 3 times a week. I have never smoked, I do not drink and I have a healthy diet. I am finding it really difficult to accept that this has really happened. It has been a week now since I was discharged. Having read some of the posts on this forum I know I should be grateful for the how well I appear to be recovering..........since Tuesday I have been walking 2/3 miles every morning and 2/3 miles in the evening. I have not taken any painkillers since Monday and I am not feeling tired. My main symptoms are ongoing tinnitus (now just ringing not pulsing), hearing loss (my ears feel full and hearing is muffled) but also really sensitive to noises like a bin lid closing, a saucepan clattering, paper rustling or my husband coughing! I also just have a feeling of being slightly out of it/out of body feeling and really struggling to sleep. I know I must be patient with my recovery but I am finding it hard to accept that this has happened. I am worried about how I will return to my job if my hearing and sleeping does not improve. How will cope with a noisy class of 6 year old and the screech of a PE whistle?! Thank you for anyone who reads this and any advice would be greatly appreciated Jo