I certainly did and still do now, nearly 13 years on. It's as if the fight or flight reflex has gone into overdrive. You get used to it eventually but it doesn't stop you being startled.

Hey there Whilst you are working these long shifts, are you drinking enough water? Not coffee or tea, but good old water? I sit and stare at a screen from 8am until 4pm and then some more when I come home so about ten hours in all. I'm 12 years in but I've always found that making sure I'm drinking at least two litres of water throughout the day helps with the fatigue and brain function. Definitely make sure, as the others have said, that you rest on your rest days and you take regular breaks from looking at the screen - even if its just closing your eyes for five minutes. Good luck and I hope things improve for you x

Hi Simon Shame that your insurers are "keen" to see progress! Do you they think you are enjoying the current journey you're on???? Not heard of this treatment used for brain hem recovery to be honest. I had cognitive but not in a bid to get me back to work quicker, more for my own peace of mind and sanity. Can't recall anyone on here having hyperbaric therapy either, but someone may pop up.

Vicky, please do not take the Tramadol without your Doctor's permission.

Water is important for hydration, it actually helps the brain to function and therefore should help with the headaches - I know that if I don't drink at least two litres (even after 12 years) then I'm going to be getting a headache.

Hi Penny At your stage in recovery, yes I did, and they used to drive me mad. Although we cannot give medical advice, I know that mine calmed down considerably when I didn't take so many pain killers, but they were just paracetamol, nothing prescribed. If you are taking pain meds prescribed by your Gp, it might be worth having a chat with them as you could be suffering from analgesic headaches, which ironically enough are caused by pain killers. Don't take yourself off any meds without consulting the GP first. Also, make sure that you are drinking at least 2litres of water throughout the day - dehydration plays a massive part in headaches.

Hi Todd and welcome Not had vertigo but in the early days looking down or bending over used to make me feel very sick and dizzy. May be worth getting in touch with your GP or Consultant for advice though.

Vicky - there is a section on here regarding driving after SAH - take a look through that and you will find more information and maybe some advice.

Hi John Lovely to hear from you. Agree with Tina, well done on three days a week - really happy for you xx

I had two scans post SAH and both times saw my consultant after. Try not to worry too much, but like Macca said, it's better to safe than sorry.

Hey Colleen Congrats on the decade anniversary!! Definitely just a blip - and anyone can have a blip, not just cos they've had a bleed - so take heart in how well you've dealt with it on top of having a bleed. Well done you!! xx

Hi Charlie Yes the horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach has definitely gone - there were times when I confused excitement with anxiety - like getting ready to go out in the early stages - now I realise that I was excited to go out and be "normal" again and not anxious. As for the head pain - yep definitely gone. I very rarely get headaches now and to be honest, when I do, they are mainly hormonal! Remember, your injury is to your brain - the one thing that can't stop working completely - the one thing we take for granted. It has a lot of healing to do and it can take a long time. Help it by resting when you can and drinking plenty of water. Also try not to get stressed or worry too much - easier said than done I know, but it does help a great deal. When your stressed or worried, you tense up and the muscles on your scalp tighten and can be the cause of the head aches. You're very early on in your recovery and remember, its a long road to recovery to but you can make as many pit stops along the way as you like.

Hey Charlie One thing I learned very early on was not to set my stock by everyone else's stall i.e. just because your friend's baby was walking by one doesn't mean that yours is better or worse if they started before or after one. At five and half months I was a complete wreck. I had headaches every day, couldn't be left alone as I was too anxious and was having counselling. I hit the 1 year mark and it was as if a switch had been flicked. I stopped needed sleep during the day, I had more energy, the headaches had all but gone etc. We are all different and will recover at different rates. Key here is to listen to your body and make sure you stay hydrated. 12 years on and I work full time (37 hours a week) in a busy school office with half an hour break. Don't get me wrong, I come home some days with a headache or shattered but no where near as bad as I was 10 years ago say. I still notice improvements now and for me its because I'm keeping my brain active. At your stage is recovery I couldn't read a book because I'd forget where I got to the day before, so I started reading magazines and doing crosswords and word searches - it keeps the brain ticking but you're not exerting yourself physically. Do little things that work best for you - if you need to sleep, then sleep; if you want to walk, then walk. Baby steps can lead to huge leaps, you are in control of this, it's just figuring out the best "this" for you.

Hey Joan Glad everything went well - perhaps you can refer to your anni as Spidey now (i.e. Spiderman ). Mine's called Monkey haha

He was my consultant Bill, but his brother was the one that operated on me in Derriford, Plymouth.