Skippy

Hi there Howard Glad that you found us. Unfortunately there is no easy way or suggestion to help you get your licence back. It all lays in the hand of your consultants and GP as to how capable they think you are of driving after your SAH. I, luckily, haven't suffered any long term physical affects of the SAH but I had to surrender my licence and had to wait 3 months to get it back. It may be worth seeing your GP for advice on the subject -they may be able to give you an insight into how / if / when you'll be deemed fit to drive a car let alone and HGV. Got everything crossed that things work out for you x

Hi Colin So glad you found us. Not sure if any of our members are in a wheelchair but there are some who still struggle with mobility. Can you give us a bit more information about yourself and what happened - it may help others identify and respond. You'll find a really friendly bunch here who have wealth of experience and offer tonnes of support. We can't give medical advice but we can share our experiences with you and be here to listen.

Haha Win As you can see Renfield - there's a lot of humour on this site - an important faculty to keep very much hold of. I can identify with your feeling a fraud - I did too when I first joined BTG and read some of the stories on here. But no one who has had an SAH or NASAH is a fraud - some are just more fortunate than others and, it seems, you and I are a couple of those fortunate one. I was 35 when had my SAH and I was discharged from hospital 3 days after my coiling op, I was back at work 3 weeks later (I worked with my husband at the time running our Graphic Design Company) I was fortunate enough to have a bed in my office that I used when I needed to and it took me a year to stop needing a nap during the day and for my sleeping habits to return to anywhere near normal. But the fatigue, when it hit, was a killer - sneaks up and knocks you off your feet. My hubby loves the motorbikes too - unfortunately due to a near fatal crash last year I've refused to let him on one again. However, we're heavily into the Motogp and always go to Silverstone for the weekend - we all have a love of motorbikes as a family, so if the island you live on is the Isle of Man I will be very jealous Please do stay with us through your recovery - if nothing else, you'll get support and encouragement from all on here x

Hi there Welcome to BTG. All you've said so far appears very much par for the course for many here. You seem to be sensible in that you're not pushing yourself too much and are taking things steady. It's good that you're not experiencing too much pain too. Make sure that you're drinking plenty of water too as it helps the brain to function. I felt the same regarding visitors and conversing with others in the early days however, I'm the opposite on watching a film as opposed to reading a book. I couldn't remember what I had read the day before and, being a bit of a book worm, I was devastated - I resorted to magazines and crosswords to keep my brain active. Now, ten years later, I pretty much do all the things I did before, though I do tire far more easily than I did before. Where abouts are you - homewise? Family? Work? Not being nosy honest , just helps to build up a better picture of a person and their recovery. Hope you stay on the site because it's been a life line for many, including me, and has loads of information and a wealth of first hand experience. Hope to see you more and get to know you better.

David, there are some people on here that have a shunt and have been worried about it functioning long time and how often it may have to be changed, will it fail, what happens etc. What Daff was saying is that its great to hear from someone who has had one for a length of time and it's still doing its job.

Sammy Anne so very sorry about your situation but as the others have said, even just for peace of mind, get yourself to a doctor to be checked out.

Deb bless you. I know exactly how you feel - that was me ten years ago. I didn't like the new me at all - in fact I flaming well hated her and her limitations, but this is all about adapting and learning what you can and can't do right now. Things may improve and you'll get a bit of the old you back. I love reading so was gutted that I couldn't read because I couldn't remember the day after what it was I'd read the day before, but I got there. I love the new me now, I don't sweat the small stuff anymore and try not to do everything at a million miles an hour. I've also finally learned that patience is indeed very much a virtue. I know it's hard right now, but accepting the new you and your limitations and adapting to them will help with recovery. You've done the hard part - you survived. Now you need to recover and that can sometimes be a long road with ups and downs along the way - but take as many pit stops as you need to to get there. Please see if your GP can refer you for counselling - it helped me better than I think any pill could have. It's good to off load your feelings to someone that you have no emotional investment in. We're all here for you hun, but please get professional guidance too.

Bless you Luke. Hard time for you hun, but we're all here for you and support in anyway we can xx

Hey hun So glad all went well and that we were here to reassure you before - we'll definitely be here to support you after too. Take it easy and rest up - the Coccyx cushion is a great idea!

Luke, really feel for you - you're definitely going through the mill as much as your parents are. Hopefully there'll be someone to help your Mum's condition and they can sort it and I have everything crossed that your Dad's angiogram shows everything is OK. It's a hard time for you all but try to get Dad to relax as much as he can when he can.

Congratulations Colleen - may the next 8 years see even more improvement - and you're definitely not alone in the crazy stakes hun - but then I was before the SAH

Hey Loobie - congratulations hun. You made BTG a less scary place to be for a newbie 10 years ago and you've been a constant support ever since. It is a privilege to know you and be a part of your journey - you've certainly made the road to recovery an easier place for so many of us. Lots of love and a million hugs lovely lady xxxxxxxx

Hi Gemma Excellent news that they couldn't find an AVM - now put your feet up and chillax hun xx

And mine is totally different to Iola's - I had one CT scan after 3 weeks (but this was down to a suspected re-bleed, but was actually pain brought on my cocodamol) and two follow up MRIs. I was discharged after 18mths and have not had a scan since - I'm 10 years post SAH but mine was caused by an aneurysm. Definitely ask your GP.

Deb, sweetheart, this is about making time for you not saying that there isn't any. Your family need to understand that if you haven't recovered then you are no good to man nor beast!! xxxx

Hi Deb I'm 10 years post SAH and my heart goes out to you. I've always considered myself to be a strong person - to some even hard-faced - but my heart very much goes out to you with all you are having to cope with so soon after your SAH. My husband has a near fatal motorcycle accident last year and I struggled to mentally cope with the aftermath and all the telephone calls to insurers and dealing with the police investigation - so what you are dealing with right now so soon is amazing but also alarming. I agree that your family need to understand more about what you are going through right now. On this site is an article called "A letter from your brain" - it might be worth getting them to read it. Also I found a fantastic saying that brought it home to a of my family members and friends - "I look well from afar but I am far from well".

Excellent link - have just read the bit about brain recovery being measured in years to mu husband - not so that he can understand where I've been coming from, but for him as he sustained a brain injury in September last year through a motorcycle injury and is very impatient to "feel normal" - so thank you very much for posting the link.

Hi there and welcome. Is Kim on pain relief meds?? I was put on cocodamine and this resulted in an analgesic headache and was rushed back into hospital with a suspected rebleed - worth checking her meds and with her GP - don't just stop the meds, go through your GP.

Fantastic news Sis, soooo very happy for you. My hubby still gets his PIP but his ESA stops in November as it will be the maximum of 365 days paid to him - he had a near fatal motorbike accident just over a year ago.

Will be thinking about you Sis. Good advice above xxx

Happy Non Anni-versary - onwards and upwards - you're a star x

Hi Suzy I had my SAH in the August and was at a Pink concert in the November - didn't really affect me that much and the noise didn't bother me. However, just going into the city centre or supermarket to shop was a nightmare. What is it about the noise that makes you paranoid? Is it paranoia or anxiety or even excitement? I used to struggle to differentiate between anxiety and excitement as they both cause the same feeling in my stomach. I know it's hard but try to think about the feeling itself rather than how it made you feel. In the meantime though, as the others said, avoid anything that makes you feel this way.

WOW - you all have so much to deal with which makes how well you're all doing all the more admirable xxxx

Luke I have the biggest smile on my face - I love it when things improve not only for a fellow sufferer but also their families. So glad that things are looking up and Mum is feeling happier. I know I felt helpless after mine and mine wasn't as severe, but the fatigue is all consuming so all the little things helped.

Hi Brian When I first joined BTG I felt like a fraud as my SAH hadn't left me with any physical problems at all - other than fatigue. I actually returned to work 3 weeks later but as I was working with my husband running our own company at the time and I was lucky enough to have a bed in my office. Everyday I would need to to sleep for at least four hours during the day. When I started working elsewhere the need for daily napping after work didn't stop for a good year or so. However, I had two aneurysms coiled and not clipped. Clipping is very invasive and you must be in pain only 5 days post surgery - there are some people who have been clipped that take weeks to recover from the surgery itself, let alone the reason for having it. Only you know how you feel physically, but the not driving until you are cleared by the DVLA is a given I'm afraid. I wouldn't advise work at all though until you get the all clear from your surgeon/specialist.