Jump to content

New member introduction


Recommended Posts

Hello everyone, 

 

I’m Alan, 42 from Scotland and I suffered my bleed less than 1 week ago. 
 

As seems to be common I was discharged from hospital (5 days after my initial occurrence) with little or no information on what to expect with my recovery. This was scary in itself but I’ve been assured that home is the best place for me and my recovery. 

 

I came across your forum and it’s so reassuring to see there is support from good people like yourselves out there.
 

I hope all is well with everyone and their recoveries and It will be good to hopefully chat with you all in the future.

alan.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Alan welcome to BTG glad you found us and are finding the info on the site useful. 
 

Can you tell us more about your event and how you are managing since discharge? 
 

There are many members here who will be interested to hear more from you and be happy to share their experiences. 
 

7 years yesterday for me. Home is the best place for your recovery, drink plenty of water and rest. 
 

Clare xx

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Alan,

So happy you found BTG...Took me a while, so happy I did.  My event happened 5 years ago come May.  This is a wonderful group of people all sharing experiences and helping each other as we recover and continue to live our lives.

xx

Jean

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Clare, thanks for the response.

 

It started on Saturday morning when getting ready for a shower, out of nowhere I got the most intense searing pain in the back of my head and neck. To a point where I was feeling nauseous and thought I could black out. It probably took 30mins or so before I could call an ambulance (I was on my own apart from my 4year old daughter). 


I got taken to hospital where a CT scan found a small to moderate bleed. Then I was put in a close observation ward with SAH. On Monday I had a DSA scan where they confirmed it was a Peri SAH. 
 

Since discharge on Wednesday afternoon I have been at home with great support from my wife and parents. 
 

It’s a lot to take in and can go from feeling generally okay 1 minute to just being wiped out, the headaches come and go and are generally at their worst during the night.

 

I know it’s very early days for my recovery but It’s quite hard trying to figure out what the new normal is now and what I should / shouldn’t be doing to help aid my recovery.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Alan

 

Welcome to BTG and to the "family".

 

Well done for being able to look for support after just a week.  It took me 3 weeks to even dare to look for anything related to SAH - I was just too scared to.

 

The headaches and the fatigue are part and parcel of recovery and should ease with time - and that's going to be your best friend - time. Along with water and rest right now.  Make sure you listen to your body and stop when it's telling you to.  Sleep when it tells you you need to - right now don't worry about sleep patterns, just sleep when you need to sleep.  Drinking plenty of water will help with both the fatigue and the headaches.

 

You'll figure out the new normal the further you get into your recovery - and to be honest, I prefer my new normal and the "new" me to the old one.  

 

We'll be here every step of the way with you.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Take it easy, rest, hydrate, make sure you are vaccinated.  You can scroll through some of the threads but please don’t do many in one day as you need to rest your eyes and brain. I think there is a post about letter from your brain. It is helpful. Vitamin d at Covid times.

 

Goodluck to you.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi alan,

 

Your words about it being a lot to take in...wow...those are true words.  It takes time, be gentle with yourself.  I second what Sami said about being able to look for support so fast.  I was all in my own head and it took me a while to begin reaching out. 

 

I have found this site to be very helpful to me.  Just talking to people who understand what it is all about makes such a difference.

xx

Jean

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Alan a very warm welcome to BTG :) 

 

Here is the link below to   'A letter from your brain'   that Catwoman kindly mentioned in her reply to you.

It is very helpful, click on the link and have a read:

 

https://web.behindthegray.net/articles.html/inspiration/a-letter-from-your-brain-by-stephanie-st-claire-©1996-r167/

 

Wishing you well with your recovery.

Keep in touch

Tina xx

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Alan.

 

My husband saw your post, and asked me to respond to you. He had a NASAH about a month ago. He is doing well, and is recovering slowly but surely. His advice to you (or at least the things that has worked well for him so far) is to drink plenty of water, go for walks every day, sleep loads,take pain killers and isolate from covid, until you can tolerate sneezing and coughing.

 

For him it was also a incomprehensible that this happened, and there are still many thoughts of - why him, what caused it ? can it happen again? But I think this is very normal - to reflect on these things. Its a big deal no matter the outcome.  

Wish you well

 

Tanja & Sam

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome, Alan!

 

I'm over a year from my bleed, and still get the occasional headache, but for the most part I'm back to what I was doing.


You didn't say anything about the dreaded body pains that often come with blood reabsorption. Hopefully that means it's not happening to you. But if you do start feeling backaches and pain down your legs, rest assured that's likely all part of the recovery process. Mine was gone after a couple of weeks. But maybe you'll dodge that bullet.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone, 

 

Thank you all for taking time out with your responses, sorry I haven’t been on the last few days but been resting up and just trying to get used to what’s happened. 
 

I’m feeling a lot more positive now. 
The headaches seem to be easing off and less frequent, to the point that over the last couple of nights I’ve not needed my stronger painkillers through the night.  
 

As Rory mentioned the leg pains, I have had this over the past 3 days. They are very uncomfortable but thankfully do pass very quickly. Again the frequency of these twinges has reduced a little. 
 

As many of you have stated, rest and staying well hydrated seems to be key so that’s my my aim short term.

 

I don’t want to get ahead of myself but my main feeling is that I’ve got very lucky (as strange as that sounds). 
 

Thanks again for all your support, advice and well wishes. 
 

Alan.

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Alan,

 

"I've got lucky" no doesn't sound strange at all...It is exactly how I feel and I think many here feel lucky .... to have survived and fighting to get back to our lives....I have seen a daughter marry, a grandson born and so much more since my event...Everyday, every year is a gift and I am glad to have them.

 

xx

Jean

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

 

Hi Alan,

I live in Lanarkshire and was treated at my local hospital first of all, before being transferred to the Queen Elizabeth in Glasgow for the DSA.

 

I'd posted this yesterday, which gives a summary of my experience:

https://web.behindthegray.net/topic/10712-progress-seems-to-have-stopped-when-can-i-drive-again/

 

So like me, it sounds like you were discharged from hospital after only a fairly short stay, with little or no information about recovery or what to expect next. Have you to go back for any sort of check up at any point? And have you managed to speak to anyone about SAH since being released? I've tried contacting the Headway charity but haven't had a response yet.

 

Final question! Did you contact the DVLA to inform them of your SAH, and if so have you heard anything back from them yet?

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi James,

I’ve just responded on your other thread regarding follow ups / DVLA etc. 

 

Regarding speaking to anyone I’ve not had any experience with headway. With the exception of my GP ( who is pretty much useless unless you need a sick line) I have relied on my family, who have been brilliant, for support.

 

I’m glad you’ve found the forum here though as there is so many good kind people to help and support you with queries you may have.

From looking through previous posts and things I’ve asked myself I’ve learnt more on here regarding recovery than I did from discussing with my consultants & GP  

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...