looking for advice

[Angela]

Hi to everyone. Looking for a bit of advice. My sister had a SAH on Jan 08

It was discovered at her follow up that more coiling was needed round the Anuerysm,as they could only secure it 1st time so much as it was to risky for them to insert anymore coils

She was monitored and brought back in to the Southern General were they managed to put more coils in, she was kept in for a few days to monitor her

A stent was also inserted to to keep the Artery open

She is now on Asprin for the rest of her life,for prevention of any clots

She was recently away for a follow up MRI scan and got the letter in recently to say that the scan did not pick up the coils or the stent , now she is waiting on an appointment to go in for an Angiogram

She is not looking forward to this as most of yous will probably know they are not pleasant.

I am due my follow up myself anytime ,and i hope i do not need another Angio

as the last time i had mine i found it terrifying

Dont know if it was because the sensitivity of my brain after my 2nd bleed

Anyway was just wondering if this had happened to anybody when they had to go for their follow ups

Look forward to hearing any replies back on this

Take care everyone

[Karen]

Hi Angela,

No, it hasn't happened to me and I haven't heard of it happening to anybody else, unless if perhaps the aneurysm needed further investigation/or clarification after the scan.

I must admit, that I also found the follow up angio a pretty daunting prospect, I know many others have felt the same and I wouldn't let them do it, until they gave me something to help me feel calmer before the procedure and I think that I was give valium beforehand. It's something that you have to ask for, as they don't always offer it as a norm, but well worth it, if the thought of the procedure is going to make you feel panicky and uneasy. If I ever have to have another angio, then I would ask for the same again!

Hopefully, it was just a blip with your sister's scan and it won't necessarily be the same for you ..... I know how you feel though! xx

[JayKay]

Sorry I have no experience of this, but when I had my SAH I told them I was not a good patient and would move, so they gave me a GA (or at least something - I wasn't awake for it). I don't know if this is always possible or it was because I was so poorly, but it's worth asking.

Good luck!

[Ann]

Before getting in a panic it may be worth checking if it is a catheter angiogram or an MRA, magnetic imaging angio. I was terrified of having another angiogram when I got a letter for one, I called the consultants secretary who seemed baffled that I was in a state about it. It turned out after further discussion that it was an MRA which is not in the least scary!I felt a bit of a fool for being stroppy and in a panic!

Either way, good luck with both the procedure and the outcome.

Ann

[Liz D]

Hi Angela

I had a follow up angiogram in February. I was not looking forward to it. I'd had an angio after my bleed and coped with it ok but I was on every painkiller you can think of, I was also on steroids and medication to keep my blood pressure very low. I was also being pumped full of fluids. What I'd remembered was being so desperate for the loo! Everything else I coped with. I had to be kept awake for the first 2 hours of my coiling procedure (then a GA for the next 6 hours) because they were doing a balloon occlusion and then they were going to coil off the artery as well as the aneurysm. All I can remember was hoping that they would hurry up and send off me to sleep!

So I was really nervous come February. But you know what, it wasn't nearly as bad as I had remembered. I wasn't desperate for the loo half way through and the hour went by in a flash, it was uncomfortable however. But I knew I was to have an angio, what have you been told about what to expect? I'm pretty sure your sister's experience was a blip, as Karen said. If you are not sure, call your surgeon's secretary and ask her what are you booked on for. Tell her what happened to your sister and let her know how nervous you are that the same could happen to you.

I hope this helps a little.

[ninja]

Hi Angela

I've had a couple of angiograms and was very nervous before them. When I had the last one I had a cough (probably a nervous one). I told them in the X Ray Department as I was terrified in case I coughed while they were doing it but they still carried on. I did have a little coughing fit half way through but they just stopped for a couple of seconds and carried on thinking nothing of it.

I think the worse thing for me is lying still after for 6 hours. I don't know if I'm allowed to say this but I can't wee lying down so I have to ask if I can be assisted into a chair which makes me very popular!!!

Hope everything goes alright for you I see no reason why it shouldn't.

Cheers

John

[Karen]

I agree with Ann and that you need to find out what procedure you're going to have. My last few scans have all been MRA's http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/magnetic-resonance-angiogram-mra and I haven't had to have the contrast dye either.

I wouldn't have thought that they would give you a cerebral angiogram unless there was a specific medical reason, as would imagine that it costs a lot more NHS money, time, plus a hospital bed, before and after etc.

Hope that you will make contact with them and get some peace of mind ..... it's just a shame that we're all not better informed and given this sort of information when we're told that a follow-up procedure will take place, as it would certainly help to relieve some of the stress after a SAH .... I'm still on a learning curve 5 years on! xx

[LUISA]

good aftn

I too had my 1st control post sha about a month ago and they did a MRA. No dye put in so agree with others who suggesteed you get in touch and ask exactly what they will be doing exactly , perhaps the worry is for nothing

[Angela]

Thanks to everyone for your replies

Guess all i am looking for now is reassurance

I certainly will phone Neuro's secretary to find out what procedure i will be having, when i have to go in

The last time i went in i had a scan done 1 week, then i was booked in for a Angio the following week

This was the 1 were the dye was injected , i was taken back to the ward and had to lie flat for 6hrs, then checked over then discharged home

If need be that its to be that again, i will certainly be asking for something to help relax me

And Karen i certainly agree with you, there is not enough info when we have procedures done,ithink sometimes after the bleeds and your discharged home

.your basically on your own, as yous probably all know it can be very scary.

Take care everyone xx

[Leo]

Hi Angela,

I had to have an angiogram last year as the regular CT scan with contrast dye didn't actually pick up on an un-ruptured anni. I was terrified. But the women who conducted it at my local hospital were warm and funny and friendly and made it as pleasant an experience as it possibly could be.

Although it doesn't hurt, it is hard to explain the anxiety that comes from knowing something is creeping up inside you and the weird sensations of the dye that do not hurt but feel so unnatural that you want to jump up. I can understand why you are in no hurry to want want a repeat of this procedure but as Karen rightly says, it is very expensive and the hospital would not put you through it unless they deemed it absolutely necessary.

You just need to find out exactly why they need to do this procedure. If you are still worried about further bleeds, it may be possible to stay in hospital overnight (for peace of mind) but this probably will not be offered, you will have to ask for it.

Take care,

Leo xxx

PS: Sorry if that is too descriptive!