vasospasm

[tracy]

Hi

Can a vasospasm start months later or is it something that happens days after sah?

Tracy S xx

[Gill C]

I'm sure I read somewere that typcally they are usually after an SAH typcially 4-10 days. If you are worried about vasospams you really need to ring your clinic & check it out with them rather than your Gp or ring the Biain & spine foundtion helpline.

xx

Edited October 10, 2010 by bagpuss

[jess]

I thought it could only happen for a few wks after that is why they give you that nimpodene (spelling) tablets i would check. Jess.xxx

[winter]

I was told, while in the hospital, the first couple of weeks are when they are likely to occur. Agree w/Gill - always consult your dr. w/concerns. Better to be safe And like Jess said, the nimodipine is to help keep them from happening. I was on that for 30 days after I was released from hospital.

[savingthebrain]

Cerebral vasospasms peak during the 5th-10th day after SAH. Patients usually stay in the ICU for up to 2 weeks. They're rare after 3 weeks, but can happen.

If you have symptoms you definitely have to have yourself checked as vasospasms can cause a decrease in brain oxygenation. Report any unusual headache or change in mental status. Also, check for "drift."-- Raise both arms out (palms up) in front of you and close your eyes. If one of your arms drop after a few seconds, it can mean you're having vasospasms.

[Mace]

How fabulous it is to have a special nurse onboard - thanks Kath!

Hope you are feeling better now Tracy. It can be very scary during recovery, especially as there is so little information available to us. I feel very much for those who haven't yet discovered BTG.

Take care of yourself and seek medical advice - it's better to be safe than sorry.

Mace x

[goldfish.girl]

I echo what Mace says. It is brilliant to have a specialist brain nurse on the site. It's great to see specialists taking an interest in what happens after the critical care ends and can only be a good way forward for after care. I hope Kath can encourage others in the field to do the same. Although, perhaps they already do view the site but just don't post? Even that is great and will surely help with follow up care?

I think the 'brain' nurses do a fabulous job in difficult circumstances for both patients and their families and obviously kath has an interest in what happens next. Thank you for taking the time to see how we recover and offering advice.