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6 month check-up, this afternoon!


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Morning :-D

I can't believe that 6 months have gone by! This afternoon, I have an appointment at Oxford Radcliffe for an angiogram and MRI. I couldn't sleep last night, my arms were both dead and I just could not get comfortable. Finally nodded off at about 4 am and was up again by 8, I now feel like an absolute zombie!

A lot has changed in 6 months, when I left hospital I had virtually no memory span at all and bimbled through each day in a haze. Now I can remember what I did yesterday. I couldn't read at all, but now can read a novel in 2 days like I used to. I can walk further, no longer have taste distortions at all and rarely get headaches. I am looking forward to the changes that the next 6 months might bring :biggrin:

I am a bit worried about the angiogram as I will be awake this time, although I have read online that I won't actually be able to feel the catheter going up through my body. I am looking forward to seeing the hospital again, I have virtually no memory of my 3 weeks there and wonder if I will recognise parts of it. Maybe when today is over with, I might start sleeping again. I was doing quite well for a few months but in the last few weeks sleep has become my nemesis :crazy:

I hope you are all well and have had a pleasant weekend,

Dawn x

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Hey Dawn good luck for your review. AS for the Angio I was awake when I had mine & the most painful thing was them pressing on my leg for ages once they removed the catheter. I think it took about 20 mins to stop bleeding. You really can't feel anything when they do it & the only wierd bit is when they go into the artereis & inject the dye, you get flashing lights behind your eyes but it really doesn't hurt

Good luck hon xxx

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Many thanks for the reassuring answers! I'm so glad you can't really feel it. Does anyone know how long this will take? It mentions nothing in my letter about lying flat for hours and Radcliffe's are not answering the phone right now! My appointment is at 15:45, I have visions of being there til midnight and it's 65 miles away.

Dawn x

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Hey Dawn it'll be fine this afternoon and tonight you'll get a better sleep.....

its is 4hours you have to lie flat for after the angio, but if they havent mentioned it in the letter I tend to think its maybe a MRA your getting.....

take care hugs....

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Morning :-D

I can't believe that 6 months have gone by! This afternoon, I have an appointment at Oxford Radcliffe for an angiogram and MRI. I couldn't sleep last night, my arms were both dead and I just could not get comfortable. Finally nodded off at about 4 am and was up again by 8, I now feel like an absolute zombie!

A lot has changed in 6 months, when I left hospital I had virtually no memory span at all and bimbled through each day in a haze. Now I can remember what I did yesterday. I couldn't read at all, but now can read a novel in 2 days like I used to. I can walk further, no longer have taste distortions at all and rarely get headaches. I am looking forward to the changes that the next 6 months might bring :biggrin:

I am a bit worried about the angiogram as I will be awake this time, although I have read online that I won't actually be able to feel the catheter going up through my body. I am looking forward to seeing the hospital again, I have virtually no memory of my 3 weeks there and wonder if I will recognise parts of it. Maybe when today is over with, I might start sleeping again. I was doing quite well for a few months but in the last few weeks sleep has become my nemesis :crazy:

I hope you are all well and have had a pleasant weekend,

Dawn x

Hi Dawn,

Hope all is well.

I should have had an angigram on the 2nd December 2011 but i cancelled, i was too scared. thinking of you x debbie b

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Hi Dawn

Good luck for your angio.

Like Gill said, it takes about 30 mins for them to take the pics they want, and then it took only about 10 mins for them leaning on me to seal the entry site.

Then laying flat for 4hrs was indeed boring...and I had mine at 8 in the morning, but they hadn't thought to ask me if I wanted lunch...so had to lay there smelling everyone else hot lunch whilst they got me a ham sandwich :frown:

Although I took a book with me I didn't feel like reading as I had a migraine after the angio, so had a little sleep during the 4hrs...

I just saw it as another challenge to get through. It is really scary beforehand though, but it is quite an experience and the staff doing mine were really nice.

Take care

Kel x

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Thanks for all the replies!

And now for a little update...

Although my letter did say MRI, when I got there my notes said MRA on them. The angiogram was done through the canula in my arm, they didn't go near my groin and i didn't have to lay around for hours afterwards! I also didn't see my consultant so am no nearer to solving the issue with the DVLA and I didn't get my results either. I'm told they will write to me 'soon'. I imagine if anything had been wrong something would have been said? It's a 130 mile round trip and I have to confess to feeling slightly robbed :oops: Hopefully I can now begin to sleep at night!

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That must have been a very tiring day for you Dawn, and rather annoying that you didn't get your queries answered. You would have thought the hospital ought to know their I's from their A's but I don't think you missed much with the 4 hour lying flat afterwards! "Soon" isn't very helpful either - I was told I would get my results 10 days later - it actually took 45 days!

I hope you get a good, well deserved, nights' sleep tonight.

Sarah

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Hi Dawn,

It's all over now so hopefully you can get some good nights sleep.

I had an angio in the early hours when I first was taken into hospital, I can remember bits about it.

I had an MRI 22nd December and my results took about 3-4wks but there was Christmas and new year breaks that caused delays.

Fingers crossed for good , quick results and the answers to your queries soon for you.

Take care and keep smiling,

SarahLou Xx

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Hi Dawn,

Rather annoying that you had to go that far from home, but glad for you there was no lying flat for the 4 hrs. and now that procedure is over with - YAY!!! Hopefully you'll get results quickly and maybe even get some answers to questions at the same time!

I'm over due for a cerebral angiogram - should be hearing within a week or two as to when I'm scheduled. At my 6 mo. mark, I was sedated (under what they call a twi-light sleep), they went through the femoral artery in groin region and on up. The procedure lasted about 30 minutes, I did feel a bit of pain after catheter was taken out, when they were pressing to stop bleeding, but after that I was out again. Woke in recovery room and only had 2 hours left of laying flat (sometimes drugs are good :lol:). My daughter was there so we chatted, I was brought a sandwich and some fruit, given instructions about angio-seal and sent home to rest for rest of day and evening. I'm not so concerned about the pain afterward, it's the anxiety of what could happen while they're in there - poking around, lol, what they might find, are the coils still where they're supposed to be, is the aneurysm the same size, are there any others that have popped up or were unseen previously! All this stuff is going through my head now, but I'm sure everything will be fine :biggrin:

So nice to hear all the progress you've made in the last 6 months. It's good to look back and see just how far you've come, congrats to you!!!

Hope you're able to get some good rest tonight!

Take care and big hugs,

Carolyn

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  • 1 month later...

A little update...

I finally got my results in the post this morning, all the letter said was that they need to do another MRA in August 2013 which will be the 2 year check. I am assuming that this means everything is ok. Still no mention of actually seeing anybody though. All I can say is thank goodness for the internet and BTG!

Dawn x

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Dawn, I think that's a pretty good assumption. I hope they would call you in for an appt if they found anything. If you are concerned and want to go over the results are you able to book an appt with your neuro? Or through your GP?

I'm so grateful for BTG too. If it weren't for BTG I'm pretty sure I would be heading toward the looney bin (hospital for mental health) with all the weirdo symptoms.

Sandi K. Xoxoxox

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Hi Dawn

I would suggest contacting the PALS at the hospital and asking them to book a follow-up appointment for you, if you've not had one at all since your SAH.

They should be able to arrange an appointment with your Neuro-consulant or an assistant Neuro Dr.

I have googled and found the following link for you. I hope this helps (and I hope I have got the right hospital!)

Kel ;)

Edited by KelBel
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Hi Dawn,

the timescale for next MRI sounds pretty standard but I have to agree with Kel & Sandi, you really do need to actually speak to someone regarding your op and the outcome - I can't believe you haven't been offered this (well, obviously I do believe you! It isn't right though :frown:)

Pleased to hear that no problems showed up on your tests though - that is great news :-D

Michelle xx

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Dawn

i was also treated at JR - and whilst can't fault the care received whilst an in patient, the after care has been none existant. I am still waiting for the results of my MRI which I had on 6th March - did phone hospital last Friday and they said the results were with the Dr so should hear this week.

I am sooo amazed that no follow up appts are offered - i have so many questions I would have liked to ask, and still want to ask the consultant, I have written him letters which have never been replied to - do I keep shouting and insist on an appt with the surgeons - will give it til the end of this week then I will be back on the phone again - will be looking at that link Kel posted as well ...

like you all say, Thank goodness for BTG ....

xx

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