Karen Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I'm not sure how many of you are aware that there is now a National Stroke Strategy? How many of us SAH'ers even realised that we had a stroke? Well, most of us had a haemorrhagic stroke ..... it took me a good 6 months to realise that, as I was never told. Any type of oxygen deprivation to the brain, is classified as a stroke.....especially if it was caused by an aneurysm. However, I still get pretty mad, that the warning symptoms that I read, are on the whole, for the type of stroke that is associated with a clot .... and not for the haemorrhagic type ..... onset of headache, the worse that you've ever known - baseball bat type of scenario, eye problems, sinus type headaches, stiff neck etc etc..... this never seems to be mentioned and the two types of stroke, display very different initial symptoms...... I'm beginning to wonder, whether that's the reason why, for the horrific mortality rate for haemorrhagic strokes or SAH's..... even if there's a National Stroke Strategy, everybody needs to be able to differentiate between the two types of stroke..... especially GP's.... If you have a few minutes, then it might be worth responding to the links below .... Here's a few links to the National Stroke Strategy Subject... http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/ ... icservices http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7127097.stm http://www.differentstrokes.co.uk/cgi-b ... read=61381 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 Well, before I go on my hols, I'm going to spend some time replying to these website links .... If nobody recognises the warning signs for a bleed, then what hope do we have .... Jeez, no wonder that the mortality rate is so high for SAH ... I don't often get a bee in my bonnet, but I have today .... I worry about both of my kids .... Chris also suffers from a lot of headaches, Lauren too and also has dizziness ... very reminiscent of myself in teenage years. Chris would probably refuse screening, if it was offered ... Eric's Mother had a non-ruptured aneurysm coiled, but later died from a brain tumour... My Grandfather died of a SAH, probably due to an aneurysm in his 80's and my Mum has an aortic aneurysm ...so, I have annie's on both sides of my family... no screening has been offered to either of my children .... I doubt that they would take it, but some awareness of the problem would be really appreciated and it makes me mad, to say the least, that this isn't offered .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mollie Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Hi Karen, This is all reminiscent of my own family. My Mum died of a cerebral heamorrahge in 1984 but I always suspected that there was something more to it. She was only 58. My Gran (her Mum) died of the same thing and she was 70 when she passed in 1970 On my Dads side my Gran died of Cerebral heamorrahge. She was 42 years old so I obviously never knew her as she died in 1940. I am suspicious as to their cause of death on the certificates as back then there was not the technology that we have today. Perhaps their bleeds were not anuerysms like ours but it certainly gives you food for thought. I asked the nuero about screening for my kids and he said perhaps it would be a good idea but there is no conclusive evidence that it runs in families. I think I disagree. If they asked, would they get screened I wonder. I have mentioned it to them but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Perhaps they don't want to think about it and who can blame them Mollie xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 Hi Mollie, I've spoken to both my kids and weighed up the pro's and con's of being screened. It's definetly not an easy subject. However, both of mine have said "no" to screening .... I probably would have said the same, when I was their age. All you can do, is make them aware of their family history and if they're suffering migraines, headaches, etc., especially when they hit their late 30's - 40's, then they need to get themselves checked out and screened for possible annies. There seems to be a common theme to this and most of us have problems in our late 30's - 40's. I suppose that's when the wear and tear to any of our arteries or to any part of the body, starts to show. Who knows if it is genetic, but displaying any of the symptoms, such as headaches and migraine is a worry. It tends to be mainly female and I wonder whether that's related to the stresses of childbirth etc. Screening is definetly a hard one, as there's a risk to us, when we have any procedure done. I'm 2.6 years down the line and I still can't make my mind up .... If I knew that I could have a brain aneurysm before having kids, would I have them both .... probably not .... but, I feel blessed to have a family around me now .... it's a difficult decision to make. I wouldn't want to change the past, but I just hope that the medics will keep an eye on my kids and treat them seriously if they have a related problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 Just e-mailed the Guardian ...... doubt if I'll get a reply.... but hey! ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest yasmin Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I have just been reading your posts and I'm shocked to learn that I actually had a stroke nobody tells you these things in the hospital they just send you home to get on with it, I'm worried for my kids too, i've sent an email to the guardian but bet I don't get a response either! ps I'm really worried about my next MRI in Jan as the last time I went they said my annie had grown? I may need recoiling or even clipping if it has grown anymore, has anyone else had that problem? I just can't think about xmas with all this over my head it making me ill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted December 7, 2007 Author Share Posted December 7, 2007 Hi Yasmin, I still have a neck left on my annie ..... so I've got feeling, that I'll probably need more work done on it. However, the only reasurrance for me, is that when I had a warning bleed at 38, that my artery was probably only held together by a blood clot and that was the case for 4 years. I was worried to say the least, when I was first told ..... I have come to terms with it and I know that they'll keep their eye on me. I think that you can cause yourself untold stress by worrying ..... I've known of a few people that have had to have more coils added down the line. Try to relax and enjoy your xmas if you can ... I know how worried you must be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest yasmin Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 Hi Karen Thanks for your reply and guess what I got my letter today its the 15th of Jan so fingers crossed, I have hidden it as I don't want to upset anyones xmas xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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.