Healing timeline

[Labrador]

On November 28, 2017, I had a SAH. I was in Neuro ICU for 11 days when they put a shunt in for the hydrocephalus. I was sent home the next day. I have been home just over  5 weeks. I am still having mild headaches with shooting pains. I have been walking a mile most days and getting regular sleep.

 

It has been 7 weeks today since the SAH. The doctors are saying 2 - 3 months for full recovery. I am interested to know if anyone has had a full recovery after 8 - 12 weeks. 

[Kay]

Recovery times are so individual, after my SAH at 3 months I was still taking naps halfway through the day, but at 6 months I felt pretty close to being fully recovered, to the point where I was considering going back to work, it was only after an appointment with my neurosurgeon when he told me I'd need follow up surgery and then waiting for said surgery that stopped me.

 

I've now had the follow up surgery which didn't go as smoothly as hoped (I had another bleed somewhere else in my brain, so this time a NASAH) I'm now one week out of hospital,  I'm definitely improving every day , no napping required this time, but physically I'm weaker than I was last time,  it's swings and roundabouts I suppose. Fingers crossed this time round it won't take me as long I'm aiming for the 2 month mark

[Daffodil]

Hi there, 

 

you mention a shunt was inserted but I am wondering if you possibly mean an extra ventricular drain which is a temporary  measure?  . A shunt is a permanent drain with siphons running to the brain ventricles and tubing running to the abdomen and the surgery is very complex so I have never heard of anyone discharging so fast after that but ‘wow’ if that’s the case. 

 

Its great you are feeling so well physically after your NA SAH and each bleed is different in scale and location but we have many members who go on to make good recovery. 3 months is often cited by medical teams and this can mean recovered from the impact of the bleed and subsequent hospital stays or surgeries . Often in the months after the effects of the bleed( or interventions)  can show up more , like cognitive defecits or fatigue and as you have a shunt then in my experience things don’t return back to how they were but you can achieve a good level of recovery but there remain bad days in the mix. 

 

Keep the walking up it will help stamina and mood.. Oregon is a nice part of the world to do that in. 

[Winb143]

Hi Labrador,

 

I waited a year to have mine put in and only when my hubby and Daughter mentioned it !! Luck Lab I'll call you  lol 

 

Mind I did have Ventriculitis and Sepsis after coiling and other problems like walking.

 

Take your time getting back to your normal self as you get days when you can take on the world and days when you feel shattered.

 

You sound like you are doing great so whatever it is keep going.   xx 

 

Wishing you all the best and welcome to BTG xx

 

Regards

Win xxxxxxx Alias Winb143 

[Labrador]

Thank you for your words of encouragement.

 

An extra ventricular drain was inserted the first day I was at the hospital. They tried twice to wean me off of it by turning the drain off but the head pressures went up so they opted for the shunt with the tube which drains into the abdomen. They released me two days later.

 

I needed walking sticks for stability for the first few weeks as I gained stamina. For the first three weeks I slept half the day and had constant headaches.

 

Now sleep patterns are normal. I am looking forward to the constant headaches with shooting pains subsiding.

 

Reading and concentrating on small objects is difficult. 

 

Healing is slow. I guess I am on schedule.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Daffodil]

Labrador, like you I needed walking sticks for my mobility after discharge and my shunt operation, I borrowed a friends spare mobility scooter but the vibrations made me feel sick!  Setting the ambition of short walks and just getting out each day helped me immensely and i continue that now almost 6 years on.

 

i am back to work albeit on a dramatically differing course and hour pattern but I had supportive colleagues and really set this as a goal important to me but finding balance of tasks with my new limits and possibilities , no pun intended, did take me a good while and I’m still figuring it out and I can still land flat on the floor literally and figuratively when I least expect it! 

 

So take it as steady as you can, enjoy the scenery as you go, notice the changess for the good and what triggers the bad and keep taking the fresh air. Presume you have four legged companion on your trails so talk to them too, that helps I find as they are good listeners.

 

[frmertd]

I am doing very well (around 90% of the old me) at 2 1/2 months. Main problems are stamina, sleep wake disturbances , and emotional lability. The first month was by far the worst time. After 2 months, I improved drastically. Perhaps it takes 2 months to fully resorb the blood??

[Winb143]

I was told I'd never walk again but do a few steps on a bad day and 200/250 yards on a good day and then back goes.

 

Aiming to walk 400 yards soon shh don't tell anyone in case I don't make it ha ha  xx

 

As I said to you earlier keep doing what you are doing as it seems like you have had a luck on your side xxxx 

 

I had singing to keep me going  lol poor Family and couldn't get on with walking sticks, used them the first few weeks after I woke up 

 

Good luck  Frm