14 January 2025 - Welcome 10 New Members!

Hello everyone! I hope everyone has had a great start to the new year! Recently, we have had many new members join our community, so please help me introduce them!

@theresa0624 is in New Jersey, United States. Theresa is a caregiver for her mother who had a ruptured brain aneurysm in August and is currently in sub-acute care.

@jjajjj is in North Dakota, United States. Jaimelynn recently had coils placed in her unruptured aneurysm.

@javaphile is in Michigan, United States. Janet had a ruptured brain aneurysm that was treated with coils via the groin artery and was in the ICU for 10 days.

@caroline-oc is in Pennsylvania, United States. Caroline had a rupture in November of last year, which was treated with a flow diverter stent.

@hopefull is in Florida, United States. Tiff incidentally found a 3mm ICA in October. After an angiogram in December, then found a second 2.2mm and confirmed the original aneurysm was actually 4mm.

@karrie1226 is in Georgia, United States. Two weeks ago Karriee had her 10mm aneurysm treated via coils, and will receive treatment for her second aneurysm, 4mm, in the near future.

@micheleM is in New York, United States. 12 years ago Michele was diagnosed with a 4 mm saccular aneurysm in the supraclinoid segment of right ICA. Her neurologist told her it was too small to treat, so she had periodical MRAs to monitor the size. Her neurologist told her since it had not grown in the past 12 years, they will no longer monitor her aneurysm, but she was referred to an endovascular surgeon. Expecting the same ā€œmonitor and waitā€ plan, the new endovascular surgeon was adamant that her aneurysm be treated promptly with a cerebral angiography and then stent.

@lorid is in Alabama, United States. Lori recently had a pipeline flow diverter procedure. She has been feeling post op symptoms of headaches, pressure, burning pain, ringing in ears, blurred vision and just feeling ā€œweirdā€ in general.

@MBsch is in North Carolina, United States. 20 years ago M had a clipping for an aneurysm and has recently found another aneurysm, having to start over with the diagnosis and treatment process again. They will have an angiogram soon and receive a clipping treatment.

@Ellah is in South Africa, Africa. Ellen had a rupture in August 2024 where the hospital clipped her ruptured aneurysm and coiled a second aneurysm. It has been 5 months since and she has mostly good days, but still struggles with fatigue and occasionally feeling dizzy. She will get her 6 month angiogram in February.

In this community we pride ourselves on being welcoming and supportive. So, if you or someone you know in the community has a similar experience to any of our newest members, we encourage you to reach out if you feel comfortable. Newest members, you can also post your own thread to the community to initiate conversation. If you have any questions about posting on the forum, please contact @Moderators and we will be glad to help.

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Thank you for the warm welcome! Iā€™m just over 2 months out from my post SAH coiling procedure, also still feeling ā€œweirdā€ in general. But still here :slight_smile:

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Thank you

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Thank you for the welcome greetings .

Itā€™s been 10 months post-op on my un ruptured middle cerebral aneurysm.
I had coils put in through an angiogram.

Whatā€™s the new normal look like for others?
Mine are off and on headaches. some vision loss due to a stroke in my right eye during surgery. weird ā€œoffā€ feelings, head pressure, burning sensation when doing some work, excerises, ext. some speech issues. always fatigued. get ā€œgoosebumpsā€ feeling on my head, mostly on the side of the aneurysm (right)

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Hi jjajjj, Jaimelynnā˜ŗļø

Iā€™ve had a different procedure (a clipping/craniotomy) but Iā€™ve noticed that we all mention and worry about the same thing: fatigue.
I ruptured during surgery (both lucky and unlucky) and Iā€™ve wondered if this was similar to having a small stroke. Fatigue seems to be a big challenge for people whoā€™ve had strokes too.
So Iā€™m now 4 years post-op and I notice that I can ā€œgo hardā€ at work for a few hours and then I hit the fatigue wall. I work part time and donā€™t think I could manage full time work again - thatā€™s my new normal. Fatigue has improved slowly but itā€™s still there.
I learnt a new job 3 years ago and I seemed to take longer to absorb what I needed to do. Thatā€™s also my new normal. I also have lost some of my ability to express myself well, concisely and articulately and in the best order. Sometimes I mention the least important thing first instead of vice versa. (I find that disordered thought really frustrating!!)
I used to be a champion sleeper - fell asleep quickly and slept through until morning. I now get up multiple times to drink water or go to the loo (yes I know, cause and effect! But still Iā€™m waking up at least twice through the night when I never used to). I need to drink a lot of water compared to ā€œbeforeā€.
I get headaches, frequently. The other potentially confounding issue is that women are prone to headaches with hormone fluctuations, especially with menopause. So what can I assign to the clipped aneurysm/surgery and what is due to other factors? Menopause and aging is also associated with poorer sleep.
I can no longer tolerate alcohol. No champagne at a celebration or over Xmas/New Year. Alcohol = very bad headache that might last several days, even when itā€™s a tiny amount.
You mention a variety of ā€œheadā€ sensations and I can certainly relate. Lots of weirdness. Right now I feel numbness over the surgery site (that will be different for you) , when I get hot (weather or exercise) sometimes I feel pressure and discomfort. Overall the weirdness has decreased a lot over time so now I can mostly ignore it. Thereā€™s hope!
The thing I have the most trouble with is : dizziness. Dizzy when I bend down too long (20 minutes of weeding, max) Dizzy when I go in reverse in the car. Iā€™m not sure how common this is or if itā€™s aneurysm and procedure related or just me!
Iā€™m having a check-up with my neurosurgeon next month, and Iā€™ll ask a few questions that relate to all my above daily irritations.
I hope that you have the opportunity to check in with your neuro or GP and ask about the things that are concerning to you - the weird ā€œoffā€ feelings might be worth a mention.
Best thoughts to you Jaimelynnā€‹:pray::hugs:

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Hello Nat!
I, too have almost all the symptoms you do, that wasnā€™t mentioned. like the working part. I need to nap several times throughout the day, iā€™m sure thatā€™s not going to work out with any job. i feel headaches and burning/hot sensation if i work myself, although that has calmed tremendously, the headaches still come and go.
Numbness at the surgery site is something i feel too. i kind of just pull my hair softly, thinking itā€™ll un-numb itself. The retaining information and whatnots.
Indeed, age and our hormones do play a part and is tricky when it coincides with the symptoms of the aneurysm/surgery.

thatā€™s scary that your aneurysm ruptured during surgery. :frowning:
unfortunately, i wasnā€™t even notified about the stroke iā€™m in my eye, it was swollen after surgery and i had to ask about it prior to leaving the hospital. it was confirmed a month later after seeing an eye doctor that specializes in neuro,

best regards to you as well šŸ©· Thank you for sharing your story, i appreciate that.
May we all heal from this.

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Hello, my name is Kirsten I had my carotid artery dissection with angioplasty stent replacement in sept 2019. I had many strokes. I lost my vision on the right side which also affected my top of my head a lot. I can say it gets better. I still rub my head in the same spot significantly but as a gentle reminder now. I have had to work hard only because I neglected self care for a long time. I have fears but Iā€™ve learned to listen to my body. Iā€™ve used physical therapy to judge my limits and to strengthen myself. I have received occipital nerve blocks on both sides of my neck for many years. My headaches gone. Yes I feel the tug in my head still but as I put it before gentle reminders. My surgery was through the groin. I was 120 lbs. too small so I feel it. For instances my neck has spasms well certain finger movements move your neck. Stop moving. Lol everyone here jokes and say stop moving. Like itā€™s so easy. I had my twins to help me. Things like buying light silverware and for me I canā€™t hold a taco and turn my head at the same time to I had to stop moving that way. Tricky but my nerves were so delicate in my neck still to this day I donā€™t use my right arm cause it hurts everything else. Some days! I canā€™t rake sweep or vaccum. Ah bummer right. I learned to do what I can. And when Iā€™m feeling like Iā€™m not doing much Iā€™m happy to to my therapy physical it may be in a chair sitting but Iā€™m doing it working on getting better. Some days thatā€™s just understanding to be nice to myself. Life is what I make it. I am alive and thankful.

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Hello! Prayers for you.
Healings are slow but in due time we all heal, although having to re-learn certain things and recognizing new symptoms, we got this! Take care and always be kind to yourself!

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I lost vision in my right eye after a ruptured aneurysm. I have a difficult time driving.

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