I had an aneurysm rupture 18 months ago. It was clipped during a craniotomy, and I have been very fortunate to have recovered well. (It helps that I was sitting next to a close friend who is also a neuro ICU nurse when it happened.)
However, I still struggle with brain fog, fatigue and even intense vertigo when the barometric pressure drops. It’s bad enough I can’t drive safely and end up in bed. I’m curious if anyone else has experienced these symptoms and what, if any, solutions you have found.
Welcome Dirtmonster! Your story is simply amazing. Fatigue definitely! Brain fog, yes. Our members will have lots to share with you, be patient. We are a world wide group that is in a lot of different time zones. In the meantime, hydrate and increase protein.
Hi and welcome! I am 6 years from rupture and experience all of your symptoms, just less than I did at 18 months. The brain fog, for me I found triggers and do my best to avoid them. For me those triggers are things like multiple sounds, most especially if I cannot see the source of the sound. I do things like seat myself facing the room so all sources of sound are in front of me and I don’t bother trying to make conversation with my seat neighbor in a busy setting. The good news is my tolerance of what is multiples is getting better with time as in background music is actually becoming enjoyable sometimes again. As for the vertigo, I never associated it with barometric pressure so not sure if that triggers it or not. It was really bad at the start but that has also eased off in time. It still happens just not as intensely. As for fatigue, well any success with controlling the brain fog episodes seems to help a little as far as how long I will last. 18 months feels like a long time but really there is still healing and adjusting to come, time is your friend.
I have lived with 80 vertigo attacks a day for almost 3.5 years after my aneurysm rupture which in turn leads to brain fog and fatigue. I eventually sent to specialist at two Research Hospitals who found the root cause and treatment. Now, it is under maintenance and in control. I found that it is more important to discuss the consequence of SAH than the aneurysm itself. It is important to know the exact location of the aneurysm and basic understanding of the artery where it occurred. It is helpful as you in your discussion with your Neurologist and subsequent Specialists. Often, minor strokes (infract) are missed by Radiologist and it takes Neurologist to look at each planar scan. Other times, SAH results in unexplained issues. (In Talks rather than Out Patient exams, Neurologist will tell that they heard similar complaints from patients. They have theory but more research is needed.
My thanks to all of you- multiple perspectives and experiences are very helpful. I just had a follow up CTA, and I’m hoping that when I meet with my neurosurgeon he can give me a referral to a neurologist. The bulk of of my quantifiable symptoms were related to the damage the SAH did to my optic nerve, so it makes a lot of sense that other parts of my brain might have been affected as well.
Because I was still in the gnarly part of recovery last Fall, I didn’t realize how bad hurricane season is for barometric pressure in North Carolina. More low pressure days than not, and I feel like I just fogged my way through September. I’m hoping that I can find a doctor who will help me mitigate this response.
It is now four and a half years since my SAH, and I can tell you there has been progress (slow maybe) but progress none the less, I was sent to PT whom specializes in the Vestibular system (balance) she gave me some exercises that have helped with my vertigo, I am working on yoga balance poses, but it is still too early to tell if they are making a difference. All I would say is keep plugging away things will get better, maybe not back to what you were, but better. Good luck!
It will be in your patient portal as well Dirtmonster! Just look at either the Neurosurgeon’s notes on the angiograms/craniotomy or the findings from the Radiologist who read the scan.
I wanted to say thank you to everyone who chimed in here. I have a visit with a neurologist scheduled for January, so hopefully we will be able to make some progress.
I definitely notice brain fog and fatigue in my husband on low pressure days. I have learned to not expect much from him on those days. I just let him do whatever he wants. Chores can wait.