Hi there, I am new to this site. I had a frontal craniotomy April 2010 for clipping a distal anterior cerebral artery aneurysm unruptured. Iam still having problems with memory, balance & headaches. I am cut from ear to ear. I would like to hear from other that may also still be having problems so long after the operation. Thanks Sandra
Hi Sandra, I will be three years post op craniotomy in April. My clipping was on the same artery. During the first year I did experience a lot of pressure, but thankfully, no headaches. I don’t recall any issues with balance, but I may not have noticed due to unrelated issues with my hips. It was a long and often times frustrating recovery. I can honestly say that I had pretty low self- esteem during my recovery until my hair grew back and I could hide my scar. I too just found this sight. You have a lot of people here to help you and encourage you!
congrats on approaching ur 1 yr anny-versary…lol…hope things get better and you live a long,healthy and wonderful life!
Hi Tammy, Thanks for your reply. Congrats on 3 yrs recovery. I didn't have to grow my hair back as it wasn't cut off - thank goodness. Are you ok now?? Iam 58 how old are you Tammy? Do you still get fatigued?
Thank you Michelle. Are you a survivor?
Hi Sandra, I had surgery Nov 29 for a ruptured aneurysm. I know the clip is located in my forhead, and I too have the "headband" incision. I sometimes use the wrong word in a sentence, but it is always similar! :) After a great few days, yesterday was terrible with headache, anxiety, and sadness. Felt so much better after visiting this site and reading similar experiences. Like so many others, I too found the neurologist to be...well, very happy his work turned out so well, but any other problems I may be having were up to me to deal with alone. I was told it could be a year to a year and a half before a total recovery. Thanks for your post Sandra.
Holly
Sandra, I just turned 42. I am doing very well, thanks. The fatigue lasted about 18 months or so for me and my hair, which grows entirely too fast anyway, has grown back.
I actually chose to shave my own head pre-op for my craniotomy. I had a surgical rupture while the docs were fixing my initial ruptured aneurysm in 1998. Due to the pressure in my head, they had to put in a ventrich. (spelling?). Naturally, they were focused on saving my life, so how the shaved patch 3inx3in or so right in front, and on my hair line looked didn't matter so much. I was 29 at the time and vowed never to allow cosmotology by neurosurgery again! haha.
As I read everyone's stories, it helps me to remember how far I've come through the years. And how very good it is to be here.
Tammy
Thank you Holly. I wish you well in your recovery. I still have days when I cry - especially as now I can’t even brush or blow wave my hair without it hurting. My scar didn’t heal well because of my skin stretched & it is now a 1/2inch wide divet for the want of a better word all the way from ear to ear. I went to a plastic surgeon he said I now only have a couple of layer of skin there and have to be very careful - it is the type of skin I have - that’s was all I needed. But hey we are still here to whinge about it so that is the main thing BUT gee whiz we have been through the mill haven’t we!!! Take care
Hi Sandra and it's nice to meet you and see you here. :-)
I had my clipping done for unruptured annie on the middle cerebral artery Feb 3-11. I'm 3 weeks post op. So even though I'm just at the beginning stage of my recovery, I'm still dealing with balance issues at times, headaches, inner ear pain here and there, speech gets slurred and sometimes I use the wrong word in a sentence. Or, for example my mum told me today that instead of saying boredom, I said border. Things like that. Most of these things happen when Im tired. My best time of day is when I first get up in the morning after sleeping anywhere from 10-13 hrs! lol Which Ive never done in my life. My apetite seems to be gone and non existent. Did you have any of these things happen to you?? Like you, I'm also wondering how long does it really take to recover from this. Yesterday I asked my husband to take me for a stroll, 3 doors down and back, all of a sudden my legs didn't seem to want to work properly. I was sort of buckling at the knees. I was scared, cried and panickd but it was temporary. Please, I would love to talk with you about your past year and what you have expereienced Sandra. Hugs
Tina
Hi Tina, Lovely to hear from you. Dont you push yourself to hard it is very early stage for you yet. I am 10mth post op & still having problems. With severe memory loss, saying wrong things etc, balance off sometimes but not all the time now. How many clips do you have? I have 5 when he usually only uses 1 0r 2!!! I am cut from ear to ear - where were you cut. I am also having problems with excessive sweating. How old are you Tina? I would love to keep up with your progress. But you must rest for at least 6-8 weeks I certainly wouldnt be going for any walks yet - just go around your house/apartment. The brain needs to rest & it takes a long time apparently. But I am now of the firm opinion once something has been tampered with it is never 100% again. Like a broken bone. Take care & rest up and sleep is the best cure your body needs it!!! Hugs and take care Tina xx
Wow Sandra 5 clips! I had to have 3 to take care of that monster. I was cut from the front of the forehead back and around like a C and just down to about the middle of my ear on my right side. I posted a pic for my profile pic, hopefully you can see it.
I'm 46. LOL I had to really think about this one and use a calculator..WOW.! Geeesh! I had sweating as well but it seems to have gotten better.
I had the same problem in the hospital when I got up on my feet for the first time once I got to the regular floor and out of ICU. The feeling of not walking properly, the buckle at the knees feeling and as I made mention to family, I felt like Olive Oyl from Popeye! I tried calling my surgeons office this morning but the secretary sounded very sick on voicemail and said she would not be in today. I've writeen down all the stuff thats going on.
Sandra, did you or do you expereience bouts of crying and overwhelming feeling of can't cope? Hard to describe. Just a little bit of comotion and I get very upset and cry.
Tina
Hi Sandra and Welcome to a Very Supportive site...!
Colleen (survivor...had coiled Brain annie on Basilar Tip)
Hi Colleen, yes it is a very supportive site indeed. I really enjoy talking to others in the same position as myself. I hope you are recovering well. Candra
Hi Tina, Yes I can see your photo. My surgeon does not shave hair so that was a bonus of some sort I guess!! I am still on anti depressants & I am having problems with blood pressure also - are you? I usually have normal blood pressure but when annie was discovered it was 155/100 and then it went down after being on meds for a while and now last week I find it is back up & I am back on meds!! You may need some to help you get back on the “straight & narrow”. Hope you understand my aussie sayings!!! I have been told the tiredness is because the brain takes a lot of energy to heal and it zaps it from your supply - so just rest & sleep. I was a bit off balance y/day. Personally I don’t think we will be 100% again we will be left with something wrong be it a little thing BUT once something is tampered with I feel it is never same as before. But we are alive and that is the main thing for sure. You take care Tina and keep asking me anything you like. Cause I find most people on here are survivors of ruptured annies!! So it is nice to chat with people that have had an unruptured annie!! Take care talk soon - Sandra
Yes...Thank~you...
I don't know what I would have done with this site either...it helped me b4 I had the coiling (11/30/2010) and then when I was home ... healing...
I must remind myself often ... it is a long journey ...
Be well...and hope you get answers to alot of what you are going through...
Cyber ~ well wishes ... coming your way...Colleen
hi sandra..
i am a survivor,,just as God has blessed us all to get thru this ordeal..you too will survive and prevail..i had my 5mm anny in the basilar tip rupture in october of 2009...i am going on 2 yrs clean with no deficits,,my dr said i am a miracle and i believe we all are..life is much different now,,calmer, more appreciative of the little things..especially my family,,things sometime people take for granted,,but i would not change a thing,,it took me about 3 mo to be able to go back to work and walk with my husband w/o feeling woozy..fixin to start zumba w/my daughter and build myself up..both mentally and physically..i think i get in this mindframe that we get scared to push too hard for fear of having another rupture..but dr has reassured me that anny is totally obliterated and i can return to full steam ahead...just remember life will has always be there waiting for you and it will wait for you and your brain to recoop,,so slow and easy..God bless and wishing you a beautiful life!
WHERE WAS YOUR SURGERY DONE?
North Shore Private Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Hi Sandra, how are you?? :-) I looked up our convo and while reading through, realized I've come a long way in a short time.
I found myself calling my employer yesterday (the Occupational Health Nurse) and asking about the 'plan' for me to return to work. haha Well...by the sounds of things I won't be returning for awhile. I have to be 100% physically, mentally and emotionally ready to return to all of my duties. Considering I'm an Enforcement Officer, I don't think I'll be back in the next month or so. I was having such a great day and decided ..I'm going back to work soon! lol I say "day" truth be known, I have good hours really. I'm fortunate to have great benefits , I'm now on Long Term Disability so finances aren't issue for me to have to return to work prematurely, which allows me to just focus on recovering.
I'm somewhat worried about the on and off again depression. It's like a switch goes off in my head and I'm in tears. 15 minutes later, I'm good. Did you go through this, do you still go through this?? I'm also now, not sleeping well at night. Huge insomnia. Going to bed at usual time but not able to fall asleep then up till 4:00 to 6:30 am. Do you suffer from this or did you suffer from this?
Tina
Hi Tina, Nice to hear from you again. I am not going back to work at all with memory problems working in an Accountants Office would be not good. I am still on anti depressants nearly 12mths later. I have tried to go off them but without success - but I will keep trying. Don’t push yourself to hard just take it as it comes day by day that is what I do. Some days I could conquer the world & others no way!!! Sometimes I have trouble sleeping but most of the time I am ok with that. We are all different, my balance has improved somewhat. But the memory is a real problem and it frustrates me to no end. How is your memory? Well I hope you continue to improve & make sure your local doctor helps you along the way. Kind regards - Sandra