5 days post surgery

General
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I’m barely 1 week post surgery- non-ruptured aneurysm fixed with a web mesh device through the leg/groin artery. I had no problem with the surgery and am at home recovering. My headache subsided three days post surgery.

I wonder if I should be doing this well? My doc approved 3 weeks off from work but other than being tired, I’m feeling okay. I’m not sure if I should take the full 3 weeks of just go in after 2 if I’m still feeling okay.

I am still on Brilinta so I’m bruising horribly. Still have to be on that for 3 months and then I can go off it completely. I have two major bruises all up my forearms from the arterial lines. Is that normal? That’s the only pain I have- those bruises. That’s it!!

I’m also currently anemic and I have other health conditions (lupus, no colon, etc), but given all that, I still feel fine. Do you think the recovery will still continue to go well? How long did it take everyone else to feel well, if you’ve had the web mesh device blocking off your aneurysm?

Another question- many people experience headaches and I get migraines, which is what lead me to get the MRI leading to my diagnosis. Should I expect more intense headaches in the future? Or when I get stressed? Or is it just different for everyone?

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Welcome @Doggie28, you’ve found a wonderful group for support, we are so very glad you joined us!

I say “Bully for you”! It’s fantastic to read when members have little or no side effects. Let me see if I can answer most of your questions…

First, I’d personally take the three weeks off, your doctor is giving you this time to get your strength back. It also may give you some time to get your iron back up. Eat a lot of vegetables that provide iron. Though you may also be on a supplement if it’s too low. There’s a fairly long list of vegetables that give us iron, I think it’s on WebMD but you can do an Internet search if you’re interested.

Bruising is quite normal, arterial lines can do that. But couple that with iron deficiency and Brilinta it’s no wonder you’re bruised. I couldn’t say for certainty it’s just the arterial lines because you have a cocktail of things that cause bruising.

I didn’t have the WEB device and I ruptured but have had four procedures to stabilize the little bugger which #4 did and it was with the Neuroform Atlas Stent. It seems to me the majority of those who ruptured get migraines and there are many members who see an aneurysm repair as the cause of their migraines. Hopefully those with a WEB will reply to how they did after a procedure. Since you’ve already been a recipient of the blasted headaches, I would think the reason you get them may be the same, but one can hope your WEB has taken care of that issue. I wouldn’t see why you would get any worse from the procedure, but I’m not a doctor, not even in the medical field.

I do tend to be on the more positive side of things which I believe has helped my recovery and survival. It can be a bit irritating to some for me to always see the positive side, I wonder if it’s just encoded in my DNA sometimes. Nevertheless, I urge you to stay on the positive side of things as well, it helps life as a whole.

Recovery for any cerebral procedure is as different as we are, we may have some similarities, but nothing concrete. I believe you can look at your own lupus and those you know that have it for a better understanding. Dad had SLE, a co-worker had SLE. The co-worker once screamed and yelled at me about my father doing better than she and demanded I tell her why. I really didn’t have an answer but I did ask her how her Vit B-12 was as Dad used to get in tithers and had to have a monthly shot.

So be grateful you’re doing so well! I’m doing a happy dance for you, that’s for sure. Again welcome and we look forward to hearing from you and sharing your experience.

By the way, did you know Ben’s Friends has a lupus support group? If not, you may want to check them out…

All the best
Moltroub

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Thanks for the reply. I think I spoke too soon about the headache. Woke up today with a doozy. Back in bed now. I can only take Tylenol due to my other health issues so that isn’t even going to touch it!

I am on magnesium, topomax and Botox for my migraines as maintenance drugs. Doc says if the headaches get back he could prescribe a steroid pack just to kick the headache but I’m not at that point with just this one day of a headache.

I think you’re right about taking the time. I’m at least leaning at taking two weeks off work, if not the 3.

I was considering going on an iron supplement just for the time being. Because I don’t have a colon, I can’t eat a ton of veggies - it’s tough for me to process them…so it’ll be difficult for me to catch up on the iron that way. I’m not a big meat eater either so maybe the iron supplement is the best until I’m off the blood thinners.

I’ll check out the other forum- thanks for the suggestion.

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Hey Doggie,
It’s fantastic that everything has settled quickly for you.
You state “…I wonder if I should be doing this well?” My advise, just accept it. Some people, like yourself, can come through it all relatively unaffected and that’s brilliant. For others the recovery can take a bit longer and then for some the battles can be ongoing. Also for some people there can be a bit of a ‘Honeymoon period’ as the body adjusts, then a few weeks later the symptoms can appear with a vengeance.

“My doc approved 3 weeks off from work…” TAKE THE FULL 3 WEEKS!!!
After my first surgery I recovered OK, not great, but OK. I pushed myself to get back to normal, to get back to work. I pushed too hard, too soon doing myself a greater injury, requiring further neurosurgery. Ahhh, don’t do that. Your tiredness is normal, but by pushing your recovery you can put your progress in reverse.

I used to work in a high pressure environment and patience was a must. I had patience for everybody else, but I didn’t have much patience for my own limitations. It used to be ‘I wanted to so something, so I did it’, now I find I have to plan how I’ll do it. This is very frustrating and I loss all my patience with self. I could before, so I can now. Only I couldn’t. So I pushed my limits and BANG.

The very last thing you want is to return to work and do yourself more harm. Take the 3 weeks.

Merl from the Modsupport Team

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@Doggie28
Remember that slow and steady wins the race! I would definitely recover for three weeks if I were you. I came out slightly anemic too after my second procedure with stent and coils and I checked with my neuroteam if I could take an iron supplement without messing up with the anti platelet medication before I started.
I wish you all the best.
Don’t rush!

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@Doggie28 You’re very welcome! Do speak to the doctor about the iron supplement. With all you have going on health wise it’s always beat to at least make a call. And I didn’t even think you may not be able to eat vegetables, thanks for teaching me something new. I think any day I learn something new is a great day!

All the best,
Moltroub

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Yea good call on the iron supplement. I will ask about that.

I’m leaning more toward taking the 3 weeks now that you guys suggest it but I have another thing to throw in the mix- I have a 2 and a half year old daughter - and my parents take her during the day three days per week and she goes to day care the other 2 days. Right now they don’t mind at all taking her while I recuperate but I know she’s a lot (I mean, she’s a toddler). Today when I dropped her off, my dad (who doesn’t always remember the details of things) mentioned how they hope I take the full 2 weeks. In the back of my mind I was thinking, does he remember I get 3 weeks? Does he think I don’t need the 3 weeks?

So do i take the full 3? I don’t know. It’s such a tricky thing. Something I’ll have to work out with them I guess. I could always just take her over to my parents after breakfast to give them a break but also get most of the day to rest.

What does rest really mean anyway? Rest my brain? I’m mostly just watching tv? Yesterday when I had a horrible headache I just laid in bed and slept or just laid in bed with a cloth on my head with it being quiet and dark and no sound.

Another question- when does the neurosurgeon sign off on you? I have my follow up appt in two more weeks. Is that the final appt if I’m feeling well? I’d assume so if everything is going well? He did mention another angio in 6 months to make sure the web device is in place.

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YES. Take it.
In many cases the longer you take in recovery, the better the longer term. Start slow, have a back up plan if needed and slowly increase. See how it goes. When I say a back up plan speak to your parents about maybe being on call for a while. I find I can’t say 'At 2pm I’m going to have a headache", they just happen and sometimes they can knock me off my feet, there is no timing. Trying to plan things can be difficult. But if you are good in the mornings then I think your plan could work well.

Well, I’m not the person to answer that question because I didn’t rest. I need to keep myself occupied or I really can go a bit bonkers or I drive everybody else around me a bit bonkers. The easiest way to be occupied was to go back to work, but the workload overwhelmed me and set me back by months. I can be a little (OK, so a lot) stubborn sometimes. This thing wasn’t going to beat me, so I pushed myself.
Find a hobby, find a bunch of tasks around the home, watch some TV, surf the net, find some relaxation techniques online etc, etc… Mix it up a bit. Keep yourself occupied
BUT have time so that if and when you need ‘time’, it’s there. Often in the work environment you can’t just ‘stop the day’ if it’s needed. Use this time to your benefit.

Ahh, now, each neurosurgeon is different and each will make their own assessment. Some may want new scans, some may put you through some neuro tests, sensory tests, optical tests etc. It really can vary quite a bit. There really is no exact answer to that one.

I’ll say it again “TAKE THE FULL 3 WEEKS!!!”

Hope it helps
Merl from the Modsupport Team

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@Doggie28 I applaud your decision to take the three weeks, he gave them to you for a reason. Your dad may have just heard you say you’re taking two and that stuck in his brain. Talk to them again and emphasize you have decided to take the full three weeks. Toddlers are a ball of energy but aren’t they fun to be around? It’s a grand idea to give them a break. You may have to wean your parents and your toddler from each other so life gets back to your prep procedure routine.

Rest is as different as we are people, so hard to answer for you. I’m like Merl, I have difficulty being a couch potato. Start back in slowly with daily activities and house cleaning. It might be a good time to purge some of the toys your toddler doesn’t have interest in. I would do it with your toddler so they understand hoarding toys may not be a good thing. If you make it fun and explain donation process, it will go a lot better. They also like to put things in boxes so keep, donate and trash are fun for them. It’s also a great time to learn to count.

I think by week 3, it may be a good idea to not nap during what would be your working hours. Just to get your body acclimated back to time constraints. I’d also take walks light exercise like walking is just good for us. You might want to reach out to your surgeon about using the vacuum…or any heavy cleaning. My surgeon has really learned who I am as her NP has and they will literally spell out what I can and cannot do. After my last procedure they both said for me to keep carving🤣

My Neurosurgeon hasn’t “signed off” on me yet…but she won’t see me for three years! We have vastly different stories, you and I. I will always be seeing her because I have a pituitary adenoma that she will follow every five years. I used to have multiple appointments every month. I tease her that she is weaning me from her and her team. He will let you know when he is done looking at your brain. It will run something like “Well your images all look good and I’m satisfied.” Just remember to clarify that he won’t want to see you in a year or so for another image.

All the best,
Moltroub