A terrified husband. My suffered a rupture

My wife is 34 and has just suffered a ruputured brain aneurysm. She underwent surgery by angiogram and the rupture was coiled.
She's was in ICU/HDU for less than 24 hours as she's doing well although very sleepy but can communicate normally and is now on a Neuroward,
She is suffering from terrible headaches and neck pain still. Is this normal? will it go? I'm so terrified. I can't loose her. She's my world
1 Like

Hi Roger -

I'm too tired to write much but saw that you just posted. I'm so sorry about your wife and for what you're going through. She will be okay - it sounds like its really recent still. Mine didn't rupture but had 3 1/2 hr surgery and had headaches that lessened as the days and weeks went by - they were worst in the beginning. Ten weeks later, I've had days with no headaches, in past 3 weeks only 2 bad (not excruciating) headaches, and lots of little annoying headaches - but those were there before all this started. At the 7 week mark I started feeling LOTS better. Mine didn't rupture - so I can't speak to recovery from that - but recovery is a process and a winding road - but she'll be okay - and her recovery will be faster and easier than if she'd had a craniotomy. Sleepy is so normal and a really good and wise way that the body has to take care of itself so that during sleep all energy goes towards healing. Take care of YOU, too. I'm glad you wrote.

Jennifer (44, 3 young kids)

Thanks Jennifer - appreciate this

THE DRS WILL SAVE HER.. REMEMBER THESE FEELING AS SHE RECOVERS IT GETS HARDER,,SAD TO SAY. I SURVIVED A BLOWN ANEURYSM, AND 2 MORE THAT DIDNT RUPTURE. COMA 30 DAYS . SHE WILL NEED YOU AND ALL THAT CAN HELP. PTSD WILL KICK IN AND MOST DONT KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ....EMOTIONS ARE HARD TO DEAL WITH AFTER THIS AND ASKING FOR HELP IS AN EMOTION... AND EXCEPT THAT YOU ARE IN A POST TRAMATIC STESS MOMENT RIGHT NOW. TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN OR MIGHT HAPPEN...I HOPE I HAVE HELPED AND IF YOU NEED REPLY WITH QUESTIONS THIS WEB SITE WILL REALLY HELP YOU

JASON/MALE/37/MARRIED /1 SON

I had a rupture aneurysm a year and 4 months ago, and they coiled it also via angiogram. I had meds that kept me from remembering a lot while in icu but I am doing well and I wanted to encourage you. I am in late 50ā€™s in age. Try to keep positive. I have no ā€˜deficitsā€™. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH> Nell

Roger, I had a rupture Dec 7th 2010, when I woke up I was in ICU and on a ventilator which they took out after 24 hours. I spent 1 week in ICU and on the NEURO floor almost 10 days and have been home for a couple weeks now. I have been very lucky that I havenā€™t many problems other than some slight hearing problems and "surface " numbness in both feet to below my knees both which seem to be going away slowly. I get tired really easy which the doctor said would last at least 6 to 8 weeks. The Doctors and nursesā€¦everybody kept calling me the miracle girl. My husband has been so wonderful even though every one tells me he was terrified. I really donā€™t remember much when I was in ICU about having headaches, though my husband said I kept on complaining about them and the nurses kept giving me meds in my IV. When i was on the regular floor I only took Tylenol and like now at home I do have occasional Aching in the back of my head that is on and off for a few minutes if I move my head too fast and my neck is stiff at times, which has lessened considerably and the days go by. I hope and pray that your wife has a recovery as non eventfull as mine. After reasearching and doing alot of reading I know that things could have been much worse. Good luck to you and your wife my prayers and thoughts are with you.

I hope all goes well for you. Stay by her side. When my husband was in a coma for 4 1/2 weeks, I kept my positive energy next to him all hours they would let me. He came out of it and was fine. The VA called him their ā€œmiracle man.ā€ He attributes it to my being by his side.

Hi All. Thanks so much for your replies, kind words and support. Nice to know I'm not alone and many of you have got through/are getting through this. I started to read some of the write-ups on the net and whilst some are positive, some are also down right scary so this is a great site to have found with real people.

Drs remain pleased with my Wife although she is suffering terrible head and neck aches with a really hurting her. Drs do say this is normal due to the previous bleed to her brain and will settle in time but it's still so upsetting to see her in such pain (although is being managed with meds).

Thanks again to all of you and I wish you all a speedy recovery. Roger

Thanks Cindy. The headaches were my main concern because this is all that's hurting her. She's totally with it although sleepy, understands everything and can comunicate fine. Drs are pleased with and want her to mobilise a little i.e. sit up and move more which is great. She doesn't want to do this yet because of the pain.

Drs keep telling me these head and neck aches are normal but it's more reassuring to hear this from someone who's experienced it.

Thanks again Cindy I'm so pleased you are on the road to recovery. Roger

Thanks Cindy you are right. Itā€™s much more reasurring to hear from people who have gone through this than Drs who tell me itā€™s normal to these headaches. Take care and thanks again

Hi Sweetie...

I had my annie coiled alittle over a month ago...and was told that Headaches and neck pain is a part of the process...after one is coiled...when I was in hospital and first came home the headeaches and neck were horrible...now I donot have everyday...but every few days...

Ask your Doctor...what to expect ~ normal and what is abnormal...esp before you take her home...

Saying alittle prayer for you both...that things continue to go well for her and you...as the caretaker...be sure no matter to take time out for You...it is a long road...big Cyber hugs Colleen

Hi Roger,

It is normal to be scared and glad you have this site for help. I put my family through a reptrued, coiling and when the coiling did not hold the doctors had to open my head up and do clampings. I had 2 major surguires in 6 weeks due to the fact my left side was refilling with blood and my right side grew 4mm in 18 months the doctors at Mayo put me on urgent emergency surgery list. I don't remember the 21 days i spent in the hospital when I had the reptured back in jan. 08 but I do remember the surgiries I had this past summer. The headaches will go away for the most part, with my coiling i still got headaches, put now with the clamping I have not had one since sept. My advice is you be stong she will need you through the recovery proccess. Also ask your doctor if your hospital has a support group local. He at mayo they started one for northeast florida and it is going good it is for family and survivors, you be suprise at what we say when we all get talking. And you see you and your wife have othere you can talk to and find out some have gone throught what you are going through. My family and I make everyone and it has helped me see that i am very lucky to be alive and have lucky friends.

you and your wife will be in our prays.

take care and give time all it needs

cathy

She is a lucky, lucky woman. As a young widow of SEVERAL yrs & now 59, U & UR LOVE will help her. I have a coil & a shunt & still have some headaches that put me to bed (I met 'annie' in 05, after I was widowed) I know what my 'triggers' are & try to avoid them. My conservator put me in an 'assisted living' 30 minutes from her (mother) & has 'left me' to my baby brother. Ur wife has YOU. I will pray for yall. SERIOUSLY.

Marianne aka sILVER bELLE

Iā€™m 32 years old and suffered a rupture on July 3rd, 2010. I had a lot of headaches and neck pain at the very beginning. I have just passed my 6 month anniversary and these have gradually become better over time. I still struggle with them from time to time, but it does improve.

Thanks Amy. This is the main thing which is preventing her from being more mobile i.e. sitting up in bed and moving around abit although when she's not having this pain she can sit up and feels good.

She told me that if she didn't have the head and neck aches she would feel totally normal

Bless you - thank you Colleen

I can completely relate. If Iā€™m having a rough day or am tired, it all comes right back.

PS: marianne aka sILVER bELLE is a widow & was when I met 'annie' in 05. Mother tells people 'annie' was MY FAULT. It was 'idiopathic'....(Am a 12/9/1951 child & have re-learned to walk 'by the hardest' my grandmother Clower would have said. Even with a short-term memory I am VERY proud of myself for re-learning what I have. My favorite word for the determination to learn is "Gumpsion" It's an old word that has come down from my Washington/Peyton/McCarty/Barrett line. (I did a LOT of ON-SITE genealogical research prior to meeting 'annie'...

I still get headaches...they are weather connected &/or family. However I AM alive & BY the Grace of God.

She sounds like she is good hands. And yes the headache get better. The neck pain is from the blood recycling from her head down her spin. As the recycling clears up the pain will go away. The big thing is making sure she does what the docs say. Think positive. Every time you think something negativeā€¦I challenge you to say something positive. keeping it positive will help your wife recovery. I had a rupture a year ago and had a clipping. I have made 100% recovery. It is a miracle. It can be done. My best wishes to you and your family. :slight_smile:

It is very scary for the family post surgery. But it sounds like she is going through the "normal" recovery steps.

Try not to worry too much. My Husband was supportive too. He tried to make me laugh, didn't show that he was scared, he was though. Put up a good front for her. It makes the patient less afraid. I'm a RN, I know this. Then I felt this on the other side of the bed rails. Prayers are in your corner.

sincerely,

Sage