I am so happy that I found a support group. My father (59 yrs old) suffered from a 9mm ruptured aneursym on Nov 21st of last year which also caused subarachnoid hemmorrhage. On that day, he lost consciousness and my mother performed CPR bringing him back. If my mother hadn't gotten oxygen to his brain in the time she did I feel the outcome would have been different. My mother is an angel. At the hospital he had 3 different surgeries. Ventriculostomy, coiling and VP shunt placement. He lost all of his memory for a few hours after the third surgery then slowly came back later. His memory is still not 100 percent but hopefully within a few months to a year he will be able to regain more of his memory and strength back. The doctors say he is lucky to be alive since the pressure in his head was very high. Now the problems he is facing is abdominal pain. Neither does my family nor the doctors really understand what the exact problem is that is causing the severe pain. He also has difficulty urinating and gas buildup in the intestines.
If anyone has a similar story or also is experiencing abdominal pains or similiar issues please share your stories, comments and ideas.
Best wishes to you, your mother & of course your father! This website has been a big help to me & the B.A. Foundation since Fall 2010. My B.A. was July 2010. Find the nearest Support Group for your whole family. Listed on this website and/or discuss @ your father's hospital. The Support Groups are wonderful!
(Sorry don't have an answer @ the abdominal issues) Best, Judi
Can only recommend you continue asking the neuros...i.e. for referral to abd specialist (mind blanking on term)...ask about any potential reaction to meds administered; a new prescription or continued one? Can they do a basic CT /MR on kidneys/liver/pancreas and whatever else... and/or blood and urine tests, and when did the abd pain begin?
How long was your dad hospitalized w/three surgeries?
You and your mom are blessed to be there to support one another as well as your dad...
Has your Dad been checked out thoroughly by a GI doctor and / or Urologist? It is possible that the abdominal pain and difficult urination is a separate issue.
Hi Suz, I hope your Dad keeps improving. I had a ruptured aneurysm back in May 2010. Had coiling done and in the ICU for ten days and also had a shunt put in because fluid build up. I have been very lucky in that I have not had any side effects to speak off except the same ones your Dad is having. I too have abdominal pain and difficulty urinating and gas too. The abdominal pain has been getting better as time goes by and if that is the only problem I can live with it. Back when this all started after returning home I spoke with my doctors about my meds and had numerous tests and they found nothing. The only explanation the doctors could give me was that my body was reacting to and or rejecting the hose that ran from the shunt behind my ear into my abdominal cavity. Maybe now since the pain is starting to ease my body is getting use to it. I don’t know? I am a very active 59 year old and intend to stay that way. If I have any info that would help I’ll be sure to pass it along and if you do please let me know. Keep your Dad busy and good luck. Prayers coming your way. Thanks, Tom
Tom- compliments to you about your response to Suzanne & her mother @ father’s recent aneurysm
…So difficult I found when one is a newbie to all of this. So hard. Best. Judi
The abd pain began about two weeks after he came home from the hospital. He was hospitalized for 20 days. Were going to continue to research and ask questions.
Thank you sooooo much for your reply!! You don't know how helpful it was to our family. Especially since you are experiencing the same symptoms. How are you staying active? I will definitely let you know if I receive any info.
This is a Long Journey...and it takes time...sometimes improvement is little things that are hardly noticed...
Now I had abdominal pain, but I bled into my stomach cavity and until that redistributed it was painful...not to mention all the plavix and aspirin caused stomach pain...insist on a scan of the stomach....that is what they did for me in order to find out what was going on...also had alot of abdominal gas...
Sending well~wishes to your dad through cyber~space...and be sure that you and mom take care of yourselves...because this can be very hard on caretakers too...Hugs Colleen
Hi Suz, As I said early I too had testing and a scan done of my stomach and doctors said everything is fine. Still not sure what is going on and the pain comes and goes. Anyway, I stay active by going to the gym at least 4 times a week and in the summer I ride a bike a lot. I have a lot of paved trails close to me and use them to avoid the street. I just want to stay as fit as I can. Hope your Dad can keep improving and he has to be patient but keep on plugging along.