I had severe sleep issues before my surgeries so I can’t blame them. My poor Mother never slept more than 3 hours her whole life, so I’m sure it genetic. I’ve taken ambien for years has worked 80% time now it’s hit or miss so they changed me to Lunesta🤢. Not working at all. But I know if I push it I’ll be in therapy and I’m not doing therapy for sleep. I pray you find answers. God bless
Hi,
There seems to be lots of responses and all very good. What I can share is that my memory prior to my surgery for a ruptured aneurysm was one of my stronger attributes. However after my surgery my short term memory took a real big hit. I would forget things, conversations I recently had. A good example, I would run over to the grocery store to pick up some items that I would normally not have any issues remembering (eg. Milk, eggs, lettuce, bread, some snacks). I would get back home and my wife would ask “where are the eggs and the milk?” I would look at her with a blank look and not remember that I had to get those, or thought I did and sure enough, I did not. I would become frustrated because my once strong attribute was gone. So I spoke with my therapists about this, and they all told me that I would have to give it “time” as my brain continued to heal. Would it ever be the same as it was prior to the surgery? No one is able to answer that, but I began to understand that I would need to utilize my external devices while I heal, and get used to doing that. External devices are things like my cell phone with a “to do” list, or even a note pad. After doing this, I began to notice that my memory would become stronger, and I would remember things alot more. Will I ever be the same? That is the ultimate unknown, but I now realize that I may not ever be the same as I used to be, but I can adapt and be less frustrated. Hang in there. Don’t give up and if you ever want someone to chat with, shoot me a message and I’ll respond.
Thanks,
David
5 Likes
This group for lack of ability to remember what you call this-sorry- has made me feel better than any dr friend or family has been able to, simply because it’s easier to help when you’ve been there. I’m not a patient person and ibthought I’d learned that thru cancer but obviously not. My memory has never been great but had started to decline slightly before (mother of five, that sucks that ole memory right out there!ha) my aneurysm stent and coil. But it’s really bad-my mother had dementia, so I’m well versed in all the signs and symptoms and behaviors and it scares me. Thank you for taking your time to give me hints advice and just letting me know we’re not alone in this process. Thank you and God bless.
Teresa
5 Likes
Hey Cgranny,
And that’s what we are here for. The neuro community (thankfully for some) is small, not everybody goes through all of this and it can be extremely isolating. With the medico often having the empathy/human understanding of a common house brick it can leave us floundering when their answer is “We operated, We fixed. Good Bye”. I can think of other words. ‘Fixed’ is not one of them.
When I was working I had the patience of a saint. I worked with people with disabilities, many with challenging behaviours and they would push my buttons all day, every day. Post surgery, if ANYBODY crossed me, they wore my venom. It was not nice. Add to that a headache and my tolerance level was nil. People talk of having a short fuse, I had no fuse. I simply ignited. It was unfair for my clients and not safe for me, so I had to resign. That was a very bitter pill to swallow, but I had no choice.
Merl from the Modsupport Team
2 Likes
Anesthesia is not fun. I can’t remember when your procedure was but I know I had to hydrate a lot for a few months after each one of mine. Also had to drink Gatorade along with the water.
@Judi, Are you trying to pass me on angiograms?
. I drink chamomile teas to help sleep and of course I do my relaxation breathing. I can’t do sounds on the radio or Alexa to help, the ocean sounds make me want to go to the bathroom (thanks Mom). Sometimes I can fall asleep with the tv going. If one of our dogs or both get into that heavy slow breathing, it puts me to sleep fast. I wish I could record them doing ti, I might would market it.
@dsalas410 excellent advice David, use everything we can to help improve our memory skills. The first time I went to the grocery store after I got home, I was to get a short list of items, maybe ten. Two of those items were apples and kielbasa. I couldn’t remember which ones we liked best. I bought two of each type of kielbasa that was on sale and five or six different varieties of apples😂. Memory does get better with a lot of time and effort. I’m not where I once was, I’ve learned to coincide , but I work on improving it every day. Reading has improved my word knowledge and I play sudoku daily to help problem solving skills.
@ModSupport oh my Merl, a resounding yes to once having an enormous amount of patience to “we have drugs for that temper”
Same. Add inability to sleep and as you said no fuse, I blow up. I’m disabled due to major depressive disorder and spinal issues, I’m either sitting, spewing or yawning. Haha. I’m sorry you had to stop doing what you love. I have 15 pets so I stay kinda busty, but they feel my wrath sometimes. If I’m in a mood they can feel it. I don’t have to say a word. They just disappear from sight. And humans are intelligent? Ha
2 Likes
How does magnesium help? What does it do for our brains or our behaviors?
I take magnesium 7 every night. Relaxes me and keeps everything ‘moving’ in the stomach. I sleep a little deeper taking it I think.
I have had loss of words and feelings about crying for silly reasons. Head aches are more frequent. I’m sorry you are going through this but I’m happy to hear that I’m not the only one. I refuse to stay home and isolate I have spent most of my time with my husband or kids and grandkids. Lucky to be alive but sick of feeling like this. 
2 Likes
I’m sorry you’re going thru this as well. I’m glad you’re staying active. I’ve got a large family and really need to spend more time with my grands. I pray this anxiety and confusion and memory issues get better. For all of us.
2 Likes
I get where you are coming from. No crying for me at least. This support group has done much to reduce my concerns.
Just found my annie in December 2022. 4 mm at ophthalmic artery where it branches off the carotid (behind left eye.). CTA last week show that it is now 5 mm. But let’s go back about 5 years.
I had shingles on the trigeminal nerve in left cheek, but my eye was not involved. Then I noticed I was frequently mis-reading/writing & typing/speaking/hearing. (I call it my “adult-onset” dyslexia.). My background is in Journalism and I was a licensed teacher in English, Reading & Language Arts, etc., so I am concerned. Had a “geriatric” screening last year and everything looked fine [I’m 66, no dementia in my family.]. My short-term memory seems to be suffering as well.
Is there any connection between these problems? Neurosurgeon in Raleigh [NOT going back!] said no. Waiting to see Neurologist here for follow up after new CTA. Will ask her the same question, but with the shingles added in. Will see if stent is now recommended.
Many times what we think is the aneurysm causing health issues, is something else. Though we often like to lay blame on our aneurysms. I think because they cause so much trepidation. I recall my Neurosurgeon said most people never know they have an aneurysm unless it ruptures or is big enough to press on a nerve or something as well as slow leaking.
In my experience, Neurologists don’t recommend what type of repair, that’s on the Neurosurgeon. Have you tried Duke? It’s probably a 30 -45 minute drive from Raleigh. They are supposed to have the top notched Neurosurgery Unit here in NC. Of course I’m biased with Dr. Q-W at Baptist in Winston Salem, but a 90 minute drive seems a bit far when Duke is right there.
Here is a definition for what a Neurologist does. What is a Neurologist? - Neurology - Highland Hospital - University of Rochester Medical Center
For me, they treat the issues that my rupture caused. My Neurosurgeon treated the aneurysm.
I do hope the Neurologist can help you! Go armed with a list of questions and take someone with you. It’s always good to have another person to help with asking and remembering the answers. My current Neurologist NP ordered an MRI/A and the results of the MRI was what led to my fourth repair. My Neurosurgeon didn’t need to do the diagnostic angiogram, the MRI told her all she needed to know.
Thanks.
I live in Fayetteville, but no real support system here. Neurologist here (who does surgery per website) said stent would be good for my kind of aneurysm. She then referred me to blankety-blank Neurosurgeion in Raleigh. Bad experience there from the first phone call. (She wouldn’t refer me anywhere else–I asked.)
In SW Ohio I have all kinds of people to rely on. Looking for Neurosurgeon in Dayton/Columbus/Cincinnati area.
You can ask Duke for a second opinion and just send your images to them. You can also send your images to Ohio for a second opinion. You don’t need a referral for a second opinion. My Neurosurgeon looks at images all the time for people who want a second opinion. Sometimes there’s a charge for them. Just contact the Neurosurgery Unit at the hospitals you want to go to and ask.
Here’s the list for Duke’s team that deals with aneurysms Cerebrovascular and Skull Base Division | Duke Department of Neurosurgery
I know a few people who have seen Dr. Hauck and really like him. I also know we have a member who drives from Asheville to Duke for all their follow ups. The member won’t go anywhere else.
I’m curious to know what type of surgery a Neurologist can do. None of mine did any type of surgery. One did do our local hospital’s stroke protocol which I didn’t know until BH had an ischemic stroke. He referred me to an anesthesiologist for a SPG block, which is a needle up your nose and required an X-ray so he could see where he was putting the needle, The second hurt like the dickens and I never had another. I would venture to say the one you have doesn’t do brain surgery since she referred you to someone who does.
It’s really difficult to have our support group living so far away, Are you able and willing to move back to SW Ohio? I have read where some members have had great difficulty having an aneurysm repaired at a different State and having any follow ups of any kind in the State they reside.
Do you have one good friend that can go with you to your appointments? Appointments can be stressful all by themselves and it’s good to have someone else who can help ask questions or can hear what the doctor is saying.
Again, thanks. This is a complicated mess to deal with.
Ohio (ick!, ugh!) would just be for surgery and recovery. Couple of weeks? Down here I have people to do this 'n that, but not longish term care after surgery.
Per NC Medical Board: Dr. Melissa Stamates
Post Graduate Training
“Last Year” does not necessarily mean that the licensee completed his/her training program. (In NC, a physician can be licensed without completing such a program.)
Institution | Specialty | State, Country | Training Program | Last Year |
- | - | - | - | - |
NorthShore University HealthSystem | Neurological Surgery | IL, US | Fellowship | 2019 |
University of Chicago | Neurological Surgery | IL, US | Residency | 2018 |
Current Board Certification and Year of Certification/Recertification
Physicians should not list non-ABMS or non-AOA specialty boards unless the board meets the criteria set forth in the NC Medical Board’s Advertising and Publicity Position Statement.
Primary/Subspecialty | Year |
- | - |
Neurological Surgery | 2021 |
| Moltroub Moderator
July 22 |
- | - |
You can ask Duke for a second opinion and just send your images to them. You can also send your images to Ohio for a second opinion. You don’t need a referral for a second opinion. My Neurosurgeon looks at images all the time for people who want a second opinion. Sometimes there’s a charge for them. Just contact the Neurosurgery Unit at the hospitals you want to go to and ask.
Here’s the list for Duke’s team that deals with aneurysms Cerebrovascular and Skull Base Division | Duke Department of Neurosurgery
I know a few people who have seen Dr. Hauck and really like him. I also know we have a member who drives from Asheville to Duke for all their follow ups. The member won’t go anywhere else.
I’m curious to know what type of surgery a Neurologist can do. None of mine did any type of surgery. One did do our local hospital’s stroke protocol which I didn’t know until BH had an ischemic stroke. He referred me to an anesthesiologist for a SPG block, which is a needle up your nose and required an X-ray so he could see where he was putting the needle, The second hurt like the dickens and I never had another. I would venture to say the one you have doesn’t do brain surgery since she referred you to someone who does.
It’s really difficult to have our support group living so far away, Are you able and willing to move back to SW Ohio? I have read where some members have had great difficulty having an aneurysm repaired at a different State and having any follow ups of any kind in the State they reside.
Do you have one good friend that can go with you to your appointments? Appointments can be stressful all by themselves and it’s good to have someone else who can help ask questions or can hear what the doctor is saying.
@Ralf when I first looked her up the vitals said she was based in Chicago and worked at different places including NC, knowing that couldn’t be correct I just went to Cape Fear. Dr. Stamates is a Neurosurgeon not a Neurologist Find A Doctor | Cape Fear Valley Health
That explains a lot. But it doesn’t explain why she doesn’t want to do the stent surgery herself. Did she say why she wanted another surgeon? It might be because she believes the her colleague is better with stents in the location you need. If so, kudus to her! It may be that she has to do something to practice surgery here in NC. It also may be because she specializes in tumors. The Neurologist my NP is attached to couldn’t see me when he replaced the Neurologist I had who relocated. I was rescheduled a few times as he hadn’t come down from NY yet. All they told me was the State wouldn’t allow him to see patients with my medical issues when he did get here. I don’t really understand that, but I have never practiced medicine. Turned out that the NP is an excellent provider for me. Wouldn’t it be nice if all the States and territories had the same requirements so a doctor who relocates doesn’t have to go through more hurdles?
Unfortunately any brain procedure comes with a plethora of risks. We never know what’s going to happen with an aneurysm repair. We can rupture, we can react to the anesthesia or dye, etc. For most, the risks never happen and they just need a little help thankfully. We can’t say how long we will need at home care after being released from hospital. Besides my rupture where I needed a lot of help after my release from NSICU, the others were a walk in the park mostly. Two times I had some serious issues with an angiogram, one was when a huge hematoma developed and the other was when I went into severe anaphylaxis. It took a bit longer for me to gain some independence back from the hematoma as I couldn’t pick up more than a couple pounds. The Resident hadn’t put enough pressure on the closure device and Dr. Shaw called Dr. Q-W over who did what I call a handstand on my thigh. I was fine with the severe anaphylaxis once I got the counter shots and they flushed out the dye. I think she used 8-10 bags to do that in a few short hours. I just had to tell the CMA that decided he wasn’t going to put another bag in that he had to follow my surgeon’s orders. Luckily the RN heard me and she came in and added a bag saying they would do what was ordered and gave him a look mothers would be proud of.
Wherever you decide to have a repair if warranted, you will absolutely need someone to drive you home and stay with you the first 24 hours at least for endovascular repairs. Personally, I would chose Duke since it’s close enough to you… I’d most likely do what we have done before the pandemic and stay at a decent hotel, have a really good dinner the night before and go to hospital the next morning with a good book. Maybe a family member you like can come down for a week if they determine you need the aneurysm repaired. Before they make that decision you may have to have a diagnostic angiogram so they can really see what’s going on. Many, many people don’t need a repair and are put on the watch and wait list so keep that in mind. The Neurosurgeon will definitely weigh they risks of the procedure with any health issues you have.
Well written Meri. I can so relate to your essay. It’s been over 3 years now since my 33mm unruptured aneurysm. It did start to leak just as they started the Endo vascular coiling.
I’m very thankful I can drive and do almost everything I did before aneurysm. I get tired easy now I’m 63, and put on some weight while recovering.
So wish we had a support group up here in Jacksonville.
Thanks again for writing so well.
2 Likes
You are normal. Be kind to yourself. Know your results are going to be unique… just like you. Your feelings are valid, you are not crazy. Your brain has been turned upside down. Wouldn’t you be kind to your best friend who just was put so dizzy by a whirly roller coaster and now needs a bit of TLC? Your brain has been on a whirly ride. You need some TLC.
4 Likes
Mag works as long as you know how much to take for your own body. It also helps with headaches.
1 Like