How long were you in the hospital and when could you drive and return to work?
Hey Abbycat,
As hard as it maybe and I completely understand your need/desire to return to ‘normal’, but DO NOT BE PUSHING IT. Some people can come out of surgery as if nothing has occurred, some can come out of it with life altering changes. So for any of us to be saying “It will take X days for you to be back to normal” is impossible. There are many variables. I’ve had a few neurosurgeries, no 2 have been the same and none of them have gone to MY plan. After the last one the medicos wanted to take my licence from me on medical grounds. Living in a rural area that would have been devastating and I begged them not to, they agreed but only on condition that if I did drive I had a co-driver to take over if needed. My wife assured them she would be my co-driver.
How long will you be in hospital? As long as it takes
When can you drive? When your medical team determines it will be safe.
These may not be the answers you want to hear (I didn’t like hearing them either that’s for damn sure) but pushing it can result in your recovery taking even longer.
Take ALL the time you need, you’ll thank your lucky stars if you take that time.
Merl from Moderator Support
Thank you. I spoke to the Neuro nurse this morning because I was having eye pain and she said that even when a tiny bit of blood gets in the brain, it takes time for it to heal. It did not rupture ( thank God) and it is only 3mm ( only is enough for me). The nurse said we will know more after the angiogram, but it looks like if possible, they are going to try and coil it.
Ugh. That sounds better than ripping my brain open!
Hey Abby,
3mm is considered to be small, but small or not the whole idea can still be very scary. For me eye pain was one of my initial signs of an issue but after the first surgery eye pain has become a daily experience. At times it can be so intense I’m almost tempted to remove my eyeball with a teaspoon. The dr’s can be so nonchalant/dismissive about it, but when it’s you going thru it, it’s damn concerning. My wife used to jump at every sign of an issue, now I wait for a progression of symptoms. If things are getting worse, it’s time to act.
It will certainly be a plus if they can coil and not be ‘ripping your brain open’. But as I say 3mm is considered small, so finding it now is a big plus.
When is your angio planned for??
Merl from Moderator Support
I would have never known it was there except I had a “thunderclap” headache one night and it threw my butt out of bed. It was awful. Since that time, I have been exhausted, headaches. eye pain and emotional rollercoaster. I know it is small and I AM SOO happy it is but man that little guy is a pain! I called it blob-o. Since the “clap” came at night, I am always a little The doctor’s suspect I had a mild brain bleed and that is why I am so tired now. I live alone ( except for the cat and I have yet to teach her how to dial 911) so, I was lucky it was a small drip and not an explosion. That is also the reason I want them to take it out. !) I am having symptoms which are driving me batty and affecting my everyday life and 2) I cannot take the chance it will happen again while I am alone or teaching for that matter. Talk about scaring young kids!
I believe that everything I have read, they should be able to coil it My mom is coming down to see me for a few days because I just have no energy. My house is a mess…and I have no energy to clean it. Oh, well blob-o wins right now. People don’t often understand. I find that they do not know what to say or think I am being “dramatic” about my symptoms, but I have to believe if the Neurosurgeon looked them over and wanted to see me and do an angio-that 3mm is still something,
Were you coiled or the full banana?
Angio is next Tuesday, I hope it does not hurt!
Hey Abby,
My situation is a bit different. I have a nasty growing right in the centre of my brain that can’t be removed as it’s too close to the bits I need, it prevents the natural flow of fluid with in skull and causes all sorts of differing symptoms. I have had a few neurosurgeries (6 so far) and each has had it’s own side effects. I had been having weird symptoms for years but been discredited as crazy cos ‘you can’t be in THAT much pain’ or a hypochondriac cos ‘we can’t find anything’ until they did.
So I was working with people with disabilities and I’m driving down the road with a van full of clients and the lights went out, I couldn’t see. I pulled over and got someone to come and get me. Went to the dr, who sent me for a scan and when they found it, it was like '…Ohh look what we found…" I was so VERY annoyed/disappointed/frustrated/angry, this all could have been dealt with back then. I tried to query the medicos but they got VERY defensive and dismissive. They accused me of trying to get information to sue them. I was in fact looking for answers not $$$$$. They operated and said “All fixed” but it wasn’t, so again they operated but still it wasn’t fixed. I learnt how to manage and ignored symptoms, that was until I had a major incident and since then, well, I’ve been unable to ignore things and unable to work. So, after years (15+) of working with people with disabilities, I’m the one with the disability. Ironic to say the least.
So, now, today I have to manage daily headaches/migraines/ bodily pain/sensations and all the frustrations that come along with it all. When you say "It’s driving you batty…“I know exactly what you mean. And when you say “…People don’t often understand.” I get that too. If we had lost a limb others could clearly see, but when it’s invisible it’s as if we have a choice to be in this situation. As I often say " who on earth would choose THIS?” Not me that’s for damn sure.
So that’s a bit about me and my situation. I’ve been a carer, a disability teacher, a support worker and a neuro patient multiple times, my knowledge comes from all differing sides and is multi facetted. I am by no means saying I know-it-all, because I don’t. But I can use the knowledge I have to assist others to deal with this hellish route we are on. And that’s what I try to do.
Merl from Moderator support
Thank you for telling me that. I am a teacher LA 4-12, however, I am in the middle of getting my MA in Special Education, like you I have spent most of my life working with disabilities. Cut from the same cloth?
I look back now and wonder if all of these odd things such as the constant headaches, stiff neck, impatience, and ti do with this. Who knows. I just know it is here now. I have often wondered if it had something to do with the many brain injuries I have had. I have had 3 major concussions. My last MRI in 2013 did not show this blob, so it has been since then,
It may be small but I want it gone even if I did not feel like crap, I would still have it done for the peace of mind. Plus, I have to assume if it is giving me a thunderclap headache, it wants me to know that it is there. It could have just mailed a letter haha
Hey Abbycat,
I’d been having symptoms for 2 decades, but the dr’s couldn’t find anything, (until they did) when they did it was like some big surprise for them. I can look back and think ‘ohh so that was a sign… …and so was that… …and that…’ but as I’ve said to others "If we keep looking backwards we fall over what’s right in front of us’ the fact is: yes, they probably were signs but there is no use looking at them now. Deal with the now, deal with today. I think of all the dr’s I saw who labelled it everything but the issue it is and think "YOU B$#@&%* and I have thought “What if they’d done something about it all back then?” but they didn’t and I can’t change that, no matter how much I will it. So I move on. I still think they’re B$#@&%* but I have to move on.
I completely understand your peace of mind statement BUT prior to surgery I was asked “Do you get headaches?” and I said “yes” which I did. But post surgery I was in unbelievable AGONY, absolutely off the scale of pain. I have NEVER felt pain like it. In the hospital setting the like to rate your pain on a scale of 1-10. 1 being nothing 10 being the worst pain ever. I rated mine 15. A good friend of mine told me the worst pain ever was a toothache. Being that the worst pain he’d ever had was a toothache then his scale of 10 was a toothache. My pain scale has expanded MASSIVELY. A toothache on my scale now is a 2.
So, be aware, post op pain maybe an issue, it may not, but be prepared for it just in case.
Mailing a letter lol lol lol Now, there’s a wish lol
Merl from Moderator Support
Like most I would have never known although it almost surprised me that it was not there before given how many head injuries I have had. It was not there 4 years ago when they did an Mri since then it has grown. Now if it left me alone I would be happy to leave it alone because as we have both stated it is pretty small. And if it were found randomly and had been
Asymptotic then I would have said just wAtch it, however, once it gives you a thunder clap and starts messing with my quality of like, then the little bastard has to Go. I
Do not care how big it is. I call it blob-o. I would think he could coil it due to the size. But I also know that it is always about size. Location, my health my age. I am 47 and in fairly good health. No high blood pressure or heart issuex. But I did used to be a smoker and I know that is not good. Some doctors would rather clip than coil if you under 50 but I will have to see what this doctor says. coil!!
Angiogram on Tuesday which
Sounds about as much as stabbing myself with a hot poker. But gotta see where blob -o. Is hangjng out,
You sound like you are very familiar with them😳
Hey Abbycat,
“You sound like you are very familiar with them”
Well, sort of. As I say my ‘brain experience’ is multi faceted. I had 1 family member pass away from brain cancer, I have another with a re-occurring annie, I have myself with a nasty growing in the centre of my brain and I spent 20yrs working with people with disabilities. Those disabilities covered a bit of everything from intellectual disabilities to physical disabilities to brain injuries to sensory impairments. So I’ve dealt with a bit of everything. I certainly don’t know it all, not at all, but I do have a fair amount of knowledge from all sides of the equation. I know some people who work in the disability sector believe they do know it all and to be honest I was probably one of them, what I knew was all theoretical. The textbook answers are easy, a case of A+B=C. But once I became the patient I got one hell of a rude awakening to the reality of it all and the fact that the textbook doesn’t have ALL the answers, that is, despite what they, the dr’s, think. No textbook can ever give you this reality. In my view seeing it from all sides is novel and I try to use that experience in assisting others going through all of this here on Ben’s Friends.
I know what you mean about the fact that when it messes with your quality of life the little bastard has to go, but often the medicos can have a totally differing view. If they could only see it all from your side, that view may align a bit quicker, but rarely does that occur.
Merl from Moderator Support
Abbycat70 - I am now 2 weeks out from my stent and coiling on a 5mm basil tip aneurysm. I had alot of bruising and I am still sore in my left leg/groin from the procedure. I went home from the icu the next day after the surgery. They told me about 7 days for healing. I know how my body reacts and I told myself 10-14 for me to feel good walking and working. I believe everyone here that we all heal at different rates. My job is physical and I need a helper this week and maybe next. I am fortunate to have found my issue before it burst, got tested after suddenly losing my brother from his annie. Today I am going back to work, albeit slowly. I have been using Arnica homeopathic, tons of Vitamin C supplements and oranges and have been trying to stay fully hydrated. The Dr’s said they don’t believe in homeopathy but I feel it works on some level with me. I am still figuring things out here with myself and am going along. I wish the best and a speedy recovery.
Tuesday is when they do the angiogram to find out whether it’s truly an aneurysm or something else I have to say I’m a little bit nervous I’ve had such problems with brain injuries and everything else I’m not sure if that’s the problem or if it’s something else