It's been 14 months since my clipping surgery for a burst aneurysm and while I believe I've been dealing pretty well with this and I've had minimal disability over the past few months it seems as though an issue has cropped up. Basically I've been talking to dead people in my dreams. No issue while awake but when I dream I either talk to family and friends who have passed or sometimes they just sit and stare at me. I've even seen Chester my beloved old hound dog make an appearance. Sometimes he interacts with me or sometimes for me.
My big question that I'm asking myself is are they real and prepping for a visit I'd rather put off for 30 or so years or are they just checking in... a lot. Or is this residual brain damage that is only now manifesting itself and I'm losing control. Maybe it's simply the stress of this and my dads recent passing are finally taking a toll on me.
Whatever the cause this needs to stop and I need to get a grip. I talk to friends and family and basically am told not to sweat it. It will pass. I really need to understand this and I can't let it hinder my recovery which until now I thought was pretty much done.
hi Scott i only had my ruptured aneurysm coiled about 5 weeks ago. i have been having really disturbed dreams but I’ve also had loved ones in my dreams my cousin and my little girl. im not sure whether its brain repairing itself or loved ones checking in but i don’t believe its coz im need else where just yet! im new to this sight and im loving the fact that im finding im not abnormal or alone others are going through the same thing too.
Hi Scott...What about the amounts of anesthesia we are under during surgery...that can take a year or more to rid from our system...Also, the stress your body and brain have been under ... you can end in such a deep sleep you are having these vivid dreams...I really don't think you are losing it...I think it is your brain continuing to heal...~ I do wish I had a better answer...~ keep taking care of YOU...YOU are still healing...~ Colleen
I seem to dream a lot more since surgery but I don't think its anything to worry about. The brain has a lot of neurons that must have been affected by the surgery/aneurysm/alterations in blood flow/ anaesthetics/drugs and our own stress hormones. It takes time for them to recover and there is bound to be a bit of cross wiring as they recover.
You are doing well. Don't let this get you down xxx
hi Scott, so very sorry about the passing of your dad, was it unexpected? I lost my dad 10 yrs ago on April 30th, time they say heals but I think we just make it be a part of our lives however that works, we certainly never forget, My hubby had his ruptured annie on Nov 8th this yr. had coiling procedure done and lots of complications after, we are home now but certainly not the same way we were b4 this happened. He isn't good to tell me about what he's going thru, but I can tell by the look on his face, about 1 month after getting home he woke up crying, telling me I had to get the life insurance figured out, and to tell my kids I loved them and for me to take care of them. Some of this I think has to do with fear and the realization that we could be actually gone from this earth. Don't feel alone
Sorry to hear about your husband. I'm not big on sharing either but this has really forced me to. I gotta tell you talking about it really helps. I'm sorry about all the complications but you can both get through this. No things will not be the same. They aren't for me either and the sudden realization that death could be near is a sobering one. A ruptured aneurysm can affect him emotionally too. A lot depends on where the rupture occurred. Do everything the docs tell you to do and really work that brain. Start slow because a damaged brain uses up a lot of energy trying to work and heal at the same time. This website has a lot of great advise and knowledge and don't be afraid to ask your dr. questions.
He survived and I like to think it's for a reason. I've been able to take a lot of good from this event. I think it's made me a better person, I really appreciate life more and I realize the incredible value of friends and family and oddly enough in some ways I feel better than I did before this happened and after this happened to me I could almost feel the love from so many others. Including my pets. Time heals but love heals with less of a scar. I hope this helps.
hi again, thank you for your support, you didn't say anything about you dad's passing which is fine, if you don't want to share that's ok, i'm still trying to find away thru the tough times, I believe there's a reason for everything but sometimes really hard to figure it out. caring for your sorrow. tam
Scott, I had not only strange dreams but sometimes fear of falling asleep during my recovery. I also realize that you are around your anniversary so I will mention that that is a significant time of increased anxiety for all aneurysm survivors. Have the dreams been only recently or all along? This may have something to do with it. Relax and take care of yourself (perhaps they are too) Carol
My aneurysms & AVM didn't rupture. I've had a crani to clip the aneurysms & 3 rounds of Gamma Knife Radiation to shrink the AVM. All of my treatments were between June 2011 & June 2012. My dad passed away in 1988. He "visited" me in dreams a couple of times prior to my diagnosis and once since then. The more recent visit was soon before my mom passed away in December.
I've always had fairly vivid dreams, but more so with certain medications. My dreams are also frequently influenced by whatever I've been watching on television before/as I fall asleep.
Scott...I have been so heavy in my research...no-expertise...i.e. I recently asked "ask the dog" about gliosis...my research is so contained about the medial temporal lobe and/or limbic system...the two (same area/region).. .explain about the areas...re: emotions, breathing, to thirst and much more...
The names of those areas: amygdala, thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus (more?) (not an "organ" ...and, I yet blank on the right term...)
You may want to research: limbic system anatomy and /or definition and/or biology... to pick up diff aspects of it... to gain questions to ask your doc...and, decide on therapies....but after my personally promoted neuropsych testing...f/ups can be done...which also display changes..to no changes...improvements, declines...over time...I have all of those aspects... I did the testing and, f/ups essentially each two years..the second one also gained approval of my SS Disability testing...
Prayers your docs will step forward to direct you, to assist you...
A news article today on the amygdala and depression in preschoolers...most of us at least have portions of our amygdala as we grow up and survive brain treatment...
I don't know if this will help you or not....it's 3:15 here in the southeastern US and I'm on the computer trying to grasp a sense of normalcy because I just had the most vivid dreams about death (not my own) and relatives. My rupture was in mid Jan (2014) and this is the first time I've had this kind of dream. It's interesting that I'm coming across your post.....you just helped me realize I'm not "losing it" and hopefully I helped you do the same! Brains are so complex....I think mine is just trying to recalibrate!
hi scott! thanks for sharing this great topic- I also dream of the dearly departed and they are very realistic and vivid, Dad walked in the front door recently in a dream!! great comments everyone even know they are speculative - like mine. I agree with jims ptsd theory since its been written we all suffer this to some extent. Dad had awful post war dreams where he would do blood curdling screams in the middle of the night, he had malaria too so who knows the reason- maybe all of the above! Don't worry- time heals all wounds. In my dream I told dad he wasn't supposed to be here and to return to Heaven- last final bickering--lol. To think they are visiting is a nice concept- I like that. I had this dream before all this aneurysm stuff began, I think physciatrists would say its normal and they brain is trying to compensate for the mourning and sense of loss, interesting you said talking to them- that's what I did- maybe their sudden departure leaves us wanting to say more -in a void, thanks again- your reaching out for answers and help has in turn helped me- it helps to write or talk about it~~ take care, I am glad you are otherwise recovering well, this too shall pass- in the remote chance it doesn't seek professional help. I had bizaar recurring dream that almost drove me nuts- I was eating dinner with my parents and sibs when I get up and put the ketchup in the bedroom closet!!!!-lol Thank God that dream stopped- I had it about 5 times- like groundhog day movie-lol~~~
A couple of months after I got out of the hospital after surgery for my brain aneurysm, I had a very disturbing dream as soon as I first fell asleep. I dreamed that I had just had another brain aneurysm, and needed to get to the doctor (my original aneurysm happened at bedtime). I woke up shaking, and for a moment didn't know if it was real or not. I slept hardly at all the rest of the night.
While I still do experience insomnia some nights, fortunately I have not had any serious nightmares of that type since then. I have been having a lot of dreams, but that has always been the case for me.
So good to read others stories, realize I am not going crazy! Just saw Dr today & having another brain angio gram done to see if stent still working or if I am in the process of developing another aneurysm...oh joy! Oh well...what will be, will be...it's all in God's hands
Thanks again for this format to vent & ask others what they've been through
I too had vivid and quite frightening dreams after my surgery. I would wake up in a panic sometimes as they seemed so real and it would take me a few minutes to realise I had been dreaming.
