In the pandemic era, everything is more difficult. I am seeking advice about side effects and symptoms after a pipeline stent procedure for large (don’t have measurement) unruptured aneurysm that was causing severe headache, nausea/vomiting, and weakness before procedure. Procedure was just this past Friday.
I know it takes time for neuro side effects to resolve or maybe not resolve, but since I am not with my relative and the doctors are not communicating well, I want to see if people recognize post-procedure symptoms:
double vision (somewhat common)
crossed eye, normal before procedure
visual halluciations/vivid images with eyes closed and that persist with eyes open
Neurologist is not being very helpful, but my relative was told that an ophthalmologist would be seeing her.
Welcome to our group JHrn! Sorry to hear the communication isn’t so great. Does your relative have a patient portal that they can send an email to the doctor’s staff? Or maybe a phone call to the triage RNs? Sometimes it’s the location of the aneurysm in the brain. I personally can’t help with a pipeline stent, give our members some time who’s had them to respond. Make sure your relative is staying well hydrated and eating a good amount of protein.
Thanks for the response. I don’t know about a patient portal; I’ll see. Right now they will only communicate with her husband, who isn’t coping well. She left the hospital but returned with new severe headaches, so very worrying.
My headaches were mostly caused from vasospasms after my rupture, not all of course but most from what I can remember. I remember they used a Doppler scan everyday, sometimes two or three times a day. One time Radiology sent a different tech, my RN wasn’t pleased. It wasn’t just the mess of petroleum jelly or whatever they use, but the tech didn’t do as good a job as the one with 30+ years of experience. From that day on, I only got the one with the most experience, she would even come when she got off work to get the last scan done for the day. She told me I had to get better as she was retiring the last week I was in Neuro ICU. Those must have been magic words as I was released the day after she retired!
My BH had a rough go of it. Being told almost daily that they didn’t know if I would make it or not played havoc with emotions. Help him the best you can, perhaps he or your relative can sign a release for you to be able to speak to the staff. Try asking them or talk to the Social Worker at the hospital. HIPPA will prevent the staff from sharing information unless they have a signed release. He may be grateful for the help.
Hi JHrn, I had a 3.6cm unruptured aneurysm and also had the pipeline stent procedure. The double vision was one of the symptoms not the byproduct of. From what I am reading on your post, I believe you should maybe get a different neurosurgeon. My recovery was 6 weeks before returning to work. My aneurysm is still there and slowly shrinking as it should with the pipeline. The only real problem I have is getting words out of my mouth, that I can clearly see in my head. My procedure was two and a half years ago. The double vision cleared up within a month after the procedure.
I hope this helps.
I have been told that I have a zero percent chance of rupture and get a ctscan once a year.
I agree with what Longbeard said. You should get a different neurosurgeon. A surgeon who ignored his patient is worse than the surgeon who failed in the operating room. A new neurologist might be a good start to check the ‘possible’ reasons of problems. Then, from a neurologist point of view, he may be able to refer his patient to a good neurosurgeon. It took me a while to give up ‘bugging’ my neurosurgeon for problems of headache/migraine, scabs, and ear problems. I then realized that since my surgeon is in a different state, his office probably thinks he should be off the hook because the surgery was a ‘great’ success - I did not die on the table.
Anyway, after I visited a local neurologist, he gave me a new perspective. He diagnosed me with migraine and it might be related to an auto accident a year ago before the surgery. With that, things are better explained with headache and sensitivity to the lights, etc.
I forgot to ask, is she on Dexamethasone, or something similar? The Dexamethasone caused me to have really, really bad, scary hallucinations while I was in ICU. They flushed me out faster than I can type. So they might want to look at her meds…
Thank everyone for the replies. Relative is now at home and recovering, but had very severe headache on first day out of hospital within about 10 hours and went back in. I would have to ask about which drugs she is taking.
Depending on how close a genetic relative she is to you, you may want to be checked out as well. My Neurosurgeon had us contact my family, including nieces and nephews while I was still in hospital. One of my great nephews has some issues and his neurologist checked him right away when my niece told his neurologist about me. Thankfully, he doesn’t have an aneurysm.
Welcome. I’m so sorry thing are so difficult. I also remember the daily dopplers in the hospital and the concern for vasospams.
I don’t know if this helps but I was already treating with a neurologist for some unrelated issues prior to my subarachoid hemorrhage, coiling, etc 2 years ago and my neurologist gave us more information and assistance than my neurosurgeon ever thought of. I’m most appreciative of my neurosurgeon, he saved my life but my neurologist is the one that got us through the aftermath. My neurosurgeon’s surgical NP/ARNP was most helpful too. When went back from my 3rd angiogram, she’s the one that explained that most patients with the stenting complained of the shooting head pains. Good luck and God bless.
