Hello Everyone! My name is Sara Jane and I just joined this fabulous community. I had a craniotomy on September 15, 2025 to clip a left bifurcated unruptured aneurysm. What I’ve been struggling with is my expectations of “returning to normal”. I ended up having to stay home from work today due to a ramped up headache (they are persistent everyday but vary in intensity), vision issues, and overwhelming fatigue. I know it’s only been just over four months, and everyone keeps telling me to take it easy - but it’s not easy. My boyfriend/caretaker found you for me and after perusing questions and answers was simply amazed. I am not alone when it comes to symptoms and thoughts… the honesty and caring I’ve seen makes me realize I’ve found a hidden gem of support! Thank you all for all you do… 
Welcome @SaraJane! Happy to hear that your boyfriend/caretaker found us and shared with you. Yes, it has personally been a tremendous source of support and like-minded (unprofessional) 
therapy. Four months after a craniotomy is still in the thick of recovery IMO…give yourself time to rest and heal.
Best,
Karla
Thank you @Shinykai! In a way it makes me feel a little better knowing that I’m not alone… I hope you are doing well!
Thank you so much @Karla! As I’ve read in other posts it is so hard explaining to people who don’t really know that you’re still healing… here that is implicitly understood no matter how long it’s been… and your welcome and kind words warm my heart 
Welcome @SaraJane!
Like my friends, although I am so sorry, you have had to have a crainotomy, on the other hand a) what a gift that the procedure exists; and b) what a gift that you are now part of our little “family” We are so happy to count you among us!!
One of my personal favorite resources is published bya group in the UK, Headway. Fatigue after brain injuries is not uncommon, and they have a great resorce about it.
Why I really like it is that they discuss not only things that can trigger fatigue, but suggestions on what you can do about it. For example, early on in my recovery, when I was told to rest, I would read a book or watch tv. Wrong! Those all do NOT help the brain to relax and can help add to fatigue.
The Brain Injury Association of America also has a nice resource with some helpful images.
FWIW, I completely agree with @Karla. Around here (as patients) we speak of healing in months and years, not days and weeks. Take it easy on yourself. You have been though A LOT, so please be gentle with yourself!!
Fin Whale Fan 
What a wonderful way to introduce yourself! Give your boyfriend a big hug! Hugs increase endorphins which make us feel good! This group is a great group, I’m happy we are here and get to add you to the family!
If you’ve been reading around the site, you perhaps already know the importance of proper hydration, protein and rest mantra. If not, I don’t mind repeating myself it comes from my Neurosurgeon for headaches, fatigue, etc. Hydrate, eat some protein, hydrate some more, rest and repeat. Often times headaches aren’t caused directly from our repairs but oh my I think they can be an indirect cause. Our neurotransmitters get rerouted, the brain is our hog when it comes to protein and hydration so try to keep your brain happy. It also likes physical exercise as in walking. Try to do a walk about whenever possible. You may need to add electrolytes but as always speak to your surgical team first.
Please thank your boyfriend for finding us and thank you for joining. Your boyfriend is also welcome to join us. Caregivers have a special place in my heart. I couldn’t and often times am not allowed to do things like cook unsupervised so I’m enormously grateful to and for BH!
Hi SaraJane,
Welcome to our community, I have been so lucky to have a wife/caregiver who has helped me through the past nine and a half years since my rupture. I have leaned (through trial and error) to give myself a break, this recovery gig is not a sprint but a marathon. I am able to workout and exersize again (someting I took for granted ten years ago) and it helps a lot. Hang in there and follow doctors orders, but be sure to give your boyfriend a hug
Everyone here is making me feel so welcome! Thank you for the new mantra @Moltroub! All three things I personally struggle with a bit, but by sharing the info with my boyfriend (J), my father and work colleagues, I’m constantly reminded of what I need to do… and I more than appreciate it! It particularly helped over the weekend when we figured out I may be suffering somewhat with medication overuse and experiencing “rebound headaches”… Tylenol (which was working then suddenly stopped) being taken multiple times a day, every day for four months will do that apparently! I have a message in to my Surgical Team and am awaiting a reply… ugh… but your advice sincerely helped! So, you are one thing I’m extremely grateful for
Thank you @Ulsterscot for the words of encouragement! I’m beginning to realize 4 months is essentially being just out of the starter gate - something that is a bit of a difficult concept to grasp, but reality and what I experience is quickly making me come to grips with… and yes, I hug my boyfriend (J) a lot every time I see him - he’s a very good hugger! I’m glad you’re making progress and are able to get back to things you enjoy doing… I’m grateful for that on your behalf - give your wife a big hug from me!
Oh my gosh! Thank you for the article links @FinWhaleFan! One of my favorite things to do is learn - especially when I don’t have to muddle through all the “bogus” info that’s out there these days! I am grateful for the digital age so I don’t have to go to the library to try to find info on a topic like in the “olden days” (although I do still do that 
)! The articles you sent were a gift of knowledge and helped my understanding of what I’m experiencing… even tho I may not feel like it - it is actually normal! Thank you too for the reminder to give myself grace 
Ha! Yes, @SaraJane, access to online information was transformative to our lives! [Apologies for the delay but speaking to a fellow cat person, HRH needed to be held to look out at the birds for a few moments so it is hard to type when your arms are full of fur!]
I wholeheartedly concur - continuously learning is the best! Even my neurologist tells me that one of the best things you can do for your rain is to be a lifelong learner. After my experience, I have become a very amateur neuro nerd as I have added to the list fascination about our brains! E.g., just yesterday I learned that every minute, 750 to 1,000 milliliters of blood flows through our brain which “is enough to fill a wine bottle and them some!” [ Gupta, S. (2021). Keep sharp: Build a better brain at any age. Simon & Schuster.] That is amazing to me!! I have definitely learned to be in awe of what our bodies and minds do - so much of it I took for granted pre-rupture!
From what you say, all your experiences seem to be quite normal. The situation is that society doesn’t consider brain injuries (it has been called the “invisible injury”) which is what makes this platform and everyone here so vital. Thank you again, BAF, for making this available to all of us!
Keep looking after yourself, and vent/let us know what questions you have. You have found at least one person who loves to research it 
, but I know there are others around here too!
Thanks for the kind words. We do have an awesome group, I’m especially proud of our members. And look at you jumping right in helping others!
Yep, rebound headaches are a thing. My neurologist put me on strict adherence to no more than three times a week, once a day of NSAIDs, I’m just as careful with acetaminophen due to a liver issue it caused me in my early 20’s. They didn’t know it could affect the liver back then, it was a part of the pain meds I had been given. Bless my doctor’s heart, he suggested I have a drink in the evening to help control the pain. Knowledge grows and we need to make sure we’re up to date on stuff we take. You might want to ask your surgeon’s team on what and how much if you haven’t a neurologist yet. Portals are the fastest way for me to get replies back. Even if a send the message to the doc, I expect someone on the team to contact me within 48-72 hours. I’m not their only patient, and I suspect there are more pressing matters so I’m patient.
Again… thank you @Moltroub! I truly appreciate your sharing your experiences and knowledge! I do not have a neurologist… I will ask about that. And yes, I know how to play the Waiting Game… patience is key… I’m just glad they do answer! As to jumping in… well, dual purpose I suppose. I hope what I share might help someone else and also find it kind of therapeutic, reinforcing myself to utilize what I have learned myself
Apologies for jumping in, but just wanted to share my experience regarding neurologists.
My first neurologist retired part-way through my care, so, of course I was referred to another. Trust me, I get it, but I believe he was so overwhelmed with cases due to various reasons, I was referred back to my neurosurg/neuroradiology team. [At that point, I likely was not as dire as someone with dementia, etc.]
Don’t get me wrong, I adore my team (they saved my life multiple times so how could I not?! ). However, I really believed I needed a neurologist on my team. Neurosurg is GREAT at fixing my brain problems, but (in my experience) my neurologist focuses on brain HEALTH, and has a different skillset in understanding the mind/self versus the brain as a physical operation. [E.g., who will help navigating if/when/how back to work? Advice re managing fatigue, referrals to speech therapy, etc? Most importantly, watching for new memory, cognitive issues?] Besides I now have someone to ask geeky brain questions or just discuss brains generally. 
I really had to learn to advocate for myself, and with some doing I finally found one on my own, outside my normal system. It may be my little corner of the world, but they are in high-demand and waiting for appointments can take a very long time. If you have a local group of neurologists they seem to have quicker availability than a solo … or perhaps virtual is an option as well? Honestly, I don’t regret my decision at all and I am grateful to have my neurologist as part of my team, as it is clear he is playing a vital role.
Wishing you a headache free day!
Fin Whale Fan
No need to apologize to anyone, you always share great info! Have to share that I too had to find a neurologist. Dr Q-W knew nothing about services in our county. BH found the first one, a Harvard grad. He said my medical record was too big and showed us the couple of boxes plus he received back then. He was miffed we didn’t give him time to go through them. Really his office made the appointment says BH madder than a horse getting bit by a horsefly. Saying he couldn’t do anything for me. He didn’t even do the Neuro testing we get with following finger, walking, etc. His waiting room was a blast from the past - bright lights, chrome everywhere and I kid you not a disco ball hanging from the ceiling! Two tvs going loudly at the same time. The lady at the desk wouldn’t turn them down on account of their elderly patients. She wouldn’t even put them on the same channel. I never went back got another that was wonderful with a fantastic office manager who was also his assistant. I’d lose my words with bright lights and loud sounds. Both gave me horrible headaches. She’d put me in an exam room close to his office, turn out the lights and shut the door. He and his partners sold out to a big conglomerate and things turned bad. No more quiet dark place for me despite the Doctor demanding it. We decided to fire each other. He left the practice soon after I heard when BH had to go to ER. He’d given up being the hospital neurologist too so maybe he retired early.
My PCP recommended I see one that a doctor friend saw and highly recommended. That one put me on a medication that was highly addictive. I didn’t take it after the first couple of days, didn’t like the way it made me feel. PCP wasn’t happy at all. Fortunately he went to a different office and I got yet another. He was great for me, it’s because of him I ended up with my stent during the pandemic. Unfortunately he left and I had to wait for the guy coming down from NY. The third time they went to change ny appointment I asked what the problem was and was told the new neurologist couldn’t see me because of my issues and he was delayed. They made an appointment for me with a NP and he’s great! We had a little hiccup but pressing for an appointment a bit harshly got me in to see him. He couldn’t believe the change that occurred a few weeks after my first appointment with him. Promised he’d always be available whenever I needed him. He prescribed me something for those times to help, I forget I have it.
So @SaraJane it may take a few to find one who fits. I think a good neurologist is just like a good therapist, they know their specialty well and know how to get us to verbalize what’s going on, a lot different than our neurosurgeons who’s more like a Computerworld hardware specialist and may not understand our software programs.
@FinWhaleFan never apologize for sharing information! I truly appreciate you jumping in - and because of your shared experience (as well as @Moltroub) I will be seeking out a neurologist. I feel the same as you about my surgical team, but yeah - they got me out of the woods but now I have no map - every time I reach out with a concern they just tell me it’s “normal” but that doesn’t help me understand or deal with it. And I encourage you to share any geeky brain data you find as well… it is truly fascinating! And apologies for my delay in responding… last week was pretty rough - but I survived 
Oh my gosh @Moltroub - your final analogy cracked me up because it’s so true! 
I will be looking for a neurologist very soon… I have a fantastic PCP, but he’s honestly admitted the brain realm is beyond his understanding. I too have had the “therapist experience” (and boy have there been some doozies!) so it’s good to know that can happen with a neurologist as well.
I know I don’t need to, but I apologize for the delay in my response. Last week was rough. I’ve been trying to get back in the swing of things at work, but the fatigue hits hard in the early afternoon which prevents me from working full days. I’m very lucky that I have a very understanding and compassionate boss, and I do want to work but when I get home I just can’t seem to summon the energy to do anything other than feed my cats… it’s so frustrating. Not to mention the ever present headache.
So yes to trying a neurologist - thank you for being one of the compasses on my journey 
Thanks! And a big thank you for realizing no apologies are needed, especially when you’re in the early stages of recovery!
I need to tell you a story that’s completely unrelated to everything related to aneurysms, just because you’re a Halloween fan. Before I ruptured I worked in Child Protective Services, the last five + years as an On Call worker. Yes indeed I do like children and I loved the problem solving that came along with working with families. People can be a complicated puzzle a lot of times. But Halloween would come along and I would decorate the yard, numerous pumpkins carved with complicated designs, skeletons or bones hanging from the dogwood, gravestones kind of decorating. We always had a rule if the kids would say thank you, they’d get an extra handful of candy. Obviously before trunk or treat became a thing. One year I made a costume out of some felt because I’d found a mask that was a black hoodie and people couldn’t see my face but I could see out, I’d carved a walking stick and stood stock still, not moving, slight bend in the knees just like the Navy taught us when we’d have to stand at attention, and of course relaxation breathing timed for when folks got close. We had no problems with teens coming and the neighborhood knew it.
That first year, I was standing up on the porch when a handful of younger teens came up. We heard them talking about to being their last year they’d be allowed to get free candy. One of the boys was a bit rude and pushed me hard to see if I was real. Thank god for the porch post or I’d have ended up on my rear end. He turned around demanded his candy and I gigged him with my stick. Oh my gosh you should have heard him squeal. I quietly asked where his manners were. He had them, had forgotten to use them. I heard the friends teasing him every time they passed the house for well up to Christmas.
Had to work a couple of Halloweens after that so not as many decorations or pumpkins and then I had another off. Out comes that costume but this time I’m in the front yard. A different group of teens, just three comes up and they are debating if I’m real or not. I’m thinking guys come on, don’t you remember the talk of the neighborhood just a few years ago? One brave soul comes up and pushes his finger in different places - arms, head, shoulders and declares me to be fake. But the boys are still in a heated debate, with one insisting he saw me breathing. He was the one up front and I do believe he saw me taking a couple of breathes before I held it. They’re on the steps waiting their turn. The little kids are getting their second handfuls and one thinks of she keeps saying thank you, she will get more and reminds BH she remembered to use her manners this year. Hard not to laugh but I’ve got a plan for the boy and I need the little ones to make it to the driveway so their backs are turned. Once the little ones are safely away, I move a couple feet closer, take the limb I’m holding that year and tap the brave one on the shoulder three times. I’ve also got this device that says “BOO” which of course I had to activate. Bless his heart, he squealed in an extremely high pitch, jumped past his friends and almost on to BH’s lap, peeing his pants. BH felt so sorry for the poor lad, the remaining candy in the bowl was dumped into his bag. A couple weeks later and the friends are walking their bikes talking. They obviously don’t see me weeding but I hear them talking about our house being haunted. The young lad who had the mishap has deliberately gone into the yard of the duplexes across the street and doesn’t want to be anywhere near our house. He’s mad at his friends for coming on the street. The boys are looking at the windows and not expecting someone on their hands and knees yanking out weeds. I stood up to great them and off they all went like banshees. Never saw them again. Hope to never forget that memorable Halloween. We didn’t know it at the time but it would be the last big one we had, trunk or treat started the next year and I was working that night. The following year, we had no trick or treaters.
Now back to our regularly scheduled topic….
Hi @SaraJane,
right! You do not need to apologize for any delays. Trust us, you are with a group who TOTALLY gets how taxing life can be post brain injury/brain surgery, and that it just takes longer for us to do things. So, you just take things at your own pace and time - we understand!
Something you wrote to @Moltroub reminded me. All of my speech therapists I had along my journey were great, and I am thankful for them all. However, my favorite one - by pure coincidence - happened to be a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (certification is via the Brain Injury Association of America). The reason is why she was my favorite is that she was the first person I met post-rupture who I felt “got me.” As an example, as we were walking out after the first appointment, I explained the ol’ fatigue thing, and she said that she could help with that. Really?? But she did. I am so sorry to say that what she said was something along the lines of I don’t want you to go back to work, and come home and be so exhausted you don’t have the energy to do anything else. Sound familiar?? 
[But, I get it, feeding cats is vital - as mine is having third breakfast at this very moment!]
Admittedly, it was time-consuming but for 2-3 weeks, I logged each activity, and next to it, I ranked my energy level (based on gut). Once we had the data, we could look back and figure out what activities sap my energy, and what activities restore my energy, besides sleep. I am sure you see where this is going: after figuring out what works for me to help restore my battery, I intersperse those activities throughout the day. In essence, I am recharging my battery along the way, instead of draining it entirely based on the one recharge (sleep) and end up too exhausted at night to do anything else. Unfortunately, what recharges me may not recharge you, but examples of items that often refresh people are:
- meditation/mindfulness/breathing exercises
- Yoga/Tai Chi/stretching
- art - many around here seem to be incredible artists! I am not, so I stick with adult coloring books.
- music - I subscribe to Brain.fm, but I sampled it for awhile as they have several free videos on YouTube), so you can try it out to see if it works/helps you. The website pushes a lot on focus, but they have plenty of music to help you relax, destress, or recharge (etc.) as well, in addition to natures sounds and meditation/mindfulness. [Recharge is a frequent theme I use at lunchtime, and there are multiple tracks, and always seem to be adding new ones as well.] What I found interesting about Brain.fm is that they use science to determine what music to create, and anecdotally, it seems to work for me. So, if on my way to work, I listen to the “Motivation” category, well, I feel peppier and eager to get to work.
One of the other tips I learned from this same speech therapist is about a website askjan.org. Admittedly, I am not sure (legally) how you would be classified, but this website is to help employers and individuals who may need job accommodations at work due to a disability. I wanted to share a link to the Brain Injury page. For fatigue, perhaps one of the strategies would be to think about periodic rest breaks, as it would help you to take smaller breaks throughout the day instead of one big one. Please note I am just saying this as a hypothetical from a patient perspective, and I leave the legalese/medicalese to those with some actual knowledge.
That being said, along my journey, I know the first time I do anything is exhausting, but repetition makes it easier.
Hang in there, you are doing great! Rest and take good care of yourself!
Fin Whale Fan