I had my coiling in June. Have most of my energy back, but take naps in the afternoon. My family tells me they have noticed I am not the same person since surgery. More stressed, anxious, don't react to situations the same as before, etc. Has anyone else experienced this?
I'm going thru the same thing I had my cooling in the beginning of August and even though my doc says I'm fine I still don't have all of my energy back I'm having problems with strength and coordination on my right side even though they can't figure out why, and I am having alot of problems with anxioty and it don't help my anxioty that my doc says I'm at a high risk of developing another aneurysm
Kat, I had my clipping last year (17 months ago). I am different in so many ways. I find my "perception" is different, how I hear things and how I interpret things is different, how I react. I am short tempered. All my "neuros" explained that depending on the area of the brain that was affected, your personality can change. I even have some foods now taste different to me. I also have difficulty interpreting numbers. Not adding and subtracting, etc. But knowing, off the top of my head (no pun intended) which is higher or lower, which is more or less, etc. The area of my brain that understands "volume" was affected. That is a tough one to swallow for a Math major. I also have some visual percetion issues. Show me a picture of something and sometimes it takes me a while to verbalize what it is even though I "know" what it is. Amazingly none of this prevents me from normal life and work commitments. The best way to describe it is that my "perception" of things has changed since brain surgery. So, no, I'm not the same either. Not better or worse, just different. Carol
Thanks for the feedback.
Hello Kat.
The aneurysm I had was clipped and YES I did experience ALOT of anxiety. The anxiety started about 2 months after surgery completed. I spoke to my neurologist about it and he advised me that 30% of patients who have aneurysm surgery may have anxiety following. Let's face it....learning you have an aneurysm and going thru the process to repair it can be an extremely stressful time.
My anxiety was so much that I could hardly go out to public places (i.e. my son's basketball game). Crowds, loud noises, to much movement and activity, would set me off. I actually thought I was loosing it. The Dr. recommended I take an SSRI to calm my nerves or get counseling. He said the SSRI would make me feel normal quickly or if I wanted to take the long route - counseling would help.
I took the meds only a couple of times but decided I preferred counseling. Now a year later....the anxiety has subsided considerably. I actually went to the movie theater yesterday and have enjoyed occasional jazz concerts as well as the rowdy crowds at my son's basketball games.
I'm also calmer at home with the kids, the husband, the dog...Ya know how home life can be.... Just ask your family to be patient with you while you take the time that you need to process everything that you've been through. IT DOES GET BETTER!!!
I have heard that this can happen during anything that is an invasive brain procedure; but my understand of coiling was that these symptoms are usually not as bad as they are in clipped patients because the procedure is so much less invasive. Everyone is different in their symptoms though and I'm sure they vary wildly. My annie was coiled Sept. 17th and my overwhelming feeling now is relief that I don't have to worry that every headache is 'it' and that I won't crash the car on the way home killing myself & others when it bursts. I am so relieved it's coiled and no longer a looming issue and the fear of the unknown & the procedure is past me. I choose now to live as though it's a done deal. I will have my follow up scans but otherwise keep it right out of my mind as I had to wait a year for my coiling at it was like a huge dark cloud that is now lifted. Have you tried meditation and other relaxation techniques like massage, positive visualization etc? I have heard that they can be very helpful in relaxing the brain. I wish you all the best and hope you find a solution. XX
Lately my memory has been so so tosay the least my neuro dr sys the are that was operated on controls memory and language I don’t know what to do next it scares me really scAres me
Anyone else like tzt out their
I had issues with my memory for a few months after my surgery but it is slowly getting back to normal
Thanks for the reply I appreciate it how do you feel now after surgery is it normal to be scared
I still have my moments when I'm scared since my surgery back in August I have been dealing with chronic headaches and speratic photophobia. I believe we have every reason to feel scared, what we all have went thru is a life changing event, it's not like we caught a cold and took some cough medicine and got better this is something that is going to stay with us for the rest of our lives and we each are going to cope with it in our own ways, I was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder because of my diagnosis and im going thru therapy and am on medication to help with my anxiety
It's been two years since the coiling and I still have brain farts at times. People, dates, recognition of familiar things sometimes trip me up. after my last visit and ango, they discovered the aneurysm has returned, however, I don't experience the same unsettling things I did before the repair; passing out, visual shadows around any objects,etc... I do keep a headache everyday all day.
I believe I don't react to things the same because I have been blessed with the opportunity to live again and the little things that mattered before don't seem as important. I am very anxious to know what the future holds for me. They can't re-coil an annie... So clipping it is..
My dad had the same issue. While he had no effects with loss of movement, it did effect his response, memory and energy. It took a good 5 months for us to start seeing improvements. And during this time, there was some depression and anxiety that built up due to the change of life. When he was air-lifted to Rush in Chicago, the nurse told us that this would be life changing for everyone involved - and that is exactly what it is. It helps immensely that the surgeon communicates well with us and keeps us informed as to what is being done and for what reason. My dad is on his third coil. Hopefully with the last one having the LVIS Jr. stent implanted, the coiling will stop.
Regardless, I believe what you are experiencing is normal and it is just going to take some time. With most brain injuries, the medical staff seems to gauge it at a year. Where you have progressed at that time will probably be as far as you are going to be. Fortunately, we have access to therapists that work on motor skills. Patience, while it does not come easy, will help.
Kat: I has my procedure 3 weeks ago. My family tells me the same thing. All we can do is the best we can do....