A couple of other things after my surgery. First, I have noticed that I have very little patience with things like "repetitive" noises. Or now that I think about it for a lot of things. Certain things make me anxious and nervous.
Secondly, I feel more depressed after the coiling, even knowing that it most likely has saved my life. I have had people tell me I'm different now, not knowing really what different means. I'm guessing worse (LOL) since they really can't explain what they mean.
Once I find a new neurologist I think I need to look into possible an anti-depressant.
Yup...this is a biggie... many of us were diagnosed with PTSD after Coiling...my husband tells me I am different...and I know that I am different...it is hard for me to explain this to people...here's an example...I used to love talking on the phone...since my coiling...the phone hurts my ears...everything echo's and is loud...hence, no one understands why I barely answer the phone...again...I sound like a parrot...these are all things we learn new about us...and eventually embrace ...
Hope your new neurologist can help you out ... Colleen
Hi, I have noticed the same even a year later. Anti-depreesants helped a lot. Especially high pitched noises or voices are bothersome. When I am more tired everything seems magnified. i will have a craniotomy in three weeks to deal with the part not coiled before - so I seem more bothered by things now.
I had 2 coiling procedures done, one in early march and the other one in mid June... the 1st one was "perfect'' no side effects nothing... from the second one I have a lot of complications that I am still dealing with... one of those is a major case of depression... i waited several weeks thinking I could just "shake it off" I finally got scared and called my neurogist, he put me on Celexa, i've been on it for 6 weeks.. my mood is better but not back to normal yet.. I am planning on discussing this with him next week... I think I need a dose increase... Talk to your Dr. you have enough to deal with as it is... get the help you need!!
Hey there,
I totally get it. I had a coil put into a right mca Annie. Yes, I had depression hit right away after discharge. I was angry at the world and had moments of crying hysterically. Then I started with really depressive visual thoughts of myself and death. Not wanting it just that I had. My doctor quickly put me on 20 mg of Prozac once a day which made a world of difference! I found my old happy, stable self again. I also had trouble with music, noisy places and too many people around me at once causing anxiety. Once I even left a table to go hide in a bathroom by myself to regroup! Haha. This is traumatic stuff for sure. My neurosurgeon had to remind my husband that coiling is a big deal! It is still brain surgery! No kidding. We who have had it done know that. I’m not looking for pity and I bet you’re not either. I’m just looking for understanding.thank goodness for this forum. We now can vent to people who truly get it. We’re all in the same basket. We are warriors! We are loved!
I used to love to talk on the phone or be a chatty Cathy person to person. I lack the concentration now to engage in long conversations and frankly after a minute or two on the phone I’m done. Yes, I too, let the phone ring now to avoid a possible lengthy conversation. Hopefully this will improve but if it doesn’t it’s not that big a deal. My friends allow me to be honest about the challenges I have now and they understand. I sure hope ou do better as well.
Bless your heart. Be brave. Our imagination is often worse than the reality. My coil failed and I sit here recovering from a craniotomy that is only 4 weeks post op. I’ll put you in my prayers. The staff will take excellent care of you.
Big hug
Donna McDannold
Same here...noise long conversations...around groups all make me very anxious. Not only that..I find I have very little patience with chronic complaints people have about totally unimportant problems...I am different now but I think in some good ways too. I guess I don't sweat the small stuff as much. Of course doesnt always bode well with everyone. My husband and I just had a not so fun vacation with family members all because I couldnt handle their constant complaints about minor issues.. example..my dog has a flea...our houseguest didnt pay for food..i could go on and on...anyone else out there notice these changes?
Thank you for those that have responded. I now know that I'm not alone in these issues. Several of you mention not wanting to be around a lot of people, crowds, that's a big one for me now. Sadly I find myself not doing the things I once would have. I will make a strong effort to find a new neurologist since mine retired right after my coiling. Hopefully he can get me on the right anti-depressant. I went on Wellbutrin right after the coiling and it caused a horrible ringing in my ears that has never gone away.
It's also good to know that I have reason for my mood changes and the like, so that now people will understand.
Ugh! Noises, especially repetitive noises! I can isolate a receptive noise from all the other noises in a busy room from a mile away. Drives me crazy. Seems to be magnified. I also find that I am very nervous and jittery if there are multiple distractors ie: bright lights, noises and activity in the room. I hope this gets better as time passes. It drives me crazy and I am afraid I am driving my family crazy by constantly asking them to be more quiet. =\
Your sweet Vickie! Hang in there! I can see why they don’t mention all of these issues before surgery. However mine did mention depression. We will survive this! Life is great! We are just not enjoying it much right now but I believe we will again!
I think all the difficulty with talking on the phone and being around noise is due to the feeling of pressure in the head that you get when around loud noises. Also if I get too excited, angry or have to shout.
I can relate to a lot of this too. I just started on 5 mg Prozac too. We'll see how it goes. The dose seems pretty low, but I've heard medications may have a stronger effect on brain injured people. Maybe I'll have to start a separate thread about this sort of thing...
Hi Donna
Yes! All the above! It’s like through our own personal trauma we have achieved some clarity about life! I try to keep my irritations to myself as best as I can. I try to be very self aware. Brain trauma on the left side does interfere with your filter. Incoming and outgoing, haha. I’m much more sensitive or aware of people’s words, tone and body language than ever before. I’m also less willing to be unhappy and put up with others self centered issues that have no importance except to stroke their own ego than ever before. I will say what I used to shove down. I’m not mean. I’m just more frank now. I have to admit, it feels a lot better to me. After all, we are important. We deserve peace in our life. Maybe we can help other non brain injured friends see the light too.
one interesting thing my family has noticed (after 2 coling procedures, one in march, one in june) is that I am a little impulsive... I used to think things through a lot more....
Also my sense of taste has changed.... (weird) I now like my coffee and my tea sweeter than before... before, my children would not even taste my drinks, now they share! I also crave sweets, when I used to crave salty stuff.... very strange!!!
Vicky
I too am more impulsive. Sure makes decision making quicker! It has its down side too tough.funny you mentioned the taste thing. I had my coiling sept. of 2011. In July of 2012 I had a follow up arteriography to check on it. I actually had lost all my taste except for salt a week prior to the test. I ended up having a craniotomy for Annie repair sept. 2012. I still don’t have taste back. I can literally just eat lemons ow. Yuck! The brain is a very complicated organ.