I had my second craniotomy to repair unruptured aneurysm in jan 2022, my first was in 2008 for a ruptured aneurysm. After the second proceedure now 7 months later ive notice a big difference in my abilities especially in social situations. Im wondering if this is a common thing that happens so long after the surgery and if its something that will eventually go away or what i can do to help myself resolve these issues.
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Good Morning! With each procedure I have had, something has changed and none of the four were craniotomies. I don’t do well if there’s too many people talking at once or if there’s a lot of bright light especially with flashes from cameras or phones or if it’s loud. What I do is make sure I have my sunglasses on, sometimes I have my Bluetooth earbuds that also reduce exterior sounds (OSHA approved lol). If it’s going to be really difficult, one of neurologists gave me some meds that I use to keep me calm, works better than the loads of Benedryl I had to take and didn’t work. But even with that, I’m limited to about four hours, max. It may help members to know how your changing in social situations…
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Hi @TinaBee
I had a glue embolisation procedure to block up an AVM about 5 years ago. (An AVM presents similar risks and treatment modes to an aneurysm). I can say that subsequent to that, my ability to remember some things is noticeably worse than it used to be. For example, for many years, I used to be able to recall work meetings (and in particular who said what) without taking notes. Indeed, I relied on my memory significantly. In recent years, my ability to remember details of meetings is noticeably worse and honestly my ability to recall who it was that told me something is almost useless. Some of it may simply be to do with my getting older but I do think that the effect of (in my case) changing the flows and pressures in my brain vasculature may have had an effect. Clearly, a craniotomy is a major assault on the brain, so there is often a risk of effects from the surgery itself: I think there is a possibility that your reduced capability is related to the intervention.
Hope sharing this might help,
Richard
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Greetingz!
You described everything I’ve been going thru since 2001 when I had a failed coiling, stroke and craniotomy. It can be difficult explaining these things to others. I believe I have come a long way in managing these difficulties. I still get very overwhelmed in crowded situations, cry very easily as well. One on One, I do fine. My time limit is about 5 hrs of what I call good brain function. If I exceed that time frame, I become sluggish for lack of a better description, I can’t focus on the simplest tasks. I still think I can do it all, sometime forgetting to allow myself the rest my brain and body requires. Also I am now 63, I was 42 when I had the surgery/stroke. I assume aging plays a part in some of the differences, altho I am sure the past has played a significant role.
Wishing you continued health, and alwayz Blessingz! Thank you again for all you share~
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Hello, my surgery to clip an aneurysm was seven years ago and I still have lots of difficulty with short term memory and crying. There are times when I go to introduce someone I have known for years and can’t say there name. I hear it in my head but can’t verbalize it. I cry often for no apparent reason, more in happy situations than sad. I also experience dizziness if exposed to flashing lights or things spinning but didn’t before the surgery. All of these things you can adjust to but it takes some time and patience. I’ve learned to let people around me know that I have some deficits and ask them to assist me. So far so good.
The other issue I have that is harder to deal with is I no longer have the ability to perspire. At first that sounds like a benefit but it causes me to overheat and dehydrate easily which creates stroke symptoms. I have learned to handle that but it is very difficult.
Learning the changes and finding alternate solutions seems to work best. Everyone has to deal with something so don’t worry hang in there. Take care, many blessings.
Jj
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I had coiling for a ruptured aneurysm Dec 2019, a subarachnoid hemmorage, vasospasm and ultimately a VP shunt. I’m 3 years out and although a lot has improved, I still struggle in large social situations. I’m fine 1 on 1. Interestingly I don’t cry as much as I used to but I do have angry outbursts from time to time. I found a nueropsycholgist who did a full workup and it helped me understand my limitations better. Knowledge is power so I try to give myself some grace. Therapy may also help. I hope your recovery continues to go well.
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Welcome again! Thanks for sharing. I love that you’re able to find ways to work around a rupture, good for you!
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Ditto,TinyBee, on the noticeable changes in my ability to navigate being in a social scene after my 12/21craniotomy. Some of my avoidance is fear of Covid although I am vaxed to the max, but the inability to keep track of the current conversation that I am engaged in. It seems like I am hearing all the conversations around me at the same time. It’s like having the TV on one channel and all the other channels are trying to broadcast at the same time. Such challenges make re over ya little more interesting!
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I had a very similar thing post craniotomy too, it was like all of my senses were on full input. Having a conversation with someone in a room full of people was impossible. There was just too much happening, people were moving around, I was listening to every conversation and none of it made any sense. My eyes have played a huge role and still do to a lesser degree. But flashing lights or sunlight passing through trees whilst driving, sunlight in general can trigger something terrible. My sense of touch also went strange and I often get these wicked pins & needles
I let the medicos know, they called it sensory overload. Naturally we learn to filter background noise and background activity. All of our ‘Normals’ get reset and we have to find our ‘new normal’, our new tolerances and limits. Working within these new limits can be a life long challenge. Just when I think ‘HA I got this thing beat…’ It throws me another screwball from out of left field just to let me know I’ve exceeded my limits (again). There’s always a consequence for pushing those limits.
Merl from the Modsupport Team
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Exactly! Lights are brighter, noises louder, and filtering out external stimuli can be a challenge. My audiologist, who works at a VA hospital and deals with traumatic brain injuries which she says a craniotomy can be considered labeled as, calls the hearing disorder that makes it hard to deal with everyday sounds, Hyperacusis. It can be part of having tinnitus as well as a result from brain trauma.
She suggests that since it hasn’t been a year since my craniotomy, to give my brain a rest from my hearing aids when I do not need them for conversation and any unnecessary sounds through out the day.
I have been taking her advice and it seems to be a bit better. Now if I could just fine tune that part of my brain that use to know how to spell better than it does now!
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Fine tune? I need a factory reset…weekly 
What’s normal this week may not be normal next week
AND
Thank God for spell checker
Merl from the Modsupport Team
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Howdy, Moodsupport! I just gave someone else credit for your brilliant comment about having to need a factory reset for your memory! I apologize for getting confused.
Here’s hoping our magnificent brains will soon tire of all the spelling corrections and rewire the circuits correctly!
Onward, all good health to everyone!
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Hey Suzanne,
Please DO NOT be apologising for being confused, if I did that every post would come with an apology
It was only a couple of days ago I was explaining to others how I now go through and read then edit, then read, then edit some more. between my spelling mitsakes and my content, I don’t think there’s many posts I haven’t had to edit in some way and I hate it. In my former profession I needed to write reports for every client I saw, I never needed to re-edit my reports. But now my memory, my choice of words and my grammar are just a mess.
Merl from the Modsupport Team
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Thank you for understanding! I use to blame my dyslexia, now I add that the addition of titanium in my brain is scrambling signals. 
I don’t know about y’all but I ruin small talk all the time, which I never liked anyway, with a public service announcement on getting an MRI to check for brain aneurysms. Especially now that my sister found out a few weeks ago that she has 1 possibly 2 ICAs, it adds a little more to the conversation! 
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When do you take your sister to Duke? I think it’s coming up…don’t remember. You have a trip up North as well I think…