Recovery- dizziness etc

Hi Nicola,

You are not alone. The dizziness, the strange sensations in the head (yeah those are really weird),the headaches (some really strange ones too) and the spaced out / brain fog, and short term memory issues (wait.. did I already say that?). I know this wears you down and being exhausted can make it feel worse. Love yourself and rest. It can get better.

I had my SAH late May of this year also and just within the last few weeks some of the symptoms are lessening as yours can also in time. REST...

This is a great and wonderful place for advice and encouragement.

You are a brave soul like all here to have endured so much.

(Big O Bear hug to you)

Kib

hi Nicola! My sah was 5 yrs ago, its a tough battle but hang in there it does get better especially the brain zaps and "pinches". Also I had a tickling sensations as if a feather was stroking the brain-this is normal in fact good- its healing nerves and evacuating dried blood cells! I haven't had dizziness unless I look upward while walking which still plagues me. I had involuntary muscles move in the toes and hands too if that's what you meant by tremors? Mornings are rough-typically dog wakes me at 5 am wanting to go out, Please be patient -things will improve and what doesn't you will learn to adjust, modify yourself, always look to make life easier, add assistance if possible- early on I was stubborn and did not welcome help from the kids but now im ok with it- this is quite an adjustment since I always did my own plumbing, carpentry and repairs. tc keeping you in thoughts and prayers for improvement~~

Wow...it always amazes me and makes me so proud to be a part of a great group here at BAF...look at all this wonderful help Nicola...Thank you everyone...~ Colleen

Hi Nicola, I'm sorry to hear that you also experience things that really cause major depression. I experienced a sub-archnoid bleed and emergency clipping just about a decade ago now. It truly changed my life. These various un-explained incumbrances (<for a better word) that effect almost all of us survivors are not easily resolved and take time to find out what takes per individual. I peronally am finding more resolve with supplements and natural pain remedies. I also sit my hot tub each day which really helps with the sinus stuff. Water, Steam, possibly swimming/water arobics. Even have had relief from accu-puncture and have a pnneumatic cervical traction device (I've a bad shoulder from the service) which helps. Yes, the anti-depressents and other various meds didn't work for me. As mentioned 10 years and still giving various medication thru my Primary a try but better and more resolve with the nutrition and supplements. Anyways, lots of stuff and this group is terrific place. Keep up the good fight my friend and God Bless You !!! <3

Hi, sorry to hear you are having so much trouble. Some of it is just time it takes a long time for the brain to heal and I’m 18 months post rupture trying to deal with my new normal because I don’t think I will be ever as I was before. The question I have for you is have they looked at your intracranial pressure? It sounds to me like some problems I was having when i was still in hospital and they said I had hydrocephallus they placed a shunt and my pressures stabilized. One thing is you really have to be your own advocate so if things aren’t right keep on the docs until they fix it there is so much they still don’t know and are still learning about how the brain recovers. Best of luck and prayers to you.

Hi Nicola - I had a SAH this past February so I'm a little ahead of you. Was in the Neuro ICU for 3 weeks and then in a rehab hospital another 3 weeks. While I was there and once I went home I still had terrible headaches like my head was being squeezed, was spaced out and lightheaded. They have calmed down quite a bit since I was sent home in March but took some time before I could try to wean myself off the pain meds. Mostly I was taking Neurontin (gabapentin) three times a day and now I'm down to once a day. It's not a drug you can just stop taking because you will have withdrawal symptoms. Its primarily prescribed for seizures (I didn't have any) but helps a lot with pain but it's also one of those drugs that has to build up before it starts working. For the on the spot pain relief I was prescribed oxycontin. Made me too sleepy so I took it more at night so I could sleep through the night but since its addictive didn't take that too much. Anyway, the healing process is really just too damned long. As everyone says, each person is different and I totally feel for you. I wish I could say I handled things differently but the drugs were key for me. If you haven't tried Neurontin perhaps that could help. It does have side effects like all drugs but not that I couldn't handle compared to the headache pain and again you would have to taper off rather than just stopping it cold once you no longer need to take it. If you feel your doctor is not helping then I would get a recommendation to another one. A lot of folks here are seeing a neurologist but I'm still seeing primarily the neurosurgeon for anything related to the SAH. My primary doctor has seen me too but she doesn't help with the SAH things. Maybe a doctor switch will be the key. Best of luck with everything and let us know! I will be thinking about you!

Hi Nicola, reading your post brought back a lot of memories and feelings! My rupture and 2 annies surgeries were 8 years ago and I had many of the same issues. Thought you were telling my story including trips to the er, neurologists, fear, etc. etc. On occasion I still have some of the sensations, feelings and other symptoms but have gone on and am at my same job all these years. I was out for 4 months and returned...still there to date. I think as time goes by many of the things you feel now will fad away. Or things will become the new normal for you. Just don't let yourself fall into a funk! Think positive, heck you are

already on your computer talking to all of us! I know it is easy for all of us to tell you how much better it will get when you are currently healing...but it will! Keep yourself occupied while you heal. Take care, Barbara

It’s been 4 yrs for me and I just spent 3 days in the hospital for dizziness and i had too low blood pressure 88\53 my neoro surgeon gave up his license and I think is in jail…i have found that not alot of people know what to do with us survivors

Oh Lisa, I am so sorry. My BP is really low right now too. I wonder how it could be related. The last time I had mine taken it was 72/54 and I am always dizzy. I've been greying out a lot lately and had some scary moments. We were at a concert a few weeks ago and while following my husband up a staircase I completely forgot where we were. I knew who he was and who I was, but I had no idea what day it was, where I was, or why I was there. It passed, but that was the second time that happened. Last week I greyed out and one of my students was talking to me at the time. Everything he said sounded like complete gibberish. It really freaked me out. He looked at me kind of frightened too. It passed as well, but again, scary.

I'm a super healthy woman of 49. I run 5-7 times a week 25-40 miles a week so it isn't like I don't take good care of myself. I eat mostly clean (cupcakes are my nemesis). I have taken all fake sugars out of my diet, and anything else that might be causing issues, even though I don't believe any of it causes problems with me. They didn't before the SAH so no reason they would now. I just did it for health's sake and to make sure they aren't contributing to secondary headaches. So for these things to be happening is really freaking me out. I see my neuro who is a Headache specialist, on Oct 14.