Hi all!
Hi Oystein, I am new to the site. Just joined a few weeks ago. Here’s my story, sorry, I tried to make it as short as possible:
June 3, 2007 I had a rupture while in the grocery store with my husband. Was taken to the local hospital then flown to the city where they put in a drain and then did coiling surgery. About 10 days later they put in a shunt. I have no memory of the first 2 weeks or so. I was in the hospital about 28 days then home. August 2008 my surgeon wanted to do another coiling surgery. The artery that ruptured originally was very diseased and he was afraid it would rupture again, he wanted to totally eliminate it so that there was no danger of another ruputure. He felt that another rupture would be fatal. The artery is my left PICA. The coiling would not work, they couldn’t get the coils in so they used a liquid called onyx to close off the artery. They told me when I was going in to the surgery that it would cause a stroke. It did but the surgery was successful and since May 2009 I have been back to work, went back full time July 2009. I was blind for several weeks after the rupture due to the blood behind my retinas. It slowly cleared and my vision improved, in fact, I was just back to the eye doctor in March and he could not believe again how much my vision has improved. It is amazing how the body heals and then how it adjusts to it’s new self after the healing. I know doctors say that all the healing is in the first year, that may be so but the recovery continues for so many years after. I drive and for the most part my life has returned to a very normal. I am left with some balance issues and dizzy a good bit of the time but have learned to adjust to that too. I will say there has been some change in my personality, I have noticed a temper that I never had before, but that too has improved and still seems to be improving. My biggest challenge these days is the fatigue.
Shelly
I think a lot of us here have! I had mine in February 2010 so it’s quite new. I’m making a good recovery but it’s going to be a while before I go back to work, IF I go back to work! My aneurysm bled and I was transferred from my local hospital to the big Neurology hospital in London where I had a craniotomy for clipping of the aneurysm. My scar is fading fast and I’m very happy to be alive!
Welcome to the site.
i havent worked in 10 years and im doing good at the moment after my recoiling and stent work done on my aneurysm in 2008. I stake life easy and go for walks with my dog and visit the fysiotherapist 2 times a week.
I just cant find the strength to hold on to a job because of my fatigue. Theres enoygh to do at home anyway.
I am really glad to here that your surgery went well and hope your recovery goes well. If you have any questions about what to expect in the near future, im glad to be at assistance.
Jen Rigg said:
I think a lot of us here have! I had mine in February 2010 so it’s quite new. I’m making a good recovery but it’s going to be a while before I go back to work, IF I go back to work! My aneurysm bled and I was transferred from my local hospital to the big Neurology hospital in London where I had a craniotomy for clipping of the aneurysm. My scar is fading fast and I’m very happy to be alive!
Welcome to the site.
Hi! im glad to hear that you are doing good. I am starting to think that the surgents are alot better in the US than Norway. Thanks for sharing your story.
Oystein
Shelly Schafer said:
Hi Oystein, I am new to the site. Just joined a few weeks ago. Here’s my story, sorry, I tried to make it as short as possible:
June 3, 2007 I had a rupture while in the grocery store with my husband. Was taken to the local hospital then flown to the city where they put in a drain and then did coiling surgery. About 10 days later they put in a shunt. I have no memory of the first 2 weeks or so. I was in the hospital about 28 days then home. August 2008 my surgeon wanted to do another coiling surgery. The artery that ruptured originally was very diseased and he was afraid it would rupture again, he wanted to totally eliminate it so that there was no danger of another ruputure. He felt that another rupture would be fatal. The artery is my left PICA. The coiling would not work, they couldn’t get the coils in so they used a liquid called onyx to close off the artery. They told me when I was going in to the surgery that it would cause a stroke. It did but the surgery was successful and since May 2009 I have been back to work, went back full time July 2009. I was blind for several weeks after the rupture due to the blood behind my retinas. It slowly cleared and my vision improved, in fact, I was just back to the eye doctor in March and he could not believe again how much my vision has improved. It is amazing how the body heals and then how it adjusts to it’s new self after the healing. I know doctors say that all the healing is in the first year, that may be so but the recovery continues for so many years after. I drive and for the most part my life has returned to a very normal. I am left with some balance issues and dizzy a good bit of the time but have learned to adjust to that too. I will say there has been some change in my personality, I have noticed a temper that I never had before, but that too has improved and still seems to be improving. My biggest challenge these days is the fatigue.
Shelly
I would have to think that several things make a difference, not only the surgeon but the location of the rupture in the brain, how quickly treated, etc. It all seems very complicated to me! Sounds like you are doing fine. The fatigue is unbearable though, I just saw an article someone shared about Vitamin D helping this. May be worth looking in to.
Oystein Berge said:
Hi! im glad to hear that you are doing good. I am starting to think that the surgents are alot better in the US than Norway. Thanks for sharing your story.
Oystein
Shelly Schafer said:Hi Oystein, I am new to the site. Just joined a few weeks ago. Here’s my story, sorry, I tried to make it as short as possible:
June 3, 2007 I had a rupture while in the grocery store with my husband. Was taken to the local hospital then flown to the city where they put in a drain and then did coiling surgery. About 10 days later they put in a shunt. I have no memory of the first 2 weeks or so. I was in the hospital about 28 days then home. August 2008 my surgeon wanted to do another coiling surgery. The artery that ruptured originally was very diseased and he was afraid it would rupture again, he wanted to totally eliminate it so that there was no danger of another ruputure. He felt that another rupture would be fatal. The artery is my left PICA. The coiling would not work, they couldn’t get the coils in so they used a liquid called onyx to close off the artery. They told me when I was going in to the surgery that it would cause a stroke. It did but the surgery was successful and since May 2009 I have been back to work, went back full time July 2009. I was blind for several weeks after the rupture due to the blood behind my retinas. It slowly cleared and my vision improved, in fact, I was just back to the eye doctor in March and he could not believe again how much my vision has improved. It is amazing how the body heals and then how it adjusts to it’s new self after the healing. I know doctors say that all the healing is in the first year, that may be so but the recovery continues for so many years after. I drive and for the most part my life has returned to a very normal. I am left with some balance issues and dizzy a good bit of the time but have learned to adjust to that too. I will say there has been some change in my personality, I have noticed a temper that I never had before, but that too has improved and still seems to be improving. My biggest challenge these days is the fatigue.
Shelly
Hi again! Im doing fine in periods, the location of my rupture is on of the most complicated places next to my brainstem and its very big, it has grown over the years and i needed a second coiling with stent treatment. I have had my share of psycological issues, written my will and done all the preparations for my funeral. (im not the born optimist). I am ready to leave this earth if that happens, but its hard to think about leaving my wife and four kids behind. Its good to read some of the others storys, that gives me hope for the future. All though my story isnt quite that bad as others in this communitym its very real and scary for me.
I also heard that vitamin B12 shots can help for the fatigue.
Shelly Schafer said:
I would have to think that several things make a difference, not only the surgeon but the location of the rupture in the brain, how quickly treated, etc. It all seems very complicated to me! Sounds like you are doing fine. The fatigue is unbearable though, I just saw an article someone shared about Vitamin D helping this. May be worth looking in to.
Oystein Berge said:Hi! im glad to hear that you are doing good. I am starting to think that the surgents are alot better in the US than Norway. Thanks for sharing your story.
Oystein
Shelly Schafer said:Hi Oystein, I am new to the site. Just joined a few weeks ago. Here’s my story, sorry, I tried to make it as short as possible:
June 3, 2007 I had a rupture while in the grocery store with my husband. Was taken to the local hospital then flown to the city where they put in a drain and then did coiling surgery. About 10 days later they put in a shunt. I have no memory of the first 2 weeks or so. I was in the hospital about 28 days then home. August 2008 my surgeon wanted to do another coiling surgery. The artery that ruptured originally was very diseased and he was afraid it would rupture again, he wanted to totally eliminate it so that there was no danger of another ruputure. He felt that another rupture would be fatal. The artery is my left PICA. The coiling would not work, they couldn’t get the coils in so they used a liquid called onyx to close off the artery. They told me when I was going in to the surgery that it would cause a stroke. It did but the surgery was successful and since May 2009 I have been back to work, went back full time July 2009. I was blind for several weeks after the rupture due to the blood behind my retinas. It slowly cleared and my vision improved, in fact, I was just back to the eye doctor in March and he could not believe again how much my vision has improved. It is amazing how the body heals and then how it adjusts to it’s new self after the healing. I know doctors say that all the healing is in the first year, that may be so but the recovery continues for so many years after. I drive and for the most part my life has returned to a very normal. I am left with some balance issues and dizzy a good bit of the time but have learned to adjust to that too. I will say there has been some change in my personality, I have noticed a temper that I never had before, but that too has improved and still seems to be improving. My biggest challenge these days is the fatigue.
Shelly
Oystein, I think we all go through the emotional part of it. It is almost three years and I still am and there are things that surprise me daily, I just want it to go away and be my old self. I think not surviving this is the easy way, surviving it is hard! I know it’s hard to look at the bright side, but there is one. We are still here for our family and friends and we have to make the most of it. Keep your chin up and just take it one day at a time.
Oystein Berge said:
Hi again! Im doing fine in periods, the location of my rupture is on of the most complicated places next to my brainstem and its very big, it has grown over the years and i needed a second coiling with stent treatment. I have had my share of psycological issues, written my will and done all the preparations for my funeral. (im not the born optimist). I am ready to leave this earth if that happens, but its hard to think about leaving my wife and four kids behind. Its good to read some of the others storys, that gives me hope for the future. All though my story isnt quite that bad as others in this communitym its very real and scary for me.
I also heard that vitamin B12 shots can help for the fatigue.
Shelly Schafer said:I would have to think that several things make a difference, not only the surgeon but the location of the rupture in the brain, how quickly treated, etc. It all seems very complicated to me! Sounds like you are doing fine. The fatigue is unbearable though, I just saw an article someone shared about Vitamin D helping this. May be worth looking in to.
Oystein Berge said:Hi! im glad to hear that you are doing good. I am starting to think that the surgents are alot better in the US than Norway. Thanks for sharing your story.
Oystein
Shelly Schafer said:Hi Oystein, I am new to the site. Just joined a few weeks ago. Here’s my story, sorry, I tried to make it as short as possible:
June 3, 2007 I had a rupture while in the grocery store with my husband. Was taken to the local hospital then flown to the city where they put in a drain and then did coiling surgery. About 10 days later they put in a shunt. I have no memory of the first 2 weeks or so. I was in the hospital about 28 days then home. August 2008 my surgeon wanted to do another coiling surgery. The artery that ruptured originally was very diseased and he was afraid it would rupture again, he wanted to totally eliminate it so that there was no danger of another ruputure. He felt that another rupture would be fatal. The artery is my left PICA. The coiling would not work, they couldn’t get the coils in so they used a liquid called onyx to close off the artery. They told me when I was going in to the surgery that it would cause a stroke. It did but the surgery was successful and since May 2009 I have been back to work, went back full time July 2009. I was blind for several weeks after the rupture due to the blood behind my retinas. It slowly cleared and my vision improved, in fact, I was just back to the eye doctor in March and he could not believe again how much my vision has improved. It is amazing how the body heals and then how it adjusts to it’s new self after the healing. I know doctors say that all the healing is in the first year, that may be so but the recovery continues for so many years after. I drive and for the most part my life has returned to a very normal. I am left with some balance issues and dizzy a good bit of the time but have learned to adjust to that too. I will say there has been some change in my personality, I have noticed a temper that I never had before, but that too has improved and still seems to be improving. My biggest challenge these days is the fatigue.
Shelly
What Shelly said! It is hard, emotionally. We’ve been through a life-threatening event and we are, despite what we think on our bad days, the lucky ones. I’m in the UK and I was lucky that my local hospital acted very swiftly, gave me a CT scan and then transferred me to the leading Neurology hospital in London. As I had open surgery my recovery was longer than a lot of people who have coiling, and I still have swelling. But I’m very happy to be alive. I did write letters to my loved ones before the surgery because I knew it was serious, but now I’m out the other side I just want to enjoy whatever life I have left.
This place is great because you get good support! There is a good English forum called behindthegray dot net for SAH survivors and you could join us there too if you like.
Take care!
Jim I wouldn’t pass either. I have mastered high heels again though, a bit tricky but I love a challange. Funny, I have a much harder disposition quite the opposite of what it used to be.
Jim Fitzpatrick said:
My rupture was my right PICA…I too have balance issues and some dizziness issues…If I ever get pulled over at a DUI check I will never pass walking the straight line etc…I have fatigue, memory loss and a much softer disposition…Take care
Shelly Schafer said:Hi Oystein, I am new to the site. Just joined a few weeks ago. Here’s my story, sorry, I tried to make it as short as possible:
June 3, 2007 I had a rupture while in the grocery store with my husband. Was taken to the local hospital then flown to the city where they put in a drain and then did coiling surgery. About 10 days later they put in a shunt. I have no memory of the first 2 weeks or so. I was in the hospital about 28 days then home. August 2008 my surgeon wanted to do another coiling surgery. The artery that ruptured originally was very diseased and he was afraid it would rupture again, he wanted to totally eliminate it so that there was no danger of another ruputure. He felt that another rupture would be fatal. The artery is my left PICA. The coiling would not work, they couldn’t get the coils in so they used a liquid called onyx to close off the artery. They told me when I was going in to the surgery that it would cause a stroke. It did but the surgery was successful and since May 2009 I have been back to work, went back full time July 2009. I was blind for several weeks after the rupture due to the blood behind my retinas. It slowly cleared and my vision improved, in fact, I was just back to the eye doctor in March and he could not believe again how much my vision has improved. It is amazing how the body heals and then how it adjusts to it’s new self after the healing. I know doctors say that all the healing is in the first year, that may be so but the recovery continues for so many years after. I drive and for the most part my life has returned to a very normal. I am left with some balance issues and dizzy a good bit of the time but have learned to adjust to that too. I will say there has been some change in my personality, I have noticed a temper that I never had before, but that too has improved and still seems to be improving. My biggest challenge these days is the fatigue.
Shelly
I was driving to work on AUgust 13, 2008 when I got a sharp pain behind my right eye. Luckily, I was in traffic. My car swerved, or so I thought. It was just me swerving and my neck and shoulders got stiff. I was able to maneuver the car to the shoulder. I called work, then my sister. An ambulance and a CT scan later I was told that I had blood on my brain. I had a subarrachnoid hemmorage. They transported me to the trauma center about 45 mins from my house and the next day they did a coiling on me. I stayed in the neuro-ICU for 2 wks then in the step down for a week with a shunt. I had a deficit in my left side and severe headaches by the time I got home. I went to rehab for 3 months. By January 2009 I went back to work 1 day a week. Eventually by the end of the year I was back to 4 days a week from 9-2. Jan 2010, I am back at 9-2. I still have headaches and am tired after work. I am taking lots of meds to control the headaches, etc. I have my good days and my bad “brain” days - what I like to call them…u know when ur brain isnt functioning at all and you cant process anything,…
Hello,
My husband has survived SAH. He had his in March 2010 - to look at him you’d never know the man was so ill. until he talks. but he goes to speech 2 x a week, he returned to work (maintenance) he takes care of 32 group homes (i think) 2 large building. He was 52 yrs old in March just turned 53. He has his angiogram check up on 9/17/10 to check his 2 brain aneurysms, 1 bled and coiled and the other is very small they are keeping and eye on it.
Did you have a bleed? did they coil or clip it?
Oystein,
I survived an SAH 4 years ago. I’m curious as to the issues and problems you still have. I’ve struggled to accurately describe what I still experience but I’ll do my best. My biggest challenge is with what I affectionately call brain aches. Its as if my whole brain is on fire. I want to sleep but the brain is throbbing so much that its hard for me to get to sleep. Once I get to sleep, its so intense that hours past and I wake up very disoriented. I have to check on day and time to get my bearings back. Beyond that, I get random little heat spikes (also for lack of a better descriptions) in different sections of my brain. It’s like an electric stimulator being applied to it but it just seems to happen out of nowhere. Sometimes its in the front of the brain and sometimes in the back. I also struggle with face recognition. I have literally met with a person one day in a small meeting (one on one or at most three on one) and saw them 2 days later and didn’t even recognize them and couldn’t recall their name. But once they said their name, I remembered everything.
Shelly,
Your story is interesting. For my SAH, coiling alone also did not work. They put coils in but, I had a rare, double berry aneurysm that had ruptured on both sides of the artery. They used glue to seal off the artery permanently. Miraculously, I did not have a stroke and recovered very quickly. Even after 4 years, there are times where my I can feel my brain in action. It’s a throbing that’s hard to explain. Its not that its painful but concerning. Its as if someone attached one of those electric stimulators that chiropractor’s use directly to my brain. Worse yet is when the deep slumber hits me and I can do nothing but sleep.
Jen,
Thanks. I wasn’t aware of this forum. I, too, survived an SAH. I looked for fellow SAH survivors for quite some time before I stumbled upon this support community.
So far i have survived 4 SAH, the last one being my worst ever, Ive told my history here before, but in short, my last one was apparently due to a ruptured anny, june 1st 2008, this was tahen care of by 9hrs surgery in London. I suffer like most of us all the usual tgings, loss of balance, short term memory loss, extreme fatigue, clumsiness, word loss, etc etc etc, but i fight to keep some kind of normality in my life. i dont stress about it, i refuse to admit defeat. i tell everyone in our situation, stop worrying about things as much as possible…we are healing…thats themain thing. my surgeons told me, if your tired then sleep, etc…find somebody that you can talk to and tell them that somethings you go through you cant understand yourself so you cant explain to others…life is hard for us…thats why this place here is a Godsend…ive had more than most survivors i think, having had 4 of these bleeds, yeahh life is hard so smile when you can and remember your not a victim your a SURVIVOR…hugssss…John
Hi Oystein,
I am a SAH survivor! I had a rupture 5 years ago. I was very blessed. My deficit is some minor short term memory loss. I was able to return to work as a nurse and continue to do this. I am currently 18 days post-op from 2 additional clippings, so I now have 3 clippings in my head. If you have any questions ask away. If I can shed some light or bring you encouragement I am happy to do so. 
If i only could seal off my arterie, that would save me lots of concens. My anuerysm is unfotunatly located in the main arterie thatdelivers blood to my brain. My second surgery was in 2008, they then put a stent to try to divert the flow and i now think there is nothing more to do. Hopefully the last surgery is sucsessful.
Christine, I came to the same realization a few months ago; also close to 4 years into my recovery (my SAH was in Sept '06). I had noticed a change in my memory retention but also thought I was just too busy or not focused enough. But then I began to notice how hard it was for me to concentrate. I have since started discussion with our disability champion to see what accomodations can be made. It was really hard for me to say that I have a disability, its not visible and it goes so against my work ethic. I felt like I was making an excuse. But ultimately, I knew I had to speak up before it affected my work so much that I couldn’t be effective.
