I have my 1st follow up with the neurosurgeon on Oct 29, but my questions are starting. I thought I would throw a couple out to you EXPERT folks too. Yesterday I started hearing my heartbeat in an ear. It wasn’t too bad during the day, I’m guessing because of all the other noise, but it drove me batty last night!! Anyone else have this? Is it going to go away, or is this going to be something else I’m blessed with for being a survivor?
And why is my jaw sore on one side?? It hurts to yawn, always. Any input is greatly appreciated.
I was booted home from the hospital with absolutely no information.
Hi Jody - My rupture was coiled March 2012 and I have had all sorts of noises in my head ever since - including my heartbeat. I did see an ENT, but bottom line is I have learned to live with it. I also have a sore jaw, right side that pops and clicks and occasionally will lock - mention it to your Doc when you go in…they put that info in my chart in case I ever need to be intubated again. Remember to write your questions down - I had a whole lot lined up before my first follow up and as soon as I was asked if I had any questions my mind went blank.
Hi Jody , I have heard my heartbeat or should I say the blood pulsing from my heart in my ears for a long time before my rupture I didn't know what it was for the longest time til they diagnosed me with an AVM. Well apparently according to the doctors what I actually hear is the blood rushing through my avm in conjunction with my heart rate . Sometimes this is very deafening and I have great difficulty hearing what is being said . It is worse when I go to bed at night as lying down seems to make it worse. try changing positions and slow your breathing down in order to slow your heart make sure your head is raised slightly as this seems to help . good luck hun
I had a similar experience with my exit from the hospital, though the 4th week in the hospital was officially called rehab and I met with three different therapists who were life-savers.
You mention pain with yawning and a sore jaw, and I've had a couple of "attacks" of severe pain in the tissue of my right ear. Do you think that both could be caused by TMJ (tempo-mandibular joint disfunction - have your dentist check it if he is qualified) difficulties from the position we were in when they did the surgery? (I just read Mary's reply to your question and she thinks it happened during intubation. Definitely possible.)
I've already had my follow-up appointment and asked about the pounding sound I hear when I stand up after sitting for 30minutes or so. He said it was due to excess fluid that is still in the brain and it could take a year to go away. Do you get some unsteadiness along with the sound? See if the pounding sound diminishes any when you change your position for at least ten minutes.
Please let us know what you ask and the responses.
Remember to ask about the risks associated with the follow-up angiograms.
Thank you for sharing with us. I am right at 3 months post-coiling procedure on a ruptured aneurysm.
I, too, have a bruit (the wooshing sound from the blood going through the blood vessels in the brain). I first noticed it when I was a child--usually at night when the house was quiet. I didn't hear it often.
It got worse when I was in my early 40's and usually associated with migraine. It was never enough to bother me, though. I found out what it was when I was diagnosed with a large cerebral AVM 3.5 years ago. My aneurysms were discovered while treating the AVM.
I've had a crani for the aneurysms & 4 Gamma Knife radiation treatments for the AVM. I don't hear it as often, but I do sometimes hear it when I'm getting a migraine.
I, too, had that for quite a while - it's called pulsative tinnitus, which is different from ringing in the ears. It was not "diagnosed" as part of my unruptured aneurysm (I was so worried about everything else when the neurosurgeon told me that I needed surgery soon and I couldn't wait months, so I never asked about it). At some point after surgery (coiled and stent), I realized it was gone.
Someone else had this discussion recently and another person talked about the US tinnitus Assoc. I found that they only spoke about ringing in the ears and not pulsative. The UK org has a lot more information: www.tinnitus.org.uk.
Good luck - I hope you get some relief soon. Sherri
What’s your heart rate? Your blood pressure? I had tachycardia diagnosed when a drunk driver hit me and my horse. Started taking meds for it in my 30’s. I would go to sleep laying on my arm listening to my rapid pulse for as long as I can remember. Had to learn to sleep without it once the meds got in my system. Since my SAH the cardiologist says he can’t find the tach. Sometimes a rapid pulse is a side effect of medication. Also my life saving Doc shared anesthesia side effects from coiling can last for months. I’ve forgotten why. But she explained it was the reason my jaw hurt as well as something to do with my brain. Always let your Dr know what’s going on. I just call the nurse and she gets back to me with information as my appointments are so far apart.
That's interesting about the anesthesia from coiling. I had really short breath and just walking across a room made me breathless. This lasted for more than a year and have had every test in the world. Much better now.
If the aneurysm had burst and you went into respiratory failure and received an emergency tracheotomy, they could have injured the TMJ (jaw joints) in their rush to save your life. (My personal story..they also hurt my throat, but I am not complaining. Glad to be here typing this!)
When my anyusum brust my ears felt there were going in to my head … Ather that I always feel my heart beat or ringing in ears takes getting use too but has got better over time x
I too hear my heart beat in my ears. I can feel my heart beat above my ears. The wonderful sharp ringing that just comes from out of no where to :( in my ears. Occasionally my jaw will hurt however I had coiling not a craniotomy so not sure if that has anything to do with it. Hope you feel better. Make a list of all you ?'s for your dr's. Keep a log of how you feel too.
