Flights after brain aneurysm treatment

[Lyndaryan]

Hi everyone I an new to this site. I suffered a rather large SAH some 14 years ago & was left with severe memory problems. I couldn't read or write (I was 49 years old) I didn't recognise anyone for months & was left with really severe headaches. I did learn to read & write again with my then young Grabdson - We learned together. I feel for the last 2-3 years I'm the best I could possibly be. I'm fit active run my own business & lead a FULL HAPPY LIFE. Just before Xmas I was taken to my local hospital after an unexpected drop in blood pressure where on admission I was sent straight for a brain scan which I thought was an over reaction down to my past history. After the scan it was then Lumbar Puncture & all the normal brain testing stuff. After the tests were done I was asked if I knew I had a frontal cerebral Aneurism?? Yes I did it was an incidental find during the SAH but the Consultant thought at the time as it was small I could have been born with it & it might never give me any problems. This aneurism was monitored for 5 years & never changed at all. The local hospital thought it best to refer me back to the Neuro Dept where I had been treated for the SAH just to check me out to be in the safe side. I attended last week to discover this small minimal Aneurism was now at 7.5 mm or cm can't remember which BUT it had a Sister Aneurism attached which seemed to be of serious concern to the Consultant who wanted me to be added to his surgery list then & there. After such the long road to recovery after the SAH I just couldn't make an instant decision then & there but I go back on the 5th April where a decision must have been made. Should the coiling or clipping decision be made by the Consultant?? He's the one going to have to deal with it? Has anyone had the coiling without a load of serious after effects?? Has anyone had the clipping & come through OK without years of struggle to get back to normal?? I know after the bleed I wasn't allowed on a plane for 2 years & then a maximum of no more than 3 hours EVER!! Does clipping allow for longer flight duration?? It's a battle trying to get any straight answers off the professionals or is it the fact I've already had a significant bleed that puts them off telling me I could be going back down the road I've just got back to normality from??

HELP anyone who can answer ANY of my queries!! It would be really gratefully received.

[me2you]

Hi Lyndaryan just read your post I can't help as I am just starting my journey and and still waiting to see consultant but just wanted to wish you all the best and hope someone on here can help you xx

[Miiimiix]

Hi Lyndaryan,

Just read your post and couldn't pass by without a reply!

My scenario is a little different to yours and I am now 2.5 years on from my SAH at the age of 26 and on the day of my haemorrhage I had the coiling done.

I cannot really comment on recovery from the procedure alone as of course I was recovering from both the SAH and the procedure at the same time.

I have been diagnosed with a condition which is the cause of my aneurysm and subsequent SAH and this is called Spinal AVM. For this reason I am under continual surveillance with regular scans / updates on the growth of my AVM etc.......

Having had to battle to get my life back on track again and looking back on the struggles ...... the thought of having to do it again would be very daunting to me.

However......... the positives are that I am 2.5 years on and living as normal a life as anyone could be given the situation. I work full time.... am in a great relationship and have lots of my own goals and aspirations which I am working towards. I do have my limits and I do get pain and headaches. I may have to slow down before others do and take a step back from certain things but having not been given a choice in the coiling..... I am now happy that this has been done. It gives me atleast a little more security than I would have had.... and with this security I can be more positive about the future.

Had I have been given the choice?? I'd have probably struggled to commit to saying yes to a treatment through the same fears as yours.

Now everyone is different and I am fully aware that with everyones procedure comes a whole different set of risks etc.... and what works for one may not for another.

But I guess if they are giving you an option this atleast means that think that they can help to provide you with more security?

I hope all is going okay for you.

Mia x

[Lyndaryan1 in reply to Miiimiix]

Hi Mia, thank you so much for your reply. I have been given a thought time to consider my options & my Consultant would be more than happy to do either procedure coiling or clipping so he's none commital about which in his opinion would be the best option. He's had great SUCESS with both. Having given my situation & my age (64) I'm opting for the coiling purely on the grounds of recovery time. Yes I will have to return regularly to check if the coils are working or if I need to have more added but the clipping is three times as long in High Dependency alone which automatically leads me to think this option must carry much more risk needing a much longer recovery. The other problem I can see with clipping is the invasive way it's carried out & the risk of infection while the skull is healing which in some cases can be up to a YEAR!! Have you had problems with memory impairment?? My Consultant told me both methods have memory impairment afterwards but it differs on how long this lasts for!!

I'm now on his 24 hour cancellation list & have an appointment for 25th May which I think will be for a final scan to check for growth of the aneurysm as the latest date for my procedure will be some time in July. My husband was dead against the clipping as he thinks the risks are much greater but he still agreed the ultimate decision had to be mine but he raised a very valid point that I had had a Angiogram on my brain in the past that I had no problems with at all so in his opinion the going through the artery was much safer for me. The only argument the Consultant raised clipping against coiling was with the clipping it was job DONE - One check up & the job was finished & completely OVER. My husbands response to that was - If you hadn't been checked then you wouldn't have known you even had the aneurysm so if your been checked then that has to be better in case you have any further problems. I must admit you have given me a hell of a lift in confidence especially as you've returned back to work in such a short space of time. You should be really PROUD of yourself & good for you to show such a fighting spirit as without you been so determined I know for sure you sure as hell wouldn't & couldn't be where you are right now. Thank you so much again.

Lynda

[Bradybunch35]

Hello sorry but just saw your post .

My husband had a SAH and had to relearn everything. He had coiling originally and then had to be clipped after a year as it had grown back. We were told before clipping that he could fly as it doesn't effect the pressure but we were told not to have intercourse as this apparently does, to which he said to the consultant you're a bit late telling us that😂.

He never has headaches now and I think that the clipping relieved the pressure in his head.

Recovery from the clipping for him was rapid, a few days he was back to normal.

I wish you the best of luck take care.

Olive

[Lyndaryan1 in reply to Bradybunch35]

WOW!! Now that sounds like a really good result!! My Consultant was as confident to carry out either clipping or coiling but he did say as he found me a very black & white type of person if he were me he would opt for the clipping as once it's done the job is completely over just one check afterwards & that's it where the coiling would mean many more hospital visits for life!!

You have made me really consider the clipping again as that was my initial choice but then after reading lots of different information the coiling looked much safer & much less invasive,

Looks to me like your husband is the first patient to have really positive feedback from the clipping & it sounds like a really good recovery as well??

Thank you so much for your reply it's been really helpful.

Lynda