New SAH sufferer
I had a SAH 5 weeks ago which was coiled and am new to this forum. I am very tired and suffer from daily headaches. I have a strange weakness in my right hand and yesterday I was weepy all day. I also get angry and frustrated. I know it's early days but is this the norm
Any advice appreciated
Rudchester
Hi Rudchester and welcome. My SAH was 7+years ago but the details (post bleed) are still quite vivid, probably since it was the most mind blowing event of my life. I was still hospitalised at the 5 week stage and I feel it was around that point when realisation of the event was sinking in as, until that time, everything had been a blur.
The first issue I managed to convey (coherently) to the doctors was the constant headache and I was reminded I'd been taking Codeine & Paracetamol 4 times daily, but with no relief whatsoever. So between us my consultant and I agreed that 'Cold Turkey' might be wise to allow my own endorphins to take over...…...an what an improvement ! The headaches continued but at a manageable level whereby occasional Paracetamol would be effective enough to keep them at bay.
The emotional instability, fatigue and mobility problems took time (almost 12 months) to settle down but these are classic after-effects which need to be recognised and managed by whatever methods work for each individual. I found simply walking away from volatile or challenging situations the most effective in the early days.
It's too soon for you to be expecting 'recovery' right now m'dear, so please don't be despondent ; it's a lengthy process which can't be rushed as your poorly brain is still trying to adapt, and will be for some time yet.
Here's a link to information on coping with the after-effects of brain injury (whether from bleed, stroke, trauma etc.,) from the brilliant neuro-hospital where I had such excellent care:- Hope it helps....
google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q...
Hope to see you around ….. Best wises Cat x
Thank you cat3 for your post. It's a very lonely place to be not knowing anyone else in the same position. I was in hospital for nearly 3 weeks but the hospital is 1 hr 40 mins away and I dont see my consultant for 2 months and then at 5 months. I am taking paracetamol 4 x daily at the moment and orimorph at bed time. Which helps me get through the night. Another question has anyone had to notify the DVLA 're driving and what was the outcome. Obviously driving is not on my agenda for the long term but would grateful for any info.
Thank you Rudchester
Hi, my friend Andy collapsed and fell into the road outside his flat in April this year and had a traumatic brain injury. I have been helping him a lot since he came back to his flat as hes on his own as am I. I did notify DVLA on his behalf. Think if you look on their website we filled out a online form. Then we had a appointment with his doctor who had to write a report about the way he is. Once this was sent back, we've recently had a reply from DVLA to say he can't drive for 6 months from the date of the letter which was Sept. He hasn't driven since April so this will add up to 1yr. He can start to re-apply in Jan 2020 and has to possible get a doctor's report and a optician's report. We'll probably speak to someone at DVLA in Jan just to make sure we know what we need to do. Hope this helps, I know it's not the same possibly as your SAH so it's probably worth trying to ring them or e-mail them to get information as it might be different from my friends. I hope you keep looking at this site as I've found it invaluable, especially as I've found myself doing a lot of caring for my friend and it's been really hard. He's 69 and I'm 59. One moment you're only thinking about where we're going in our motorhome, then the next it's all changed. We have now, 6 months on, got a social worker onboard, he's just got 2 visits a month with a support worker from Curo, to take him to the shop and do a flat check. We're just looking at a couple of places where he could go to a day care centre too. It seems that it's quite a long time of waiting for things when you just want things done today! I hope you continue to recover well and this helps a bit.
Take care, Brenda
Thanks Brenda. Your reply is very helpful. I had my SAH on 15 September but dont see my consultant until February so wasn't sure when to notify the DVLA. Now I know the sooner the better. Tha ks for your advice. Hope your friend continues to make a good recovery. Carolyn
Hi Carolyn, thanks, glad it was helpful. Luckily I can drive and also drive the motor home so can still get around. Although Andy's a bit upset about not driving I don't really think he could at the moment. Will see how he is next year and what his doc says. I hope he can go back to it as it's another step towards getting some indepedence back. Do keep in touch on here to let us know how you are getting on. Best wishes, Brenda
It's a slow process, I'm 9months from my brain explosion which I had coiled. It takes time, more time and as much rest as is humanly possible. Anger and frustrations are par for the course and crying all the time at ridiculous things is also normal, I also definitely have a weakness in my left side as the heamorrage was in the right side of my brain. Sleep and rest as much as you can and don't place too high expectations on yourself as that can be counterproductive. You will have far more bad days than good at the start but this will slowly alter until you eventually start having more good days than bad. I have also found having a good week can be misleading as it may be followed by a bad month. It's just a very slow process to get better. Best of luck and try to get the rest you will need.
Thanks Jason for your post. I am normally quite stoic but yesterday I was uncontrollably tearful. It was awful I suppose I likened it to PTS. My husband has nicknamed me impatient patient but it's just hard to accept my limitations as I have always been independent and don't take to my bed normally. I do find the mornings go by just getting up, washed and dressed and then I sleep for anljt 2 hrs on the afternoon. Don't watch tv as it hurts my eyes and I am a bookworm but it's taken ages to read a chapter and I forget the story and have to re read the last page. Thanks for your help.
Hope you are continuing to improve
Yes, all seems normal to me. I'm improving slowly, very slowly. I'm trying to relearn everything. Watching things I've watched before but can't recall, my eyes have definitely deteriorated since tbi. Just think of it as a new you as the old you has gone. I have no patience and seem to have temper issues so I try to keep myself out of public situations as much as possible. I went to the shops the other day with my mother who parked in the disabled bays, as I was getting in the car with my door wide open someone came past the door, then a young lady asked me to move my door, so I shouted I'm disabled why do you need to squeeze past me? Can't you walk around instead of passing in the disabled area? With this I called her a @#@#ing ignorant ##@t all shouted so the whole carpark could hear. I really shouldn't have done this but hey ho that's how thing are at the moment. I know I'm not great to be around and that is the reality of the new me.
Oh dear. But I know what you mean about a short fuse. My husband has been great. Ironing, cooking and housework and shopping heaven forbid if he has bought the wrong thing or faffs about when making a meal. I apologise and don't like myself but he understands but I haven't been out yet but know things will get to me. Maybe if I get stronger and not so tired I will try a little walk with hubby. Thanks for sharing.
Hi there, I also had an sah, I put my thoughts into a website that you may find useful braininjuryftp.com
A Long trip for us SAH'ers and other bleeds but you will find as time goes on you will get better..Early days yet look back in a months time and then 2 months see how far you have come..Good luck Rudchester xxxxx
Hi WinB
Thanks for your reply. You are so right. I was 5 weeks post SAH when I wrote for advice and when I look back I am improving a little each week. I do get extremely fatigued by lunch time and I have had a couple of really really bad emotional episodes and I get teary when someone asks about my bleed. I get out now with my husband to the shops or park for a walk but I find I am unsteady on my feet when I am outside but ok in the house. I feel very vulnerabe outside and also with groups of people. This is so unlike who I was as I was in charge of 2 residential care homes and 90 staff. I know it will take time and although I can see a slight improvement each new goal I achieve I can find another issue I have to overcome. Onwards and upwards is my motto when feeling positive and have to shake off my low times. I'm not independent regarding daily chores and getting out and rely on my husband a lot and hope I will one day be able to venture outside on my own. Thanks to all other BI suffers who help with their comments.
Carolyn
I was sitting outsides Hubs works where I used to work. A man come up and said okay now Win ?. I must have made a right fool of myself I went sob yes okay now sniff sniff ..Couldn't help it tears just fell xxxx Ah well Keep smiling when poss. and a song doesn't go amiss xXXx So no sad songs just happy ones xxxx Bet the bloke was erm erm lol xxxxx
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