Headaches and sleep issues

[SDH_Recovery]

Hi all again,

I have been reading some of the comments people have been making about Headaches and sleep issues and I thought I would describe my recovery in case it helps anyone and of course anyone has anything to say of use to me

I have a Chronic Subdural Haematoma, which at first hospital said to recover for months at home without surgery, but it kept on getting worse until I was back in an ambulance with a 3rd scan finally performed to show that it had dramatically grown from the 8mm that did not previously qualify for surgery. Now I am urgently transferred to a hospital that can perform neurosurgery and I have a drain fitted to drain the blood that is merrily compressing my brain.

I was discharged from care a few weeks later and am feeling much better, but it is safe to say to that life is not perfect.

Sleeping was a massive problem and it is still not ideal, to start off with I would be awake every hour across the night and would be lucky to get 3 hours sleep. My advice here is not to get too worried or stressed about lack of sleep. Just keep calm and accept that you will be awake, acceptance of the situation is the first part of conquering the sleep issue.

Over a period of 4 weeks, I slowly started to sleep a bit longer inbetween the wake ups and was getting nearer to 5 hours broken sleep, a couple of more weeks later and I was getting almost 6 hours broken sleep, which to be fair was plentiful. Now a good 8 weeks later I sleep between 6-7.5 hours a night, but I will wake up at least twice and sometime up to 4 time a night, but due to accepting the issues rather than fretting about it, I found getting back to sleep after a wake up getting progressively easier.

With regards to headaches, I initially had persistent headaches, but nothing like those I had prior to the excess blood being drained, they slowly started to settle down and I was then finding I could have a week with no headache at all. However, I could then have a very mild headache that would come and last a few days, I have one of those now since the weekend. A sort of depressive headache, no real stabbing pains of anything.

Of course, the problem after brain injury will to be concerned whenever you have a headache and lord knows if you can ever get over that, maybe years of it not ending up with being in hospital?

I spoke to my surgeon about this during my final chat with him before full discharge and he said to expect headaches, apparently the leftover iron from the bleed can cause them as well.

I always try to focus on the good news that I am still alive, the odds against Subdural Haematomas are not a nice read online, but I think more people survive them that the stats suggest?

Hope everyone here is recovering well!

[LostGenius]

Glad to hear you made it through all that! It is always great to hear someone has beat the odds on that way. 🙌🏻 Where I live any urgent medical conditions wouldn’t have that positive an outcome with the 2-4 hours it takes just to be triaged to see a nurse to decide if you are an ‘urgent’ ER case only to wait hour more before you even see a doctor.

It all definitely sounds pretty scary anytime something brain surgery related is involved. I’m sure your story will help others going through the same thing. 😊

Best of luck in the rest of your recovery!

I try to not worry too much about sleep since I’ve learned I can live off of no sleep or very little sleep since I don’t really have a real life after my accident I can catch up when I eventually crash and sleep for 12 hours between doctor’s or physio appointments. 😴

[skydivesurvivor]

they will go in the end, just think! The brain is rewiring? However mine took several years of excruciating pain!! Felt like someone was using a pick axe to dig trough for new wiring! Keep safe

[Letsrock]

Very good advice, thank you for this.

[skydivesurvivor in reply to Letsrock]

oh, & when it don’t hurt, smile broadly!! World make think u mad!!… we know different!!.. c caused a little smirk?!

[Shreds]

I am lead to believe that sleep issues can often be due to an unconscious pattern and as you say, you managed to stretch the timescale so well done you.

I still find insomnia (the condition, not the iconic 1990s song by Faithless) 🤣 affects me and a racing mind with lots of thoughts makes sleep difficult. I find that couple of Kalms tablets and a glass of milk will settle things and let me sleep, but maybe I try and do too much during the day and should slow up a bit.

I get very anxious and overwhelmed by lots of things, even ones well outside of my control and this stress response was something my neuro warned about. (Its on my Headway card too).

I now try to start the calming wind down a couple of hours before bed and that plus a milky drink help in my case.

Of course everyone is different and you have to find what works best for you.