Does everyone who has a ruptured aneurysm in the brain, resulting in a SAH, have a haemorrhagic stroke?

[Alicedenham]

[headwayuk Partner Headway]

Hi Alicedenham,

Thank you for your question. Yes, a haemorrhagic stroke is another possible term for a SAH due to a ruptured aneurysm.

Is there any more information you need about this?

Best wishes,

Headway.

[Alicedenham in reply to headwayuk]

Thank you. I have been getting confused with the different terms used by medical staff. My consultant told me I had suffered a stroke i didn't realised that a ruptured aneurysm could cause a stroke.

[Hidden]

I was also confused about this. Simply put, they're all related in some way. A ruptured aneurysm can lead to a type of stroke called a SAH. I've noticed most people here use the term "SAH" instead of stroke.

[cat3]

I'm still confused. When I emerged from my SAH the first thing I asked was "have i had a stroke" and the answer was "no,you've had a subarachnoid haemorrhage,it's different". On subsequent occasions the answer has always been the same.

I thought a stroke was a blockage, which is treated with drugs, and a SAH is a bleed, which is treated with either surgical clipping or endovascular coiling....I had the coiling.

So I still don't get it.....(sorry). x

[Hidden in reply to cat3]

80% of strokes are ischemic (blokage), 20% are haemorrhagic (bleeding), an SAH is a haemorragic stroke in the space between the brain and the covering skin. A stroke is an interruption of blood supply. I had a traumatic brain injury which also caused haemorrhages, so you might say I had a stroke as well as a traumatic brain injury, right? It's confusing for me too.

[Alicedenham in reply to cat3]

It gets confusing, I had two surgical clips fitted under surgery but went on to have a vasospasm 9 days later. So the haemorraghe stroke or SAH happened because of the ruptured aneurysm but the bleeding causes a vasospasm?

[Hidden in reply to Alicedenham]

That's right, the vasospasm is a type of secondary stroke that happens when the blood vessels on the brain sense there's blood present in the fluid surrounding the brain. This happens in only the more severe cases of SAH stroke. This is all explained in the book..

[Alicedenham in reply to Hidden]

Definitely worth giving this book a read, I could finally understand what happened to me. Thank you for your support!

[Hidden]

I should say I stumbled across the explanation I gave in a book i'm reading called "Rebooting My Brain" which is a personal account of someone who had an SAH stroke caused by an aneurysm.

[Alicedenham in reply to Hidden]

I have been recommended that book. Is it good?

[Hidden in reply to Alicedenham]

Its a great read so far, I like these personal accounts and we can all learn something from them. She had the same thing happen to her...

[Alicedenham in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply. It would be good to read somebody else's account and learn from them..

[Jigsaw in reply to Alicedenham]

Hi Alice, I've got this book, it is good!

Sorry it is confusing, I can't understand it either, I think an SAH can be referred to as a type of stroke but a vasospasm can cause what people normally understand to be a stroke. I started to get a vasospasm in hospital as u know and immediately had my blood pressure increased to get rid of the restriction but bless you were already at home! Xx

[Alicedenham in reply to Jigsaw]

Can I borrow it when you have finished it? Still working my way through the Angles Way!!

Yes that was a bit unfortunate, being sent home before the 10 day period had finished! Sent home on day 7 back in on day 9!!

[Jigsaw in reply to Alicedenham]

Caus you can xx

[cat3]

Phew .....thanks Anthony. x

[Hidden]

It doesn't matter from point of view of, the outcome and treatment being the same now. But the terminology can be confusing and you don't want to deny yourself important treatment because you're ignorant of your own condition.