Is This Normal

[kjg001]

Hi All,

I had a clip 5-6 weeks ago, the area operated on was just above my right ear, over the past week I have had a swelling just below this, very soft liquid filled kink of squidgy area in front of my ear and a harder lump just above.

I do not wish to keep running back and fro to the doctors, it is a distance to walk and I have lost my car, and a taxi is out of the question as on SSP still.

Is there a risk with what I am experiencing as today, even on the anti inflamitories is seems to have gotten worse.

My pain has been worse the past few days.

Thanks for any advice

Karl

[Lubilu01]

I know it's not what you want to hear but you should ask your docs advice. Can you start with a telephone appointment. Were you not give a contact at the hospital for advice? Can you cadge a lift from someone? It may be nothing but probably best to let a professional take a look. Best wishes xx

[kjg001]

I know, But I hate asking for help, each time feels like a failure, I should be doing this stuff like driving myself at my age. I will try and get a phone appointment.

ty

[cat3]

I can't believe what you're saying. You can't possibly consider driving (at any age) after a haemorrhage only last month And why would you feel like a failure after such a life threatening event ?

Take all the help you can get and, yes, that means even if you have to ASK for it. I'm pretty sure your GP will want to see you when you explain what's going on......It really does sound like it needs looking at. It might not be anything serious but it could be infected and,if so,

shouldn't be nelected.

Please look after yourself. Take care, cat x

[kjg001]

TY, I would not consider driving, I got rid of my car immediately after the haemorrhage. I will try and get an appointment on Monday, If need be I can get my partner to drive me there when he goes to work and take it easy walking back. I feel a failure asking people for help, I can not help the way I feel. The swollen area is a little less swollen today but my confusion in really bad.

Thanks for all your time in answering my questions and your advice.

Karl

[Lubilu01]

You are welcome. Just take it easy, it really is early days and you need to take care of yourself. You are not a failure at all, you have been through a huge thing and come out the other side. Try to stop beating yourself up and make sure you look after yourself x

[kjg001]

I think I am bent paranoid, I can smell buttered toast, there is nothing to cause the smell. I have had a bad day a few funny sensations and now I am getting really paranoid. Just about to take my pills and going to take more diazepam to try and chill me out and stop this paranoid nonsense that I am having more issues with the bleed.

Did anyone else go through this that a few weird sensations and you thought you were getting ill again, the swelling I read can be normal and can last a few weeks after the operation with a clip, they say it does go in time.

I just feel awful panicking the whole time but can't stop when I keep getting weird sensations in my head and strange pains in new places so cheers everyone talking here does remind me I am normal.

[headwayuk Partner Headway]

Dear kjg001

To notice new swelling 5 weeks after an operation, alongside worsening confusion it certainly sounds like you need an urgent medical assessment.

If you need to talk things through please call our nurse led helpline on 0808 800 22 44

Best wishes

Headway UK

[kjg001]

I have an appointment at 15.50 to see the doctor, I will not take my anti-inflammatory that I should take in 20 minutes with the other drugs as the swelling is real low today, dont want him to think I am crazy, especially when I tell him I could smell buttered toast last night and heard something in the wardrobe lol.

Hopefully it will be nothing and I will not get sectioned, lol, might be because they went through something in the jaw, although the jaw is healed.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me this morning, It is really appreciated, as long as I do not have to spent a week in Accident and emergency I will get back to you later with the conclusion.

Thanks again.

[Lubilu01]

Hi, how did you get on at the doctors? X

[kjg001]

Hi,

The doc thought it was probably not a bleed but was stuck for a cause, she is contacting my neuro surgeon at st georges in Tooting to see what he thinks, she said that where my operation was could cause me to hear things and smell things and she put me on those morphine stickers, so 5 pain killing drugs and still in pain, I am hoping the fentynal has not kicked in yes, that way it still might work and I could be pain free for the first time in a fw months.

Cheers All

[Crocus]

Hi, I didn't have a clip but I had coiling, an EVD and then later a shunt placed after my SAH.

The healingof the nerves give you strange sensations all over your head, plus the blood from the haeomorage takes a long while to disperse and while it is doing that you feel strange. Glad you got checked out though for the swelling. Don't be frightened to do that. I've been back many times.

My best advice is rest up and go very slow, it's such early days, you need to be resting, drinking masses of water and eating regularly. Your brain needs lots of energy to heal plus you're recovering from. brain surgery. Go easy with yourself.

Behind the Grey is another site I visit which is run by SAH survivors so that's another good one like this for reassurance of the strange symptoms we get.

Take every day as it comes. It gets better.

[kjg001]

ty for taking the time to reply, also on a fentanyl patch and today is my best day by a long shot, just a mild headache.

cheers again