I also had a SAH, I thought my visions problems were related to age,,but the decline happened so quickly after surgery, I think maybe it was the aneurysym,,,thanks for your story..

Hi, ladies - it is great to be inthis group with you both! I'm not sure what type odf aneurysm mine was - all I know is that it ruptured and was told by various people besides my husband that I almost died . Aneurysms are horrible! I had an aunt who suffered from it and died in her sleep; mayGod rest her soul. We are all very blessed to still be alive; i also suffered a couple of mini-strokes right on the operating table, so, now, my left side is impaired.God bless you both! Annie

I had a ruptured SAH on May 9th of 2008 while washing the evening dishes. No symptoms prior to that. Just a quick moment where I felt like my head was under water and then the piercing pain and the warm feel of blood gushing into my brain. I knew what had happened and did not pass out but asked to be taken to the hospital. I had my clipping two days later on Mother's Day after being shipped to three different hospitals while they tried to find a neurosurgeon willing to treat me. Luckily I had a wonderful surgeon and excellent care all around. As with all of us, my situation was quite grave but I was fortunate and came out of the whole thing quite intact.

I still have some panic moments where the slightest little twinge in my head will give me pause. I also feel that I it effected my short term memory. I seem to have to write everything down now - lists are everywhere. My husband will assure me we discussed something and I have absolutely no recollection. Anyone else experience this? I am still very tired and feel much better if I can lie down midday for about two hours (which isn't always possible). A year post surgery and still fatigued. Anyone else still tired and having headaches this long after surgery? I'm 39 and wonder if I will always feel this way.?

Hi - my name is Lorim 42. I had an SAH on 9/12/2008.....luckily I suffered no deficits but the experience has been one life changing event - as I'm sure all of you know....

Life flighted from Jasper to Evansville - had a wonderful team from Deaconess Gateway hospital care for me....the neurosurgeon was outstanding....Had coiling....very lucky....

But Melissa - I have to agree with you - I experience a lot of problems with memory and at first I was very concerned about any twinge I felt in my head as well......Since my cerebral arteriogram a couple of weeks ago with a clean bill of health, I feel pretty good but sometimes I can't help but wonder.......I am more tired than I was preSAH but.....I try to make do....I'm going to have a work-up on my TSH levels.....I've gained about 12 lbs. since November (unusual for me).....

Memory seems to be the biggest problem.....lots of lists and problems recalling......

Would love to talk more about this....I'm glad I found a more up-to-date group! Thanks for being here....Its unfortunate we experienced the aneurysm but glad that we are all here to share.....

Thanks.
Have a great day!
Lori

hi, Lon; I've been gone a while, but I, too, am so grateful that we are all here, to share, learn and support each other. Not sure about you guys, but, I somelearned that sleeping does wonders for our injured brains; no wonder I feel the need to nap constantly. what about you guys? Also, my memory's pretty much shot.altho there are times when I amaze myself for remembering things from the past very clearly. That's when I get confused; or maybe mythe part of my brain that wasn't injured, compensates for the injured portion this way, who knows? thanks foer listening!

Hi !!It is so good to be able to read and feel not so alone some how it helps to know that they are people out there that they have gone through what you have gone through .After the operation one has to learn and like that new person you have to become and then you have to start all over once you have new symptoms.

I also had so many TC scans with no resalts and only when I had an MRI they found the Aneourysm and a brain surgery was performed , 3 titanium clips where used and my long term memory was impairment .
I have not been feeling well again and the frightful thing is that i had to have CT scan because if you have titanium clips they will not do an MRI .
Are you on any medication?
Please keep up sending your stories it helps so much

I pray for all of us!!!!!l

On December 10, 2009, I went to bed shortly before 11 p.m. My husband, who wasn't supposed to get home from work until after midnight, had arrived home early just about 15 minutes earlier. My husband said I hadn't been asleep more than 10 or 15 minutes when an aneurysm ruptured in my brain. He told me he was just dozing off when it happened. He heard me become violently ill and it sounded like I was choking as well. I was. He yelled out to me, got no response and yelled for our son who had just arrived home (and had first response training when he'd worked as a security guard during his first two years of college) while he scrambled to try to help me. They tell me the paramedics were there in less than seven minutes.

I have no memory of that part other than the paramedics being in the room, unable to see because everything was a glaring white and calmly trying to figure out what was going on only... well... it didn't seem like I could think.There were just flickers of thought now and then. Awareness that I was being slid into an ambulance, suddenly aware they were wanting to take me to a hospital where I'd had a bad experience and startling my husband and the attendants by ordering them to take me to "my hospital" where I'd had treatment for breast cancer two years before. Yes, I am a breast cancer survivor also.

When I arrived, they thought at first it was simply a stroke but a radiologist spotted the 2mm rupture. The neurosurgeon later told me that was what saved my life. I have a titanium coil.

For the next seven days, I have only the briefest fragments of memory. My husband is happy about that. He feels it is better that I don't remember those days and he was relieved to find I do not.

After that, I progressed very rapidly. When I first "woke up", I was disappointed to learn they were going to move me back into ICU but was told that due to the weekend and holidays, they wanted me where a closer eye could be kept on me. I went back to ICU on Friday afternoon and was released from ICU late Sunday afternoon.

I'm told that I was very lucky. The rupture occurred the evening of December 10th. I was released from the hospital on December 22nd and they had determined that I needed no physical therapy. I went back to my job as a second grade teacher on January 22nd.

Things seem to be going well. I haven't suffered headaches and I haven't noticed too many memory issues... at least nothing worse than what I have experienced since chemo.

So glad you recovered so quickly. My experience was very similar to yours. Only defect really is with my short term memory but I have been told by all to get used to it! I have found a few techniques that help but it can still be frustrating some times. Its been 7 months now for me and I can see changes in myself since the annie. I definitely do not have the same amount of patients I once had. Which makes it hard as I have 2 small kids at home and work full time. If I am having a stressful week at work everything falls apart at home! Its great to day don't get stressed out or leave your work at home but for those working mom's out there that is very hard to do..
The hardest part for me is not being able to do as much as I used to and tireing easily.. I am here to see my kids grow up and for that I am defininely gratefull.

You, ladies are awesome! Thanks for sharing ur stories and experiences.I'm so glad to be in this group. I just hope I can help and also contribute

I am really grateful to read the other posts in the group, it has brought me strength and happiness. Sometimes I feel really alone, like I'm the only survivor of a SAH, but when I read all of your experiences, I know I'm not alone. Congrats to all of us who have survived a SAH and are doing well!!!

As a breast cancer survivor, I was well acquainted with the importance of support groups so after my SAH, I started looking around and found little... :(

It is wonderful to learn you are not alone! It is good to know there are other survivors and to share stories and experiences. Especially, those of people who have been a survivor for awhile. They tell me there are no more aneurysms. They tell me that mine may have been there since birth and it will never happen again but.. yeah... it does lurk in the back of my mind... sort of like the cancer. Now I get to see both the oncologist AND neurosurgeon this summer. On the other hand... I get to SEE them and when you look at that from that perspective... that is a good thing LOL! It really is.

This was brought home to me very clearly last Saturday when I was sitting at the wedding of my son. Last December, his bride (who lived over 350 miles away) rushed here as soon as she got off work when she heard about my SAH and last week... last week I danced at their wedding. I have much to be thankful for!

Let me introduce myself. My name is Terry and I am currently 54 years old I had 2 Brain Aneurysms (1 ruptured) Subarachnoid Hemorrhage which caused a stroke and 2 coil embolisms on May 26, 2008. It was Memorial Day weekend. I loved to entertain and had friends over for dinner in my beautiful yard. A good time was had by all. At 7:00 a.m. the next morning, I put on my bathing suite and floated on my raft in the pool. After a 30 minute rest I began to straighten up the yard.

I suddenly began to have lower back pain and a stiff neck. Then the thunderclap headache, violent vomiting, and cold sweats, I was screaming out for help; I knew something was terribly wrong. My 24 year old daughter and my husband stood at the end of my bed as I began to seize. I told them that they should call 911; I kept saying that my brain exploded. The emergency services and local police were in my bedroom taking my vitals and asking me questions. They asked if I had been drinking the night before, I said yes, we had had a holiday party. Which lead them to the conclusion that I drank too much and must be hung over and dehydrated. My daughter argued with them. âI know my Mother better then anyone and this is not the result of drinking.â I had another seizure.

I was taken by ambulance to a local Hospital and given a CAT scan; they saw the bleed but were unable to treat me. I was then airlifted to Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and had surgery the next morning (15% survival rate). Vasospasms and other complications followed. I was in the neuroscience intensive care unit for 28 days.

This event has completely changed my life.

It has been ten months, The headaches, fatigue and anxiety come and go. Physically I am gaining strength every day. My brain is foggy and memory is shot. Can't spell lost my math skills and can't seem to make decisions. I get confused easily. I'll keep working on it.

They shaved my head and told me I can't use any products on my hair for 1 year post op. Therefore the silver hair. It's growing on me!!!

Same thing here. Its really difficult to be understood with this problem since very few survived like we did. I am happy for all of you.

There is indeed much to be grateful for in surviving a SAH. I am entering my third year, I could not return to work or graduate studies, i had a rotal amnesia type event for 6 months or more while in hospital and afafter. Still memory problems, seems like i get better at remembering what I used to be able to do and that i cannot do now. It definitely changes ones life, personality and friendships. Too bad this site is not more active but it is difficult to remember to revisit at times, i know. Best wishes to you all, be kind to yourselves!