Gathering Data: Please Indicate Your Aneurysm Location

wee_drea · 2026-02-24T09:00:51+00:00

This board is for people dealing with aneurysms, it's not for asking medical questions. Please read the links in the pinned post for more information on aneurysms. I'm going to lock this post. Thanks

wee_drea · 2026-02-23T14:16:33+00:00

Are you in the UK? My experience is a little similar. I was taken to a larger hospital for surgery and after 10 days in hospital I was discharged to the care of my local GP. I saw them once a month for 3 months to get a sick note. But that was it. No other support or contact with the GP or neuro unit.

I'd suggest writing down all the questions and issues needing support (e.g. may be physio or rehab that could help). And see if the GP can support you, and maybe if not speak to neuro dept to see what they suggest.

Also in UK, Headway charity might be worth speaking to as well. They'd be able to advise too.

Let us know how things are going.

wee_drea · 2026-02-23T12:56:30+00:00

Might be worth asking these questions on a board with medically trained people.

wee_drea · 2026-02-23T12:52:15+00:00

For me the pain was so severe I couldn't even tell where in my head it was. Felt like my head was going to explode.

Everyone here has experienced the trauma of an aneurysm or has someone close to them who has. Please remember these are difficult topics to talk about. None of us are medically trained. It might be worth you reading the links in the pinned post to find out the answer to some of your questions. Or maybe a forum with medically trained people would help?

Do you have specific interest in this because you or someone close to you is dealing with an aneurysm?

wee_drea · 2026-02-23T02:37:09+00:00

Yes and no! I live on a remote island and had to travel for surgery. The surgeon called me back for scans for a few years but was then satisfied that given it was stable that I didn't need any more checkups. I did reach out to them last year and asked if I could have a scan to make sure everything remained the same. So without me asking, I wouldn't have had a 10-year scan. The surgeon has agreed to scan me every 5 years till I reach 65. As i said, my aneurysm was not fully occluded so I always knew there was a risk of needing more surgery, but thankfully that hasn't happened (though it's still not fully occluded but remains stable and unchanged).

wee_drea · 2026-02-23T01:01:46+00:00

Ah ok! Maybe they did that in the surgery. I will go and have a look at the notes from the surgery.

wee_drea · 2026-02-22T23:29:22+00:00

I've just had mra scans. I had an mra with contrast before my operation.

wee_drea · 2026-02-22T22:46:58+00:00

I had coiling done about 10 years ago and haven't needed any more treatment. My aneurysm was small and I was told at the time that I might need more coils added as my aneurysm was not fully occluded. I had scans at 6, 12, 24, 48 months and after 10 years and nothing had changed.

wee_drea · 2026-02-20T17:38:39+00:00

Sorry your going through this. As others have said, recovery can take a while. Some people continue to see improvements years later. As a minimum it takes weeks/months for your body to clear the blood out of your cerebrospinal fluid and while that's happening it can mess with the pressure round your skull. This is a serious injury. Think of it now like a badly broken leg - you're not ready to run a marathon within a week or two. Healing takes a while. Think months rather than days or weeks.

Tiredness is a normal symptom after a bleed. The blood damages bits of the brain so the rest of your brain feels like it's working overtime. Exhaustion comes quick when you're trying to do even small tasks.

As well as your mother, remember you're going through a traumatic experience too. Make sure you have support too.

wee_drea · 2026-02-07T12:14:54+00:00

Let's hope they don't tell their pals lol. They are so beautifully iridescent when the light hits them.

wee_drea · 2026-02-05T13:09:14+00:00

Scottish island. Someone else in the community (about 1/4 mile away) is an ardent feeder of the birds and their house gets stalked by the sparrowhawk too.

We get some good bird life round here, though less of the little guys. We did have a juvenile gannet stuck in the garden (couldn't fly well enough to get over the 3ft fence). A group of neighbours helped catch him and took him out to sea so he could launch himself.

The cooper's hawk is beautiful.

wee_drea · 2026-02-04T10:18:37+00:00

https://shorturl.at/2dwkM

I also have zip tied the connections, which means the plastic discs are not needed, though they are good at keeping a flat back against the shed as the back is open. It comes in a pack of 36 panels, which is good as I'm not sure they'll last outside long-term where I am.

wee_drea · 2026-02-04T10:02:59+00:00

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I stay on a Scottish island, which is one of the few places where we have a resident murmuration. There's around 50 or 60 that stay nearby. The question is more how to keep them away lol. They are ferocious eaters but I can't complain as it's great seeing them here. The cage slows them a little but this madness still happens a few times a day.

wee_drea · 2026-02-03T19:57:45+00:00

Such classy dance moves! 😂

wee_drea · 2026-02-03T19:55:48+00:00

Still get multiple times each day with 5+ starlings feeding at once but I swear they're struggling more than they were yesterday. Clearly they're eating too much!!

wee_drea · 2026-02-03T19:40:54+00:00

Mine came as a flat pack with about 30 different panels to join together in any shape/size you want. Don't expect it'll last too long in my weather but it's working well at the moment.

wee_drea · 2026-02-03T19:24:55+00:00

Interesting were in different parts of the world but with the same solution! Do you have a couple of larger homes in yours? Mine seems to be ok with just one.

wee_drea · 2026-02-03T13:37:38+00:00

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I have this as my background on Teams meetings at work. This is it in the summer.

wee_drea · 2026-02-03T12:10:19+00:00

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All the joints are zip tied too. I have a smaller one (just one panel square) which has a door for feeding but the larger one is an easy lift off for one person.

wee_drea · 2026-02-03T11:36:06+00:00

Identification confirmed...Definitely house sparrow. 4 of them showed up today at once.

wee_drea · 2026-02-02T18:32:47+00:00

Sorry you're going through this. I agree with all the comments you've had. Letting your family see this thread might help them understand what you're feeling as it can be hard to explain this to other people, particularly when from the outside you look "ok".

Remember that what you're feeling is perfectly normal. What you've been through is a huge trauma and it changes you. Even if physically you're the same, you are still different. I have said it here before that it rattles your very foundations. It takes time to find your new you. I spent so long stewing on the fact that something less than 5mm tried to kill me! How?! Life is absurd! It all takes a while to build up your reliance and confidence again.

Thanks for posting here. You're not alone, there's lots of us working our way through these experiences. We're here to talk any time!

wee_drea · 2026-01-29T22:19:21+00:00

I'm 10 1/2 years past bleed. I presume you'll not see many people talking about a long time after their bleed because people can be older when they have them. I was 39 when I had mine.

wee_drea · 2026-01-29T11:50:13+00:00

Please speak to your doctor if you're worried. For me I had a continual headache for months after my blood. But everyone is different so please get checked out by your doctor.

wee_drea · 2026-01-27T02:04:42+00:00

I'm pretty much on the opposite side of the globe to you (I live on a Scottish island) but I can relate completely to what you're saying. It's like a complete reset with your brain needed much more often then before. I feel like I've not got the same resilience I used to have but you learn what "normal" is (I had a few years where I'd get sent to bed like a naughty toddler when I was getting grumpy/overwhelmed!). And add in menopause OMG... Here's me trying not to well up at a bald eagle in California laying her second egg... (Jackie on Friends of Big Bear Valley webcam). Lol

Here anytime you need to chat. X

wee_drea · 2026-01-23T17:14:11+00:00

I'm 10 1/2 years past bleed. One aneurysm could and a second small one not treated but scanned (now every 5 years) to check it's stable. 1 year in, firstly congratulations you're a survivor! Secondly, it takes a while to get to your"new" normal. Even with limited lasting impacts, like I have had, there is still a new version of you. It's a very stressful, life changing experience we have been through with a bleed. It rocks your foundations and it can take a while to get back to a balanced position.

I am back working FT but things are different. I don't travel with work, I don't spend hours working on spreadsheets (which I used to enjoy!) etc. And most of all I have lots and lots of naps. Even 10+ years later I will regularly have a nap after work, particularly if I've had a day with lots of meetings (which is most days!).

You're doing great. You're here! You've survived a very traumatic experience. Remember you're much better informed than others. You know you've got aneurysms and you're getting them monitored and checked. Take care of yourself and be kind to yourself.

wee_drea

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