new here and new to annies

[magpie]

Awaiting early Dec surgery for 2 newly discovered unruptured annies. Still in the "me?" stage. Need to talk to people (not about medical stuff) but about how they felt and how they are doing and what to expect. My surgeon thinks it will be a piece of cake, hope so but want experienced real expectations. Even things like will I be able to work from home during the recoup time? (comptroller), sounds laughable to me. Mine need clipping (can't coil them) RT PCA and opthomolic (?) I was told about 3 wks out of work, sound reasonable? I have had a headache since July, will it be worse? Alot of questions! :rolleyes:

[TropicalTrish]

Hi Magpie!
Won't be too long for you to wait - I had to wait about 6 weeks when they discoverd my un ruptured 8mm basilar tip. I am 10 days home from coiling. My best advice is be So sure of what medicines make you sick. I did NOT know Demoral the pain killer made me ill and work up afte my procedure throwing up - which ruptured one of my groin sutures and blood seeped into my abdomen. Now I know I will never let anyone give me Demoral again. I am bruised from belly button on down - like 1 square foot of black and blue - well it's now green 10 days later :) Anyhow - this too shall pass with lots of hot compress's. Because I am also on Plavix/Aspirin I am told I WILL bruise from next to nothing so I imagine that helped.
If the bleeding didn't happen I think I would have been fine with just the coiling almost immediatly.
But it sounds like you are going for surgery?...not coiling?

I am sure there are many folks online here who have lots of tips for you on that.
Do tell us the date and I will be sure to send you lots of good thoughts that day.

I wish I had found this site prior to my procedure.

Best thoughts to you! Stay calm enjoy the next few weeks too - I tried to really enjoy
my time before the procedure.

This site is great and folks are kind and I am learning more and more.


Take care

TropicalTrish

[janeh]

I am 12 post op of clipping . My annie was 7mm and on left side behind eye area. I had to wait about 20 days from being told to actual surgery date. Doctor wanted it out earlier but because I was o Plavix due to a mini stroke in April, I had to wait two weeks to get Plavix out of system. That was more dangerous. The waiting was very hard, I felt like I was circling the airport, and when urgery day came i was very ready to land.
I really did not ask to many questions about what he was going to do to me, I just trusted him, and had complete faith.
The only things I can tell you from my own experience is is that I get tired very easy. For the first month I did not drive. It also took about a month for eye bruising to go away. I still get swelling, and my left eye area is just not the same. My left side eye area is dented in from where he cut into me.
Also my left ear drum somehow perforated, but about 6 weeks I am glad to say it is back to normal. They say brain swelling, but noone really knows why.
I also have loss of taste and smell. In the begining it was very hard, and it also added to making me very weak. I lost 15 lbs in 15 days, and i don't need to lose weight.
Around 3-4 weeks in I began to realize that my eye sight was not right, I have double vision, and blurry vision. I still am dealing with that at 12 weeks. I have seen a nuero eye doctor and have been told it can take about 6 months to sort itself out.
Going back to work at 3 weeks sounds really soon to me, but try it and hopefully you will be able to do so at your own pace.
My doctor also made brain surgery sound like a cake walk as well, however one of the things I am realizing is that they have never had one.
This has been one of the hardest things I have been through. I am so lucky to have had this found before rupture, and I am so grateful. Yet I find myself dealing with depression. I am still finding processing to be difficult. To much noise or when to much kids, dogs, hubby coming at me at one time can send me over the top.I also still get headaches and I take topamax for them and for the possibility of seizures
I read the letter on this forum from my brain and that helped and continues to help me to remind me that I am in very early days myself, and I need to go slow. Also that it can take a year + to get back to feeling like me again.
Please feel free to pm me anytime, and I wish you the best. I have found this forum to be so comforting and also so informative. It is such a blessing to know I am not alone.
jane

[jess2002]

Hi there I was back at work and pregnant within two months of my second one being clipped and there weren't any pain after the second one unruptured one I might of had to take tablets the day after the op but that was it. Jess

[magpie]

Thanks for the replys. It helps to just touch base with people who have been there. Coiling or surgery it the same-still your brain. I have know for 3 weeks already, and yes the wait is hard. Here's a question-:confused:during clip surgery, do they insert dye to see what they are doing? If so is it through the groin artery? :eek:
I feel so lucky it was caught, my aunt died immediately when her's burst. So this is a real blessing.
Scared and confused..oh yeah thats where I am. But at the same time thankful and trustful in the surgeon. Now thats confused :p.
I actually wonder about silly stuff. How much of my head will be shaved, how big will the dent be (my surgeon says none), will my eye go back to norm, then of course serious stuff like memory, exhaustion, pain, and will I wake up on a respirator? Did most here who had time to think go through this or am I just over thinking the situation? :confused:
Do most people here like sharing their story, as I do not want to ask too many questions but at the same time want to :p

[ChrisC]

Magpie - I feel for you, I was in your place nearly 6 years ago - had to wait 4 months for my surgery. Clipping was attempted, but didn't work and 2 weeks later, I was coiled successfully. Take one day at a time. Be positive. Know that it might be 3 weeks and it might be 6 weeks before you feel like doing what you used to do. Being tired post operatively is a big thing - rest and rest some more. Don't push yourself. It will only set you back. Healthy diet, hydration, light exercise, like walking 'round the block at first, and increasing as you can tolerate. I was scared too, and at the time, didn't have these information boards, so I was doing alot of solo information seeking, and still didn't know what to expect. I wish you the best in your surgery - let us know how you're doing.

Chris

[magpie]

Chris,
Might I ask why the clipping did not work?:eek: How are you now? How long after your surgery did you find this board? I belong to a RCC board and it was a lifesaver when I went through that so I knew I needed the support of people who know.

Thanks

[ChrisC]

Mag, the clipping didn't work because the aneurysm was literally laying on my ophthalmic artery and the carotid artery (where it arose). He valiantly tried to clip it but found that he would do damage to my left eye or cause a stroke whichever way he tried, so he backed out. 2 weeks later I was coiled. I found the board - this one and Brain Aneurysm Connection - a month after my second surgery, and it was truly a God send for me! All these people with all these experiences! I didn't feel alone anymore!!!! Hope you find as much comfort as I did!

This occurred in 2003, and I am doing GREAT. I'm an RN and working in the post anesthesia unit. I returned to work 3.5 months after my second surgery.

This is the worst part - the waiting..........I hated it, but had the cleanest closets in town. Keep your mind occupied while you wait - it helps!

[Carrie - Walpole]

Hi Magpie,

Just wanted to let you know my story...I'm 39 yrs old - 3 little kids...had my clipping six months ago and I'm fully recovered. Mine was 4mm behind my left eye near the opthalmic artery. I had some complications after surgery so I was in for a week, but I'm fully recovered now. Nothing major. Most people are out in a couple of days. Overall the surgery was great. I had my head shaved from the top of my forehead to my ear about two inches back. I had 28 stitches in my head and some in my neck because they had to access my carotid artery during surgery. They also accessed my artery in my groin to inject the dye in surgery to make sure the annie was sealed off completely. I had double vision in my left eye for 9-10 weeks...couldn't drive for a while - but that, too, went away in time, as my doctor predicted. I went back to work part time after twelve weeks...(I think). Just upped my hours a few weeks ago to 32...that's plenty with my little kids. Good luck with everything. If you want to see some pictures of my surgery, just email me off line and I'll send them to you. Don't worry, everything will be just fine!! :)

Carrie

[TropicalTrish]

Hi Magpie and Hi Carrie,

Wow Carrie - you have a wonderful story! So glad to see that there is such success stories after such a big surgury! Holey smokes you make it sound easy and I know it was not! I guess those 3 wee kids help you back too :)

You will sure give others hope for a successful recovery - thank you.

I am only 18 days from my procedure and still experiencing headaches Magpie - but from what I gather on here - that seems "normal". Will ask the Dr. on my first follow up on Dec 5th.

I posted a new thread on maybe we ALL should be raising our beds - it just occured to me that I get headaches when I lie down - and like Shelly - I sometimes wake up with them. Not killer headaches but bad enough that they constantly hurt.

Someone else said well Duh - you have new things (coils or clips) in your head so your
brain is checking it out and getting used to it - so maybe headaches is your brain talking to you ~ reminding you to still "take it easy" :)

I just want to get back to my un normal life so much I tend to rush things.

No patience here..... :)

Maybe you too can ask the Dr. about whether he/she recommends elevating your bed
a tad for better recovery....

[Nancy D]

I had my R MCA clipped two years ago. The worst part was the wait. My thinking was a little fuzzy for the first couple of weeks post op, but I'm 100% now. Don't push it. You will know when you're able to work from home. Sleep lots and relax.

Nancy D.

[Miraceti]

I guess I would just echo what the others are saying...waiting is the hardest part. I had a couple of annies clipped Dec. 3rd last year. I have two small children as well. I was back to work 4 weeks later (full-time university teaching plus teaching online courses). I am not expecting my third child in March. In other words, there is life after surgery:) As for the details, they shaved my head about a two inch stripe from the middle of head down to behind my ear. I had cut my hair short prior to surgery, and I think that helped. I had a lot of caked blood and iodine on my scalp, and having short hair helped with the washing.

I do not have a dent...it's more of a ridge. I will say that a lot depends on where they do the surgery to the aftereffects you will have. They cut the muscle to my jaw so eating was a little difficuly (and painful) after surgery for a few weeks. Straws were good, and soft foods helped. You were asking about your eye. My eye stayed swollen for about a week and a half, but I could open it slightly within a few days. You are hopped up on so many pain meds that this doesn't bother you. I did have some squishy-eye and clicking feelings as the eye started to heal. This was weird feeling, but not painful. One big thing was the memory and cognitive skills took a little time. I tried grading papers about day 10 after surgery and had difficulty with basic addition and subtraction. This came back pretty fast though. My short term memory took a bit longer, but like I said, I was back to work quickly and it was fine by then.

Ice packs really help with pain and swelling. Don't leave the hospital without one. They tell you to stay upright for 30 days post surgery (during sleep too). Make sure you do this. My dad didn't, and he had a lot of complications. I bought one of those pillows with a back and armrests. Some people just relocate to recliners.

Drink lots of water...it helps with healing. They tell you not to lift for 30 days as well. Again, don't ignore this. I had a 20 lbs 1 year old at the time, and this was hard to do. When I was finally clear to lift her, I had a rough few days because I just started lifting her all of the time instead of taking it slow. I know this is a lot, but I hope it helps:) Crystal