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View Full Version : Hello from Connecticut - My Story


Murphy3of8
01-18-2007, 12:52 PM
What a wonderful communitee this is. I have been reading and reading through all the postings and it truely is wonderful to know that no one is alone.
My name is Maggie and I had a coiling done in November'05. At
St. Raphael's Hospital in New Haven, CT.
They are the best!!! They have a team that is outstanding.
Leading up to this, I had many, many symptoms. Sever pain in my neck and the back of my scull. I had suffered from Migraines since I was 16 and I always try to stay on top of the latest discoveries for migraine help.
I had intense fatigue and pain but no one could find a cause except, I am a single mom and I must be stressed out, I must be depressed. YES! Anyone would be struggling to live life with these symptoms.
I have a brother in law that had a rupturing annie and fortunately my sister insisted I see the same neurologist and Dr. as my brother law was seeing. THANK GOD! 1 out of 5 people have an annie and don't know it.
A MRA was ordered and they found a 5mm annie behind my left eye down on the optic nerve. The coiling was very successful and I am totally! Pain free. I don’t have any pain and I have not had a migraine since the coiling.
I know what to do and where to go now if I start to have the same symptoms again.
We know our bodies the best. But you get nutty trying to deal with the many, many Doctors you go to for help…Dentist, Eye Dr, Chiropractor, Allergist, shrink! <-- because by now you are thinking it really must be all in my head!
The Doctors tried to tell me that the headaches and pain where not related to the annie but the evidence is too overwhelming to ignore. I had pain when they knocked me out for the coiling and when I woke up it was gone.
In the year since the coiling I have been recovering, physically, mentally and spiritually.
***** I have some short-term memory and comprehension deficit and I would like to know if anyone else experiences this too.
Thank you for allowing me space to share.
Peace,
Maggie

RUTHIE
01-18-2007, 02:09 PM
Hi Maggie,
Good for you, you caught the annie before it ruptured, always a good thing!!! I have memory problems, short term. Also problems with word searching when in a conversation. I had a rupture 2 yrs ago and vasospasms that followed, so my problems are not unique in that situation. The interesting thing is I had migraine headaches for at least 15 years before the rupture. They were visual ones, like lightning bolts distorting my vison, went to docs and was given migraine meds, but no further testing. Interesting thing is I have not had any since the annie clipping. I'm convinced it was all related. The docs say migraines and anneurysms are not related, I beg to differ!!!
RUTHIE

silverfern
01-18-2007, 09:23 PM
Maggie, your story is inspirational! you're a survivor. Thank God it was found and treated and you can now get on with your life. Does your memory loss effect you much?? I worry about that as I'm being coiled next month and worry about my ability to return to work.

ChrisC
01-18-2007, 11:40 PM
Maggie, welcome to this wonderful community. I'm a coiled patient of 4 years now. Yes, I have some short term memory issues that have gradually improved over the years. It gets better with time, and you also learn how to deal with it a little better over the years! Congratulations on your recovery and I wish you the best. Prayers to you!

Lisa Sobocinski
01-19-2007, 04:07 AM
I had clipping on a 1.5 cm annie on 10/19...and 8 weeks later had coiling done on a 6mm annie... my return to work is set for 2/5...having 24 hr EEg on Monday..to see if I can stop the seizure meds...but that is it till 2/2 when I see my surgeon. I never had headaches/migranes. My symptoms thru the dr's off...tingling in left head, weakness in left are and numbness left side of face...dr's thought it was a pinched nerve....finally after sterod treatment and not any better did my primary send me for MRI. 4 days later I was being operated on. Since I am a teacher do worry about memory loss but I actually have people test me every day. All I know is that I am alive. This site was so helpful and still gets me thru everyday. Please email me if you any other questions answered. God Bless.
Lisa

hstupno
01-19-2007, 07:56 AM
Hello Maggie and congratulations on your recovery!! It gives the annie newbies (myself included) hope that their "issues" after coiling will hopefully fade as yours have. You were very lucky to have caught it before it ruptured. Thankfully, you listened to your body and your sister.

I wish you continued good health an annie-free life!!

Take care,
Heidi

FireflyR7
01-19-2007, 09:13 AM
Welcome to the site! :) Thank you for that wonderful story! ;) I so happy you had such a great outcome!! :D You give encourgament to all! I know the getting there and the process is overwhelming!! :confused: Dr's can be a difficult entity all of their own!! I went to the ER 3 times, saw 3 Dr's & had 2 MRI's & a CT done before I was diagnosed. I heard a lot of the same crap you did! I found my own NS, he can't believe that I survived the brain swelling... I have a stent and coils.
I also had a 4mm rupture next to my left optical artery & communicating arteries. Since I had a rupture, that went untreated for a while. I have a longer recovery. I had a few complications, but I am here and getting better ever so slowly! I too have short term memory, comprehention, coordinaton...
We are all healing mentally, physically & spiritually!! Take care of yourself, it just takes time hun! ;) I will keep you in my prayers!! Love Tricia

Gabrielli
01-19-2007, 10:57 AM
Hi Maggie!!
You are doing great! I was born and raised in Torrington,Conn. but now live in Minn. (I miss Conn. very much)
I had two 4mm annies one clipped the other coiled in 2004 and still have short term memory LOL. It get's better...I use to look at my husband with that (deer in the headlights look) everytime he told me something he would have to repeat over and over. Now I get the deer in the headlight look from him and repeat over & over "put your dirty dish in the dishwasher!" LOL.
ooxx
mimi

Murphy3of8
01-20-2007, 01:32 PM
Hi Maggie!!
You are doing great! I was born and raised in Torrington,Conn. but now live in Minn. (I miss Conn. very much)
I had two 4mm annies one clipped the other coiled in 2004 and still have short term memory LOL. It get's better...I use to look at my husband with that (deer in the headlights look) everytime he told me something he would have to repeat over and over. Now I get the deer in the headlight look from him and repeat over & over "put your dirty dish in the dishwasher!" LOL.
ooxx
mimi

Hey Mimi,
I have to say thank you so much to everyone here.
Its very important to tell your story no matter what.
It will help someone on this path.

Mimi your a Connecticut-ite:cool:
Its been much warmer then usual but still CT in the winter is excellent, I live near long island sound and the views have been great!
You sound like a suvivor and thats key to all. And I love your sense of humor,
You brought it home to me with your story.
Thank you! all,
:rolleyes: Maggie