Brain Bleed Symptoms (?)

[KathiDG]

Hey guys. I keep forgetting to ask a question. At my last neurosurgeon follow up when he told me the tech said the vents on the recent CTs look smaller than before, he also said the only thing he was really watching for is bleeding in my brain..outside my brain...something like that.

I'm just wondering if that would be something I would notice as well without a CT. My next follow up isn't until mid-December. Yesterday and now this morning, I do have a frontal headache...granted it's chilly out today and somewhat yesterday so the barometric pressure might be contributing. I don't know. I took 4 ibuprofen for it yesterday and it gave me very little relief.

What are the symptoms I should watch out for? I don't want to call my ns unless I am sure it's not just a run of the mill headache. Since surgery, the only time I've gotten headaches is when it rains. My worry is that I would mistake a "problem headache" with this barometric thing.

I know shunt headaches don't respond to medication or caffeine (per my neuro-ophth & neurologist respectively), and I had quite a bit of caffeine yesterday. So, when do I call Dr. Mueller (my neurosurgeon)?

[LIZARD]

CT or MRI would have to detect it. It sounds like he means subdural hematoma, which is bleeding between the brain and the skull.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000713.htm



LIZARD :)

[KathiDG]

Yeah! That's it! Sounds like I'm OK...I just have a headache at this point. It isn't raining but it's kind of cool outside and the sun is not out or anything, so I am banking on this just being due to weather again. Hopefully the stuff will clear up.

If it's like this when it rains, does that mean winter will be bad too? You know...Wisconsin...lots of snow & cold...looks like I should stock up on Ibuprofen or Tylenol...

[Suecr]

Hi, not to sure, you would need a CT or MRI (as Lizard Said) to see if there was a subdural hematoma. I just had Hayley get a CT B/C of a fall at a playground, and nothing for a week and a half, then her headaches started to ramp up. These things can manifest slowly. After her fall I was told to look for sleepiness, seizures, etc, same list as malfunction. But if the headaches do not improve or get worse and affect your vision or balance I would go the the ER for a CT, to be safe. Keep us posted!

[KathiDG]

Hmmm...now I'm a tad concerned...on alert at least. Friday night, I couldn't sleep at all. I didn't get to bed until almost 3 AM (ok, so that was Saturday morning). Saturday night, I went to bed at a decent hour...dead tired all day..bed at 11 PM. Woke up at 7:30 to get ready for church Sunday...

I was SO DEAD TIRED all day yesterday. I had tons of caffeine, but still tired. Today I feel groggy/tired somewhat in the afternoon...

It could still be lack of sleep (most likely??), but I thought I might be back on normal sleep since I went to bed at 11 Saturday, and last night around 10.

I'm probably just overreacting on the sleep thing...it probably is lack of sleep...but I've never been this tired before. I'm usually used to late nights like that....maybe I'm just getting old! :lol: 30 feels old...ok, well I'm 29 until May, so... :)

[LIZARD]

I had tons of caffeine, but still tired.

Could you have "crashed"? Taking in too much caffeine can have this effect. Be careful!


LIZARD :)

[KathiDG]

I had 2 Super Size Cokes from McD's. 1 was in the frig from Saturday, and had one with lunch yesterday. I might've crashed. I don't know really. I've never done that before. I can usually down a 6 pk of Dew in about 30 minutes and still doesn't do that to me.

I think I'm gonna try and get some rest now. It's 9 PM here. Hoping I will feel more peppy like my old self tomorrow. It did sprinkle a little today, finally, so I think THAT'S the headache for sure. I hope I am OK for tomorrow. I'm supposed to be looking at a friend's computer tomorrow so she'll have it for college...it needs work done so I need to be sharp. :)