Lightning never strikes twice: Two subarachnoid haemorrhages, 18 years apart

After a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) in 1992, Jane Woods had her aneurysm clipped and got on with bringing up her baby son, Scott. But eighteen years later, Jane experienced a thumping headache, a stiffness in the neck, and instantly knew what had happened - she was experiencing a second SAH.

Out of nowhere came the most horrendous headache I have ever experienced. It felt like someone had hit me over the head with a baseball bat.

July 1992: Horrendous headache out of nowhere

I was out with a friend for the Saturday evening. We were just walking into a wine bar when BANG! Out of nowhere came the most horrendous headache I have ever experienced. It felt like someone had hit me over the head with a baseball bat. I felt sick and had a stiff neck.

I didn’t seek medical attention until the following Monday as I thought I was experiencing a migraine. When my GP was called out he couldn’t see anything wrong but referred me to my local hospital.

The brain and spinal cord, which extends from the brain down through the centre of your spine, are surrounded by clear liquid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). If there is bleeding into the subarachnoid space (the space that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord), there will be blood in the cerebrospinal fluid.

After having a lumbar puncture (a procedure to draw off a sample of cerebrospinal fluid for testing) it was confirmed that there was a small trace of blood in the specimen, and I was eventually sent up to a hospital specialising in neurology.

The clipping operation, and my pregnancy confirmed

At the hospital it was confirmed that I had had a bleed (subarachnoid haemorrhage) and I would undergo the clipping procedure (a procedure where a neurosurgeon drills a hole in the skull and then closes the connection between the blood vessel and the brain aneurysm using a small plastic or titanium clip).

Whilst at the hospital I also discovered that I was 4 months pregnant. (I had done a pregnancy test previously and it had been negative). The neurosurgeon performed the procedure and about a week after the operation I was able to go home.

On Boxing Day of the same year I gave birth to a baby boy, Scott, weighing 5llb 11 ½ oz. Although a little small he was healthy. I had a natural birth with a bit of help from the forceps as they didn’t like the idea of me pushing too hard, as it was only 5 months since my operation. I was 24.

Eighteen years later: I instantly knew what had happened

On 18 January 2010 (the day before my second son’s 15th birthday) I was at work. I leant forward to stamp a document when I had this pressure sensation over the top of my head. I felt very strange, then I went deaf briefly. The thumping headache started and the stiffness in the neck. I instantly knew what had happened, although I thought the clip from my operation 18 years ago had come loose, or something to do with it.

An ambulance was called and as before, there were no signs of anything major after taking my observations, but at the hospital they took a CT scan and it was confirmed I had had another bleed, from a different artery this time. I was blue lighted to the same hospital where I had had the clipping operation, where they confirmed that it was a new bleed this time on the tip of the basilar artery. This time I was to have the coiling procedure (where small metal coils are inserted into the aneurysm through the arteries that run from the groin to the brain, to prevent blood flowing into the aneurysm and therefore reducing the risk of a bleed or a re-bleed).

The operation was a success and I much preferred this method to clipping as it was less invasive - a small incision in my groin instead of the craniotomy that had happened last time.

After the operation I felt great and then the pain started - it seemed more painful afterwards than the last time. I was on Nimodipine (which is used to reduce the risk of stroke) and morphine, paracetamol and codeine (for pain relief) for 3 weeks after the operation. I was discharged and went home.

I woke up and half my sight had gone

Two weeks later I was still in pain but one particular day it seemed to get worse. I slept for most of the day but had to get up during the night for my medication and painkillers. The next morning when it was getting light I couldn’t see properly - half my sight had gone. My partner took me back to the local hospital who confirmed after a CT scan that I’d had a stroke as a side effect of my operation, but that it was very rare for it to happen after nearly 3 weeks and with the medication I was on.

I was admitted to the stroke ward where I stayed for a week. There was nothing they could do about my sight, except wait to see if it may return, but after being referred to an Ophthalmologist who diagnosed me with a homonymous hemianopsia (a loss of vision in the same visual field of both eyes), he suggested it was highly unlikely and registered me as partially sighted straight away.

I couldn’t tell you what it felt like having the stroke, and they think it may have occurred when I was asleep. I just wish I had called an ambulance when I didn’t feel right and then they may have been able to do something to save my sight if I had acted quicker.

As one of the doctors said to me, lightning never strikes twice. I have been told that it is rare to have 2 subarachnoid haemorrhages and that in my case it was due to an abnormality I was born with, a weakness in the wall of my blood vessels. No one else in my family has suffered from this condition and I do not have high blood pressure, although it does run in my family and I am an ex-smoker.

After my stroke

After my stroke I was discharged from hospital on Friday 12 February 2010. I didn’t go out for a couple of months as I was frightened that I would get run over or bump into things (which I still do, due to my loss of sight). The occupational health people came out and advised me on how to keep safe with my disability and show me how to use the scanning technique (which is basically looking from side to side to compensate for the loss to the right hand side).

I was also told by the Ophthalmologist that I would never be able to drive again. That was a big shock because I thought my sight might come back gradually. So I have had to make a lot of changes in my life and am not as independent as I use to be and need a lot of help.

Taking it day by day

But despite all that I went back to work part time on 14 May 2010. I am a legal secretary so it’s mostly typing, which, luckily, I can manage to do, but there are a lot of things I do struggle with. I am fortunate to have understanding employers and my mum takes me to work every day. I still get extremely tired but I am just taking it day by day and if things do get too much I stop and rest and don’t push myself too hard.

I applied for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), as I was told I would be entitled, but they turned down my application saying I didn’t meet the criteria for needing help. I have, however, appealed and am still awaiting a decision (9 months on). I have found the financial side of things very stressful. My Statutory Sick Pay was just £79.15 per week, which is one of the reasons I had to get back to work, probably before I was ready.

It is tough but I am very lucky to have a very supportive family and my partner and boys, who have been a great help through this awful year.

Further information

If you have any questions about subarachnoid haemorrhage or any other neurological topic, call the Brain and Spine Helpline on 0808 808 1000 or email helpline@brainandspine.org.uk.

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