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Recovering from a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage
A guide for patients and carers
For friends and family
It can be difficult to understand what has happened to someone who has had a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage. Physically they may look fine but it can take quite a long time before people ‘get back to normal’. Some of the problems people typically experience are mentioned in the rest of this booklet, including tiredness, memory problems, feeling anxious or depressed, irritability and angry outbursts. Often friends and family find it hard to know what to say. They do not know whether to ask if they are OK or to behave as if ‘nothing has changed’. People who have had a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage may find it difficult to talk about the problems they are experiencing and feel isolated as a result. You could mention that you have read this booklet as a way of talking to your friend or family member about how they are feeling.
Irritability or angry outbursts can be especially difficult for friends or family members to cope with. It is quite common for people to become irritable or angry following a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage, but they may not even be aware that their behaviour or personality has changed. Here a few tips that might help:
- Keep to a routine and avoid surprises.
- Try not to take remarks personally.Try to keep calm.
- Try not to let too many people visit at the same time or to have too many distractions going on.
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Contents
- Introduction
- Recovery following a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage
- What do the main parts of the brain do?
- Tiredness and restlessness
- Headaches
- Unusual sensations
- Loss of movement and/or feeling
- Senses
- Sight
- Smell and taste
- Speech
- Memory
- Feelings and worries
- Emotions
- For friends and family
- Getting back to normal
- Further reading
