In hospital abroad and so so scared

[sorehead123]

Earlier today I looked upwards while on a zip wire and immediately got a blinding pain in the back top of my head. This happened earlier this week but went away quite quickly and I thought it was stress as my ASD child was mid melt down.

My head felt like it was going to explode for maybe 20 minutes. It felt like I had been whacked round the back of the head.

Has now eased off but 3 hours later the pain in the back of my head is still there. Has turned into a more general bad headache feeling.

I'm abroad and called 111 in UK for advice. They advised I come to hospital and said possible brain haemorrhage which has frightened the life out of me.

My husband has taken the children for food and I am waiting alone. Im so frighted.

Yes, I have followed @olympicsrock on another post and she is ace 👍

Hi again all. I've had a restful day relaxing while my husband has taken the children out a few times. Mixture of naps, sitting doing nothing and lying around. A very short slow walk round the block. My head has a faint ache but lots better. The fear is fading.

I am immensely grateful to everyone who has given me help and support on this thread at a really scary time. Too many to thank individually.

The weather for the rest of our holiday is predicted to be better from this evening onwards so trying to be positive and plan easy but fun things for the next few days.

@olympicsrock I really can't thank you enough. I've followed your advice and it has helped me to calm down and not panic. I've asked my GP for an appointment when I am home later this week and will mention your advice. Please would you let me know your favourite charity and I would like to make a donation in return for the help you have put out there for me, and plenty of others too by the sounds of things.

I will come back and update this thread with whatever news / developments for the benefit of shared knowledge and in case it is helpful to others.

I'm another who has had a dissected vertebral artery. I had a CT scan which picked up the dissection, followed by an MRI which showed a Chiari Malformation. I've had what I've always called ice pick headaches since childhood. Might be worth seeing if they'll refer you for an MRI once you're home?
Take it slowly, I was away on holiday too and was flattened for quite a long time afterwards. I hope you feel better soon

Ime Mumset is 45% nest of vipers, 45% entertainment and 10% pure gold.

So pleased you’ve had this support op

Ime Mumset is 45% nest of vipers, 45% entertainment and 10% pure gold.
Love this 😀

@sorehead123
So glad you're doing ok today & lovely suggestion about the charity donation!

Well done again @olympicsrock it's amazing to be able to help someone like that. ⭐️

How lovely to be thinking like that, re charity donation and thread updates for helping out others, when you've been through a hellish time yourself so recently.

Sounds like you had a very sensible low-key day today. Hope your remaining head pain eases fully asap.

Did anyone suggest you have a lumbar puncture? Some bleeds do not show on scan & require a needle aspiration to check for blood

I had a spate of thunder clap headaches about 10 years ago and it really was agony and terrifying. I went to my GP, really not hugely expecting much but maybe some reassurance, and was immediately blue lighted to a hospital with specialist neurological department 90 miles away. They do really take these symptoms very seriously due to risk of an unstable aneurysm. Anyway, I was fine and had a 4 day stay and more tests than I want to remember to be reassured it was thunder clap and really weirdly, I've had no more since! Hope you're OK, OP x

I had sonething similar many years ago on a night out. Hospital thought I had a burst blood vessel but weren't able to find anything and I was sent home.
A week or so later it happened again .... on a ferry on the way back from France and I was sick as well.
Eventually it turned out to be meningitis.

Now obviously I do hope yours was a one off but please just make a note of any changes...aversion to light, neck pain etc.
Fingers crossed for a full recovery

@sorehead123 , l'm so pleased to read that you're beginning to recover, and are back with your family now. Rest as much as you can. I'm sure you'll be looking forward to getting home, and I hope you have a safe journey.

Brownie gold stars to @olympicsrock for such super helpful posts!

Please would you let me know your favourite charity and I would like to make a donation in return for the help you have put out there for me, and plenty of others too by the sounds of things.

Bless you OP, thinking of others when you’ve been through a terrible time yourself. I hope you continue to improve and manage to enjoy the rest of your holiday. Hopefully you can get some answers when you get back home.

How are you doing now @sorehead123 ?

@SoCentralRain

Thank you for asking. I am home now, the last bit of my holiday was good and headache went away, managed to put it out of my mind mostly.

When I came home I called GP, however headache had started up again (a normal headache) and she asked me to go to A and E, so I've had a repeat CT scan and one using the contrast dye too. All normal. They also thought migraine but did find that my blood pressure was quite high.

I am struggling a bit. I am scared that they have missed something, however irrational that sounds, and really quite anxious about it all. Scared the big headache will come back and worried about my blood pressure too. Hospital staff said it was quite high but didn't seem too concerned about it and sent me home, I do plan to ask the GP again though.

Well it’s good the scan was normal here too. I wonder if your anxiety is driving your headache and blood pressure now? Understandable obviously after what you’ve been through.

Have you had an MRI with dye or just the CT scan?

CT with dye, no MRI.

Yes possibly anxiety and worry, also feel really really tired after the holiday, long journey home and a day in hospital straight afterwards. It's probably just that.

Hi all,

I promised an update.

Following my trip to A and E back in the UK which was now 10 days ago.

I've seen my GP who has checked my blood pressure via home monitoring, surgery readings and an ECG and all fine and normal. Heart function is normal on ECG.

They are just completing blood tests for thyroid function I think just to rule it out.

I haven't had any more scary headaches at all - I've been a bit mild headachey in general but I am putting this down to tension as I have also had sore neck muscles. I also went for an eye test and found that I need glasses for screens and reading so that also may explain the mild headaches, although it is a very low prescription so not too significant. I do use my phone a lot and also screens for most of the day at work.

So we don't really know what caused the scary headache but I think I think it was a sudden increase in blood pressure caused by stress the first time and physical exertion the second time, I'm not very fit! No one else seems to have any other suggestion. They have only told me to go to A and E if it happens again.

Since I got home from France I've taken the opportunity to sort out diet and exercise as I could do with doing this anyway. I've lost half a stone already and feeling much better. I've totally cut out all the crap in my diet, initially this was because I panicked about blood pressure but now I've started I'm feeling really good and will carry on. I definitely wasn't doing enough exercise.

If I can find the time, I am hoping to take up yoga for stress and I have recognised how much stress there is in my life.

I hope this is helpful for anyone who finds this thread in future.

Really glad you've been thoroughly checked back home and nothing scary found.

Good news. It was probably a combination of things made worse by the stress of being abroad at the same time.
Well done on the weight loss and getting healthy, and thanks for updating.

Great update.🙂

That's a lovely update @sorehead123 , I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the rest of your holiday. I hope your tests back here in the U.K. have put your mind at rest, and the changes you are making in your life style will be so good for you.
Pilates is excellent at reducing stress & tension if you are trying out new excersises.