ANyone had surgery for subdural hematoma?

In October, my husband developed a headache that wouldn't go away. He never really ever had headaches before! so this was unusual.  He's 53, has controlled blood pressure, wasn't in an accident, didn't drink and pass out (and hit his head).  He was in excellent physical shape...a marathon runner.  The doctors treated the headache with cluster headache medicine.  Compounding the medical problem, my husband travels for work so popping into the doctor is difficult.  After many frustrating calls with the doctors, we were given orders for a brain CT scan.  The imaging tech was excellent and called the radiologist when he saw the image.  We were directed from the center to the emergency room where the doctors there couldn't believe he hadn't been in a car accident because the subdural hematoma was so big.

He was scheduled for surgery and when they took him in they were planning on a craniotomy, but found that they could evacuate the fluid with burr hole surgery.  The hospitalization lasted about a week with 4 days being in intensive care.

We thought back to possible injuries he may have had.  In March last year, he was struck hard by a snowboarder who did a blind jump.  The impact was impressive and it cracked some of his ribs.  We felt that the impact jerked his head back and that he probably hit his head when he was knocked off his feet.  The neurosurgeon said that the blood wasn't old enough.  My husband remembered hitting his head on the fence when he was working on it and the timing was about right...so we decided that was a probable cause.  Maybe the snowboard incident contributed...we just don't know.

It was stressful and scary to be thrown into this situation for all of us.  We were lucky to have supportive family and friends help us.  If you are supporting a person or a family going through this... you can help by simply sending dinner to the people at home.  It really helped me because I knew that our kids and my family who flew in to help were being fed at least so I could be at the hospital to advocate for my husband.  It is really important for someone to be present to help the patient in the hospital and to keep an eye on medications and dosing.  I caught missed medications (the medications to stop seizures) and was able to run to the nursing station to request help when he needed it.

Post surgery, his head was wrapped, he had a drain in to remove fluid and he was restricted from elevating more than 20 degrees.  I had to watch that he didn't sit up beyond that amount, which he wanted to do because he was stuffed up, uncomfortable and medicated for pain.  When they removed the drain...it made him sick to his stomach and he vomited, which was terrifying because he was straining and sitting up.

Once we got home...he really started feeling better.  He stayed quiet and worked from home until January 1.  He had follow-up CT scans and was told he was healed And that he could return back to normal activity.

Then in late January, he got another headache.  Being more cautious, he called his neurosurgeon And went in for another CT.  He was diagnosed with a second subdural hematoma on the other side of his head.   For the past two months we gave seen several neurologists, a hematologist and the neurosurgeon.  He has had CT scans, MRIs and a CT angiogram along with countless blood tests.

So as of now, his headache has gone away.  The bleed appears to have stopped and appears not to be drawing fluid to it...so far so good...because staying away from another surgery is clearly an objective.  The blood tests have not provided a reason for a bleed.  We just don't know why he has developed the 2nd bleed.  What we do know is that he hasn't had another injury since the late December CT image showed his head free of a bleed.

We expect that next week's MRI will show ongoing re-adsorption. 

Now he is just ready to get back to normal and to begin running again.  It is hard to slow down when you are athletic and enjoy the exercise.

I hope all of you and your friend and family are healed and back to your routines.  If anyone has experienced a second subdural hematoma.  I would appreciate hearing your story.

Lorazepam (Ativan)...may help.

I also had a subdural hematoma in 10/2013. I had surgery on 10/1/2013 discharged home on 7, and re admitted to the hospital with a very strong headache which was another bleed on 11/2013. I needed 2 surgeries to control the bleed. My surgery was performed at Mass General In Boston, my neurosurgeon told me that sometimes people need to have a shunt placed to stop the bleed. Good Luck.

Hi my name is shona-maree and I had surgery for a subdural hematoma on my right side of my brain towards the back. I am now 2 months post operative and having problems I have double vision and headaches still and very tired. This is a hard road and I aren't allowed to drive now either. So does anyone out there had any of the problems I am having? And now I have been told the part of my brain where the surgery was has now gone back to the way it was prior to my surgery which isn't good. So can anyone help me out there please? I am only 46 years old.

Hello. I had surgery for chronic subdural hematoma, February of this year. For about a month post op. My eyes were extremely light sensite for about a month, but gradually got better. I was back at work full time after 2 months. A few weeks after going back , I was able to work from home. The stress of driving to and from work was taking its toll, by the end of the week. I was exhausted, I get pain on the side of my neck when I'm tired. I do know it is a longer recovery. Every thing I have read says 6 to 12 months.

I understand your frustration in not knowing what to expect, or what is the norm. I hope your recovery is progressing in the 4 months since your last post . Good luck.

Hello there! Same story here bro. I had my burr hole surgery 2 months ago. I'm an athletic person also and I miss my previous life. Have you fully recovered and are you back to your normal life? How much time it demanded? thanks

In April 2015, my husband had a craniotomy for evacuation for a left frontal subdural hematoma, - it was an emergency surgery. He was 55 years of age and had no blows to his head, absolutely nothing that we can think of that would have caused it. His only major health issue was/is high blood pressure which is controlled by medication. In his early 20's to about early to mid 40's, he did suffer with migraine headaches, but they eventually went away. He suffered with a servere headache for over a week and saw the doctor twice during this time and they were treating him for ear infection, sinus headache/infection and the flu. Couple days after his second doctor visit, he began to show symptoms of a stroke (his father died as a result of two massive strokes in 1999). He began dragging his right leg, his hand/arm would hit the door frame as he walked through, he could not write his name (could barely hold the pen in his hand) and his head was hurting so badly that he could not sit up and finally agreed to go to the emergency room. From a MRI, it revealed the hematoma and was transported to another hospital and then the emergency surgery. So thankful to say that he has had a complete recovery. His neurosurgeon told us had he waited any longer, the outcome most certainly would haave had a different ending. He went back to work part-time and return playing golf three months post surgery. Four to five months, post surgery, he returned to work full-time. Now almost two years later, he complains that loud noises bother him, he still tires easily, energy level is much lower, and forgerfullness, which I tell him all could be blamed on age as well. There are times now that he has headaches and, of course, that freaks us out. My quesion...has anyone had or know someone that had a subdural hematoma at approximately 55 years of age and had not taken a fall or had a blunt force to their head? I know as we get older, the blood vessels weaken, but I'm curious if this has happened to you or anyone that you know.

Hi. February 2016 I had emergency surgery for subdural hematoma. I did not have any direct trauma to the head, but I was hit from behind in the car about three weeks prior. I did not hit anything, but did feel a pain in my neck that lasted about 15 min and went away. About two weeks after that I started getting headaches. I took Tylenol and such, but it always came back. I lost about a day, that I cannot remember, and woke up in the hospital after surgery. The theory was that the whiplash type movement of my head during the accident may have been the reason for the hematoma. I was 56 at the time.

I also have a strange headache (but of course I'm not sure that it is the same kind of strangeness) after my operation. It is 10 years ago. I haven't got the answer, but wondered if you have found out how to get rid of it in the meantime?

I enjoyed reading your post. I had burr hole surgery 11 days ago post one month after an auto accident. I just needed to hear something positive. I am not aloud to drive until mid May, so hoping all stays positive. I am a runner, so will be very compassionate with this healing process. Thanks

So I had the surgery on Oct of 2014 (craniometry), they washed out some blood, and we don't know what the cause was since I didn't recall hitting my head anywhere and was told stress can not bring this out (had a bad breakup with my then Ex).

Anyways, I can say that I fully recovered, have not had any mental issues that I noticed, run, work out, etc, etc. Actually, I am getting married in July.

It took me about a year and a half to recover my muscle mass and get back in shape, but that was more to do with literally not doing anything for 6-8 months after the surgery as instructed by my doctor.

The only negative issue is that I have now had 8 CT Scans in total so I sometimes get some anxiety that I am going to get a brain tumor. It seems like anytime something happens, the doctors want to immediately CT scan your head once this has happened. On the flip side, I am told by my radiologist (family friend) that I shouldn't listen to the fear mongering by the anti-CT scan crowd about the radiation, there is much less radiation on the newer machines than older ones and there is a lot of pure science coming out these days trying to refute the old method of measuring radiation.

I got lucky I guess.

My dad has undergone sub-dural Hematoma surgery . He was hit by a motor bike and lost consciousness since then . it took almost a 17 hours to reach to the right place . he had vomitted all the way . after surgery he was in cmma for 8 days and slowly got sense . Doctor discharged him from hospital after 11 days of surgery . He is at home , physio therapy is going on; but he has no memory, his personality has changed , he have become very aggressive and unstable.

Hi I collapsed last Wednesday 7th June, hit my head very hard and had a really big lump on the back of my head, had severe headaches and was being sick, I had a CT scan and all was clear but 8 days on I am suffering with extreme headaches and I'm very tender and sore to touch on the left side of my head and still got a slight lump, my left eye seems very heavy constantly as well and also my head feels very squishy like I've had a bleed and I'm very worried it may be a hematoma could you help thanks

yes I had it done 12 months ago…I am a trial lawyer…and sometimes have difficulty focusing but if I force myself it all comes back…the issue I have is the right side of my head where the burr holes are, still has mussel headaches…I can put my finger on the pounding and it stops for a second so I KNOW its mussles and not inside my skull (if you know what i mean) but these muscular headaches are often and i have asked every doctor…they dont seem to know how to stop them….I use to be very atheletic but have calmed that down considerably until I can get rid of these ride side of my head, headache….do you have this at all?

yes …I never hit my head at all….I did fall to the ground ..very hard…and a month later the headache came on….I thought it was a migraine and my absurd cardiologist told me it was my neck…it did not dawn on him that it might be the Plavix…so i listened to him and waited…after 7 days in bed for no reason other than pain and a dead left arm..I ran to the car and had a friend drive me to the hospital…..I would not be alive another 6 hours if I had listened to my former cardiologist…if you are taking bloodthiners..be carefull….I dont play around with this anymore at all…if i fall hard which is very rare but nevertheless it did happen once I immediately went to the hospital and got an MRI….Ill never wait again