I was 13 weeks pregnant when I experienced an awful headache while at work. I went home and spent the evening in a dark room.
When I awoke, my head still ached, but it was manageable. Over the next week, I began having headaches and nausea throughout the day, so I contacted my midwife. She suggested I take regular acetaminophen, as the pregnancy hormones were probably to blame.
It didn’t help, so I phoned my GP. They stated again that it was pregnancy hormones and that I should keep hydrated and rest.
Another week passed, and the headaches progressed. They would come and go and become more intense when bending over. While I was at work, I noticed I could not read the computer screen properly as the words kept blurring. I went back to my GP to be told again this was just normal pregnancy symptoms.
I was so upset and knew something wasn’t right, so I made a private GP appointment. I was given migraine medication and was told if it did not work over the next three days, I needed to contact a doctor.
The next day, I woke up at 5 a.m. and vomited then got back into bed, thinking it was just pregnancy. Two days later, at 16 weeks pregnant, I put my head down to go to sleep and felt like my head was going to explode. The pressure in my head and eyes had me in tears. My partner persuaded me to go to the hospital. The doctor I saw listened to me and said that as I had vomited with my headaches, it needed to be investigated.
I was admitted and given a heparin injection because they thought it could be a blood clot in my brain. A scan confirmed that I had a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis of the sagittal sinus.
My diagnosis took away the excitement of my pregnancy. I was convinced I was going to die and I would never see my boy or meet my little girl.
Fortunately, I gave birth to a healthy little girl in September and my clot has gone. I am still suffering from PTSD and anxiety and also awaiting thrombophilia results.
This experience has changed my lifestyle in that I am more aware of every niggle in my body. I keep hydrated and move around to keep my blood flowing.
Recovery is long and hard, not just physically but mentally. It’s reassuring to read other people’s experiences of recovery and know you are not alone.
However, my advice to others is: don’t Google! You only ever see the negative stories. Ask for support if you need it.
Resources
CVST Patient Stories
Psychological Impact of Blood Clots
Blood Clots and Pregnancy
