Hello Sage

This was an old thread - but so true. I had my aneurysm clipped in 2004, and I know that there were lots of dark days (and nights when I couldn't sleep).

There are lots of reasons why depression is so common after brain surgery. Not least because you have been through a life threatening surgery, but because I think you lose a lot of your identity when you have to depend on others and find yourself different from the 'you' that you have always known.

There are the cognitive effects - poor sleeping, poor memory, trouble sleeping, difficulty finding words (although YOU know what you want to say), physical effects - like having a massive scar, hair loss, weight gain (particularly if you have been on steroids), weakness and generally feeling like cr@p. Added to that, you are trying to cope with people who have no idea what you are experiencing that expect that it is something like recovery after getting your tonsils removed.

Of course, we can't discount the fact that your brain has had a massive insult and some doctor (even if they are great - like mine was) has been messing around with the very thing that makes you YOU.

The whole thing is a recipe for depression, and if you are experiencing that, I hope you have seen a good doctor, and have someone around that you can REALLY talk to.

Keep in touch and remember that if you come to this forum, you will get support from others who have been through, or are coping with this journey now.

Regards

Lyn