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Diagnosed with subdural hematoma after a fall: What to expect?
Three weeks ago I had a bad fall. Bruised all on left side. Landed on face and had a black eye and bruising on cheek.
I went about my business - driving, shopping, working. A couple of days after the fall, I had a mild headache that didn’t go away. I told my GP and she said to go to ER. I did, they did CT scan and said that I have a subdural hematoma.
They called it ‘minor’, but I have to return tomorrow for another CT scan.
I haven’t changed my activities since the fall.
Anyone else experience this? I would like to know what to expect.
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It is a absolute must that you follow through with the CT Scans and ask for a Neurology consult! A hematoma is like a blood clot in the brain. They can be of varying sizes & present differently depending on the location..... when the physician said "small" it would lead me to believe that it will absorb gradually. Need a second opinion and neuro consult in ensure that it is in fact being absorbed and will cause no further damage.
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1 Reaction@susanfalcon52 I agree with @kndaustin71. In my view there is nothing "minor" about a bleed in the brain. Please insist on a follow-up appointment and a consult with neurology to make sure the subdural hematoma has absorbed. Are you being followed by your GP? If yes, then get them involved to send you for that consult and another scan.
Here is more information on subdural hematoma from Cleveland Clinic:
Subdural Hematoma-Cleveland Clinic:
-- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21183-subdural-hematoma
What do you think you will do next?
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1 ReactionThank you both for your response. I saw a neurosurgeon yesterday and he put my CT scan on the screen and showed me the hematoma. That was a second opinion as the ER neurosurgeon was the first.
I will have another CT scan next week and a follow-up appointment with him the week after. He was optimistic that the bleeding would stop and that the hematoma would resolve on its own. He did say that we will continue to monitor it for a while.
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2 ReactionsPlease make sure that you follow--up! If there any changes within that week's period of time......head straight to the ER. Don't mean to scare you but as a well seasoned nurse I have seen some heart-breakers that could have been avoided.
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2 ReactionsHi - kdaida75 is so right! I can only share my experience wintering in FL. January 2023. I hit my head pretty hard which seemed like nothing but a bad awkward movement- raising up fast and hit head hard on an open cabinet door. I had a mild to moderate headache that didn't go away for several months. I was treated for a "sinus issue" because of a bad allergy season, I played golf and walked miles regularly. My pain med of choice was Aleve or Advil or a combination of the two. Not good for a bleed. In April, my Connecticut APRN finally ordered a CT scan and a SDH was prominent. A month later it remained and was growing. Referred to a neurosurgeon, it was necessary to have a couple procedures. Advise here is stay on this, and insist on follow up.
Hope this helps
Advice here is stay on this
claudiajoyce,
Staying on it seems to be the plan. The neurosurgeon described a procedure that they would do if the hematoma didn’t resolve.
If it does resolve, the plan is to do another CT scan periodically anyway.
Thank you. I hope you made a full recovery.
My first procedure was an MMA if that is what you may be referring to. Best wishes to you and please keep us updated.. Contact me anytime.