A Headache Leads to a Life-Threatening Discovery for Julie Nashawaty

Julie Nashawaty’s day began like any other. Yet, a headache during her lunch break changed everything. The 46-year-old, residing in Boston, suddenly experienced a severe headache and a surge in body temperature.

“It felt like my brain was exploding,” Nashawaty recalled to Newsweek. Her condition deteriorated so quickly that she became incoherent, prompting her husband to call 911. Within a half-hour, she was at the emergency room, where she stayed for 25 days in intensive care.

Doctors found a ruptured 3-millimeter brain aneurysm — a weak, bulging spot in a blood vessel. According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation (BAF), about 6.8 million people in the U.S. live with an unruptured brain aneurysm. Annually, around eight per 100,000 people experience a rupture.

“I knew something was wrong. It felt like nothing else I’d ever felt,” Nashawaty said. “I had no idea it was an aneurysm, but the sudden, intense headache, feeling hot, and needing to lie down were unusual.”

Symptoms of a Ruptured Brain Aneurysm

A ruptured brain aneurysm requires immediate medical attention. BAF lists symptoms such as:

• Severe headache often described as “the worst headache of my life”
• Nausea and vomiting
• Stiff neck
• Blurred or double vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Seizures
• Confusion
• Loss of consciousness
• Weakness or numbness
• Eye symptoms, including a drooping eyelid or pain behind the eye

Causes of a Ruptured Brain Aneurysm

Brain aneurysms often develop without noticeable symptoms. Some people may inherit weaker blood vessels, while wear and tear on arteries over time form most aneurysms. BAF identifies several risk factors: smoking, high blood pressure, family history of aneurysms, age over 40, genetic disorders, drug or alcohol use, infections, and severe head trauma.

Brain Aneurysm Treatments

Nashawaty underwent an endovascular procedure to treat the ruptured aneurysm. Doctors inserted a catheter through her arm or groin artery to place tiny coils inside the aneurysm or insert a stent to redirect blood flow away.

Brain Aneurysm Recovery

“Treating the aneurysm was just the start,” she told Newsweek. “I developed vasospasms, narrowing of blood vessels in the brain.” Doctors administered medication through a head drain and directly through arteries.

Nashawaty spent 25 days in the hospital. After discharge, she received physical and occupational therapy, with nurses visiting her home regularly.

“The first two weeks were tough. I faced post-intensive care syndrome, muscle loss, brain fog, emotional stress, trouble sleeping, and feeling overwhelmed,” she said. “My brain and body had to recover step by step. Being home wasn’t an instant cure.”

More than three months later, Nashawaty continues to gain strength daily. During a follow-up, doctors discovered a second aneurysm yet to rupture. They plan more scans and likely treatment with a flow diverter to redirect blood flow. “Recovery is an ongoing process,” she noted.

Contact Newsweek editors Sirena Bergman and Tony Phillips for more on this story.