My rupture (SAH) occurred November 8, 2013. They were able to perform the coiling but had to stop because I was in such bad shape. My aneurysm is 85% contained with coils. They have suggested I undergo stent coiling or clipping. Another option is to just watch it. I have very little after effects. (My husband says I have less of a filter on my mouth when it comes to speaking my mind and some minor memory issues that just may be aging). I am so thankful for the miracle God gave me and I really do not want to undergo unnecessary procedures that carry risks. I have been told I have 1 to 2% chance of a rebleed per year. So far I have just been resting in the miracle I have been given. Many of you have gone through so much more! I am just wondering if anyone else has had an experience with having an partially contained aneurysm. Thank you and blessings on all of you in your journey. ~ Lori
I would get a second neurological opinion, and ask if the aneurysm is growing. My ruptured coiled aneurysm did grow, so I had the clipping surgery. Good luck and hope 
I'm not sure why but after my rupture in 2007 I also had stenting. I remember nothing of my rupture or any of the surgeries except for the stenting... I must admit I was scared but it was really no big deal. I often say that if I would've been aware of all that was going on it would've done me in. My younger brother even fainted in the hospital after he saw the drain in my head... maybe I come from a family of whimps :-)
Good luck in whatever you decide.
Well, I have a Large Vertebrobasilar aneurysm. Mine first Ruptured in January(2013) I had Stent assisted coiling-spent about ten days in ICU, then about a day or so in a reg. room
In ICU they were mainly watching for neuro deficits and Vasospasms. All was well, I was READY to go home. Then, About two weeks later, I had my 2 week f/u appointment w/ my neurosurgeon. He was 'pleased w/ the outcome" told me to live life, be happy. About a week after that appointment, I went back to the E.R. because all of a sudden my neck/shoulder area beacame very painfully stiff. Turns out that my anni had rebled(Feb.2013) They put in More coils. I spent again another 10days or so in the ICU. was monitored for Vaso spasms... went home, no neuro deficits... I did have major fatigue, and some issues w/ short term memory.. etc but nothing too bad- that is ALL much better now.
Unfortunately, after my 6 month f/u appointment angio- they told me I am still at risk of regrowth/rupture. Been dealing w. this anni ever since. I was sent to another Doc at a diff. Hosp. bc they would be more equipped to help me(complex case). Nov 2013, they tried to do the PED stent, but failed- nable to cross through my previous stent. Then went for a Cerebral Bypass surgery in June- which ALSO failed, got a staph infection and had to deal w. IV antibiotics and the wound vac(in-home nurse care).. now, Oct 17,2014, they are going to try the PED stent, more coils and closing off one of my vertebral arteries...
I admit I am afraid of having another stent/another foreign object placed inside me- they also want to close off one of my vertebral arteries ..I've been through a lot- and still no cure of this damn anni.
Sometimes I wonder what if they're wrong, what if I wont rupture for...I dont know, please just let me see my kids grow up- let me get old..Im 33 yrs old. What if I do this procedure bc they want to help/prevent another rupture that I MAY not be so lucky 3rd time around...But yet, it's what will kill me.
It's tough but let me just say- you need to do a lot of research. Seek out more Professional opinions and ultimately do what is best FOr you! I know, it's not easy!!! One thing my first doctor told me was right- live and be happy.
Either way, you Never know what can happen next. Wishing peace and healing thoughts!
Dear Lori, I personally have been blessed to have my aneurysms found on time, “thanks to” my mother’s rupture in dec 2012. I was coiled in September and will be coiled again on Monday. The procedure is minimally invasive and if I were you I guess I would rather make sure that the aneurysm is cometelu occluded than run the risk of a rupture. I can understand your reluctance however since the experience of a bleed is so traumatic. But bear in mind that another coiling would be nothing like you experienced. I know that if my mom was to be told hers is not occluded entirely, I would rather be reassured. In the end I think you should go with your doctor’s advice, or maybe take a second opinion to be sure. I hope other people here will be able to share a similar experience to yours. And whatever your choice in the end, I wish you peace of mind and courage. Warm hugs!
Hi Lori,
I believe I may have even though the terminology(and I may be wrong) is that I have a remnant of the aneurysm which they could not see behind the coils....so far so good. They saw it in my first MRA after 9 months. I am scheduled for another MRA in December and will see. Otherwise...I am "on top of the world...looking down on creation". Following instructions and so far so good. I will know more after December and will advise. I was told that I am back to square one, ground zero...normal. I had an aneurysm and got it fixed...many people are walking around with one and they do not know...
All the best! Stay healthy...don't worry...and stay coiled!
Hi Lori!
I had the same thing in 2007 and it was a tough recovery. We watched it for 4 years and it started growing again. I finally decided I just couldn’t live with the fear of it rupturing so opted for surgery. They were going to do bypass surgery but it failed so now I have 2 clips. The surgery and recovery was a piece of cake compared to the first time. I think it was easier because I knew what was happening to me vs. the first time around. Things look so good now I don’t go back for 3 years. I now have peace of mind. Best of luck to you!!
I think I have similar but maybe not exactly. I had SAH last year also and was coiled. At my 3 month angiogram follow up it was discovered that my coils have compacted leaving a remnant in the neck of the aneurysm with a wide neck that cannot be coiled further without a stent or clipping. I had an MRA at 10 months that showed it was still stable and has not grown any, so my doctor recommended just watching it and another MRA in a year. But it is a constant worry just knowing that it is there even if it is a low risk. I can't tell by your description if your doctor had a higher recommendation of action or watching but since you have been given multiple options a second opinion might help you to make the best decision for you. Most doctors are very willing to help you with this if you decide to go that route. And there's another option that doesn't require an additional doctor visit. For my peace of mind, I submitted my radiology records and reports to the Barrow Institute 2nd Opinion Program and they agreed with everything my doctor had told me which did help with some of my worries about just watching it. Here's the link to how that works: https://www.thebarrow.org/Neurological_Services/2nd_Opinion_Program/index.htm I wish the best to you with your journey also.
Lori,
I cannot remember a thing as I had a bleed which was coiled, a year later I had a shunt put in as I was out of it (hydrocephalus/ventriculitus then sepsis). check spelling!!
My hubby was uncertain about shunt and was near to cancelling it. The surgeon rang my hubby and said to him "if it was my wife I'd give her a chance" I was in cuckoo land for a year.
After shunt was fitted it was like a light going on.
Speak with surgeon and then make a decision.
Whatever you decide I wish you Well
Love
B xx
Get a second opinion FOR SURE. I had to have a second clipping to fix a botched first surgery that was done at Yale. Yale didn’t even know they’d done anything wrong. Dr. Riina at NYU saved my life. Go to NYU, Columbia Presbyterian, Hopkins, Mass General if you are near any if those! I can tell you names if you need.
Hi Lori, glad you have made it through your burst and the coiling. Interesting that your husband notes the difference in your mouth filter, my friends notice that in me too :D
My coiling had to be done in two parts over one to two months. I was unconscious/in coma so I do not remember, just now am able to piece together information told to me by others. My rupture occurred December 2012 and I first started being aware of some of daily life in April 2013. I'm very grateful for my progress, over the last year and a half, I can now drive and live independently.
Remember to rest, nourish yourself well, drink lots of waters and pay attention to what your body needs, rest, quiet, soothing activities and soothing people. Best wishes to you, may you fly through the next stages of your experience with ease!
KDdyd
Best wishes with your coiling/recoiling, I hope you can focus on resting and
Me too... less of a filter, but over the years it has grown back :-)
Hi lori, Sorry for being so blunt but i Will be straight to the point! i have had 2 ruptures, 10 years apart and within mm of each other,
so my own personal opinion is it is a serious issue and doctors are not always 100% right! if your unsure its always best to get a second opinion, i know you say you dont want to undergo unnecessary procedures, but without sounding melodramatic i bet you dont want to die either? so which is the lesser of the 2 evils? i know they say its 85% coiled but come on they know without a 100% blitz your at greater risk of rebleed and their figures of 1 or 2 % completely contradicts what uk doctors say! when i had my first coiling done i was told i may need another procedure as my coils had moved, that procedure never took place and the end result, was a second sah in feb this year, please ask for a 2nd opinion, it cant hurt after all it is about a life! yours!. Jim
Hi Lori. I have 2 annies that are not fully occluded. (Mine were both coiled and a stent was placed. One annie was larger than the one beside it.) That was determined by mri in May this year. (Mine burst in Dec 2013). I had another mri in Sept and the neuroradiologist is ‘pleased’ with what he sees. I, too, have a 1-2% chance of re-bleed and will have to be monitored. My next mri is in Feb 2015. I put my faith and trust in God. The neuro(s) I see in Toronto at St Mike’s are topnotch. My issues are extreme fatigue, poor short term memory and loud noises (radio, sirens or simply people talking to me). I forget what else! But here I am! And there you are! God bless us all! By the way it’s Thanksgiving Weekend here in Canada and I, for one, have so much to be thankful for.
Hi Lori, just want to wish you all the best, and a positive outcome in your decision. All I remember about the aneurysm (I’m not owning it) is that I woke up in the hospital after almost three weeks. The doctor discussed clipping with me, which me and my husband agreed to, and so far it’s working. My head do remind me at times that something drastic was done to it. Im still scared, but at the same time I try to keep positive. Anyway, my dear I do wish you all the best, and my dream is for all of us who are affected by these terrible illnesses will out live them. We deserve to live happily ever after. Take care.
Lori, my heart goes out to you. We survivors seem to have similar stories and fears. My basilar tip artery ruptured May, 2012. Coiling was the only option. At my 6 month follow up angio, the coils were compacted and I then had a re-coiling in October 2012. Then in February 2014 I had a Y stent(s) and more coils. At that time the angio showed that there was still a bit of neck. I was told at that time that perhaps nothing else would happen and the neck would be stable, but not too much else to do. So, now I wait on pins and needles for the next f/u angio in 4 months. My only advise is to find a doc you believe in and trust then follow his/her advise. The hardest part for me is that I know there could be a problem. Whereas before the SAH I went merrily on with life not worrying. Sometimes I think there is too much information available and it scares us even more. Best of luck.
I have a coiled aneurysm. My Dr did an angiogram after one year that showed blood in the aneurysm again due to compacted coils. He wanted me to have another coiling. I already have a stent. I did do the 2nd coiling . I find it an easy surgery to recover from and my Dr thought it was best. I have no problems from the coiling surgeries. I would do it again if needed. Does your Dr think it's best to add more coil? I go again this Nov for a 2 yr check up. I am hoping that it will be completely occluded but if the Dr wants, I would coil again
Thank you to everyone for sharing!
I would definitely get a second opinion from a good neuro and/or an intervention doctor because you are a walking time bomb. I had two mirrored aneurysms, one behind each eye. My only symptom was a nauseating headache and then my right eye started to droop. My internal medicine doctor sent me for a CAT scan which confirmed his suspicions, while Iy. My doctor immediately sent me to Tampa General to see a neuro and the neuro also had me seen by his intervention doctor. The intervention doctor (Dr. Geoghan) saved my life....he went up through my groin to my brain and filled both aneurysms over a period of 3 months because there was swelling with the first procedure, but he made sure to keep me comfortable. All in all, I had 4 procedures done to completely fill both aneurysms. In dealing with these procedures, I was also diagnosed with FMD (fibromuscular dysplasia) which caused several bruits in my carotids, but my doctor knew everything. He was amazing even on my worst days. I do have some memory issues as well as my right eye was left with Horner's Syndrome, but I will say one thing to you because I am a straight shooter with my mouth as well......don't wait and see "if" something happens because time is of the essence....you need to be proactive where your health is concerned and keep asking all of the questions you need answered until you feel comfortable with the answers and with the doctors you are seeing. Best of luck and I am sorry if I upset you in any way....but after going through this journey I learned that you can never be too careful or you can never ask too many questions.
My wife's rupture was in December of 2011. She was coiled, in hospital for a month and in acute rehab three weeks. At the six month checkup the coil had compacted. So they added more coil and installed a stent. At the eighteen month checkup the surgeon said the repair looked perfect. She is supposed to have one more checkup in June of 2015; if everything is ok, she doesn't need to return.
We had great doctors (Drs. Bellon and Elliot at Swedish in Denver). I trusted them and the Lord simply. What they thought was best we did. There are always risks, but one needs to decide with the best information we have and trust God for the outcome. I found it easier to give permission for procedures when Ruth was at death's door. When we went back for checkups after Ruth seemed to be doing well, I still needed to trust, but it seemed like I could have lost more if something had gone wrong. But for her the additional coiling and stent have worked great.
I think it's interesting how different doctors use different terminology and different explanations. Our doctors never used percentages, as far as I can remember; it was either coiled or not. Fascinating!