Hi!!! I am doing my very best to stay positive, but i am quite overwhelmed with the news of an angiogram finding 2 brain aneurysms.. 4mm and 1 1/2 mm both on the same blood vessel. I was in the hospital getting imaging done friday, then went to a wedding sunday. So my weekend has been packed and I feel supported but also don’t want to overwhelm people. Glad i found this support group.
Hi @Tessamarie926!
It is so very good to have you here with us!!! I am delighted to learn you have the support of family and friends, and now you have us here with you too!
Kudos to you for working hard at being positive, but understand at how overwhelming it must feel to learn you have not 1 - but 2 (!) aneurysms! Where are the aneurysms located (what vessel)?
I am guessing that you have yet to have a follow-up with your doctor to learn what his/her plans for next steps are, or did your doctor happen to mention that during your angiogram?
Please let us know if you have any questions or what we can do to help lift you!
Fin Whale Fan 
Well done on starting a new topic! I’ve moved it to the General tab hoping more folks will read and respond by the way.
I continuously am reminded by members who have incidental finds just how stressful it can be. I’m really happy to read you have a good physical support group. I’m happy you’ve found us and can add to it! Anytime you have questions, want to rant and rave or feeling overwhelmed we’re always here. Please feel free to do any, we won’t judge you.
One of the things I’ve found helpful before I see my neurosurgeon was to have a list of questions at hand and take someone with me who could take good notes. I will never recommend taking BH. We once were on our way back home and I asked what the notes meant. BH didn’t use the lines on the paper so notes were all over the place. BH couldn’t remember
. Then I learned to put the questions on my phone and hand it to Dr Q-W who didn’t use full sentences and of course I didn’t have the phone in my hand to follow
. Eventually she was able to hire a NP who taught me about my patient portal. I sent in my list of questions prior to my appointment and the NP would discuss them with Dr. Q-W and I’d get the answers back through my portal, problems solved! Also include your support group in things they’d like to ask, they can be very helpful!
After my angiogram I was told I have two on the blood vessel right behind my left eye, doc said if he were to clip it I would go blind, so to either watch and wait or go down the road of a coiling procedure. I have a follow up appt July 1. I discussed with PCP and he said surgery would be his recommendation. Not to be dramatic, but this has really rattled me. Some days are better others…
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FWIW, I don’t think you are being dramatic; I think you are taking the situation seriously and trying to manage it as best you can. You have already gotten advice from your PCP so that is great input to have!
A little while back @Moltroub asked me to put together a list of resources that I use to help manage my stress. That has been one plus of the aneurysm is that I have better learned how to do that post-rupture, but absolutely for sure some days and weeks are better than others (the past couple I have not been as good about LOL).
Should you be interested, you might want to take a poke around and see if anything appeals to you. Many of these have the intent to help you live in the moment, instead of the past or the future that we are prone to do. Admittedly, it isn’t something for everyone that I can understand!
I have had both coils and stents done, so if you have any questions as to what an endovascular procedure is like (likely what you’d have if you get surgery since it won’t be a clipping), we’re happy to answer those questions for you.
Most important, sending good thoughts and energy your way!
Fin Whale Fan
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There is nothing that would make me even think for a moment you’re being dramatic! Brain surgery is serious business and I’ve never taken any of my angiograms as anything less than serious. On the third repair attempt we were told I may have to have a craniotomy which we’d been told I was not a good candidate for and she’d prefer not to. Dr. Q-W said she would know when she got up in there, but not to be surprised. We took the Boy Scout moto of “always be prepared”, got the usual things done, but on this one we redid our wills. This was a good thing, the Elder Law Attorney told us the first wasn’t worth the paper it was written on. It was amazing how much stress it took away to have the proper paperwork done and stamped with the Clerk of Courts on the way to the hospital. I think the paralegal must’ve been the first one in the door that morning.
We do what we can to control what we can which seems to not be much in our world of brain aneurysms at times. For us it seems some type of relaxation method is needed, even if it’s a walkabout everyday. I like to make my bed first thing in the morning as it gives me an immediate sense of accomplishment. But the thing I love most are my walkabouts.
Like @FinWhaleFan I’ve had coils and eventually a stent placed. We have many members that have them.
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How is your day to day life now? Have you noticed a drastic improvement post Op?
I will say meditation going on walks and working out to the best of my ability has helped (i am sure you guys are doing that, too!) but I have noticed dizziness has occurred more frequently. I honestly think it’s my anxiety creeping in. I have a job and I go to work so I feel like I’m going to lose my job on top of this oy vey!
Well, that is a long story but will try to make it as brief as I can! 
Short story is that I didn’t know I had an aneurysm until it ruptured. As a result of my rupture, flash forward, I developed hydrocephalus (because the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) couldn’t circulate around like it used to). So I had to have a shunt installed to recirculate the CSF. Flash forward another few months, and I developed meningitis (I am more prone to it with the shunt). Out with shunt #1, cure the meningitis, in with shunt #2.
So, yes, I would definitely say I am MUCH better now than post-op LOL! 
It did take me about 1.5 years to recover from all that. Not surprisingly, I lost my job, but was fortunate enough to secure a new one, and have been back to work for about 1.5 years now.
My day-to-day is fairly normal, and if you met me you wouldn’t know (said by an ER doctor, note I was not the patient that time, the patient was blabbing on me). However, I have learned to readjust my life, and stop burning the candle at both ends. I also listen to my body more and prioritize self-care which I did not do before at all.
Meditation/mindfulness has been a huge godsend for me. Definitely at least once a day, but sometimes I do it more often if needed. Some I can even directly tie to work performance: e.g., if I noticed I am not very focused, I will do a session on that.
(Disclaimer: I have no experience with this particular one, just as an example.)
Ok, last topic: dizziness!
At one point, I was having issues with that as well - coincidentally right after an angiogram. It was happening to me on a regular basis, so I started a log tracking when and where, etc., etc., so I could give that to my doctors. I went down one rabbit trail with my neuroradiologist (who did the angiogram), but in the end it was a much simpler solution!
A couple of weeks beforehand, my PCP and I switched my BP meds around: sure enough one of them can cause dizziness. So now, I just ensure I have some food in my stomach before taking.
Of course that probably is not your story, but just wanted to throw it out there in case you had anything similar happen.
You’ve been through a lot. Please don’t forget to give yourself some grace through it all!
Fin Whale Fan
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Wow! That sure does sound like quite the journey for you, thank you for sharing. What a relief knowing you are happy and healthy!!
Dizziness here, I believe is due to anxiety (I do have an amazing therapist who is helping me through this) and this Texas heat! I need to give myself more grace that is for sure.
I am looking forward to meeting with my neurosurgeon and getting past this!
Again, thank you for your kind words, encouragement and support! Hugs!
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Fair point: that Texas heat will do it to you (lived there for a few years, but I didn"t stay …too hot for me!! 
Hang in there, July 1st will be here before you know it! Stay cool and go easy on yourself!
Hugs back!!
Fin Whale Fan
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