Hello, I am new to this forum. I am a 40 year old mother of two married and was diagnosed 12/10/10 with a small right 3 mm A-2 segment aneurysm. I have been referred to a surgeon and am waiting for the appointment. I was told it may not be until January to get in however if it was emergent they would call. I am obviously terrified as all of you are and have so many questions. I have Googled for info and stumbled upon this site. I have read several posts and have noticed some have had surgery even on small aneurysms. I am in a dilemma as I help take care of my elderly parents mother with Parkinsons disease and my father with a traumatic brain injury. The physical part of this is lifting my father and transferring him to a wheelchair as well as using a hoyer lift to get him in bed and pushing both parent in their wheelchairs. Not to mention the stress that goes with the care taking as well. I questioned the office about this and she did say not to do this. My siblings are not very understanding as one of them said if it was that emergent then you would have had an appointment right away. I am angry, in denial, confused, depressed and scared. My husband has been very supportive. Are there any medications one could take to avoid surgery if it came down to it? I should also mention when I was an infant to about age 20 I had seizures about every day then they disappeared. I have lost my balance on many occasions but not fallen. I have had episodes where I was sitting at my computer scrolling down on a page and my eyes continued to scroll after looking away for a few minutes. I managed to walk very carefully to get my husband as I could not talk. Now once in a while I get that same thing but only less dramatic. I have a several year history of migraines with auras getting worse. I would appreciate any information one could provide especially if you know anything about the location of the A-2 segment. I’ve read some info that it is very rare to have an aneurysm ther . Also that even the smallest aneurysm in this location should be surgically corrected. Thank you in advance!
Hi Sharie~
I had a ruptured Rt Post Com Artery Aneurysm that was coiled last Feb with an additional coiling in March. My rupture was a leak and when I finally was able to get to the doc it was emergency surgery for me. Due to the fact I was working eight hours away from home the week I suffered my rupture, I had ignored what I now know to be classic symptoms (headache, dizzy, vomit, fever, blurred vision, right sided paralysis, etc.) and so when I went to my doctor I was transported via ambulance immediately to ER for Cat Scan, lumbar punture (to find blood to confirm the leak as seen on the CatScan), MRI's and the subsequent coilings.
I believe that mine is in the same location as yours, and I still have a 2mm neck remant that I am on a wait and watch review every six months. I have strict orders to not lift anything heavy (more than 25#), keep by stress down, and try to get my blood pressure under control. These sound similar to your orders as well.
Your family will not understand because on the outside we look fine and we can hide the cognitive function problems pretty well. All I can say is that if your family is not supportive of you then I hope you find support through others - and please do not put yourself in harms way because you feel guilty that you must continue to care for your parents - you do not. YOU MUST CARE FOR YOURSELF!!!
If you don't take care of yourself, you may not be here or be able to funtion to the level you do now. I was very fortunate that I recieved the care I have so far and the support from this site, support groups, and a few strong people that tryly understand what it means. I know that if I strain myself or lift too heavy an item I can rupture the remaining remant and cold have extrememly serious consequences up to and including death.
I am not writing this to scare you - as I said I have a wait and watch remant that I am totally happy to put off surgery again, but I also know that I am important enough to take care of my needs and follow my doctors orders. My thoughts are with you and may someone else in your family step up to take the burdens off your shoulders so that you may rest and heal yourself! God Bless!
Hi Linda, Thank you so much for getting back to me. I believe you are correct we may have the same location. I have had some of the symptoms you mentioned and I would like to mention a terrible short term memory. My husband can tell me 5 things to pick up at the store I can turn around and have to ask him what those 5 things were again. It brings some ease to be able to talk to someone who has gone through this. This does make me suspicous of a possible leak.
Reading what you wrote you hit the nail right on the head. We look fine and can hide the cognitive problems and no one else can understand unless they go through it. I guess I’m still in some disbelief but speaking to you does put things in better perspective. Just hearing someone else has the same similar symptoms in what may be the same location tells me I should take this more serious and reassures me not to feel guilty.
Hi Sharie -
I also am in my 40's, have 3 kids. I had surgery (coil and stent) on an unruptured aneurysm on Oct 29. I have 2 others that they couldn't coil - they tried very hard to coil the 2-3mm one I have, but couldn't do it, so it is in the watch and wait (and scare me to death) category. My other one is even smaller - 1.5mm, and is covered by the same stent they used on my larger (9 x 11mm) one. I think that sometimes they can work w/ a very small one, and sometimes not. My doctor did try with my 2mm one. Would have been really nice if it had worked! How are you?
Hi Jennifer,
Just waiting to hear from the neurosurgeon and if by Friday I dont hear anything I am to call them as she said they may know more by then. This is for the surgeon to look at my file and then schedule an appointment with him. Since finding out Friday 12/10 it has been a depressing weekend with both my husband and I crying. Now we are just holding and waiting and that is what gets me. I feel like I have a time bomb in my head just waiting to go off but not knowing when. Also the frustration of what I can and cannot do.
As far as the symptoms I attributed them to my migraines as that is what my pcp told me and never though anything more of it. I figured he is the doctor he should know. I have changed pcp and it has been my new pcp that decided to do some testing. I called my (new) pcp to renew my migraine meds and that is when she said come on in lets do some testing. After doing an MRA without contrast she called me to say they found a small 3 mm right A-2 segment aneurysm. That is all that has been said no more information than that. Since then we've been waiting to hear from the neurosurgeon.
I have had mostly visual problems (blurred vision) with dizziness and some short term memory issues, ringing in my ear as well as the terrible headaches. When I get the headaches many times I would get a pain in the back of my neck and so sick I would be vomitting. However, I have now been getting auras and she is concerned with that. My new pcp gave me Maxalt and that has worked wonders for me. I have spent weekends in my bed sitting up crying in pain. I had even gotten to the point of not wantting to let my husband know I had the migraine because I had so many and it was getting to him.
I am now suspicous of a possible leak or something else going on as well. It's nice to talk to others who know how you feel! Thank you!!!
Being in the not-knowing-the-game-plan stage that you are in is AWFUL! I remember it. It's all panic with almost no information - really hard. It WILL become a clearer picture, as they get the info to you and you get the appts that you need. You've probably had it for a long time, so tho it feels like a ticking time bomb (which believe me i understand), you're likely at no more risk today or tomorrow than for lots of days that you've already lived through.
Sleep well!
Linda, Did your neurosurgeon tell you anything about the location of your aneurysm? I have been told the anterior communicating artery was a rare and difficult location for an aneurysm. I’m not putting much into that as I have not seen my neurosurgeon yet. Sharie