I'm a 42 year survivor of an aneursym rupture and am about to have treatment for more aneurysms

General personal-stories
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Based on my personal history of aneurysm rupture, the knowledge that I have at least three additional aneurysms and that I have 3 close family members with aneurysms, I will have scheduled an angiogram and possible coiling for later this month/

I know that there have been lots of advances in aneurysm treatment since the rupture I experienced more than 40 years ago, so, I'm quite hopeful that I will be able to benefit from them. The great outcome I had before was nothing short of a miracle, as was emphasized by my new neurosurgeon today.

I'm very glad for this site where I can share my experience and, perhaps more important, I can learn from the experience of fellow members as I embark on this next leg of my journey.

I'd appreciate hearing from those of you who have had coiling procedures and those who have had multiple aneurysm treatments.

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Hi Carole, I had coiling after a rupture, then a shunt four years ago, and then the liquid onyx a year later. Good luck to you - my outcome has been pretty good too, no complaints here. When is your treatment scheduled for? Are you having coiling?

Shelly

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Hi Carole, I was coiled about 1 year ago for unruptured, but leaky annie...so far so good...I have another annie they are watching and waiting....

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Hi Lynne,

Thanks for sharing your experience especially the part about being up and running after the drugs wore off.

It will be a wondeful side benefit if getting these aneurysms coiled would provide some relief from the brain fog that I have chalked up to a combination of aging and chronic pain.

Thanks for the inspiration.

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Hi Colleen,

Thanks for your response. I'm glad to know that you had a good outcome. I'm also interested in the watchful waiting for the other annie. Was it one that was not suitable for coiling?

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Hi Shelly,

This is only the second time that I've heard of someone who had a rupture fixed with liquid onyx! I'm so happy to know of your good outcome.

My treatment is scheduled for Jan 19. We are going in with the assumption that it will be an angiogram for evaluation only unless he finds that one of the aneurysms is so 'threatening' that coiling on the spot would be the most prudent action to take. Currently, my aneurysms are asymptomatic. So, there isn't a "rush" and we don't really know what the current status is or how many aneurysms I may now have.

I'm expecting the best!

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Hi Carole and welcome to BAF,

I had two unruptured annies, one 9mm in the right internal carotid artery@the ophthalmic artery which was stented with the new PED back on June 8, 2011 and a 2nd annie, 3 mm in the left ICA also at the ophthalmic artery which is a watch and wait. I was the 7th person to receive the PED in the Philadelphia tri-state area (PA, NJ and DE).

I also have a sister who had a 5mm annie clipped on the anterior communicating artery almost 2 years ago. My paternal grandmother and her brother both died from ruptured annies while they were quite young (younger than 65).

I had the PED surgery following a failed coiling attempt because the mouth of my 9mm annie was too wide. Clipping was not an option for me due to the annie being too close to the optic nerve. My NS said the chance of blinding me by clipping was extremely high, so PED was my only option!

You will find many different stories here at BAF, some sad, some happy and some that will make you laugh and cry. I always says thank God I found BAF because although I have the greatest support system in the world, my family and friends, no one gets me like my BAF family. They saved my life!

Again welcome, and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers for your upcoming angio and possible coiling.

Linda

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Thanks, Linda.

I will really need input like yours to help evaluate the results and options should we find that my annies have grown or that there are more of them. You're right that the stories on this site will both make you laugh and cry.

I've read several members mention that "Clipping was not an option for me due to the annie being too close to the optic nerve. My NS said the chance of blinding me by clipping was extremely high". At least one of my aneurysms is behind the optic nerve. The others are one in the anterior communicating artery and a bifurcation aneursym. I do pray that there are not more and than maybe, by God's grace, these haven't grown.

Thank you for your prayers.

Carole

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Carole,

You are most welcome!

And, please contact me any time! I am only a post away!

Best wishes,

Linda

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Hi Carole,

I am 42 years old, and suffered a rupture in 2002 when i was 33. Since then ive had 3 coilings done on two aneurysms, and in total i have 7 aneurysms, now, which i hear is quite rare. Yes it is frightening to know you have these in your brain, but i have every faith in my surgeon dr battacharia, who monitors me every 2 years, to check for any growth of the aneurysms. One of the aneurysms ivehad coiled has opened slightly at the base, and my surgeon tried to insert more coils and a stent, but this was unsuccessful due to the angle its sitting at and the coils were piercing through the stent, so he had to undo the op. So i still have this opening and just have to put my faith in my surgeon, to keep a check on this. Im amazed at key hole surgery and the coiling procedure. Please dont worry too much about getting this done, as after my coilings were done and i woke up after surgery, i felt great like i hadnt even had anything done, it s truly genious how they do this procedure. I also suffered a stroke when i had a rupture, and was paralysed down my right hand side of my body and arm, but to the amazement of my surgeon, I fought this hard, and now i am able to have full feeling back now, and no one can even tell ive had a stroke. My surgeon is totally impressed with this.

Yes it is scarey living day to day knowing i have 7 of these in my brain, but what use is there in worrying about this, we can only carry on as best we can, and enjoy our lifes, and trust our surgeons.

I hope everything goes well for you, and please dont give up and trust your surgeon he wont put you in any danger.

Best wishes,for the future, as im sure you have a long future ahead of you still to live.

georgia. x

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Hi Carole, I had coiling after a rupture ( february, 2009 ) and on january,2010 I received the PED flow diverter stent.
Up to now no major issues, good outcome, and I’m doing annual check every year.
I hope the same with you.
Good luck, keep us posted, and take care of you.
Giovanni a Italian survivor.

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Hi Georgia,

Your story is amazing! I love the strong spirit that comes through in your words. I continue to be impressed by the stories of the members of BAF.

Thanks for your words of encouragement. Don't worry about my giving up. I've had annies for more than 2/3 of my life. And, I've tried not to let them define or limit me. I've been blessed with a long marriage (40 years), a great career, I've sung with symphony orchestra choruses in two different different countries, I've lived in a foreign country and traveled extensively, I'm active in my church and direct a children's choir. My retirement planning is based on my expecting to live to 95. :-) So, I know not to worry too much.

Over the years, my focus has been more on the possibility of grand mal seizures (which have occurred without warning) than with aneurysm rupture. I've taken anti-convulsants every day for more than 40 years. My last seizure was 20 years ago, but the last EEG showed activity that suggested that I continue to have a risk. And, since I've travel both with and without my husband, controlling them has been critical.

A key difference between now and when my annie ruptured in 1969 is that at age 19 I thought I was invincible. Youth was definitely on my side! And, I was very healthy. I'd never heard of an aneurysm so, despite the warning that I could be blind, paralyzed or both, with or without the surgery, I really didn't understand the danger I was in - my mother did as she is a nurse. I would have agreed to let them do almost anything to "fix it". And, Dr. Katz, through the grace of God, did fix it.

At almost 62, I am much more aware of the risks and I have been wary of letting anyone operate on me again. But, I also know that information is powerful and being informed of what my current condition is "should" be of beneift to me. The postings on this site have open my eyes even wider to treatment options and possible outcomes.

Like everyone I do have some fear of the unknown, but I vow not to let that fear over take me. I am trusting that all will be well. In the meantime, I'm becoming more informed and getting more in touch with how I really feel about the annies (my postings reflect this).

I thank BAF for providing this forum. Before now, I've not had a way to share my aneursym experiences and feelings with anyone who really understood. Plus, back in 1969 1970.....1980...., you didn't really didn't want people to know that you had had "brain surgery" lest they imagine you to be a bit daft. :-(

Thanks again.

Carole

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Thanks, Giovanni.

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Sue,

Thanks for your prayers and good wishes. I'll be sure to keep everyone posted.

Carole