Hi i had an incidental 6mm find on my basilar tip. It had been there 4 years previously and hadnt changed in size but wasnt picked up. My consultant also said 2 weeks recovery. But im afraid 6 months down the line i am still off work but due to return in two weeks time. I experienced visual problems after. After lots of appointments it appears i have silent migraine auras !! No headache, just blurred vision sometimes. The tiredness is overwhelming. Memory is shot. He also decided how to treat it once he was ‘in there’. I had a mesh cup inserted. I have just had my follow up angiogram and it all looks good.
It is scary but best dealt with this way under control rather than a rupture. My advice is give yourself time. Dont rush back to normal activities. It is a major operation. Good luck.
Please don’t worry. That won’t help any. Have faith in your doctors. It’s good that you were diagnosed before any bleeding occurred. Please let us know how you are doing after your surgery. Many people live their whole lives with aneurysms and never know about them. Prayers for you.
I had a much more invasive surgery, and what I experienced: I came out of surgery testing my brain, and everything was normal. I had my memory and everything was working fine. At 6 weeks after surgery, then I had memory loss! I got a brain games book, and worked on my brain. I actually got better!! And my brain is more functional (think outside the box better now) and my IQ went up! So if you feel like there are any effects, just work on it and don’t worry. Most importantly: rest, your body will tell you that.
Thank you for your service! I am thankful they found these before rupture! I’ve had a rupture that was clipped, one that has a pipeline, and one that is untreated. My best advice after treatment whether piped or coiled is to make them aware of anything that you feel is setting you back versus moving you forward and getting you better. I suffered with migraine type headaches for about a month after my pipe trying to “tough” it out thinking it will resolve. I finally told them. Turns out sometimes the brain doesn’t like a foreign object being placed in there which causes inflammation. Two rounds of steroids and I was great! Many ask me how I live like I do. Full of life, not worried or focused on the ticking time bomb in my head as they call it. My answer, it is a choice. I choose to focus on serving others and loving to the best of my ability while I am able. I will tell you that my neurosurgeon is not happy with all of the stress in my life. He has even offered me a work note to give family stating I need time off. He says I don’t realize how much stress can affect my body. I am learning to find balance and to say no from time to time, however, I want to live life to the fullest. If I desire to help someone in need, or take this or that on, I am doing it. I tell you this as I know you have stressful job and you may have physicians wanting you to be cautious. Best of luck to you and I will be praying for you.
Just want to share how amazed I am at the length of time the brain continues to rewire itself and improve the deficits I was left with after rupture. I am well past 4 yrs and still recognize improvements in all areas. So regardless of the initial outcome, keep in mind it may show improvement in time.
Every aneurysm is like a snowflake. Everyone is different and so is the recovery. My first procedure was fourteen years ago, my most recent was this past January. I have had 3 coilings and two stents. The medical world has advanced a lot in the last 14 years. Sounds like you are in great hands. I learned on this site years ago, water is part of your recovery. Your brain needs water to heal. I was not much of a water drinker, but I learned to force my self. The two weeks you are off, rest. You might feel normal but you need to rest. Fatigue is the awful. I use to not give in and push myself. If you feel fatigue rest. It is your brain trying to tell you it needs rest to heal. The most important thing now and after is not to stress. I felt blessed mine was found before rupture, even though I ignored symptoms for months. I just said a prayer for you and your family. Thank you for your service to protect and serve. I Will be thinking of you on the 20th.
Hi Chris,
First of all, thank you for your service as a police officer, protecting your community.
I was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm rupture twelve years ago on May 30th. It was definitely life-threatening. The interventional radiologist told my husband to call my out of town children and have them come home to say goodbye to their mom. That wonderful doctor, Jacob Agris, saved my life putting in a coil. I was hospitalized for 6 weeks because of the danger of a stroke after the coiling. They have apparently come a long way in treating brain aneurysms if you just have an overnight stay in the hospital. You have to trust your doctor, which seems like you do. Interventional radiologists are brilliant people who do great things. I will be saying a prayer for you on June 20 that things go well and that you are back at work soon. God bless you. I know it is scary to think about. Because my aneurysm ruptured, I didn’t have time to think about it. I was unconscious and it had to be taken care of as an emergency. Take care, Chris.
Hello Chris,
Like you a year ago I was lucky enough to discover incidentally a 9mm basil aneurysm. They kept me after ER and I had coiling and stent placed 3 days later… so did not have to worry too much until surgery.
I was out 2 days after and back to work 2 .5 weeks later.
My experience include some headaches for the first month or so as your brain gets used to a new blood flow. I woke up several times during the night but this is more linked to stress / fear that everything is ok now. I lost some hairs for several months as they had to keep me under radiation a bit longer than usual to put the stent correctly as I had an wide « mouth » aneurysm but they have grown back. My surgeon was top notch too and I trust he saved my life… at the 6 month angiogram control I was relieved to know that the aneurysm has disappeared totally with the coils and to drop one of the blood thinner. Today I am doing really well… the only thing is that I am still afraid to have something now and I need to work on it. Listening to my body telling me that something was wrong was right but I need to trust life again fully. Good luck for the 20th you’ll be fine . Take care
Cath
Hi MariaH!
I too have silent migraines as you described. I can go about my routine and they last about 18 minutes…I keep a record. I get one once a month usually. I had 4 aneurysms fixed with pipeline stents 3 years ago tomorrow. I agree give yourself time to rest.
Chris;
First, glad they found them. Second, I been coming to this site for 3 years now and the advice given here is the best. Tomorrow is my 3 year anniversary of having 2 aneurysms done on my right side and next month will be my 3 years for the left side. All fixed with pipeline stents. I had overnight stays which we had to fight with our insurance about. They thought I could go home same night! Woke up fine after both procedures. I did have issues with being tired and my walking is off once in awhile but again I’m in my 60s so it could be age.
Think positive! Hug your family! And listen to your body, your doctor and the great advice here.
Prayers,
MiMi
Hi yes mine only last for minutes too. It’s like shimmers to my side vision. I also have experienced not being able to focus my eyes. They go all dizzy but my head doesn’t. It’s just my eyes. Again if i close my eyes for 5 mins it disappears. I spent about 4 hours in opthomology and all tests came back perfect. Good to know im not the only one. Thank you x
I had the pipeline Embolization procedure twice last year. It is extremely frightening and can shake us at the very core of what we are made of.
Both of my procedures went very well. I was in hospital over night for observation. The angiogram procedure is really the worst of it. I can say that it took me a good 5 months after each procedure to really feel ok. Situational Depression has been the worst of it. Trying to adjust to how my life has changed and my limitations. I take things slowly. Stress is a big no no. I would be happy to share my experiences with you to help put your mind at ease.
Meridian tapping, avoiding night driving, and reducing stress will help you cope and get back to yourself.
I am curious why/how the incidental finding? I had a concussion/TBI 3 weeks or so prior to the most severe symptoms…went back to doc and she suspected trouble. Did MRA and there they were.
Hiya! Im going for the same procedure as you in a few days, June 10th. This will be my 3rd time going under (jan 2018 and may 2018) I have had a flow diverting stent in one and coils in another aneurysm. My coils compacted so here we go again. My surgeon will also decide while she is in there if there will be a small stent put in.
My first op I didn’t recover so well but that was probably due to the 2nd aneurysm causing me grief. The second op (coiling) was a lot easier recovery. I’m hoping for a speedy recovery this time also. I’m looking forward to the time off work though 
gotta see the bright side of things right!?!
I wish you all the best and hope you have a speedy recovery.
Jennifer, I had some hormone issues in 2016 and my, then, endocrinologist ordered an MRI which found a cyst on my pituitary gland. They said it was nothing to worry about at the time but I thought I’d see another endo to follow-up recently. The new endo confirmed the cyst, also saying it was nothing to worry about, but she also found one of the aneurysms incidentally.
25 1/2 years ago I had a cerebral aneurysm rupture. I went to Rose Medical Center in Denver Colorado and having heard the word aneurysm but having no concept of what it truly meant, nor any time to learn, I was told by a neurologist that I had a choice of surgeons. Blessedly I chose Dr. Irene Willingham who went in through my skull and successfully clipped the aneurysm in two places. After having chosen the surgeon, but prior to the surgery, the neurologist told me that I would probably die and that I should make any necessary arrangements. I was in the hospital for 10 days, and then went home. I had been told that my odds were not great for long term survival. I was an Information Technology Manager for a national law firm, and the day I came home they brought me a laptop and I performed daily network management lying on my couch, mostly from physical memory…my hands had done it so often they remembered what to do. In another two weeks, I had to go back to work for one day to help with a particularly large client. I never stayed home again. No one else could perceive a difference, but I could and still can. I discovered that repetition created new synapses to serve in place of the old. Repetitive tasks. Writing things down helped also. During the time from then until now I had two new careers, including becoming an IT teacher at a college and a website designer. I retired a few years ago. The medical knowledge and technology has increased phonominally since that time. The visceral fear comes with aneurysms and you will work your way through it but it takes time. It is as if your body has betrayed you. You are so blessed to have discovered this situation before it became a emergency situation, and equally blessed to be able to have this corrected and monitored. You will be fine I believe. By all means do everything they tell you and I see that you have received good advice from members here. You have my prayers.
I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for sharing your positive stories. They are an inspiration! Also, your prayers for my family and I are a kindness I can’t ever repay. But I’ve added this group to my prayers for continued recovery and good health.
You’re indeed a lucky man. I think that statistically, your treatment plan should leave you in a better place than you are now and that you’ll likely return to your normal activities. I think there are far more people that do very well with coiling and stenting than you may think from reading this blog. My reason for this take on it is that I believe that the majority of the people here are pre-surgery, like yourself, seeking information and reaching out because it is frightening. The others are those who have had struggles post-surgery. I don’t think you’re seeing a well represented group here of those whose life has gone on unchanged for just that reason, they’ve moved on without a hitch. I am one of those people who has struggled with various things, which is why I am here. That being said, your brain will take time to heal. Take at least the 2 weeks, see how you feel. Start slowly, I think a prior suggestion of returning to work part time is excellent advice. You may think you’re ready for it but ease into it.
I’ve shared this advice before, and I’ll share again. Before your surgery, set-up places in your house for “your stuff”. A place in the kitchen, in the TV room, bedroom, bathroom & anywhere else you’ll be spending most of your recovery time. Let it be your space where people don’t move your stuff or place other stuff there. It should be your zone! Get a calendar, a paper one, not your phone. Use it. Get post-it notes. All these things will help you stay organized and less confused when you get home, after all, someone’s been all up in your brain, right? If you’re experiencing memory problems, cognitive problems, give it a little time. Use your memory tools to help get you through the first couple of weeks. Also, use the 2 weeks recovery time TO REST. Your brain heals when it’s resting. Don’t jump on luminosity & start with puzzles if you sense you’re not quite yourself; rest your brain. It’s like staying off a broken ankle, it’s really important and may not be something doctors tell you.
Have confidence in your surgeon. He sounds like the perfect person for the task.
I was very concerned in the 2 weeks leading up to my surgery. I got my affairs in order, just in case. I told my best friend where I had put what I thought was important, not because I thought I wasn’t going to make it, because I needed to do it to go in with a clear head that I had taken care of things. I told my best friend because I couldn’t bring myself to tell my family. When I came home I put all that stuff away myself 
so I get what you’re saying.
As Elizabeth mentioned, there is emotional healing. True for me too. You may be totally happy… you may become depressed… you may become anxious. You may be a person who doesn’t miss a beat. If you experience the depression and anxiety, please talk to your doctor. She will help you. If she doesn’t, find a neuro-psychiatrist. You can come through everything great and this stuff can still come up. You’ll wonder why, when everything is great. But you’ll have been through a serious surgery & emotions, whether or conscious of them or not, are there.
I’ll finish my novel here! I wish you smooth sailing, a great day on the 20th and, smooth sailing.
All good points, Amy. Very insightful, thank you!
Thank you, sir, for your service. My son is also a police officer. Six years ago, 9-4-13, I survived a ruptured grade IV brain aneurysm. No headaches, no warning! My 70 year old husband of only 5 months decided to stop by the house between handyman jobs and found me unconscious in my recliner. The Las Vegas ER doctor said they “couldn’t help me” and gave me only a “3% chance of surviving” the trip to the nearest trauma center. My family chose my previous employer, a hospital 10 miles away. My Interventional Craniovascular Radiologist gave me a 10% chance of surviving the coiling because the bleed was massive. He also told my husband to be prepared to be my caregiver for the rest of my life. I spent 8 days in an induced coma and 30 days in ICU. Everyone in the ICU was great to me and all my family who flew in for support. I realized I could have been standing before my Creator to give an accounting of my life. Was I ready to face Him?? Miraculously, I suffered NO paralysis or other disability. I do have anxiety, insomnia and short term memory loss (but I just turned 70, too). Most interesting, it destroyed my appetite cells. I don’t get hungry and forget to eat, sometimes all day!
Aneurysms can be hereditary! My uncle dropped dead at 28 from a ruptured one. I was thankful but curious why God spared me I soon found out. I was discharged just a couple months before my RN daughter was to have surgery to remove her brain tumor (same location as my rupture). My Neurologist had recommended immediate family (sisters and kids) have MRAs done. That’s how they found her small brain tumor that was growing at an alarming rate. God allowed me to be there for her as she was for me. Her surgery in April 2015 was successful and she’s back at work (Oakland Children’s Hospital PICU) and busy raising her four daughters. 2nd chance at life… give testimony and encouragement to all who will listen. God will never leave us nor forsake us. God truly answered the prayers sent up, not only for me but my daughter also. She had a craniotomy!
To be honest with you, though, I am extremely sensitive to bright lights flashing, Emergency vehicles. Have to shut my eyes even when it’s on the TV news. Can’t attend concerts here in Vegas because the flashing lights can cause seizures. You DO have a NEW Normal after brain surgery. I find playing calm music helps to keep me focused. I easily get distracted from what I’m doing…simple chores, etc. I have difficulty remembering what day of the week it is or if I am repeating myself. But I’m alive, enjoying my grandkids and taking care of my husband, who now has stage 4 liver cancer. Believing for God’s miracle again. Bless you, and you can’t go wrong trusting in God. Prayers for you & family.
Thank you for that, Sher. My “little” brother (36) was diagnosed with B-cell Lymphoma a month before my diagnosis. We are sorta leaning on each other right now. And I mean to see him through this illness until he is cured.