Hi, I’m Sharon Nold and I was just diagnosed on February 18, 2010 with a 5x6mm aneurysm in the left interior carotid artery at the cavernous and supraclenoid junction (it’s behind my left eye). To say I was a little freaked out about this news would be putting it mildly. After waiting for a referral and then an appointment with a neurosurgeon, I finally had my appointment this past Monday. The surgeon told me that where it is located is difficult to reach with regular brain surgery. He said another option was the method where they go in through an artery in your groin and use metal coils to fill the aneurysm and seal it off. He also told me that it had a 1% chance of rupturing so my other option is to just wait and monitor it for any changes. It seems to me that the risks and complications of either surgery or coiling are greater (about 5%) than the odds that it might burst. I am leaning toward just living with it for awhile and have it monitored, but I worry about making the wrong decision. I’d be interested to hear from others who are living with an unruptured aneurysm and have opted to not have surgery or coiling. Also, does anyone know why doctors use the artery in your leg for the coiling procedure? The artery in your neck seems so much closer.
I also have an Annie in the same place, I was diagnosed 6 months ago. I am living with one. I go to the gym, do everything I did before… Coiling is best done from the femoral arteriy.
Sheri, thank you so much for the reply. It’s encouraging to know that there are others who are able to carry on their normal daily activities with an Annie.
sheri fisher said:
I also have an Annie in the same place, I was diagnosed 6 months ago. I am living with one. I go to the gym, do everything I did before… Coiling is best done from the femoral arteriy.
I have had a clipping surgery to fix a 1 cm annie. I live with a 3mm x 4mm. I do everything I used to do. The only thing that scares me is my headaches. It might be that I live with a little emotional stuff from my brain surgery which was only in 07. I also had a stroke on the table so recovery was not as fast as I would have liked it to be 
Not complaining. I’m happy to be alive. We are so lucky we know about our annie’s. My plan of attack is to take a picture (ct angio gram) every year and if it grows I will get coils placed inside. If it doesn’t grow, I’ll just live with it forever which I understand millions do without even knowing it!
Tracy,
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I, too, am thinking that the best way to go is to just have it checked every year for changes. Hopefully, your Annie remains stable and you never have to undergo another procedure of any kind.
Tracy Olfert said:
I have had a clipping surgery to fix a 1 cm annie. I live with a 3mm x 4mm. I do everything I used to do. The only thing that scares me is my headaches. It might be that I live with a little emotional stuff from my brain surgery which was only in 07. I also had a stroke on the table so recovery was not as fast as I would have liked it to be
Not complaining. I’m happy to be alive. We are so lucky we know about our annie’s. My plan of attack is to take a picture (ct angio gram) every year and if it grows I will get coils placed inside. If it doesn’t grow, I’ll just live with it forever which I understand millions do without even knowing it!
I just had my 6 month CTA. No change!
Sharon Nold said:
Tracy,
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I, too, am thinking that the best way to go is to just have it checked every year for changes. Hopefully, your Annie remains stable and you never have to undergo another procedure of any kind.
Tracy Olfert said:I have had a clipping surgery to fix a 1 cm annie. I live with a 3mm x 4mm. I do everything I used to do. The only thing that scares me is my headaches. It might be that I live with a little emotional stuff from my brain surgery which was only in 07. I also had a stroke on the table so recovery was not as fast as I would have liked it to be
Not complaining. I’m happy to be alive. We are so lucky we know about our annie’s. My plan of attack is to take a picture (ct angio gram) every year and if it grows I will get coils placed inside. If it doesn’t grow, I’ll just live with it forever which I understand millions do without even knowing it!
My 6 month CTA showed no change,so I go back to UCLA in one year for a recheck. Over 5% of the population have this and never have a problem!
Sharon Nold said:
Sheri, thank you so much for the reply. It’s encouraging to know that there are others who are able to carry on their normal daily activities with an Annie.
sheri fisher said:I also have an Annie in the same place, I was diagnosed 6 months ago. I am living with one. I go to the gym, do everything I did before… Coiling is best done from the femoral arteriy.
Great news Sheri! Glad to hear you are continuing to do well.
sheri fisher said:
My 6 month CTA showed no change,so I go back to UCLA in one year for a recheck. Over 5% of the population have this and never have a problem!
Sharon Nold said:Sheri, thank you so much for the reply. It’s encouraging to know that there are others who are able to carry on their normal daily activities with an Annie.
sheri fisher said:I also have an Annie in the same place, I was diagnosed 6 months ago. I am living with one. I go to the gym, do everything I did before… Coiling is best done from the femoral arteriy.
Hi I was also just recently diagnosed. I am opting for the coiling as I have 2 aneurysms…I mentally can’t go on wondering if these will rupture. I know it is a risk doing the coiling but it is one I have made due to the fact that my father and grandmother both died from ruptured aneurysms…I am just glad mine were found out in time to do something about them.
Hello,
I had the coiling procedure and can’t tell you the medical reasons why they start in your groin, but it seems to be the common point for all arterial procedures in the heart or brain. They will be going through your neck, but they start in the groin. I’ve had more than one coiling and angiogram so they have used both the left and the right femoral arteries. Coiling was the least invasive procedure, in my opinion. I opted for it because it had a shorter recovery time. I have no idea how long I had had my aneurysm before it was discovered, but I do know that I had at least one ‘headache of a lifetime’ and NEVER WANT THAT PAIN AGAIN. For me, that was the reason to treat mine. FEAR of reliving the excruciating pain was my motivator!
I wish you the best in your decision. Trust in yourself and your intuition - you will do what’s best for you! Most of all, try not to worry and add more stress to your life. Have a happy Monday.
Thomasina
Thanks for the info…what was your recovery time? they only told me that I would stay the nite and go home the next day…but nothing after that…are you on any meds since the procedure? any deficits? please let me know as the time is getting close to my coiling…thanks
Thomasina Tijerina said:
Hello,
I had the coiling procedure and can’t tell you the medical reasons why they start in your groin, but it seems to be the common point for all arterial procedures in the heart or brain. They will be going through your neck, but they start in the groin. I’ve had more than one coiling and angiogram so they have used both the left and the right femoral arteries. Coiling was the least invasive procedure, in my opinion. I opted for it because it had a shorter recovery time. I have no idea how long I had had my aneurysm before it was discovered, but I do know that I had at least one ‘headache of a lifetime’ and NEVER WANT THAT PAIN AGAIN. For me, that was the reason to treat mine. FEAR of reliving the excruciating pain was my motivator!
I wish you the best in your decision. Trust in yourself and your intuition - you will do what’s best for you! Most of all, try not to worry and add more stress to your life. Have a happy Monday.
Thomasina
Melanie,
My recovery time for the coiling was about a week before I could go back to work or drive! I was out of the hospital within 48 hours of the procedure the first time. Immediately after the coiling was a few hours spent in ICU. The first time I suffered a tremendous headache afterward - almost as bad as the worst of my life - so they had to watch me and drug me up with pain killers for a while longer than they expected. The second coiling was much easier and no major pain. I was out of the hospital within 24 hours of the procedure. I’m going to have a third in a few months and don’t expect any problems. My deficits can’t directly be tied to my aneurysm, but I do have memory deficits. That could be age or the migraine syndrome. Other than that, after three weeks - I was able to go back to working out as long as I didn’t strain hard enough to cause cranial pressure. You might be wondering why I’ve had to have it re-done. There’s something called flattening. Due to the location of my annie, the pressure of the bloodflow hits the coils at just the right spot/angle to cause them to compact. That leaves space where it was once filled and they have to re-fill it. Hopefully, third time will be the charm. However, I’ve got a pretty expensive platinum-filled brain now - matches my wedding set!
Thomasina
Melanie March said:
Thanks for the info…what was your recovery time? they only told me that I would stay the nite and go home the next day…but nothing after that…are you on any meds since the procedure? any deficits? please let me know as the time is getting close to my coiling…thanks
Thomasina Tijerina said:Hello,
I had the coiling procedure and can’t tell you the medical reasons why they start in your groin, but it seems to be the common point for all arterial procedures in the heart or brain. They will be going through your neck, but they start in the groin. I’ve had more than one coiling and angiogram so they have used both the left and the right femoral arteries. Coiling was the least invasive procedure, in my opinion. I opted for it because it had a shorter recovery time. I have no idea how long I had had my aneurysm before it was discovered, but I do know that I had at least one ‘headache of a lifetime’ and NEVER WANT THAT PAIN AGAIN. For me, that was the reason to treat mine. FEAR of reliving the excruciating pain was my motivator!
I wish you the best in your decision. Trust in yourself and your intuition - you will do what’s best for you! Most of all, try not to worry and add more stress to your life. Have a happy Monday.
Thomasina
I have just been told that the two aneurysms that have been monitored for three or four years have grown to 4 and 4.5mm. My doctor wants me to see a surgeon and has recommended a Dr. Brian Hoh at Shands hospital in Gainesville, FL. It is not that I don’t want to go to him, but I would like more options - probably in the southeast. Did anybody out there do research on who and where the best work is being done?
Melanie March said:
Hi I was also just recently diagnosed. I am opting for the coiling as I have 2 aneurysms…I mentally can’t go on wondering if these will rupture. I know it is a risk doing the coiling but it is one I have made due to the fact that my father and grandmother both died from ruptured aneurysms…I am just glad mine were found out in time to do something about them.
I Had the coiling done on April 1st for my two aneurysms.I am doing great and will return to work next week, If you want any information about the coiling, email me and I will be happy to help…Mine was done at UPMC here in Pittsburgh and by a Dr. who is very, very, very good …His team has been doing these and they are excellent…let me know if you need any info. Mel.
Dale Donaldson said:
I have just been told that the two aneurysms that have been monitored for three or four years have grown to 4 and 4.5mm. My doctor wants me to see a surgeon and has recommended a Dr. Brian Hoh at Shands hospital in Gainesville, FL. It is not that I don’t want to go to him, but I would like more options - probably in the southeast. Did anybody out there do research on who and where the best work is being done?
Melanie March said:Hi I was also just recently diagnosed. I am opting for the coiling as I have 2 aneurysms…I mentally can’t go on wondering if these will rupture. I know it is a risk doing the coiling but it is one I have made due to the fact that my father and grandmother both died from ruptured aneurysms…I am just glad mine were found out in time to do something about them.
Hi,
My name is Maryann Somontes.I am 57 …a registered nurse,married with 3 grown girls.I was dx with 2 brain aneurysms in June,2006.4 weeks before my oldest daughter’s wedding…very stressful. I was given the choice of watching but due to my emotional state after dx and the fear of a rupture ,I chose to have a coil procedure.Both of the aneurysms are in the clinoid sinus area, the cavernous section behind the optic nerve.Supposedly rupture rate here is low as the cave like area that surrounds them are protective . But I wanted to get rid of them.So I had one coiled, the one on the left.Due to the shape and wide base I needed a stent to hold the coils .So I has a stent done 11/7/06, 3 more coil surgeries after that before it was successful.That was 10/30/07. I would do it again to live without fear.The other aneurysm is small, 2 mm,so we are just watching it. The one I had coiled was 5-6mm, boot shape. I had a brain angiogram to check it 5/08 and a CT scan and MRA 10/08. 2009 I was free…no check ups…all looked great.So this year in October i am do for either a brain angiogram or CT scan.I hope for the CT scan…less invasive…I feel great…exercise everyday…my only restriction is no lifting over 50#. Life is good!!! Take care,Maryann
Sharon, I’m Beth. I was diagnosed the day before (March 17th, 2010) you with a brain aneruysm that is 4.5 mm at the base of my skull. I had to wait a week and one day to see a neurologist to basically be told that he wanted to refer me out to another dr that specialized in aneurysms. Because I had been having head aches since the 17th he wanted me to have a lumbar puncture to make sure that I didn’t have a leak. Which I do not. It was over 16 days before a got to see the specialist. Due to the referal process. I finally go to the Specialist and he goes over all my options… I have 3. 1. Watch it and hope it doesn’t rupture. 2. Clip it. 3. Coil it. But before we do any of those he wants me to have a angiogram done so he can get a better picture of it, which I am waiting for them to schedule. I am having such mixed emotions about my choices. I don’t like the watch and see what it does option. Option #2 clipping, it is major surgery, and a longer recovery time than the coiling. But once it is done it’s done. Unless you get another aneurysm some where. Then you have option #3 coiling, From what I understand it is the least evasive but may have to be redone due to the coils compacting after time. I think of it like filling a pot hole. After cars driving over a filled pothole in time it starts to get compacted and needs to be refilled. Same as the blood going over the site of the coils in time it may get compacted(compressed) and need to be fixed. It is kind of funny when you talk to people (so far no one with an aneruysm) and tell them your options no one knows what they think would be the best option. Well best of luck. I just had to post since we were diagnosed with in 1 day of each other. Let us know what is going on with you in your aneruysm journey.
Hi, Sharon,
The reason the artery in your leg is used instead of the much closer artery in your neck, is two fold:
-
Often the doctors need to put more than one lead in, one to deliver the coils and one to see what they’re doing. It’s better to manipulate in that way through the large artery in your groin than the smaller artery in your neck.It avoids the chance of having to open up two arteries.
-
If something goes wrong, for instance bleeding or clotting, it’s easier to save your life if the problem is further away from your brain.
The final reason is less drastic - it just give the surgeon and medical staff and aneasthesiologist more room to work so that they’re not crowded around a small area trying to all reach a small space at the same time to do very delicate work.
Hope that helps.
Laurie
I was diagnosed with an unruptured 8 x 7x 6 aneurysm on the dividing point of the left mid cerebral artery. The neurologist who read the MRI recommended surgery. My family physician was concerned about surgery because opening the skull is such a risky procedure. So his office refered me to another neurologist . Meantime, I wanted a second opinion, so yet another appointment was made with a third neurologist . Both of the other neurologists recommended surgery and referred me to neurosurgeons. Both neurosurgeons recommended surgery. Since all 5 if them said the same thing, I suspect one of them is probably right. (g)
I’m awaiting a surgery date, which I expect will be in mid-May.
My aneurysm couldn’t be coiled because it doesn’t have a neck that would hold coils in place. Instead of looking like a balloon with a neck and a round body, it looks like a half of a raspberry or blackberry sitting on the area where the main artery divides and goes in two directions. It doesn’t divide like a Y, it divides like curly T. Each of the little lumps that makes the annie look like a berry is a blister where the wall of the artery is stretched very thin.
So I’m going to have a hole in my head.
Laurie
Hi Thomasina
My name is Joanne. I was diagnosed with an 8mm unruptured brain aneurysm about a month ago. The 3 doctors I saw all recommended the coiling procedure you had done. I’m scheduled to have it done the beginning of July, needless to say I’m terrified. I had no symptoms just mild vertigo. My internist recommended an MRI to rule out a brain tumor. I was told 95 % of the time vertigo is due to harmless inner ear issue and 5% a brain tumor. Luckily I didn’t have a tumor but they found the aneurysm. They all say it has nothing to do with my symptoms. I guess I wanted to know how your life has changed after having the coiling. Is your quality of life the same? Do you feel different or have any physical problems after having the procedure? Thanks so much for your help.
Thomasina Tijerina said:
Hello,
I had the coiling procedure and can’t tell you the medical reasons why they start in your groin, but it seems to be the common point for all arterial procedures in the heart or brain. They will be going through your neck, but they start in the groin. I’ve had more than one coiling and angiogram so they have used both the left and the right femoral arteries. Coiling was the least invasive procedure, in my opinion. I opted for it because it had a shorter recovery time. I have no idea how long I had had my aneurysm before it was discovered, but I do know that I had at least one ‘headache of a lifetime’ and NEVER WANT THAT PAIN AGAIN. For me, that was the reason to treat mine. FEAR of reliving the excruciating pain was my motivator!
I wish you the best in your decision. Trust in yourself and your intuition - you will do what’s best for you! Most of all, try not to worry and add more stress to your life. Have a happy Monday.
Thomasina
Hello Joanne,
You found the right spot for support! My life has not changed negatively. If anything, it changed positively. I was able to resume my normal physical activities. I lift weights, do various forms of cardio, garden, ect. I had to give myself time to heal before I was able to resume normal activities, but that was just a few weeks. The first coiling gave me an awful headache immediately following the procedure, but the ICU nurses were on top of it. Once it settled down (while still in ICU), I rarely had/have headaches. I was only in the hospital a few days post coiling. I would have been able to leave sooner, but the headache caused some concern. I still get dizzy, disoriented, but that’s most likely due to my migraine/seizure disorder.
I did become even more aware of my body. I try to eat only healthy foods - eliminated all forms of toxic food. I eat nothing from a can. I don’t USUALLY eat fried food, white flour, many starches, corn, eggs, wheat, diary, or yeast. Eggs, wheat, diary and all forms of yeast I don’t eat because of allergies. I have enough health problems without adding to them because my taste buds want to be selfishly satisfied.
It’s natural to be nervous. It’s a scary diagnosis. However, statistics are on your side. Think positive and try not to worry. You might consider continuing to check into your dizziness. It turns out that my dizziness, disorientation, spaced-out, spazing ‘episodes’ are caused by a completely different problem - the migraine/seizure problem. I thought they were related to my aneurysm, too.
I wish you a happy day filled with enormous calm and belly laughs!
Thomasina
Joanne Cirincione said:
Hi Thomasina
My name is Joanne. I was diagnosed with an 8mm unruptured brain aneurysm about a month ago. The 3 doctors I saw all recommended the coiling procedure you had done. I’m scheduled to have it done the beginning of July, needless to say I’m terrified. I had no symptoms just mild vertigo. My internist recommended an MRI to rule out a brain tumor. I was told 95 % of the time vertigo is due to harmless inner ear issue and 5% a brain tumor. Luckily I didn’t have a tumor but they found the aneurysm. They all say it has nothing to do with my symptoms. I guess I wanted to know how your life has changed after having the coiling. Is your quality of life the same? Do you feel different or have any physical problems after having the procedure? Thanks so much for your help.
Thomasina Tijerina said:Hello,
I had the coiling procedure and can’t tell you the medical reasons why they start in your groin, but it seems to be the common point for all arterial procedures in the heart or brain. They will be going through your neck, but they start in the groin. I’ve had more than one coiling and angiogram so they have used both the left and the right femoral arteries. Coiling was the least invasive procedure, in my opinion. I opted for it because it had a shorter recovery time. I have no idea how long I had had my aneurysm before it was discovered, but I do know that I had at least one ‘headache of a lifetime’ and NEVER WANT THAT PAIN AGAIN. For me, that was the reason to treat mine. FEAR of reliving the excruciating pain was my motivator!
I wish you the best in your decision. Trust in yourself and your intuition - you will do what’s best for you! Most of all, try not to worry and add more stress to your life. Have a happy Monday.
Thomasina