Hi everyone,
I’m grateful to have found this group. In March of 2023, after 5 wonderful years without it, my vertigo came back with a vengeance. I’ve suffered from vertigo since my early 20’s, it was episodic for years, seeming to come and go yet manageable. Mine is so severe I have to go to the ER for medications, as I vomit several times an hour for each episode which typically last up to 24 hours. We went to the ER in March and they treated it. Upon coming home I had a headache/migraine every day for month. My family doctor had me scheduled for an MRI the following week when the vertigo came back again on April 9. 2023. Back in the ER with a wonderful ER doctor who immediately sent me for a cat scan (because of the month long headache and the vertigo). The cat scan revealed there were no internal triggers for my vertigo but they did find two aneurysms behind both eyes- a 6 mm aneurysm along the ophthalmic segment of the left internal carotid artery and a 4 mm aneurysm along the ophthalmic segment of the right internal carotid artery.The referred me to neurosurgery and said it was an incidental finding.
I waited an antagonizing 3 1/2 weeks to meet the neurosurgeon, but now I believe that wait was worth it because I love my neurosurgeon so much! He recommended an angiogram, which was scheduled for two weeks later.
In my angiogram they discovered I had a superiorly- and laterally-pointing left dorsal wall ICA aneurysm measuring approximately 6.8 x 6.2 x 6.0 mm with no significant dysmorphic features, a superiorly-pointing right dorsal wall ICA aneurysm measuring approximately 3.8 x 3.4 x 2.0 mm with no dysmorphic features, a medially-pointing right superior hypophyseal aneurysm measuring 1.6 x 1.2 mm with no dysmorphic features and a small area of outpouching along the proximal cavernous sinus suspicious for early formation of a fusiform ICA aneurysm.
I had my first flow diversion surgery in July 2023 where they put in two pipeline stents on the left side. My second flow diversion surgery was in December 2023, where they put in one pipeline stent on my right side. I go back in June for a follow up angiogram. In December they saw that the aneurysms on the left side were gone, so we are hopeful for the same results in June.
Over the past few weeks I’ve had some intense pain over the left eye. It’s subsided for now and my neurosurgeon said he isn’t concerned at this time. I’m also getting a lot of “shooting stars” in my left eye so I’m going to an eye doctor soon to make sure it’s nothing serious.
I still get neuro fatigued easily, I’m hoping over time that will subside. I am really anxious since I have/had 4 aneurysms that more will develop. Does anyone have information on reoccurrence rates?
A little about me, I’m a college professor, I teach current and future teachers (teacher education) and I love what I do. I have two college aged kids and the most loving supportive husband who has been my rock in all of this. I enjoy paddle boarding and long walks! Looking forward to getting to know you all.
Warmly,
Jane