I was just diagnosed this past week with a 2.5-3mm aneurysm in my internal carotid artery. I have never been so scared in my life as I have two children (10 & 5) that I still need to be here for and a wonderful husband that I’d always hoped I’d grow old with. I’ve been through so much in my life already but I can honestly say nothing as scary as this!. Any advice on how to cope, right now I’m in the crying stage I guess although I’ve just been asking God for strength and peace to accept whatever HIS will for me is in all of this.
Lulu, welcome and wishing you the best...anticipae a lot of support here...
May I ask what triggered the testing/diagnosis?
Overall you are blessed...that it was discovered so small, reasonably allowing time for your research, your sharing, your potentially gaining a million questions you may want to ask your doctors before your decisions are made...and, your hubby there by your side as you meet/discuss with your doctors...to make your decisions...
My only basic is yoga deep breathing...from the abd, to lower chest, to upper chest...our God has well trained me...I do yoga and acupuncture ... and, take no pharma... somehow I feel so blessed by our God...
hi Lulu! the best way to deal with the fear is to pray, also try to think positive in that it was found and not ruptured like mine and so many others, you are on the right track- the winning track! Crying is good too-don't kill your tears-keep the faith. Please keep us updated- we really care~~
Good Morning LuLu, I understand what you are going through and I know it is not easy when you have small children that rely on you. The best thing right now is to hand everything over to the Lord and let it be his will and second I would go for a second opinion. I had surgery in the local hospital and am not happy with the before and after care so I went to Jefferson and still was not happy so I recently went to John Hopkins and they picked up on a second aneurysm that noone else had found so now I have to go through this all over agai. It seems like we have to be our own patient advocate cause noone else wil. We have to take charge of our own health and research as best we can. I was told that even a small aneurysm can rupture so please seek a second opinion. Wish you luck and happiness but especially peace of mind. Good luck in your search...Blessings
Hello and Welcome Lulu, you'll find much support and info with this great site. Are you comfortable with your doctors and hospital for what your being treated for? There is so much success today that there is no reason you won't grow old with your husband and children but it is a worry for sure. please keep us posted and I'll keep you and your family in my prayers daily. donna w
My 11 year old has been dealing with a non-ruptured brain aneurysm in his left internal carotid artery since last year—3 Pipeline stent surgeries over 8 months (didn't help—aneurysm just kept growing). His is around 2.5-3cm, not mm. He had had no symptoms, just a bulging vein (painless) over his left eyebrow. He has dealt with related vision loss this year because of the growing annie resting on his optic nerve. He only sees out of 1/2 of his right eye....and he has never let this get him down. He has a positive attitude and appreciates that we discovered this before it was too late. Since it kept growing, we just returned from 2 weeks in Phoenix where he had double barrel brain bypass surgery. He came through it incredibly well and we are so proud of him. Have faith, be grateful for the chance you have been given, and ask everyone you know to pray...it seems to be working for us! Be positive. As my son says, "Don't ask...Why me? Why not me?" He says he makes orange juice out of lemons ;)
I had a ruptured 3x5 mm aneurysm in 2012. It was coiled and now a residual 4x2 aneurysm has developed. I have has 3 doctors look over my situation and 2 of them say there is nothing more that can be done at this point due to size, location and other risk factors.
No one can tell someone how they should react to this but there are some things that may help. One, your aneurysm was found before it ruptured. Consider yourself very fortunate as even in the best cases you would have been out of commission for a while if yours ruptured. Second it sounds like you have a great support group, many people deal with this alone. Last your aneurysm was discovered at a time when here are so many options and great doctors to treat it. Just a few years ago that wasn’t the case. There are many success stories and good people here on this forum to give you hope. We are all a bit scared I think, but it’s about managing the fear and living your life in the now.
I make the best of every day and deal with this situation only when I have to. I know it’s hard to do, but it works for me. Best of luck to you!
Hi Lulu welcome,I had two Annie stent in the last three months one was done in December and the other four week ago today. I know you are scary cause I was too but just thank God they found it when they did, For me it was like here i am in the hospital but i didn’t feel sick. but i knew that if i didn’t have the surgery i would always worry about it. After the surgery I was shock on how I felt, which was real good the only pain I had was in the area they went in. I was able to go home the next day. I felt real good I wasn’t worried anymore, and the doctor came and gave me great news the Annie I had stent in December was gone. I am only telling u all this cause I’ve been where your at . It will all work out. Keep praying and keep your head up.
My prays are with u.
You've got every right to be frightened, my God you'd be crazy not to be ! I've had a clipping in 98, a coiling in 06 after a 6 week coma and in 2010 a clipping to correct the compacted coils--my advice to you is to do a lot of research, ask questions upon more questions and write them down and hit the doctor(s) with them, there's no such thing as a silly question, and this group is wonderful to bounce off of, very nice folks with lots of insight..Take one day at a time Lulu, Peace, Janet
Michelle, glad you son has recovered and has such a positive attitude. What an amazing child. Were his bulging veins related, I ask this as I have bulging veins and they say they are unrelated?
Hugs, I have a 2 and 3 year old and recently diagnosed with a 5mm annie. Undergoing the testing etc now and hoping to have surgery in the next month or so.
Thank you for the welcome and the encouraging words!!!
The testing was triggered because I went to see my grandma who had a ruptured aneurysm back in January and I started experiencing headaches everyday, my doctor though I caught a viral infection from being bitten by mosquitos and so he sent me for a MRA of my head and that's where it was found.
I have a CT-A tomorrow and I'm so nervous but definitely trying to breath, I will have to try the yoga too...I'm all wound up!
I feel that even though this feels horrible to know I have right now that there is a reason why God allowed this, walking in faith :)
I'm so sorry you have to go through this all over again, I will be praying for you!. Thank you for your words, they mean a lot!
I am on my 4th opinion at this point and have a CT-A tomorrow that my 4th opinion doc at Duke sent me for, he seems to think that it is not a aneurysm even though the neurosurgeon, a neurologist and the radiologist all think it is one...I am at a loss and have no idea, it seems so up in the air at this point. I'm trying to keep calm and handing everything to God as I don't know what to do with it myself :)
Please keep me posted on what is going on with you, you are right we do have to be our own advocates :(
I am somewhat comfortable, I am on my 4th opinion with a neuro at Duke so I'm feeling a lot better than with the local docs I guess, I have a CT-A tomorrow and just waiting on what that will show...I'm praying and keeping the faith but still a little nervous. Thank you again and I will keep posting :)
That is amazing, I'm so happy that you are feeling better and thank you for sharing your story with me it definitely gives me hope that things will work out :)
When I was going through what you are going through I found it helpful to hear about other people who had similar issues and survived unscathed. I am one of those people. My aneurysm was in the same place as yours but it was 8mm. I remember the first neurosurgeon I saw after being diagnosed telling me it was the luckiest day of my life. At the time I thought he was insane. Now I understand what he meant. Mine was coiled and stunted almost 3 years ago. I had a follow up angigram in Jan. 2012 and the Annie was gone! my Dr. Said the probability I would have further problems was close to zero I am exactly the way I was before the procedure both mentally and physically. The only change is I have to take an aspirin everyday. I hope this helps. Yours is smaller than mine and my Dr. Said at under 7mm they recommend monitoring it. so your probably trying to cope with that aspect of the nightmare. Have faith you will get your old life back. Sending prayers and good thoughts your way