Hi. I’m glad to have found this site! I am a 50 year old mom who found out in April that I have a 3.5 mm aneurysm on the internal carotid artery at the junction of the opthamalic nerve. I have been doing the watch and wait thing with an aortic aneurysm for the past couple of years so I’m assuming I’ll do the same with this one? I am scheduled to see a neurologist on May 31 but until then I’m wondering if you have any advice? Are there restrictions on anything? Is this something that is typically operated on? Sorry to go on and on! Thanks!
For a start, Don’t be sorry. You have something within your head that you are concerned about. I’d say that’s pretty damn normal to be honest, so don’t be apologising. Me, I was a ball of stress with all those ‘what if?’ questions.
Now, at 3.5mm it is considered to be small and I think the best advice at this point is ‘be aware, but not alarmed’. We are not dr’s, so for us to be giving medical advise would be wrong. The exact placement and size of your annie plays a huge role in the precautions and treatment options and for that you need the professional advice of a neuro. An aortic aneurysm is a little different as it’s located within the abdominal cavity, where, by the sounds of it, this one is within the brain. But as I say at 3.5mm it is considered to be small and therefore at little risk of bursting. My advice is to keep your appointment with the neuro and complete any required follow ups or tests. From there any treatments that are deemed as required will be recommended and decisions on a course of action can be taken from there. I know from personal experience how difficult the wait can be but in all honesty there is very little that you personally can do but wait until you obtain professional advice from a qualified neuro.
Best of luck with it all and please let us know how you get on.
Merl from the Moderator Support Team