Hello everyone...I have been "snooping" around this site for the last few weeks...it all started from my hospital bed, shortly after the doctor told me I have a basilar aneurysm. Came to me as a surprise as well...as I was admitted from the ER with severe vertigo, double vision. I thought middle ear problem??? I don't know why but MS was up there too. Because this was my second time to the ER, the previous trip was 10 days earlier where they sent me home with something for nausea and vertigo, but it didn't help, and I went back. After the vertigo was better, I realized my balance was off, I couldn't even put one foot in front of the other without loosing my balance. They did the MRI w/wo contrast. I've been home now 3 weeks waiting on approval through the county assistance program they have here locally, (I part of the 99%) and just found out today that I'm approved and have a neurosurgeon appointment in a week. Looking forward to some answers and a plan of action. Anyone else have symptoms like me, they told me in the hospital, that they were not related to the aneurysm...???? It's been a month since the symptoms began and I still have the balance issues.
Hi, I share some of what you are describing and an looking for answers too. I found this info on the internet and am considering getting a consultation. Not sure if this works but I will paste some of the details here. Nearly every nerve that your body uses for communicationgoes through the narrow opening in your "Atlas" where your brain becomes the brain stem entering your spinal column where it branches off to every other part of the body.
Not only does this bone protect your brainstem right at this critical point, it also balances your head on your spine... And just like a chain, this "Atlas" bone controls the alignment of the rest of the bones in your back balancing your legs, hips, and your entire body.
Since every single thing your body does requires the free flow of nerve communication with your brain starting with the "Atlas", it is crucial for the opening to be unrestricted for everything to work correctly.
This is actually so obvious when you think about it... but did you realize that your body consists of three major parts? Your head, your "Atlas" bone, and the rest of your body.
In recent years, specialized NUCCA Upper Cervical Doctors have developed a way to safely align just this "Atlas" bone, clearing the central pathway that your body uses for nerve communication and balancing the entire entire spine.“Better than 90% of the energy output of the brain is used in relating the physical body in its gravitational field. Atlas Spinal Care 1-888-364-0205 The more mechanically distorted a person is, the less energy available for thinking, metabolism and healing.”
-Roger Sperry, Ph. D. (Nobel Prize: Brain Research
Sheree, welcome; you are blessed to finally get your county assistance...
Sheree, re: balance...you may want to research the cranial nerves; if I recall correctly as I type, the CN VIII (vestibulocochlea) notes the affect/effect or control of balance by one of the two portions of CN VIII...
Post-treatment, I regained balance thru visual therapy...and, the main CN II connects to the eye (retina?) ; and apx 5 more CNs that relate to diff parts of vision muscle control from eye rotation to adjustment to light/dark and one (perhaps CN III) that relates a passage of both vision and hearing... Somehow I imagine it is what allowed vision therapy to allow me to regain balance before I got into auditory related therapy. I did not regain hearing; and, did not regain upper right peripheral; tho insignificant to the other issues.
Well prior to first emergency, I had intermittent pulsation (pressure) behind my right eye. Balance issues began post-MVA; difficult for me to even step off a treadmill safely. I had three emergencies in 29 days and had sought PCP testing/diagnosis right after the first. Between the first two emergencies, the tingling / numbness began in my left arm/hand...
Please tell us about county assistance...and, the delays ; and, what the doctors said about the delays...
How long were you hospitalized?
We hear quite often that our symptoms are not related to an aneurysm. I encourage you to google a lot of the verbiage on brain aneurysms, cranial nerves, lobes, cerebral arteries...and use the term anatomy when you want to imagine the MCA is the major supplier of the temporal lobe, etc... did you get your records of your diagnosis explaining the artery / segment, the size /shape of your aneurysm. Has a MD talked to you about clip, coil, onyx glue, or Pipleline or are you waiting for the county approval before you see an expert who will explain all of this? Prayers you will have an advocate who wil ltake notes of wha all is explained...and, make a list of questions on data you already have.
Keep asking questions and sharing w/us. We are all offering our interpretations and personal opinions; tho anticipate we can/may help you in questions to ask; i.e. by the artery/ segment location of the aneurysm, which of the cranial nerves are in close contact, etc etc...
Prayers for your best treatment.
Pat
Thanks for your reply, yes, I was not explained anything yet, found out the 4th day I was in the hospital I had an aneurysm, I saw the neuro 2x during the stay...once in the beginning, after ER and once on the 4th and final day, it took 2 days for them to do the MRA, because they "had to take the emergencies" and every time I was going to go they "had another emergency" I guess I wasn't an emergency, because they determined after the ct scan in ER that I wasn't having a bleed? Had I known that they saw the aneurysm during that ct scan I think I may have been more aggressive in my care. I thought all along it was something to do with middle ear...they told me on the 4th day that I had an aneurysm that was it...it was after I started reseaching on the web from my hospital bed that I found out questions that I should have asked the doctor, he said he was going to have the in-house neuro surgeon review my file and get back with me...I never saw him again..instead the ER admitting doctor came to release me, still couldn't walk without assistance, and she said she was referring me to an outside neuro surgeon to make an appt. with. I called him stupidly, only to find out they don't see self pay patients. I had to make an appt with me PC doctor who referred me to the county assistance program. I just got that approval yesterday and thankful for it...I now have the appt with a surgeon...I guess I will be on the wait and watch, but it will make me feel a lot better know some course of action or plan of action will be in place and I can direct my questions, like where is it, how big is it now after a month??? Why do I have symptoms, I can not even drive...my daughter is helping to pay my bills, I haven't been able to work.
Hi Sheree,
I had the same symptoms just before my aneurysm was discovered. Some said that it was related to the annie, others said no. My annie is in the right ICA...I still occasionally have balance issues even after having the annie "occluded" last summer. Just part of the new normal.
Take care and prayers for a great recovery.
Karen
Sheree, I have an appointment with an ENT on Monday for vertigo and watery feeling ears! Perhaps the ENT will discover something that is related!!! I had a rupture and have one annie coiled...the other is in a precarious position that they would rather not deal with unless it becomes a problem. Looks like you have received some great information from everyone here and I enjoyed reading it all myself!!!
Ah...Sheree and you seem lik a good soul indeed...again, I am so glad you found us...