I'm 49 years old and was diagnosed with a small aneurysm in April 2012. It is a 4.5 x3.0 saccular aneurysm projecting anteromedially from the left supraclinoid internal carotid artery. I went through much anxiety for the first couple months after diagnosis. Had my 6 month checkup in October. No change. Recommendation is to wait and watch, but is my choice of course. Great UCLA doctors. Risks of death or severe disability procedure (2% coiling) (5% clipping) outweigh the risks of rupture (o.5%), so for now, I am waiting and watching and just going by the odds. I like everyone else, am trying to make the right decision so I can be here for my 10 yr old daughter for a long time!
Doctors said no restrictions except don't binge drink, don't get high blood pressure and don't smoke. I try to do most of the same things I did before, except anything where my head would be upside down and all the blood rushing to it, such as Yoga or certain exercises. I still go on rollercoasters, fly on airplanes, work out as much as I can, etc. I try not to think about having the aneurysm, sometimes do really good and don't think much about having it, but sometimes fail miserably. This week I have been failing miserably with the news of Bruno Mars mother (55) dying unexpectedly from a rupture.
scary to be diagnosed with such a thing -- and then the decisons to have to make about treatment...You said its your choice to watch/wait? what does your doctor think, or has he left it all up to you?
The only failing I see with the watch and wait plan is that even small aneurysms can rupture, and with that lurking in the mind I know it wouldn't sit well with my daily 'living' as i'd be too freaked out %99 of the time to handle it. I've undergone a clipping, a coiling, and then a clipping to fix the compacted coils....and I've never been given the option of watch/wait (which is a good thing for me)! How was your aneurysm diagnosed? was it an incidental find? Peace, Janet
When I read about his Mom I cried. I didn’t know the woman, but that hit close to home. When my journey began, it was watch and wait or possibly coil. At that point the thought of watching and waiting was too overwhelming. Every pain or twinge had me freaking out. I had days I would just break down and cry. I could not tell people what was going on without crying. Now, after surgery, there are days that I break down. Anything can trigger sadness or anxiety. It is a little hard to deal with sometimes.
Janet said so much so well...Mine ruptured at 6mm...left ICA supraclinoid segment...A number others have had ruptures on smaller aneurysms than mine...a/w/a one of an MCA...
NO, this is not to frighten you...it is to let you know that those stats given out on size and time and location and other stats are of question by some of us...Each one of us has to be told enough to have both sides for our decision...
Were the quoted stats that of the national average or the UCLA average?
I am promoting (no, I do not get any sales commission)...the two books by Drs listed on the BAF main website...on the "understanding" site to the bottom to the "references" page...
This weekend, I ordered four more books to begin my gifting...to promote knowledge of brain aneurysms... which I personally feel will be more effective than walk-a-thons...again, just my personal opinion...
Prayers for your comfort in your decision process...
Thank you all for your replies. to pat.om, what does a/w/a one of an MCA mean?
I've read many statistics on the chances of rupture, including the information on BAF and the newest Mayo Clinic statistics. They all have advised that smaller ones can rupture too, but still, the risk of that is lower than the risk of any surgery for me at this point. The doctors at UCLA have given me similar stats and would complete the procedure if I wanted to at this point, but said I could go either way with my decision at this time. However, they have said they do not think I need to at this point unless I just can't handle the stress of waiting/watching.
If it grows even a bit at my next checkup, I will probably opt for one of the procedures.
It's sure not an easy decision to make, I'm praying for the best. Thank you all for your comments
Hi Terri, I hope you are doing well. Prayers for your continued recovery.
If you don't mind, How big was yours when it was discovered? and how long a wait before you decided to get the surgery? and did you get the coil or clipping? Do you have any restrictions now that you've had the surgery? Thank you for any answers..
Incidental find. congratulations on your successful clipping and coilings. what size were yours when you got them fixed? do you have many restrictions after all those surgeries?
To answer your question about the size(s) of my annies...I honestly don't know! I do know in my 1998 medical report it was stated as a "rather large aneurysm" which felt like it was as the pressure behind my left eye was pretty intense, plus as the aneuyrsm grew it snapped my 3rd optic nerve in two (better my optic nerve then the aneurysm bursting) ! and as for my 2nd annie, again don't know (I blame my ignorance on the coma--lol)
I had no related restrictions by the way, just to take it easy and heal up. I was put on 3 months disability on the last clipping but could've gone back to work sooner....
Hi MIssy...my apologies... it is "as well as one of a middle cerebral artery" (MCA)...and, hey, I have such similar questions to those who type word modifications...anytime past "ur"...
The internal carotid artery (ICA) bifurcates at the end of the supraclinoid segment...to the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and the anterior cerebral artery (ACA)...
The clinoid (supraclinoid) segment has three arteries that branch before bifurcation... oph- thalmic, posterior communicating (PCoA) and a small Anterior Choroidal Artery (AChA) ...
I so question the stats...by where they are accumulated, maintained and distributed from...
The known FDA MedWatch...the form is completed by a doc/staff and submitted...if they are not submitted...adverse events are not of record...for the stats...
The annual stats on ruptured are also of interest...another story...another time.
At this point you really do have time for your option... you can change in a matter of months... or wait as long as you want...
I have a 9 mm aneurysm that was coiled...and another 2mm aneurysm that is behind my left eye ... Doctors are also watching...I was told the same things as you about the "binge drinking and smoking, Bp etc"...I heed all warnings and then some...however, I find I think little about the aneurysm they are watching and tend to think more about that one that was coiled, because that has caused me problems...so there are many "up and down" moments in this journey...You are not alone ~ wishing you a beautiful Monday ~ Colleen
Thank you so much Colleen, it's nice to hear some good news about the watching and waiting choice! What kind of issues do you have with the one that was coiled? and if I may ask, I'm trying to find out if anyone with a unruptured aneurysm has any weird neck twinges... Have you happened to experience that?
Truthfully, I am not sure you can compare me with the norm...if something could happen during coiling it did...
I ended up in NICU with 2 Bleeds, blood transfusion, induced coma and a lung not working at full capacity...once I healed...I have monthly migraines from the coils ( I say from the coils because I never had prior to the coils ) ... I have pain in my right eye and droop in my right eye and face since coiling...neck pain ... and a slight weakness on my right side...see "me not the norm"...
I get twinges in the area of where I was coiled (which is over to the right side of neck), but feel nothing from the unruptured aneurysm behind my left eye...
Hope this helps Missy...although like I said...I am not the norm of coiling...~ Colleen