Survivor or Not A Survivor

Are you considered an aneurysm survivor if your aneurysm didn’t burst but was treated, or does it refer to someone to who had a rupture Aneurysm and survived.
I ask because my friend referred to me in as an aneurysm survivor. I didn’t think I was because I had 2 internal carotid aneurysm that were found on a scan and treated by Pipelines flow diverter.
With the exception of the original diagnosis freaking me out a bit it was all really uneventful. I had an amazing neurosurgeon and from the moment I met him I felt I was in great hands.
I guess this is a trivial question, but I was just wondering as we did a 5 K today for Anuerysm Awareness and I wasn’t sure how to answer that question.

This is just my opinion, nothing official, you understand. But I think if you had an aneurysm, regardless of bursting or not, and you are still alive, you are an aneurysm survivor. Let’s see what others say.

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I kind of agree I guess, just hard to wrap my mind around it because there are others who went through so much worse. Even still and I am 6 months post surgeryit still doesn’t seem real if that makes sense.

Congrats you are alive. what was your doc’s name

Dr. MOCCO Mount Sinai.

I agree if your alive after a aneurysm then your a survivor. I survived a rupture. How long after did you see the specialist ? My rupture was May 9/2017 and was in hospital 6 weeks ( had coil done ) and still have not seen specialist. Appointment for January 18/2018. No one setup my appointment for MRI after I left rehab so I have an MRI January 8/2018. Lots of question to ask. Always get headaches and wondering when they will stop and what’s the chances of it happening again. Most important when can I fly again.

My wife was in the hospital in Denver four weeks and in acute rehab three weeks in Billings, MT. She had to return for a checkup at six months. Make a list of your questions, and be sure to ask them all. Our doctors were very good at answering our questions and made sure we were informed. Hopefully they will serve you that way, also.

I agree with everyone, you are a survivor. I didn’t have a rupture but I did have 4 aneurysms. 2 large and 2 small. Just think if they weren’t fixed, mine by pipeline stents, in some time in the future they may have ruptured. I was told to get to a neurosurgeon asap. I do have balance issues but I’m here and very great full. Keep going!

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I had my right side aneurysms done in 6/2016 and the left side aneurysms done in 7/2016. Had 6 month angiogram done in 1/2017. Just emailed my dr and I’ll get an MRI in 1/2018. My neurosurgeon did see me after my procedures and before angiogram.
Are you talking about flying in taking a trip or you flying a plane? I went to Hungary one month after my procedure: 8/2016. I asked if it was OK and the surgeon joked with me just don’t let anything hit you on the head! My surgeon’s PA is really good about getting me answers when I have any questions and I did have many.

Yes im talking about a trip to south america. I still get headaches especailly when its raining and i never ever use to get headaches. Im just scared of the pressue in the cabin i dont want to get a bad headache when im up in the air. Do you ever get headaches??? Also did the get your aneurysum before they ruptured because my ruptured didnt even know i had one

I went for a yearly check up for FMD and they did a sonogram of my carotid artery and heard a swooshing sound. They sent me for a ct scan to check for the FMD and incidentally found the aneurysm. I was sent to the Nuerosurgeon (Dr MOCCO) Mount Sinai who did an angiogram. The angiogram showed 2 aneurysms. One 7 and the other 5. Something. They were right next to each other so he treated them as one big one and put in a Pipeline Flow Diverter. That was in March. Follow up angiogram showed one went completely away. The other is half the size. I go back in may for hopefully the last one… Someone upstairs was looking out for me.:hugs:

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I had a dizzy spell and my general doctor had an MRI/MRA done. That’s when they found the 4 aneurysms. 2 larger ones (6.5mg and 5.7mg) and 2 smaller ones. I was told to get them fixed ASAP. Had the right side done and then the left. As I said my neurosurgeon said I could go on my trip. I didn’t have any headaches before or after. I was on Plavix and high dose aspirin at the time. Please asked your surgeon. The plane didn’t bother me. Hope it works out for you.

Does anyone get headaches when it rains because before my aneuysum i never use to get them and ever since this happened i get them everytime it rains

I questioned the same thing too. I have been reassured by everyone in my Aneurysm support group on Facebook that I am a survivor and warrior :slight_smile: People say I am lucky it was found…I prefer to say I was blessed. Only people that do not have an aneurysm are lucky. Whether your aneurysm ruptures or not, you are a survivor! I feel guilty sometimes because I haven’t had the hardships that rupture survivors have and my deficits are miniscule along with my recovery. I had my 9mm aneurysm clipped in July and then had to have a 2nd surgery 3 months later remove a large subdural hematoma.

I think a lot of people feel the same as you do.

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I had my aneurysm repaired on October 5. I will be 6 weeks post surgery on Thursday. I had my left internal carotid aneurysm (deep inside just over the pituitary gland) repaired with a pipeline. I usually get headaches now when the barometric pressure changes. This is often in Northern Michigan, what will the snow starting and Fall rains. I believe it to be my new “normal”. My neurosurgeon and Interventional Radiologist did a nerve block (through my sinuses) the day after my surgery. It has eliminated my regular migraines and probably seriously reduced my headaches following surgery. I was told to expect headaches for 8-12 weeks post surgery. Hopefully your discomfort will lessen soon!

It is now 6 months and sad to say i get them when the baramectic pressure
drops and when its cloudy and rainy. Have not seen my doctor yet
appointment is Dec 21. Joping this is not the new norm for me

I always had headaches with barometric pressure changes. I don’t get them as often now (6 years). Hurricane Irma was a 2 day nightmare for me. But I do still get them. I keep track now to see what I was doing the day before. I definitely have triggers. However, I also have a shunt in the left side of my head, which is always where the migraine occurs. It will get better over time. Please try to be patient. Do you have any special medication for when they occur? Over the counter medication did not work for me, but now, I always start with tylenol.

I take tylenol with codine but nothing else and it use to work but not
anymore. Two weeks ago i started getting pressure headaches in the front of
my forehead and it worries me because its the same pressure i had when my
aneurysm burst. Hopefully the doctor can figure out what causes my
headaches and this pressure. Its nice to know im not alone in this journey
sometimes people who never experianced this has no idea how we feel.

I take tylenol with codeine too. It’s the only thing that works for me. There was a really great migraine painkiller called Fiorcet, but I was allergic to it. Strange because I’ve never been allergic to anything else, ever! When I feel too much pressure in my head, I often just lay down. It’s more of a positional thing. No doctor has been able to tell me why.