Hi all.... having been on much, very busy with work, kids & all but have an upcoming PED procedure for a 7mm aneurysm on the 27th November in Sydney... Just wondering if anyone can give me some feedback on procedure, how long in hospital, recovery time & when back to work (I work in childcare).... Thanks guys, starting to feel very nervous.......
Hi Janine and welcome to the PED group.
I had my PEDs placed on June 8, 2011, and was the 7th in the Philadelphia tri-state area (Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey) in the US.
My PEDs were placed (I have 2 telescoped) after a failed coiling due to my 9 mm right ICA annie being wide necked. I also have another smaller ICA annie on the left side. My Annie’s were found incidentally when I was admitted to the hospital after losing feeling on the left side of my body.
After the failed coiling I was placed on plavix and 81 mg. aspirin and was sent home for 10 days prior to my surgery. The PED being so new in the US at that time, I had no one I could talk to before my surgery, hence the reason why Giovanni and I started this group. But I digress…
My surgery consisted of general anesthesia and an angiogram to deliver the stent through the femoral artery up to the internal carotid artery (ICA). The only thing I remember about recovery was screaming about my back pain because they wouldn’t move me to stop the pain. After the PED is placed, you must lay completely still. I was taken to ICU where I was put in a bed with an alarm that went off if I tried to move a muscle! It was annoying as hell!!! My surgery was at 11 am and I was required to stay in that bed until 10 am the next morning. I was released 2 hours later to go home.
I had driving restrictions, walking, stair and lifting restrictions for 2 weeks then back to work.
Post surgery I suffered migraine type headaches (which most in our group also suffered from). Aside from headaches, I had a mini breakdown when the enormity of what had happened to me finally hit me! (This all happened to me in a 10 day period – I didn’t have a chance to breath let alone worry about was was going to happen). My little breakdown happened about 3-4 weeks after my surgery.
At 6 months, my angio revealed that my annie fully occluded and the PEDs had done their job! Oh happy days!
I am now monitored yearly for my PEDs and the annie to make sure the lil bugger doesn’t grow.
I am 2 years and 5 months post PED and have no side effects from the PEDs.
I hope my story puts you at ease, and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask! Just know that everything you are feeling is perfectly normal!
I would tell you to rest, drink plenty of fluids, rest, rest and rest! Remember the brain rules the entire body and you will have just had brain surgery!
Also, read the following, A Letter From Your Brain, which has helped a lot of us put our brain surgery into perspective. Share it with family, friends and coworkers so they too know what your brain has endured.
http://www.bafsupport.org/group/pipeline-embolization-device-ped/pa…
Best of luck with your surgery and please keep us posted on your surgery!
Linda
Xxxx
Janine, How did everything go with your procedure? I had mine Jun 2012, and am taking .81 aspirin and mine is fully occulded and have little bothersome effects.
Hi Denise.....
Taking a little longer than I expected but slowly getting there.... Spent a total of 5 nights in hospital, 2 in ICU & 3 on neuro ward, when I woke from procedure I had no strength in my right leg, so had to have CT, MRI & ultrasound, still unsure as to what happened but the leg still not 100% better... In hospital it would go purple/blue colour and feel very heavy....my blood pressure kept dropping & still is low to this day....get very tired quickly, headaches come & go, as with little sliver flashes in the right eye....
Go for a 2hr ultrasound on Thurs, the back again Fri for a 1hr ultrasound to check my renal & legs for FMD which I also have in both carotid arteries (right hand side already has a 'double stent') because it dissected...
Hopefully will start to feel better in the coming weeks, it will be 3wks tomorrow since I had the PED.... I have had wonderful help from family & friends but really would love for things to go back the way they were :( x
Am also on Plavix & aspirin, which will be for a long time because of the FMD & then they will have to make the decision of how they will tackle the next annie behind the left eye... I have had 4 angiograms since June, so really struggling with a decision on how to do the next one, as he said I can have PED, clip or coils but with all the trouble I have had with angiograms it makes deciding so much harder....
I am so sorry for you experience. I had a giant aneurysm behind my eye, but it all went well.I am allergic to iodine, so steriods were a big part of my procedure. I will give credit to Hopkinsa and my doc also. I hope you feel better soon, it is really too much. Denise