To all of those who are "living with an aneurysm", I would like to hear your updates. I joined this group in 2012 the same year that I had my clipping for a ruptured aneurysm. I have been waiting and watching two small aneurysms. I still have not made up my mind to have surgery. In fact, I don't worry about the aneurysms anymore.
I would like to hear from other members who are still waiting and watching. Please post your updates so I don't feel like I'm alone in my decision to wait and watch. Even though I don't come here as often as I used to, I have read stories of others who decided to treat small aneurysms. I just want to know if there are others here who are still brave enough to wait and watch as I am.
Also, if you decided to treat your aneurysm, please let me know if you think the decision was a good or bad one.
I will also post this on the "Discussion" forum. Thanks.
Yes, I’ve been monitoring every year. I’m not sure if I just ‘got stuck’ in the denial phase, but I don’t obsess on it or think about it much. Once a year, though, I do either an MRA or CT scan. I pray there are no changes that warrant having to do surgery, but so far I’m happy monitoring.
In addition, I do use common sense with activities. Example: I wanted to run a 5k, but the training to get in shape was making me nervous so I stopped. If I had it coiled, I’d still be nervous then too.
Mine is a 4mm annie.
Hope this helps you and best wishes!
I am living with an aneurysm 2mm for 4 years now. I am monitored on a monthly basis by neurology and once a year or as needed I do a MRA scan and or MRI, then I see my neurosurgeon and we discuss treatment options if needed. I quit karate and roller coasters.
This year I was told that it wasn't the size that was important but the weakness of the vein. I really don't worry about the aneurysm too much. This year my surgeon stated that now we need to discuss options which are 1. Keep monitoring 2. Clip the aneurysm 3. Coil the aneurysm. I am allergic to the contrast needed for the coiling.
I did consult a second opinion neurosurgeon and was told keep monitoring, I would have taken his recommendation but he did not look at any of my brain scans or medical history so of course I was not impressed and for sure not going back to this Dr.
You are not alone in the watching or waiting department. Did your Dr. give you any recommendations? You didn't mention your age, I am 57 so I wonder if I should do anything about since I am older? Has your aneurysm grown? What kind of options were you given?
Not sure If I helped you or scared you I am hoping help. I figure you wanted honest opinions so I am hoping that I helped
I look forward to hearing from you as you can see 8 months to reply :)
Next January is going to be four years since I've been monitoring two aneurysms (3.2mm and 2.2mm). I work out daily. I take Zumba, Step and Weights classes. I am 59 years old. I've had CTAs done every year since my rupture in 2012. I have another CTA due next February. Sometimes I don't think about the aneurysms, but I still can't forget about them.
My doctor has not recommended treatment (clipping). He left it up to me to make that decision. He told me that I could watch and wait, and do scans every year. When I do my CTA next year, if I see any growth, then I will have to make a decision. But right now, I'm not in any rush to have the aneurysms treated. There is a lady in this group who has been monitoring three aneurysms for over 30 years. You should go back and read some of the postings in this group from back in 2012.
I am terrified of having another surgery. Sometimes the treatment doesn't always turn out good. I would love to hear from anyone in this group who decided to treat their aneurysm and was happy or sad with making that decision.
Eula, I ruptured and then had another aneurysm form. Having been in ICU for a month, I didn’t blink an eye when I had the second one coiled six months after rupturing. I can’t remember if I developed my unique accent before or after the second coiling. I know that it relieved my partner to go ahead and have it taken care of. And now my brain has healed what it will. I don’t worry about it and the one night stay for non ruptured was icing on top!
I have MRAs and not ct scans. I’ve had a lot of ct scans in hospital due to complications and ultrasounds twice a day for weeks while in ICU. Do you know why your dr chooses ct scans instead of the MRAs? I have learned different hospitals have different machines, apparently the newer 3D are all the rage (lol). My local hospital doesn’t have a progressive enough CT scan and didn’t catch the second aneurysm. It was hiding behind the first. The 3D MRA caught it.
I was told CTA scans are much more detailed than MRAs. With CTA scans, they administer dye into your brain to view the blood vessels thoroughly. If my neurosurgeon had suggested that I treat my aneurysm right after I had surgery, I would have gladly done so. But he told me it was up to me to watch and wait or to have surgery. After discussing this with my family and seeing that some people have watched and waited for years, I decided to go that route. I believe if the doctor had seen any urgency for me to have surgery, he would have told me to do so. I'm due for another CTA in February. If anything changes, then I would consider having surgery. My 3.2mm aneurysm has a wide neck and I was told coiling is not an option.
The longer I've watched and waited, the more comfortable I've become with "living with aneurysms". I'm not as scared as I was when I first found out I had other aneurysms.
Moltroub said:
Eula, I ruptured and then had another aneurysm form. Having been in ICU for a month, I didn't blink an eye when I had the second one coiled six months after rupturing. I can't remember if I developed my unique accent before or after the second coiling. I know that it relieved my partner to go ahead and have it taken care of. And now my brain has healed what it will. I don't worry about it and the one night stay for non ruptured was icing on top!
I have MRAs and not ct scans. I've had a lot of ct scans in hospital due to complications and ultrasounds twice a day for weeks while in ICU. Do you know why your dr chooses ct scans instead of the MRAs? I have learned different hospitals have different machines, apparently the newer 3D are all the rage (lol). My local hospital doesn't have a progressive enough CT scan and didn't catch the second aneurysm. It was hiding behind the first. The 3D MRA caught it.
I have been watching my aneurysm which is 5mm since 2010. In the beginning I was petrified all the time. I decided not to do further testing, and after much research and reading many articles on people who did treat them am happy about my decision. I have no symptoms or anything. Mine was a coincidental find. I read about speech problems, memory problems, balance problems etc. after people had them coiled or treated otherwise. I just had my yearly MRA check and there are no changes. I am more relaxed now since I have tested for the last five years with no changes. I have been told also the chance of rupture is very low so I will continue to do nothing especially since there are millions of people that have them and don't even know it. Keep being brave as long as you are feeling fine because you may end up worse after according to stories I have read. I wish you luck and continue to not worry. I rarely even think of mine now even though the first year was hell. health and happiness to you this year and in the future. mary
I, too am in the watch and wait group. I rarely give them a thought. I have testing every 3 years. I have 1, 2 or 3 mca annies, 2 to 3 mm each. Docs can’t agree on how many are in there! Guess at my age 56 (51 when diagnosed) they don’t worry so much about treating them so I stopped worrying about it. I still have bad headaches but keep trying different ways to treat them without drugs.