Hi Jennifer,
I’m so sorry for the loss of your mom. Someday I hope they make screening for aneurysms routine! My aneurysm is not where your is so I have no advice on that. I do know what it’s like to have a diagnosis and everything that comes after that though! Meditation and prayer have helped me a lot. It’s so hard to not be anxious! Sometimes it’s an every minute of every hour of the day thing and other times I don’t even think about it! Take care of yourself, ask lots of questions, see another doctor if you feel you need to, and know it was found for a reason! You’re in my prayers!
Beth
Thank you all once again for the replies and support. I feel so blessed that I found this group! All your comments have been so helpful and have brought me peace and knowledge as well. My prayers are also with you all.
Please keep us updated Jennifer!
An un-ruptured can be a very difficult thing, be thankful that yours was found and will now be treated.
Jennifer V said:
Thank you so much for your replies, Tomorrow can't come soon enough, I have my list of questions ready for the Neurosurgen. God bless you all.
Hi Jennifer,
I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. My mom also passed away last year (May 3rd will be one year) from a ruptured aneurysm. Mine was discovered in August after an MRA; my two sisters and two of my mom's siblings have since had MRA's and been cleared. I had a pipeline embolization device implanted in November, I will have a follow up MRA in June to determine if it shrunk the aneurysm as expected.
I am no expert so I can't tell you what your outcome will be. I will be praying for you and hope you get positive news.
All the best,
Erin
Hi Jennifer, try not to worry, medical technology these days are awesome! Just be sure to ask lots of questions, the neurologists are very good about explaining things. I was terrified too, I had two clipped and have two that they're watching...sending hugs your way! Mine were behind my right eye and on the top of the brainstem. I'm so glad that you were proactive and got checked!
The physicians I saw at UNMC gave me the greatest peace of mind. Hang in there and trust in these doctors.....
Hi Jen, I have an un ruptured 8mm on pica vertebral artery. I have been told coil, coil and pipeline, back to just coil because artery is too narrow and the latest discussion with a new CTA is clipping!! I am very confused but they all want to treat it. Good luck to you and please keep us posted!
HI Jennifer,
First my sympathies to you for losing your mom.
I found out I had three aneurysms by accident actually. I hit my head and felt foggy for a few days so colleagues encouraged me to get a CT scan a week later. BY that time I felt fine, no symptoms, they found one large aneurysm and sent me to have an MRA and found two more. One was too deep to clip so I had a pipeline flow diverter placed in that artery. That was 2 years ago. I never had one post op problem and still can't believe I have this hardware in my brain. I am on one aspirin a day for life. Now I have to go back and have another MRA to assess the smaller aneurysm. I recommend Dr. Lanzino at Mayo Clinic in Rochester Mn. He is AWESOME and I can't imagine there is an aneurysm that he can't get to somehow. Please keep us posted. I did send my daughter for an MRA and now have to work on the other three kids to go.
Best,
Chris
Hi I don’t know much about the left side. I agree try not to not worry but how is this done. ?For me it is valuable to try to stay in the moment. Find an activity that you can invest in for me I started painting. Although I did not start nor did I realize it’s value until after my procedure.there are so many options for repair .Stay positive.
Think positive.For me a new device was used called the pipeline. That device was for the most gigantic aneurysms. In my journey I discovered a new level of peace.Lastly take a companion with you it can also help to diffuse all the stress .
Christine said:
HI Jennifer,
First my sympathies to you for losing your mom.
I found out I had three aneurysms by accident actually. I hit my head and felt foggy for a few days so colleagues encouraged me to get a CT scan a week later. BY that time I felt fine, no symptoms, they found one large aneurysm and sent me to have an MRA and found two more. One was too deep to clip so I had a pipeline flow diverter placed in that artery. That was 2 years ago. I never had one post op problem and still can't believe I have this hardware in my brain. I am on one aspirin a day for life. Now I have to go back and have another MRA to assess the smaller aneurysm. I recommend Dr. Lanzino at Mayo Clinic in Rochester Mn. He is AWESOME and I can't imagine there is an aneurysm that he can't get to somehow. Please keep us posted. I did send my daughter for an MRA and now have to work on the other three kids to go.
Best,
Chris
Hi Jennifer I had two aneurysms one on the left and one on the right side in my brain in January the 13th 2016 I had the left one clipped and they are going to watch the second one I go back in June for my MRI all I can tell you is you must trust and have faith in your Nero surgeon. God bless Helen
Christine, I wish I lived closer to Mayo Clinic. I live in Boston! Sounds like you are doing wonderful!! I have an un ruptured 8mm on pica va
Christine said:HI Jennifer,
First my sympathies to you for losing your mom.
I found out I had three aneurysms by accident actually. I hit my head and felt foggy for a few days so colleagues encouraged me to get a CT scan a week later. BY that time I felt fine, no symptoms, they found one large aneurysm and sent me to have an MRA and found two more. One was too deep to clip so I had a pipeline flow diverter placed in that artery. That was 2 years ago. I never had one post op problem and still can't believe I have this hardware in my brain. I am on one aspirin a day for life. Now I have to go back and have another MRA to assess the smaller aneurysm. I recommend Dr. Lanzino at Mayo Clinic in Rochester Mn. He is AWESOME and I can't imagine there is an aneurysm that he can't get to somehow. Please keep us posted. I did send my daughter for an MRA and now have to work on the other three kids to go.
Best,
Chris
Excellent advice and encouragement from all of these survivors! That being said, here's my two cents: I had a 23mm on my left vertebral also, but it was widenecked. I ended up with having only two options: bypass(craniotomy) or the "new" PED (Pipeline Embolization Device) with coils. Most PED don't need coils, and they aren't widely used in the vertebral (off label technically until the physician/facility has done like ten procedures in the carotid). There are groups here for every type of surgery/repair and they have all the information you could want and personal stories. Every outcome for every person varies but there are certainly similarities to consider. Read here on the BAF website and all the posts and forums you can to get a grip on what's ahead. If you know most of the variables at least you won't be surprised if any of them happen. DO GET SECOND OPINIONS. I can't stress that enough. Not all doctors/neurosurgeons are the same!! This is your brain - it needs a qualified doc that you feel comfortable with. The first one may have one opinion while the next is completely different. Listen, research, use your gut instinct. My first consult said he'd use coils only, but did mention the fail rate and need to re-coil regularly (in regards to my particular case). Thank God I went for another opinion - he said that doc would've catastrophically failed!! Yikes! I ended up out of state even for a neuro I was sure could handle my case properly. Please come here often and ask questions or just let off steam with people who know all too well exactly what you're experiencing and are happy to give advice or just be here to listen.
The news of an aneurism, to me, felt like an ocean wave engulfed my body for a moment of time, and this news made me feel alone and the world felt huge and emotions for my children rushed into my thoughts. Then, I heard my doctor say, basal tip, and cancel your Thanksgiving plans (I always cook dinner for about 35 family members in my kitchen), stay calm, don’t get mad, keep blood pressure low and before I left the doctors office I turned the whole matter over to God since this “thing” was way bigger than anything I could handle, I stayed calm, I went into the hospital, they coiled four platinum rods into the Annie and I went home the next day and I have been just fine since. Getting MRI’s or similar with contrast every year around Thanksgiving. I have much to be thankful for.
All of the replies from these blessed women are very professional and heartwarming. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
I think a nice feature herein somewhere would be for everyone to add comments to an Excel sheet naming city, state, good doctors and their procedure. That way we could have a one stop reference sheet to act quickly for the best help.
My appointment went very good. I felt very comfortable with the doctor. He brought a lot of knowledge to me and husband. Surgery is set in two weeks, he recommended coiling and stent. Thank you all so very much. Now the waiting for surgery part. Thanks again. I’m so glad I found this group. (((Big Hugs)))
Good luck Jennifer!! Coiling and the stent is ( in my opinion ) the best way to go. It is less invasive and takes less time to heal.
Keep us updated!!
Jennifer V said:
My appointment went very good. I felt very comfortable with the doctor. He brought a lot of knowledge to me and husband. Surgery is set in two weeks, he recommended coiling and stent. Thank you all so very much. Now the waiting for surgery part. Thanks again. I'm so glad I found this group. (((Big Hugs)))
Hi Jennifer, Firstly try to chill till you have all the facts secondly have your meeting with the neuro and establish whether treating this aneurysm can be done by endovascular means (coiling & stents) or requires open surgery!
There after, you will be in a better position to decide a coarse of action and that will be your choice alone.
All of us are different, as are these vile things, so what is a answer for one person in not for another.
I have 5, 2 treated by coiling and stents and 3 others untreated as they require open brain surgery, I decided that I will not have that surgery and will await new developments in endovascular surgery, that is a personal choice, the largest is 11mm.
I attach for your information a study on these things, the biggest conducted worldwide, read it and understand the facts.
Being informed is your best defence against ignorance and will put you in a better place to understand the risks and in most cases they are very small as the study shows.
Please do keep us informed on how your appointment goes.
Kind Regards
Martinc
8-nejm199812103392401.pdf (183 KB)
Jennifer V said:
My appointment went very good. I felt very comfortable with the doctor. He brought a lot of knowledge to me and husband. Surgery is set in two weeks, he recommended coiling and stent. Thank you all so very much. Now the waiting for surgery part. Thanks again. I'm so glad I found this group. (((Big Hugs)))
Hi Jennifer, Glad it all went well for you, great news!
Now comes the easy bit, trust me I have been there twice in the last 2 years and have had 2 coiled and stented.
Let me assure you that there is nothing to worry about at all, I had no pain, no side effects at all!
You will go in, be put to sleep and wake up and it's a case of job done, stay overnight and go home the next morning, so chill it is a breeze, nothing to worry about at all.
In fact for me the only irritating thing for was to wake up with a catheter, needless to say I had it removed within an hour of awakening.
I had both of mine treated at the JR Hospital in Oxford (Dr Wilhelm Kuker) Endovascular surgeon< where are you having yours done?
Please feel free to ask me any questions at all, but let me assure you that you have nothing to worry about at all, it is a breeze!
Kind Regards
Martinc
MartinC said:
Jennifer V said:My appointment went very good. I felt very comfortable with the doctor. He brought a lot of knowledge to me and husband. Surgery is set in two weeks, he recommended coiling and stent. Thank you all so very much. Now the waiting for surgery part. Thanks again. I'm so glad I found this group. (((Big Hugs)))
Thank you so much MartinC for the reassurance and info it truly made me feel much better to read your post along with everyone else’s. I’m having mine done through Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles The Doctor performing my surgery is the director of the Neurosergy Department he is also associated with UCLA studies. He was very knowledgable and really made me feel that everything was going to be ok. He explained everything to us in detail and took his time listening and answering our questions.