I LOVE this site so a big thank you to those of you who made this possible. I have known for over 9 years that I have an "anny" but it was thanks to my angiogram I had on 2/1 that showed it had grown enough for inteverntion. I had decided I was going to do the coiling and probably do it in January. My younges son will be a senior next year and I wanted one more football season with him. One more Summer, one more Christmas, one more year. Then I met with a different neurosurgeon and he brought up issues my husband and I didn't know about. I didn't know coils could need to be redone. I did know about using a stent but this Dr. didn't know anything about them and didn't act like he did which scored major points for us. He has referred us back to OHSU in the Portland area to ask more questions and then make a decision. I think I have decided on the craniotomy but I will meet with the OHSU docs and make my final decision then. It became very real for me on 2/1 but it became very real for my husband this past Wednesday. We are coping well I would say. My boys are who I worry about. Well, and my parents who are helpless to help their child this time. I have a 21 yr old son and a 17 yr old son. Being open and honest with them from the beginning has helped too. After reading the stories on here and seeing the pictures, I feel REALLY good about the outcome. Plus, I'll be rocking a killer scar for a while. ;) (Plus the fact that people can take of ME for a change might be nice). haha
Again, thank you for all the kind words of welcome into your group. God bless each and every one of you, and your families!
i had a coiling back in oct 09 on a 5mm anny rupture..i think alot has to do with size, neck size of anny and location. its good you were able to get a second opinion...God has got your back and looks like you are going to be in good hands with your drs...prayers n much love coming your way for a steadfast recovery n removing that anny from worrying you ever again... YOU GOT THIS! please keep us updated on how everything goes...talk to you soon..God Bless
Michelle, has the coiling served it's purpose? I was going to do the coiling but the more I look at the picture of my anny, the more I see it has a big wide neck so the only thing I can see is they will have to use a stent. Along with that and being on blood thinners the rest of my life doesn't appeal to either me or my husband. That's why I'm leaning towards the clipping. I know there are risks and it's not even 100% but I feel God is leaning me that way. Thank you for your support and God bless you my friend.
my wife had her SAH coiled August last year,she is getting on OK. I was reading the other day about something called Onyx Hd 500 embolization it's a sort of glue they pump in like coiling, i am afraid i don't know much more than that but it might be worth googling it, or asking your consultant about it just a thought.Good Luck with your decision Best Wishes John & Sue
well yes its serving its purpose..i am alive n kicking..lol..i cam eout of the operation with 0 deficits..both mentally and physically..i would say it was an absolute success..and according to my last mra in jan all is looking well , with no change to the area. a stent sounds ideal for your siruation though...and i imagine if mine were to widen i would opt for getting the stent as well,,because of the location, which is n my basilar tip artery it would be difficult to access...im no longer taking any blood thinners, those were stopped after being discharged from hospital..and im doing great..working out, excercising..enjoying and keeping up with my 2 yr old grandbaby...shes a piece of dynamite i tellya..lol...all is great thanks to God..i handed it over to him along time ago..it was driving me nuts,,the fear of something happening again,,but it gets better..noe i dont think of it at all..i feel if the Lord above wanted me he wouldve taken me when i had my rupture...so now im in the works of taking on the head person for the dallas, texas BAF support groups..im really excited and feel this is my way of giving back..love n prayers lady..take care
Dawn, welcome; I did notice your group site; and so hope you get good responses in your area.
I am amazed that it took nine+ years of monitoring your aneurysm. Can you share what symptom(s) initiated your diagnosis, change in its size and monitoring sequence; i.e 1 or more years, which artery.
Because of the results of my coiling (diagnosed 6mm aneurysm, normal neck, sac shape), and others I know, I do not refer to it as the minimally invasive process; altho there are those who have had good+ treatment; and, others even worse than mine.
Additionally, as I understand clipping, the aneurysm does reduce / disappear; coils just replace the blood in the aneurysms; do not reduce size/pressure in that area. When more coils are needed, it suggests that the aneurysm expanded in size and, likely pressure in that area.
I think it is wonderful you have had your sons included all this time; and, it is likely trumatic to your parents to not be able to help you at this time.
Hugs and prayers for your decision, to you, your hubby, your sons and your families
Michelle, it is really great to hear of you not worrying about it. In the past eight years, I have lost two cousins and five friends to cancer; two others under treatment and/or in recovery of that treatment; another on constant dialsis from PKD. I am yet here; and, from very young, I have had the Advance Directive in my will to meet god's will. I began that Directive after watching my m-i-l die from cancer and all her treatment and misery.
RE: stents; they do have potential plaque build-up (atherosclerosis?) that in my personal opinion, is not clearly defined in some patient labeling booklets; unless one has been updated. And, a lot of stents have been implanted off-label/off-records...the marker bands are visible in angio images unels they can be digitally subtracted. .
I am excited for you to be taking on your Dallas support group; that is wonderful for you and your locals. Years ago I had a fantasy which I could never take on semi-efficiently. Wishing you warm and wonderful connections...
hello and welcome! i had my aneurysm coiled in november of last year and had i known more, i would've chosen the clipping. i now have horner syndrome, a rare nerve disorder, that causes my left eye to droop. had the aneurysm been clipped, the horner syndrome would've been cured but since the aneurysm is still there, it's placing pressure on my sympathetic optic nerve.
even w/o the horner syndrome, which makes me look like quasimodo, i would've still chosen clipping because from what i've researched, a coiled aneurysm can still rupture and/or grow up through the coiling. when an aneurysm is clipped, it's done. fixed.
Thank you for your input. I didn't have any symptoms on the anny, we found it by accident. I got really sick and was off work for a month. Just a virus is what they said. During that time though, I had a high fever then I got what they call Psuedotumor Cerebri and I had double vision. The eye Dr. knew what it was and said it wasn't a cause for concern but ordered an MRI. That showed a possible aneurysm so I had a CT scan and that confirmed. It was only a little more than 3mm so we just kept an eye on it all these years. Now it's time for action.
I feel very fortunate that I have known about this and we have been a few steps ahead of it for so long.
*HUGS* to you. Thank you so much. Reading this makes me even more comfortable with my decision to get it clipped. I don't want to ever have to worry again. I know there are risks and that they might not clip it enough, clip too much and it will cause some blindness, but I'm not worrying about that. I will survive and that's the bottom line.
Can they go in, remove the coils and clip it? Would that stop the pressure?
i don't know yet. i need to schedule an appt w/my neurosurgeon to discuss it. problem is, i still deal w/nausea and fatigue daily and have to make the 2 hour trip to savannah by myself so i just don't feel like going. i doubt he'll go back in and clip it though simply because i'd feel better about it. my insurance would probably deny it as well but i'm going to ask anyway. as soon as i'm up to it.
Sounds like maybe you don't like the Dr. and I hate that insurance stops people from doing what may be best for them. I wish you all the luck. Maybe you can find someone in your area to go with you. I would hate to have to deal with any of this alone. I did for many years because I didn't want anyone worrying about it. I downplayed it so much some of my family thought it was no big deal. It's a very big deal. Best wishes to you.
thanks a bunch pat..im very hyped up to start the support group meetings..i feel your pain for i too have lost friends and family in the last 12 mo..mainly my mother back in november..she was my rock and i could always call her to talk about anything..but i know she is in a better place now...all of it just makes me a stronger person...and i believe every treatment given to treat an anny is individual for that persons situation...to have trust in your dr i feel is of the utmost importance so their going to do whats medically best for you..i am well for now and have no deficits due to any procedure/coiling..i just wished it could be like that for all anny survivors and with technology(medical) i feel we will reach that one day..it still doesnt take away from the fact that when you have a bleed on the brain there is damage..time of of the essence..this is why awareness is so important...nausea,blurred vision, slurred talking and then that ever so present clap of thunder in your head...immediately seek medical attention..emergency room,,i was very lucky to have a team of medical staff that could put 2 n 2 together..because i was unconcsious in the emergency room..i thank God for the medical staff at baylor of dallas..it all played a part in saving my life...God bless