Aortic Aneurysms – Introduce yourself & meet others

I had an ascending aortic dissection, as well as a decending dissection, I was flown to a large hospital in my area, with my body on ice especially around my head. I woke 31 days later. I have Marfan Syndrome which messes with all my connective tissue. Eyes, lungs, joints, foot arches, the works, right?
After I woke, I hallucinated for 3 days, horrible things. I did not know what was real or not. It was quite scary.
I was in the hospital 2 more weeks and went home. I couldn't watch anything scarcely serious, or tense I was terrified. I even hated it when they closed the door to my room. So one day during my stay, I had an Echo, 5 months later I was having my chest cracked again. CABG, and aortic root repair. It was just nuts
The PTSD I suffer from this is all consuming. I think about it every day. I'm always in pain and I have scars all over my body, they always have to fix the next thing that gets knocked out of whack. And yes I feel like I'm on borrowed time.

My husband is having surgery on his main aorta in May. It is 5.5. They are planning on going in through the groin on both sides. Surgery is supposed to take 3 to 5 hours, and he'll be in ICU overnight. I am new here and wonder if anyone has had the surgery, and what the recovery was like afterward.

My husband is 79-1/2. He has a Stent and a pacemaker which was inserted after my man had a massive heart attack. He was first diagnosed in September of 22 with a 5.3. We were seen on January 18, 2024, and it is now 5.5. They are planning to do surgery in May. His surgery is less invasive by going through both sides of his groin and should take 3 to 4 hours. Apprehensive but content in knowing we are in good company with Mayo Clinic. It was suggested to him not to lift anything over 50 lbs. Also, to not strain himself when having a BM.

That is very interesting I also have an ascending aortic aneurysm, with no bleeding or other issues. I’ve had two iliac stents and an embolism behind one of them. Two stents in my heart. God has blessed me . My AAE had not changed in size since originally found while in the hospital for another issue. Scans ever year. I have a right hip replacement and awaiting surgery to replace left hip! August had 2.54 “ kidney stone removed several UTIs due to enlarged prostrate. Had procedure on opening prostrate and still after 11 days still passing blood in urine and after urine stops! Still on antibiotics. I’m on blood thinners? Stoped few days prior to procedure and three or four days after. But now I’m taking like prescribed? Should I be taking thinners or not?

Whenever I have any question at all, I call the doctor's office that is what they are there for. Each time I put a call in I receive an call back from the staff with a message from the doctor answering my questions. I strongly suggest you do the same call the office.

I agree, you should trust your cardiologist and if you don’t you need to find one you do trust and is responsive. Whenever I have a question I message him through the portal and he responds.

Hi, my name is Heather. About 9 months ago during a scan for another issue my doctors found I have an abdominal aortic aneurysm (up to 3cm) and a right common iliac aneurysm ( up to 2.2cm). Apparently it is very rare for someone my age, sex and health and the shape of them is also very strange apparently. I’m 47, female and otherwise in good health. I am an ex smoker however. And my grandfather died of a ruptured aneurysm in his 50’s. My aneurysms are both the saccular and apparently even stranger that they have a very odd shape to them both. Almost like a tube. I’ve read saccular aneurysms and being female are both circumstances that make them more likely to rupture. About 5 months ago I had a full body MRI to check the rest of my arteries and it came back ok, thankfully. I had to ring the vascular specialist’s office this month (January)to ask when I’d be sent for another scan and after a few days they told me it would be May- over a year after the first scan. I presume the MRI would have been used to also check any growth development in the two they’d found already? I may also have a small umbilical hernia. In the last couple months I’ve been getting a dull intermittent pain around and to the right of my belly button. Should I be worried about this? I mentioned it to the receptionist when I called the vascular specialist to ask about getting a scan. So I’m guessing they aren’t worried, although she never directly spoke of it to me, but it’s making me very nervous. Any suggestions as to what, if anything, I should do? At what point should someone go to the emergency room if they have pain in the area where their aneurysms are? Thank you.

Good morning. I live in Vancouver, Canada. A Lung screening (low dose CT) has incidentally indicated that I have a dilated ascending thoracic aorta measuring 42mm.
I am 63 years old.
I am heading for an Echocardiogram on Tuesday the 30th, 2024.
My cardiologist has suggested limiting some activity - intense activity - so I am doing that, but still working etc. I am not overweight and am in pretty good shape. I will report my findings and continue on this journey.
I am wondering - how are the people are who posted here in 2018 and 2019?

I survived an aortic dissection in June 2015. Dacron graft. I was very lucky to have made it. I was in San Diego. Email me privately if you want to chat. Pbarry@lawpoint.com

I am 81 have AA wonder if I would survive the operation. Perhaps I would be moved to end of surgery list (triage)? I talk to friends in their 50's they have all been checked for this, I live alone apparently if this blows out I wouldn't have time to phone ...ever.