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New diagnosis of ascending aortic aneurysm and I’m terrified
I received the diagnosis of a 4.1 CM ascending aortic aneurysm as an incidental finding after an angiogram was ordered to make sure I had no blockages due to an unexpected spike and blood pressure at work. I normally have low blood pressure so I was surprised when it was 189/111 and they took me to the hospital. that seem to come from acute stress at work, but I had a complete cardiac workout after finding a very low amount of troponin in my bloodstream 0.03. Anyway, the aneurysm was a complete shock and now I’m terrified that it’s going to burst at any time despite my cardiologist rather nonchalant approach. I asked if there’s anything I should be doing or not doing and she said don’t lift anything over 40 pounds . But no other instructions other than they’ll keep an eye on things. How do you get past feeling like your life is almost over. I’m 67 years old and in good health otherwise. I eat healthy, not overweight and thought based on my family longevity that I would live into my late 80s early 90s. Now I’m afraid I won’t make it till the end of the year which is probably ridiculous but this aneurysm has me totally freaked out. How do you all cope? And how do you get the fear so you can just enjoy life?
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Thats great to hear ! Wishing you well
While it’s good you know about it, your situation does not sound that severe overall and should be manageable. I’m 57 and I was diagnosed earlier this year and mine is at 5.0. Given that my genetic testing came back negative I went through the same emotions since there is evidence that competitive marathoners and rowers (I was both) have an even higher incidence of the condition than former NFL players. Your risk of dissection should be very low (less than 1%) and based on average growth rates of 0.1 per year you likely won’t need surgery for a decade and a half. My doctor told me not to lift heavy (less than 50% of body weight) and focus on aerobic exercises that don’t exceed 70 to 75% max heart rate. I suspect if you do the same you’ll be fine
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1 ReactionI have a 4.2 ascending aortic aneurysm and a bovine heart. ("Bovine heart" has such a ring to it.)
I'm 78, a non-smoker, not much overweight and am losing a few pounds to be on the safe side. My son is 54 and does what I consider extreme exercise: crossfit and long-distance running. I didn't know that extreme athletes were more prone to these heart conditions than others, so now I'm worried about my son doing too much. I'm having a genetic test in November. Perhaps that will tell me something useful. Heart disease runs in the family and my son is not the young sprout he was. I hope you don't need surgery for a long time, but if you do, at least you're still young enough to make a good recovery. If I get into my 80s, I'm not sure I'd do that, but ask me in a few years.
to mjim: From what I understand 4.1 is pretty low-risk. It's when you get above 5 that things get dicey. I hope you get courage from this group. I have. Like you, I absolutely freaked out, but I figure it's better to know than to live in blissful ignorance. Let your doctor know how rattled you are. Cardiologists are used to this sort of thing; we're not.
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2 ReactionsI don't know if this is a new procedure -- my cardio just mentioned this type of repair at my last visit. Also. it is possible that this type of repair through an artery is only done for the very old as perhaps it doesn't last as long as the repair done via open heart surgery.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
This is all interesting info! I started serious rowing (indoor) and really pushed myself going almost every day for a year. Ans did weights but no more than 40 lbs. Now I wonder if that physical stress caused this?
I am going through the same thing. I try to be positive but then I go down the proverbial rabbit hole of catastrophic thinking. I know that raises blood pressure so it’s a viscous cycle. Have you found any coping mechanisms for the dark moments?
Have started on anti anxiety meds. Hoping they will give me some perspective
I doubt one year of indoor rowing would cause much of a difference. I suspect in most cases it is the result of years of increased pressure on the aorta over time. In my case, in addition to intense exercise over a few decades, I have worked at a stressful job with long hours for over 25 years. Since being diagnosed, I have noticed that my blood pressure will go up when things get intense at work and/or when I am fatigued at the end of a long day.
I'm a 69 yr old and for 8 years now, I'm being treated for permanent AFIB and Heart Failure. Last week, I'm told I have a 4.5cm TAA, following a CT Scan. I live on the very Remote Tiny Island of Guam. There are no Heart Surgeons on island. I was doing pretty good with my other issues; but, this TAA has really taken a toll on my mental health. I try to brisk walk up to an hour, 3 times a week, I take my meds and watch my diet, etc; but, I can't get this "ticking time bomb" or "Hour Glass Running Out" image out of my head. I feel like I walking around with a fragile water balloon in my chest that could rupture at any time. If something were to happen, there is no surgical team on standby. I would have to be stabilized somehow, and eventually flown off-island to Hawaii (about 8 hrs away). Seems highly unlikely.
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