Newly diagnosed with 3.9cm ascending aorta

I’m 53 and had a ruptured aortic aneurysm at 50. Like you, I found out that I had an aortic dissection not by the report my doctor had gotten over a year ago but by a hospital ER visit when I was having pain and shortness of breath. Very frustrating I didn’t know earlier. Mine is at a 4.4 now(according to older test it started at 4.1). I’m hoping that now that I’m aware I can take more precautionary measures to keep it from getting larger, there’s no way I want to undergo ANOTHER open heart surgery… best wishes that yours stays where it is as well.

I’m 53 and at 50 had a AAA rupture. Emergency surgery and then they had to go BACK in and reopen me to stop hemorrhaging which is what almost killed me. Now I have an aortic dissection and it’s 4.4. I pray I don’t have to do another open heart…. Physically and mentally I’m just not up for it.

Thank you for your reply and sharing your situation. That sounds absolutely horrifying. I’m sorry that your experience was shocking and scary. You would think that everything that is reported to the doctors would be communicated to us about our bodies completely but I know that sadly it’s often not the case. My mother’s and sisters dilation that I discussed earlier has thankfully remained stable. I am having another lung scan in September and hopefully mine will be stable as well. At this point I am wondering if the size of my ascending aorta will be reported and communicated on this next scan as it is a lung scan to monitor some lung nodules I have as well. I have made a mental note that if the scan does not mention my ascending aorta that I will follow up with it and ask for an echocardiogram at the least to check it. I don’t like the idea of of having a lung scan to look at the nodules annually and then another ct scan to look at the ascending aorta annually when they can actually both be seen on one scan. But sometimes these radiologists don’t always note incidental findings. I learned that when a scan I had last year showed masses on my liver and they looked back retrospectively at previous scans and the masses were there previously but were not reported at that time. Thankfully they were benign but it triggered further scans and tests as well as anxiety to investigate them. Wishing you good health and that your condition remains stable and that you will never have to have another operation.

Have one CT and have one copy sent to your cardiologist and one to your pulmonologist! No need for 2 scans! I have done it for years!!

Mine was diagnosed in 2019 at 3.9cm. I get 6mth-yrly CTs or ultrasounds. Now it is 4.3 but I do have a connective tissue after doing a gene study- the LOX defect, similar to others such as Marfans gene defect. Three other relatives also have the same, and my mom passed from aortic dissection in '02, at age 66- I'm 68 now- so she never knew of the defect. So we watch it, and live life! (Due to the LOX loose elasticity and lack of collagen, I also have brain aneurysm, and renal and iliac, but they are just monitored, also.) I have a CT scan for aorta in Aug, which is past due, it's been a yr. Good luck to you! Hoping yours is slow growing as well. I feel that even if it's 4.5, Mayo will no do surgery. But rupture with mom was sudden death sentence, just 5 min. But a small percentage can make it to a hospital, if the leak or tear is slow...

I had a lung scan on 7/10 and the CT calcium score on 7/11 (had to go to 2 different places). The lung scan showed a small nodule, only 2mm. It also mentioned arthritis in my shoulders. Nothing else reported.
I received the CT results on 7/21 showing a 3.9cm aneurysm on my ascending aorta, and slighted dilated main pulmonary artery at 3.1cm.
I find it interesting that the lung scan didn’t show either of these.
I’m pretty nervous, even though it’s non-emergent. My PCP put me on an statin, ordered a pulmonary function test and referred me to a cardiologist and said he’ll do an echo and continue to monitor it each year. The cardiologist can’t get me in until 9/18, so I’m just looking for support in the meantime.
I know this means a lifestyle change. I’m on day 3 without a cigarette and plan to cut down on dairy in a few weeks. I’ve already been sober for 19 years, so that’s one less thing to give up.

I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. Especially since it happened so quickly.
I agree with living life!
Did you have any symptoms of LOX prior to this diagnosis? I’m trying to figure out what could cause me to have one so young (I’m 46), but when I looked at symptoms of the various disorders, I don’t think I have any of them.

I had almost the exact diagnosis discovered incidentally back in 2005. The aneurysm was 3.8 and in 2023 it measured 4.2. It has been monitored every 2-3 years with CT scans and ultrasounds. It hasn’t changed that much and my cardiologist said we will talk surgery if it gets to 5.0. I’m 77 and hopefully it stays relatively stable.
The pulmonary nodule was also found incidentally at the same time!and was told it could be just monitored. However, my mother had just died of non-smokers lung cancer and I didn’t want to have the stress of worrying about it so I had it removed and it was benign.
Monitoring these aneurysms seems to be the recommended method as surgery is major with its own risks.
Best of luck to you!

I also found out by "accident". The doc didnt inform me and ive been freaking out since! I had three close relatives with it. Im looking for suggestions on good meds to keep bp down and what i can do tostrrgthen the arterial wall ( i heard CBD is good). My focs dont seemed too concerned either. I stopped smoking, vaping, and drinking but hsving a hard time keeping my bp low with carvedivol and losartin. Any suggestions! Hot me up..