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Pain
Hello. I’m new to this discussion. I have a bicuspid aortic valve with an aortic aneurysm measuring 4.6 x 4.3 cms. Over the past 3 months I have been in and out of emergency rooms 3 times and undergone ecg, cta, echocardiogram, and ultrasound along with a ton of blood work. My bp was spiking often and I’m taking telemisartan and hydrochlorthiazide. Over the last few weeks my bp has been irratic. Sometimes very high and sometimes very low. All of that being said, I had started getting weird pains and discomfort in my back. Lately the pain has increased significantly and is also in my ribs and hips. I also have tingling and numbness along with weakness and shortness of breath. The tests so far are showing no dissection or increase in size of the aneurysm in the last 6 months. My drs have me lined up for more testing next month.
I’m wondering if anyone else has or had these types of symptoms. And if so, could suggest anything to help with the pain or to ease the anxiety that’s coming from it.
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I had the exact kind of pain you’re describing before my Type A dissection. Mine struck without warning, and I had no advance scans showing a problem. The pain began in my back and felt vague at first, then ramped up with an intensity that was hard to interpret. It was accompanied by sudden anxiety and a sense of impending collapse—something I never experience under normal circumstances. When the dissection occurred, I knew instantly something catastrophic had happened, and I ended up in emergency surgery with my ascending aorta and arch replaced with a Dacron graft.
Back pain is exactly what I felt when the dissection started. It is often mislabeled as reflux, musculoskeletal, or indigestion, but those of us who have lived through it recognize the pattern immediately when someone describes it. With a bicuspid valve and an aneurysm measuring 4.6 cm, depending on your age, size, and anatomy, you may already meet criteria for early surgical consultation. I would get a consult right away with a high-volume thoracic aortic surgeon—Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, UCSD (where I had my surgery), UCLA, University of Minnesota, or any major center with a dedicated aortic program. These specialists understand the subtleties that general cardiology and emergency departments often miss. Waiting is never the strategy when symptoms escalate like this. Peace.
@moonboy Thank you for your response. Unfortunately I live in Canada and it’s not nearly as easy to get an appointment with specialists. I have a cardiologist and an internal med dr ordering tests and monitoring things so far but I am still waiting on a vascular surgeon. My drs have told me to take Tylenol with codeine for now. (Not an answer I’m happy with)
I’m 51 with a small build and am generally quite active and otherwise healthy. The back pain and the numbness and tingling in my arms and legs together with the risks of dissection or rupture have got me really frustrated. Can I ask how long you had pain before your dissection? Do you know if it’s common for people to have this type of pain for weeks ahead of time?
My pain was very sudden. From onset to being in an ambulance was less than 3 minutes. I was in a VERY busy tourist area of San Diego and there was an ambulance within probably less than 2,000 feet of my hotel (Old Town Area of San Diego on a Sunday night--packed with tourists)