Hi everyone,
My name is David and I am 70 years old and was diagnosed in mid 2024 with aneurysms in both my left and right Common Iliac Arteries. It seems that these sort of aneurysms are less common and most discussion is around aortic aneurysms (understandable, as that's the name of the group!). My left CIA aneurysm seems to be expanding quite rapidly which is concerning:

Right CIA Left CIA

mid 2024 16mm 17mm
Jan 2026. 17.3mm 23mm

My wife and I have looked at our lifestyle changes during the specific period when the most rapid growth occurred and feel that some of the exercises and other things I do may have been contributing factors:
- body pump classes (not heavy weights, only up to 12 kg total weights - especially squats, weighted hip raises, overhead weight moves)
- mat pilates - Russian twists with weight, planks, pushups etc
- some heavy gardening - removing tree stumps etc
- not controlling my breathing when doing the above, and sometimes probably unwittingly holding my breath during the lifting/straining move
- saunas
- we drink about 10 units of alcohol per week.

I will be making some changes/reductions in the above areas, but would also welcome any other thoughts on lifestyle changes and other measures (apart from surgery!) that may assist in slowing the growth rate of the aneurysms. Also is there anyone else on this chat with common iliac artery aneurysms. Thanks.