Aortic Ascending Aneurism - Share Growth Rate

@indigo1955 Thank you for the insight, Ive just recently been diagnosed with a 4.5cm Thoracic Ascending Aorta Aneurysm and do not have high blood pressure, when you say reasonable exercise, what does that look like for you? I’m an avid walker, moderate weight lifter for tone and to keep my bones strong. Since I have been diagnosed I’m afraid to move. 😃Your right mindfulness is important.

I fully dissected at age 50. I have survived the last 11 years after two Open heart surgeries and an aortic graft. In terms of exercise, I suggest you consult very carefully with your thoracic surgeon, keep your blood pressure down, no planking, no dead lifting, no grunting, no valsalva maneuvers. Walking and swimming are fine. After 11 years with a Dacron aorta, I can tell you that I avoid heavy lifts and I avoid anything over 85° outside. most people don’t realize that the heat can skyrocket your blood pressure. I was out in 118° in Southern California in the desert the day before my aorta dissected. I’m convinced that it had some impact on what happened to me the next day. Your job is to relax and keep your blood pressure down. Take care of yourself, but I would not suggest any triathlons. You’re gonna be fine. Peace. (Here’s me with my 20 year old who’s glad I’m here. That makes two of us!)

@thatgirl1961

Hi: I’ve been alway active my entire life with high level sport so strength training and VO2 Max training has always been part of my life. It was only at an annual checkup at 62 years old that my Doc insisted I get an Echo to check out my heart to ensure I wasn’t elevating my HR too high. So it was diagnosed at 4.5 cm and a Bi-cuspid valve. My Vascular surgeon suggested I limit my HR to under 150 (my max was about 175) and to keep an eye on my blood pressure which average about 120/70.

So the last 8 years (I’m now 70) I followed his advice with HR limits but kept doing medium to heavy weights with the intent of building strength for a 200 meter race. Then this last year I was training pretty high for the World Master’s Canoe Kayak Championships. This included pull ups; pushups; 5-7’ planks; Bench Presses, etc etc. All things I shouldn’t be doing with my condition. Thought I wasn’t informed of this. It was only after that I started reading this chat that I’m learning. This. I also starting taking 10mg creatine about a year ago; put on 5 lbs and started seeing some great gains with muscle growth and strength.

So then when I was told my aneurism has increased to 4.7cm is when I felt it times to get more info on what I was to expect. So now I still train; reduced my kayak workouts to 70 of max and have kept my highend in zone 3. To put that in perspective my on water workout would be 12 x 3 min at 70% with a 1 min breaks. Then followed by 30 min in my gym with sets of 50 reps with weights about 40% of what they were before. So now working more on endurance rather than strength.!
I alternate days so that one day it’s 50 min of kayak and the next day 50 min of walking on a treadmill at a 15 degree incline at a speed that keeps my HR in zone 3. This has been going on now for 3 months and I actually love how I feel.

@jlbpainting Hello. Thank you for sharing. While its small it seems like it has grown quickly. Did your doctors share any thoughts as to why this may be happening?

@organizedchaos04
Dear chaos, I live in a reasonably small town and Cardiology is not top-notch. After seeing the 3.1 to 3.8 jump in six months, I decided to look elsewhere and have found a cardiologist at Stanford and a surgeon at Ucsf. After consulting with both and done further studies in the last three years, we’ve decided that the 3.1 mm initial reading was inaccurate. I’ve been at 3.7/3.8 for the last two years and I’m continuing with my annual echocardiogram and zio patch. Appears to be enlarging about 1 to 2 mm a year. Was very disappointed in my local Doctors, but my cardiologist at Stanford is incredible, my initial visit with him lasted 3 1/2 hours and now follow up visits usually run about 1 1/2 hours, he takes his time and is very thorough. Continued monitoring his key for all of us.

@jlbpainting Thank you for sharing your story since it is somewhat similar to mine. What is a Zio patch? I've never hear of it. Professorkrh (Karen)

@professorkrh

Zio patch is a heart monitor, applied to the chest and worn for 2weeks. Records all the different rhythms. An easy way to know what is going on with your heart. I have one done every 6 months to a year. You can shower with it on!

@suzannedee Hello and thank you for sharing. I have been looking for someone like you as I had a craniotomy (brain clipping) last year for a large brain aneurysm on the MCA. I recently found out that I have a 4.1 CM aorta aneurysm along with coronary artery disease. Its hard to find people who have had both brain and aortic aneurysms. Please share any info that you have. After going through a craniotomy last year, I cannot imagine another surgery. I have no family history, other than early heart disease on my fathers side, low blood pressure and I am thin and fit. Thank you.

@organizedchaos04
Hi
Nice to hear from you as we both have a few things in common. How are you doing after your clipping ? I have found after three craniotomies I was looking for people with any brain issues. I have had headaches that are getting a bit less as it’s been two years. However I do still have them. Also I have had to play a lot of games to get the files back in the brain. Of course no one asks if we ever have these issues after the fact.
I actually had an aortic aneurysm that faded away. Strange as that may sound. They can’t find it. Anyway, how are you feeling ? Even after one craniotomy with a large aneurysm can have symptoms after the fact.
Did you have any symptoms with your aneurysm before it was clipped? How did you know you had it ?
I heard a pop. But it didn’t blow. Dangerous.
Glad it’s gone.
I’m sure they will watch your aortic aneurysm.
nice to meet you.
Suz

I need to update my post.
The above post was made in 2024. It is now 2026 and I need to tell you that in 2025 it had grown to 3.7cm. It is now 3.9 cm so it is moving somewhat although it’s below 5.5cm.

Cat scans show the tear as evidenced in the past couple of cat scans in the hospital for something else.

However my cardiovascular surgeon says that he doesn’t see a tear in his echocardiogram. The first hospital scan found the torn aneurysm.

They were so concerned that they packed me up and immediately ambulanced me to another hospital ( a trauma hospital). There they found the torn aneurysm but decided that since it wasn’t bleeding we could wait until it grew bigger.

They said that I would eventually need to return but not now. It was also 3.9.
To me a 3.9 aortic aneurysm with a (small ?) tear in it in my aorta bugs me as I am also on blood thinners with an aortic mechanical heart valve .

My blood is thin to facilitate my mechanical aortic heart valve but what about mixing thin blood with a torn 3.9 cm aneurysm in the same aorta? Am I just going to explode some day? I don’t know. It’s a little scary.