Thank you so much!

welcome to the club. I have the same, 77 years, good shape, my no is 4.8. The Drs are still doing watchful waiting. I ask why not surgery now. They said many bad things like stroke etc can happen. My friend has his operation in October and he is still in a nursing home. So, i cut my lifting of weights in half and try to relax. Tough to do i know. Luck to us all.

I too was so upset at the finding: now I am outside the surgeons office for my first ultrasound. Ironically, we had a giant snowstorm last night, I had to shovel my car to get here... but I lifted like a tablespoon of snow at a time. Took an hour with resting. I have no symptoms, but high BP..

Maybe I should take vit. c with my neocell collagen in the morning.

My Ascending Aortic Aneurysm was also found during a test for another matter and was very frightened by my doctor's comments regarding this find. This was back in 2015 and the measurement was 4.3 x 4.3. I have learned to live with this due to my yearly CT Scan and Ultra Sound tests show it has not grown. I, too, am always aware to make sure I do not pick up anything more than 20 pounds. Aside from the heart surgeon I see yearly, I also see a cardiologist who monitors my blood pressure and cholesterol numbers. Now that I have accepted the diagnosis, I stress less and lead my life as I normally would.

I was told if the aneurysm should grow, I would need open heart surgery due to its location. My hope is in the near future there will be another procedure less invasive. The medical advances made year after year signifies to me there will be other avenues for us. With all this being said, I'm back to enjoying my life !!

Hi Laverne, I understand how unsettling an incidental finding like this is. I also have the same "ascending aorta aneurysm" that was found as a result of totally unrelated testing. Mine was found about 5 years ago, and at the time it was found, measured 4.2 cm. Fortunately, it has not expanded since it was found. My doctor measures it annually (though the first 2 years, he measured it every 6 months) via an echo cardiogram. Have had a CT scan previously. There really aren't symptoms (at least in my case). I do remember NOT to lift extra heavy things. I work out at the gym 3 times a week doing elliptical and also doing various strength training. I am careful not to lift more than 20 pounds and watch that I don't do things like hold my breath and lift (which I believe causes more stress in the aorta). At first, I was very panicky. I remember it so well. Could barely sleep. But, as time has passed and it has remained stable, I have learned to live with it. I wish you all the very best with your testing, follow ups and health.

Yeah that is a mystery. Perhaps it’s inherited spotty weakness of these types of tissues, some mal-absorption of a protein. Someday, a gene will be discovered. Meanwhile, awareness-although it can stress us, can prolong our life when worse may come. At least with the diagnosis, it won’t be mistaken for heart attack. I know it paints a different picture of how we envisioned our bodies that we love! But maybe it’s an opportunity to bless it anyway. In all our perceptions of wellness and wholeness, there is also some Force that is opposed. Maybe wellness cannot be called that without comparison to UNwellness. Yin and Yang. This is life. But we can help wellness by putting our trust in the entirety, and our intention to be calm and as loving to our bodies as we were before we knew.

Yes...diagnosed with 4.4 cm two years ago... always dizzy, frequent chest pains... always tired... very frustrating...

I have an ascending aortic dialation . Is this what you have?

Hi @maryswims,

I can only imagine your worry, so I wanted to let you know that you’re in the right group – Aortic Aneurysms – to talk with people who have similar experiences, and to get support from members who understand what you are going through.

Are you perhaps referring to the links that @colleenyoung provided?
Those are links to discussions – just like this one, in which you are participating. I’ve copied them again, below; simply click on any link and it will take you directly to the relevant discussion:
– Thoracic aortic aneurysm https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/thorcic-aneurysm/
– Large ascending aorta in young healthy 45 year old woman https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/large-ascending-aorta-in-young-healthy-45-year-old-woman/