Aortic Aneurysms – Introduce yourself & meet others

Hi. I understand your anxiety. Mine reached 5.0 and that’s the cutoff for surgery by 2023 standards. My surgeon explained after a lot of studies the cutoff was lowered to 5.0.
I had my surgery at Ascension
Providence in Waco Texas. I have worked at this hospital for 42 years. We have 2 very excellent vascular surgeons along with 2 great PA’s that work with them.
I did extremely well and my care was excellent.
Try not to stress about it.
Find a surgeon you can put your trust in and above all be proactive. My surgeon gave me the choice to wait and watch it. CT angiogram every 6 months or surgery. I did not want to be worried and have the stress. When I told him my choice he said it was a good decision. He also put the atrial clip in my heart so in the future if I developed AFIB I would not have to take blood thinners.
Good luck. Keep the group updated. We are here for each other.

Hello, Im so happy that your surgery went well. My thoracic aneurysm is holding stable, but is 4.9. So my anxiety level is very high. I have been consulting with my doctors every 6 months. Where did you have your surgery? Any recommendations?

Hi dee. What was your aneurysms size did they give you a number? You have a lot of support here.
You are not alone. It’s good to share with family but like us we know the real anxiety it can cause.
Here for you. I had surgery for my thoracic aortic aneurysms June 1, 2023 I went back to work in three months. I still have some issues but you learn to deal with it.
All the luck to you. Keep in touch with the group.

Hello everyone , just this week I went in to have a calcium score test done per my cardiologist . I hesitated to have the test even canceled the first one almost cancelled the 2nd . I went on Wednesday only to find out they found an aortic aneurysm. Scared as could be ! Needless to say the calcium score was much lower than I expected , it was an 11 . My head is spinning ever since .

HI, Aortic Anuerism fellows
I recently was found to have this "issue". I don't know much about this, so I'll just continue reading your comments
..and others to learn more. Good Luck

I had it done 6 years ago. all is well. They do ultrasounds every 6 months to keep an eye on the stent.

I had endovascular stenting done 6 years ago.
Check ups every 6 months last check doc found sac has increased.
Waiting for CT follow up.

Glad that they’re checking it out for you! Hopefully if they’re staying on top of it you won’t have any unwanted surprises.
As I mentioned mine was a huge surprise, but the hospital I went to literally saved my life..so I have a lot grace and thankfulness going on today… about week from the day that changed my life forever.
Good luck on your journey!

I went last week and doc said sac is getting bigger.
Need to have a CT. He gave me no idea why. Just wait and see.

My relationship with my primary care physician has been reduced to a face to face appointment every 3 months. I haven’t had a proper full examination visit in years. He doesn’t do a complete physical.
I went to an ER a while back for Coumadin poisoning. My blood thinner had increased my normally 2.0 - 3.5 all the way off the chart. They said it was at 12 instead.
Could have bled to death. A CT scan was done and while laying on an exam bed he comes up to me and says “ we are going to transfer you to a trauma hospital for emergency surgery”

I asked him how come and not only was I bleeding internally from the high Coumadin level. I also had an aortic abdominal aneurysm and it was torn. The trauma hospital said that they were thinking of taking care of my aneurysm but “ it isn’t bleeding right now but you will need to come back to the hospital but for now since it isn’t bleeding the “team” felt that "you could be discharged because it wasn’t bleeding at the moment so you don’t need emergency surgery right now"
Upon being discharged he said “ see your cardiovascular surgeon ( I happen to have one) ASAP”

I called my surgeon when I got home and he told me that he wouldn’t see me unless the trauma hospital said it was an emergency!!
I told him about the asap instructions and he said “oh all hospitals say that”

I finally convinced him to see me in 2 days. I met his rude and disrespectful secretary and she said “where’s your mask?” before anything else. (Covid protocol)
I had forgotten my Mask at home because I was thinking about my potential surgery.

His aid did a sonogram of the abdominal area and said “all set “
I was led to the exam room and waited. Finally he swings the door open and says “I didn’t see anything”
I said that for 3 years you have been telling me that my aneurysm was ok and “now you’re saying you didn’t see anything?"
2 different hospitals saw it and now you’re saying you didn’t see it?”
He came in rolling his eyes up and made light of it and left. On the way out I said that “could it burst?” And he said “it could but we have ways to take care of that “
I’m thinking supposed it burst while walking in a park? It needs immediate attention because it can quickly become fatal!! Especially when my blood is on a thinner.
He talked over me, he seemed annoyed, he rolled his eyes back and said “ see you next year!” And left the room. No time to discuss my concerns. He was with me for 5 minutes. I spent more time getting my vitals taken.
I told my PCP later and he told me to see my cardiovascular surgeon. ( the same doctor who blew me off because I screwed up his appointment schedule). I called my cardiologist instead because he works in a "cardiovascular of New England” I left 3 voicemails. Never returned my calls. My PCP experience was awful! 10 minute visit. Spent more time with the nurse taking my vitals. He was just like my cardiovascular surgeon. Neither one helped me. The surgeon was annoyed and my pcp saw me face to face and basically did a quick talking to me and “ see you in 3 months “ and left. Now what?