1. < Aortic Aneurysms

Aortic Aneurysms – Introduce yourself & meet others

Posted by Kanaaz Pereira, Connect Moderator @kanaazpereira, Feb 16, 2018

Welcome to the Aortic Aneurysms group on Mayo Clinic Connect.

An aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of the aorta. The aorta begins deep in the heart as it emerges from the powerful left ventricle, gently arching over the heart, descending into the chest, and finally into the abdomen. Some aortic aneurysms can be harmless; others can lead to catastrophic problems. I invite you to follow this group and connect with others, share experiences, exchange useful information, and learn about aortic aneurysms.

Get started rby clicking the +FOLLOW icon on the group page here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/aneurysms/

There are some great conversations going on right now that I think you’ll like. Grab a cup of tea, or beverage of your choice, and lets chat. Why not start by introducing yourself?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aortic Aneurysms Support Group.

modafi | @modafi | Mar 15, 2019

Thank you for the invite to join. I had open surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm that was discovered at 5.7cm in Nov. 26, 2018. I had surgery Dec.18, 2018 and have been recovering for the past 3 months. Just got cardiac clearance to return to work on 3/18/19. I would like to hear about exercise and from any one else who received a diagnosis without any previous cardiac distress.

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pete398 | @pete398 | Mar 12, 2019

Hi, I've been followed for AAA since 2006, with yearly US and occasional CTA's in the Twin Cities. It has grown from 3.5 to 5.2 cm. The AAA was infra-renal until a thoratic one formed and covered the renal arteries. My new cardiologist said that he thought that I would need an open surgery, which I would like to avoid. I saw Dr Oderich at Rochester Mayo last December who advised that he might be able to do an EVAR , but suggested waiting until the maximum size was 6.0 cm. I will get CTA's every 6 months until then.

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luky2girls | @luky2girls | Jan 15, 2019
In reply to @pamm "Can you tell me please if a AAA is in anyway associated with Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis,..." + (show)
@pamm

Can you tell me please if a AAA is in anyway associated with Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis, and if so, would repairing the AAA help with the PCI? Thank you.
Pam

Jump to this post

Luky06 İ am sorry.i did’nt understand.

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1 reply
pamm | @pamm | Jan 15, 2019
In reply to @luky2girls "Luky06 İ am sorry.i did’nt understand." + (show)
@luky2girls

Luky06 İ am sorry.i did’nt understand.

Jump to this post

I have Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis. I was wondering if the AAA is repaired would it help the PCI in anyway, i.e. would it stop the gaseous cysts from reoccurring, etc. I hope this helps, and thank you for asking.
Sincerely,
Pam

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pamm | @pamm | Jan 15, 2019

Can you tell me please if a AAA is in anyway associated with Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis, and if so, would repairing the AAA help with the PCI? Thank you.
Pam

REPLY
1 reply
azzurro1999 | @azzurro1999 | Nov 9, 2018
In reply to @ch246cf10 "Good to hear you are home and healing from the surgery. Home in 6 days is..." + (show)
@ch246cf10

Good to hear you are home and healing from the surgery. Home in 6 days is real good! It took 3 months for my thinners to get in range. I also take the 5 mg of Warfarin like you, but on 2 days(Sunday & Wednesday) I take 7.5. Keeps me in range. I think it takes time for your body to be used to the thinners being there. It's funny you mentioned hearing your valve when your heart beats. I didn't hear mine until I got home from the hospital. Probably too loud of an environment at the hospital to hear it. Get your heart rate stabilized and do the cardiac rehab. It will help your body fully recover.
We are all rooting for you.

All the best to you!
Bruce
Texas

Jump to this post

Hi Bruce!
I hope you don’t mind me saying that you feel like an old friend now since you were the very first person to reply to my initial post and your message uplifted me greatly in those dark and scary moments after the diagnosis! And I am equally happy to hear from you now! Thank you for your optimistic vibe, it helps a lot!

Yes, heartbeat is quite loud, the clicking of the valve kind of comes and goes now... could hear it more at the beginning. I am not bothered by it anymore... my kids are still amazed by the sound! I have read somewhere that the noise gets more subdued for some as the pericardium heals and our own tissue grows over the valve and the graft.

As long as the heart stays steady I am good, it’s the irregularity that’s somewhat unpleasant ( or mostly freaking me out) when it happens. I only had two episodes of a irregular heartbeat, the cardiologist was not too concerned with the first one but decided on monitoring when it happened again a few days ago. Enter Metoprolol.

I am seeing the cardiologist on Monday morning and I guess it will be decided then whether I can start the rehab as planned. I have been looking forward to it, being more active and having some schedule again.

Really nice to hear from you and thank you again for all your support!
Ilona

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BruceS | @ch246cf10 | Nov 9, 2018
In reply to @azzurro1999 "Hello again everyone! here I am, 5 weeks after my AVR and the ascending aorta graft...." + (show)
@azzurro1999

Hello again everyone!
here I am, 5 weeks after my AVR and the ascending aorta graft. I had it done at the Regions Hospital in Saint Paul, MN - very pleased with my surgeon and the overall care. The recovery was less traumatic than I expected, the first few days being the hardest due to limited range of movement caused by the incision in my sternum.

I was released from the hospital after 6 days. Since I opted for a mechanical valve I was put on warfarin, 2-3 INR level.
It is overwhelming to come home with a bunch of handouts and the loud heartbeat and think that everything will be just fine...
The INR levels took some time to stabilize, I am on my first week long span before another test and do hope that the results will be good. It's tricky with the diet, big learning curve, especially with the family and growing kids around.
I am on 5mg warfarin and 1 baby aspirin daily.

Started to walk outside after I came home, gradually increasing the distance and speed. Thinking of getting a treadmill as the weather is getting nasty here.
Overall I felt that the recovery was going well. I had my intake meeting for cardiac rehab and I am scheduled to start next Wednesday, 3x a week.
Having said that, there is a glitch in my recovery and I find it somewhat discouraging..... the narrative has been how everything will get fixed an ei will slowly return to my new "normal" but there are bumps ahead... I had a couple of episodes when my heartbeat became very rapid or felt very irregular... then I had an episode when my resting rate would feel very slow and I felt like some beats were skipping, every skipped beat made me feel slightly dizzy, they always occurred while I was seated.

So I called the Heart Center, was fitted with a monitor for 48h and was told that it registered some very high beats, in 200s...interestingly enough, I felt and still feel quite fine...

I am supposed to take 25mg of metoprolol, once daily and then we will see..... all stressed about it as the internet is full of negative feedback from patients how it affects the quality of life, energy levels, mood... I had no chance to talk to my cardiologist since she was not in and another doctor made a call based on the Holter's results.

I wish my update be more upbeat, I feel this is a setback in my recovery and another reason to worry....

Thank you for having this wonderful forum to share the ups and downs!

Ilona

Jump to this post

Good to hear you are home and healing from the surgery. Home in 6 days is real good! It took 3 months for my thinners to get in range. I also take the 5 mg of Warfarin like you, but on 2 days(Sunday & Wednesday) I take 7.5. Keeps me in range. I think it takes time for your body to be used to the thinners being there. It's funny you mentioned hearing your valve when your heart beats. I didn't hear mine until I got home from the hospital. Probably too loud of an environment at the hospital to hear it. Get your heart rate stabilized and do the cardiac rehab. It will help your body fully recover.
We are all rooting for you.

All the best to you!
Bruce
Texas

REPLY
1 reply
azzurro1999 | @azzurro1999 | Nov 9, 2018
In reply to @crhp194 "I also have had no problems with metoprolol. I have taken it since 2016-25mg twice a..." + (show)
@crhp194

I also have had no problems with metoprolol. I have taken it since 2016-25mg twice a day. After open heart surgery, it was given to me right away. I don’t notice any problems with my quality of life. The dosage has stayed the same and heart seems to work well with no blips or anything unusual. Good luck to you! Carol

Jump to this post

Carol, thank you for your response! Again, it gives me much hope that things will work out. It’s been pretty good sailing until now...Taking my first dose tonight and keeping my fingers crossed.
Thanks again for taking time to share your experience with me! It helped ease my worries...

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azzurro1999 | @azzurro1999 | Nov 9, 2018
In reply to @lynnw "I have been on the metoprolol for years and have not had any problems at all...." + (show)
@lynnw

I have been on the metoprolol for years and have not had any problems at all. My dose is 150. It took care of my tachycardia and irregular beats. If I miss it I remember because the beats change. It really made my life much better as I did not have my "funky beats" to worry about. I had heard negative remarks too but none of the side affects happened to me. Yeah! The cardiologist told me it was like a fortress built around my heart to protect it. Even when I do something that raises my heart rate it keeps it from going too high. I hope it works as well for you.

Jump to this post

Thank you! I sure hope to avoid any side effects! And it would be lovely indeed for the meds to work and make my heart to cooperate! It’s great to hear firsthand feedback!

REPLY
crhp194 | @crhp194 | Nov 9, 2018
In reply to @azzurro1999 "Hello again everyone! here I am, 5 weeks after my AVR and the ascending aorta graft...." + (show)
@azzurro1999

Hello again everyone!
here I am, 5 weeks after my AVR and the ascending aorta graft. I had it done at the Regions Hospital in Saint Paul, MN - very pleased with my surgeon and the overall care. The recovery was less traumatic than I expected, the first few days being the hardest due to limited range of movement caused by the incision in my sternum.

I was released from the hospital after 6 days. Since I opted for a mechanical valve I was put on warfarin, 2-3 INR level.
It is overwhelming to come home with a bunch of handouts and the loud heartbeat and think that everything will be just fine...
The INR levels took some time to stabilize, I am on my first week long span before another test and do hope that the results will be good. It's tricky with the diet, big learning curve, especially with the family and growing kids around.
I am on 5mg warfarin and 1 baby aspirin daily.

Started to walk outside after I came home, gradually increasing the distance and speed. Thinking of getting a treadmill as the weather is getting nasty here.
Overall I felt that the recovery was going well. I had my intake meeting for cardiac rehab and I am scheduled to start next Wednesday, 3x a week.
Having said that, there is a glitch in my recovery and I find it somewhat discouraging..... the narrative has been how everything will get fixed an ei will slowly return to my new "normal" but there are bumps ahead... I had a couple of episodes when my heartbeat became very rapid or felt very irregular... then I had an episode when my resting rate would feel very slow and I felt like some beats were skipping, every skipped beat made me feel slightly dizzy, they always occurred while I was seated.

So I called the Heart Center, was fitted with a monitor for 48h and was told that it registered some very high beats, in 200s...interestingly enough, I felt and still feel quite fine...

I am supposed to take 25mg of metoprolol, once daily and then we will see..... all stressed about it as the internet is full of negative feedback from patients how it affects the quality of life, energy levels, mood... I had no chance to talk to my cardiologist since she was not in and another doctor made a call based on the Holter's results.

I wish my update be more upbeat, I feel this is a setback in my recovery and another reason to worry....

Thank you for having this wonderful forum to share the ups and downs!

Ilona

Jump to this post

I also have had no problems with metoprolol. I have taken it since 2016-25mg twice a day. After open heart surgery, it was given to me right away. I don’t notice any problems with my quality of life. The dosage has stayed the same and heart seems to work well with no blips or anything unusual. Good luck to you! Carol

REPLY
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