Hi I am in a panic - any advice u tilI see a dr

Posted by firefly22 @firefly22, Jun 12 5:38pm

Hi I’m a 60 yo woman 5’1. 215 lbs. I have chronic migraines and was sent for a CT scan of my neck to detect any abnormalities which may cause the migraines. I had the test June 7 and was called on June 8 with results of degenerative vertebra damage due to wear and tear BUT it was also noted I have a 4.3 ascending thoracic aneurysmal dilation. I was told to coordinate care of that with my PVP as it was out of scope of the neurologist. I’ve been play phone tag with a thoracic surgeon and it’s now 5 days later and I’m beginning to panic because I have no advice other than the internet. Any words of wisdom ?

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moonboy | @moonboy | Jun 12 6:10pm

Relax. Stay calm. No running. No heavy lifting. Lower your blood pressure. No smoking and no drinking (at least until your get solid medical advice to the contrary). Call 911 if you have any sharp pain in your back or chest. Reduce your stress. Make and follow up on all medical appointments. Don't ignore this, but don't overreact. Find a very experienced thoracic surgeon to evaluate your case. Have surgery if it is recommended. Advocate, calmly, for yourself. Tell your spouse/partner/immediate family about the issue. Stay within 30 minutes of a major hospital system with a good cardiac surgery center. Mayo is excellent. Cleveland Clinic. U of Texas. U of San Diego. You get the idea. You will be fine. You now know you have a problem and you will find a solution. READ THE RITTER RULES. They will help you and your loved ones understand the basics of your condition. https://johnritterfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Ritter-Rules-English.pdf

I am a 9-year survivor of a sudden Type A-1 complete aortic dissection. If I can do it, so can you. I am happy, healthy, and alive thanks to UCSD in La Jolla, CA. (Me with my surgeon a year after surgery)

bitsygirl | @bitsygirl | Jun 12 7:23pm

@moonboy has good advice.

FWIW, I was diagnosed with a 4.5cm dilation/aneurysm and found out through an online portal. I can’t remember how long it took my PCP to contact me, but I sat for at least a week days. She referred me to a vascular surgeon who did not contact me for at least a couple of weeks and that was just to schedule an echocardiogram that couldn’t be scheduled for a month or two. I believe that at 4.3 it’s not really considered an emergency in an otherwise healthy person. I don’t know about the chronic migraines. I haven’t seen anything about that as a side effect of the aneurysm, but I really don’t know. Good luck.

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