Aortic aneurysms

[Jerryj]

Diagnosed (April 2019) with both abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms - both classified as 'large'. Because of other heart conditions, age & general health the aneurysms are 'inoperable'. Treatment confined to 6 monthly review of heart medications, but no programme to monitor growth of aneurysms.

Obviously worried! Do I just wait for the eventual rupture of one or the other? I have severe mobility problems so not getting the exercise I need. What can I or should I be doing?

[Fortepiano]

Liverpool, one of the best aortic centres, has an information leaflet with some advice:

lhch.nhs.uk/media/5410/your...

I have to say that if I were 86 in poor health I would think very hard about choosing surgery even if I were offered the option. Aneurysms, though catastrophic if they rupture, do not cause symptoms, whereas a very major surgery even if you survived it would be likely to leave you in a worse place physically than you are now. It is hard to have the surgical option taken away from you, but would you have chosen it anyway?

Though 'life is a terminal disease', and at 86 you have already outlived the average UK lifespan, these diagnoses can still be hard to come to terms with. I doubt it's very comforting to point out that particularly at your age you can die of quite a few other causes than your aneurysm! Large aneurysms are at risk of rupture, but they can also carry on growing slowly.

I hope you can carry on enjoying life without letting your condition over-shadow it too much. Not easy I know!

[Jerryj in reply to Fortepiano]

Thank you Fortepiano - I actually do not have the option of surgery; that has already been ruled out on the basis the risks of survival of such a procedure are worse than living with condition.

Yes, at 86 I realise that the inevitable draws ever closer, and I'm totally comfortable with that. Indeed it has spurred me on to make all the arrangements that will make life easier for my close surviving family. I do actually give the occasional talk to local groups about all the things that need to be considered in this kind of situation - a kind of 'Before You Go' programme that can be a great gift of love to those you leave behind. At the awful time of bereavement there is so much to be taken care of that a well prepared plan will provide genuine help.

I really do appreciate your comments. Thank you!

[Fortepiano in reply to Jerryj]

Brilliant! What a very helpful and thoughtful idea.

All the best