Brain aneurysm

[jojo23pink]

Hi everyone. My name is jojo i am only 28😯 I was diagnosed in 2014 with a very small brain aneurysm measuring 2.3mm i had another scan a year later and it was still the same no change. Recently had yet another scan in dec 2017 still no change..so if i continue like this and it doesnt grow change etc then i have a 0.05% chance of it rupturing and causin a heammorage...i like to note that before i was scanned in 2014 i did suffer sharp intense stabbing pains in the side of my head near my temple. Funnily enough, on the same side as the aneurysm😕doctors said its nothing to worry about but i was adament it was cos i am a hypercondriact lol and i pushed for a scan and they found it. They say somet so small cant cause u pain etc but im sure it did...i would like to listen to anyones story similar to mine or any advice for me if any thanks

[jojo23pink]

Am i tho only one with a brain aneurysm seen as i still have no messages 🙁

[Hobbsy in reply to jojo23pink]

🤐 that's not good but saying that I hardly come on hear to lol your not alone just think there's some poorly peeps and not always able to reply

[Jacmidlands]

No you're not, but there are not so many contributors to this forum. Good luck!

[jojo23pink in reply to Jacmidlands]

Lol thanks

[malalatete]

Hi JoJo

No, you are not the only one living with an aneurysm. Mine was found in Feb 2015. At first they thought it was small -only 5mm - but a full scan revealed that it had 2 lobes, had engulfed 2 arteries and was more like 9mm X 5mm.

I was offered treatment because its size and shape put me in a 1 in 6 rupture situation. Unfortunately they couldn't clip it because of its location, or coil it because of its wide base, so instead they put a stent in the main affected artery. That was 2 years ago. At my first review scan they could see that the part of the bubble on the main artery had deflated, leaving just a 5mm bubble on the eye artery. That won't be likely to be affected by the stent. I go back for another neuroangio procedure next week, my 2 year anniversary of the stent insertion, to see if it is all still behaving itself -that is the bubble, the stent, and the stented artery. Risks now are of the bubble growing again /rupturing, of the stent dislodging or moving, and of the stented artery getting blocked - I am on daily aspirin to thin the blood. So far so good, just praying it will be the same result after this procedure.

I too get horrendous headaches, have done my whole life, but they said it was nothing to do with the aneurysm and I agree. That's just a coincidence. I did have an awful headache for a couple of months after the stent went in, that was clearly connected - but it was constant. Similarly I tend to get a right clanger after the angiograms - but again these are constant until the brain subsides. Come and go headaches are just headaches.

I don't think the aneurysm had anything to do with the loss of function in my legs that I suffered from 2013 through to last year either. It is in the wrong place for that. I have had all sorts of other neurological complications over the last few years and I believe my surgeon when he says the annie had nothing to do with it. I just think I was prety fortunate that trying to find an answer to whatever that was all about alerted us to the fact I had a potential timebomb in my head. Otherwise I might not have known.

In terms of advice, not sure what you are looking for really. I would say just get on with life, aware of how blessed you are to know the value of each day. Don't let it cloud your thinking, but be aware that it will change it because it changes your perspective on everything. Don't let it rule your life, but don't take undue risks -anything over 25kg that will cause you to huff and puff really should be carried by some nice strong young man...that's my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Above all, don't worry. You can't change this, you have no control over how it behaves, worrying about what may or may not happen or come to pass is just a humungous waste of your life and energy, when you could be out there taking advantage of every blessed and brilliant little moment.

Go well.

[jojo23pink in reply to malalatete]

Thanks 4 ur reply its a lot to take in...im glad they managed to do something and u are ok. What further scan did u have where they found it was actually bigget etc? Mine is 2.3mm so im guessin its deemed very small and i have had mri scans and it has not changed. Thank the lord.. Its on the right side of my head. They told me theyre common amongst the public and wunt no about it unless it burst causing the thunderclap headache. Mines a wide neck too but maybe they could coil it cos of its size? So the wide neck may not actually be wide??? Erm if its 2.3mm (like a bead) thats just the diamater like the shape of the balloon so wonder what size width the neck is....it was really scary at 1st i was having panic attacks if i heard a bang outside id think it was inside my head lol but now iv come to think about it its actually really small and it wont burst iv had it prob for years but only found out in 2014 and its not change not done anything that would put strain on it things like that. They said chance of bursting is 0.05% and if it bursts its same devastation as a large one ha that defo dont make sense. More blood on ur brain more damage less blood less damage some survive them too think am worryin too much even if it went frm 2.3 to 2.4 id worry cos its growin but its not its always been "unchanged" maybe it will never grow. All the best

[malalatete in reply to jojo23pink]

I was told that as many as 10% of people may have them!

I have regular neuroangiogram scans - MRI are not detailed enough to show up the complicated structure in the area and all the new metalwork! This is an invasive procedure (which itself carries risks of stroke, rupture of the blood vessel/aneursym and causing blood clots) so they will only carry them out once every 2 years. Thry insert a catheter through the artery in my groin, feed this through the body to the brain, and then after putting some dye into the brain artery take a series of X-rays from various positions round my head. The procedure takes about an hour, plus a 5 hour recovery period during which you aren't allowed to move for the first 2 hours, then only slowly to sit up, get out of bed, then begin to walk. It isn't exactly something you look forward to, but it is the only way for my docs to keep an eye on what is going on now.

The rest of the time I try to just get on with life, except when I have any other symptoms crop up, when I go straight to A and E for a CAT scan to check for a bleed - only needed to do that once since my last scan though.

When they rupture it isn't the size of the bubble that matters so much as the size of the artery that it is on. They originally thought mine was on the eye artery, which is tiny and has low blood flow, just to the eye and back. They also orifinally thought it was only one 5mm bubble, so I was recommended to wait and watch too. After my pre-op angio they realised that the double bubble formation engulfed the main brain artery too, hence the concern and need to rethink the strategy. Having the procedure done to implant the stent hasn't sorted it though -in fact some people might say I have just swapped the risk of a big annie for the multiple risks of smaller annie plus stent....it was what I felt I needed to do at the time and I still feel happy I made the right decision.

[jojo23pink]

We r lucky to know about them so they can be watched checked and treated if need be. My uncle, not so lucky. He died. They said his was the size of a grape and it re-bled durin surgery he will have been brain damaged

[Jacmidlands]

I agree with the good advice you have already had. Mine was 13mm but on a branching artery so there was less blood spilled into the brain when it burst. I had it coiled and the only difficulty was that it was quite large but on a small artery so was a bit tricky as the artery was narrowing as they got to the aneurysm. I have a MRI at the end of June to make sure the coils haven't moved. Think there are lots of people walking round with aneurysms, some were born with them.

The good thing is that you are being monitored and it is pretty small at the moment.

I had my coiling in December 2017 and I'm fine (except for the occasional feeling of being overwhelmed if things get too hectic) and can drive again. I know I have been very lucky. Hope all goes well for you.

Jac

[jojo23pink in reply to Jacmidlands]

Thanks for that and all the best glad u r doin well. They said mine is on the right but im not sure exactly where. They said it wasnt too deep?? So maybe its not on the main arteries that are near the circle of willis? Im not sure i need to ask. And even if it is as long as it dnt rupture then im ok

[jojo23pink in reply to jojo23pink]

Im sure they said right middle cerebral artery thats a big artery. Im not sure i need to ask them i get eye pain im due an mri on my eye

[Jacmidlands in reply to jojo23pink]

Sometimes too much knowledge is hard. In someways, ignorance is bliss. My friend recently discovered she has an aneurysm and she wishes that she hadn't been told! Still, you can't put the genie back in the bottle. After a while you will get your head round the situation and you are luckier than lots of people in that you're being monitored. Enjoy every day and try not to get over-focused on one aspect of your health. Will try to reply if you ever have questions though mine ruptured so my experience is different from others.

Jac

[Andersl]

I wish mine was 2.5 and not 6mm. I had sharp pains in my left eye years before it was diagnosed. My aneurysm is resting on my left optic nerve. I was told the pains had nothing to do with it!! The difference between a consultant and patient is the patient is the one who feels the symptoms x

[FeeGi]

Hi I'm in exact same boat. They found 2-2.5mm anyeurism two months ago. I too had stabbing pain migraine behind my eye (mine is cav ica area) years ago and continue to get flare ups. As u have been told too - docs really believe small ones cause no symptoms. Maybe it could be sinus for me...... it could be a simple reason. I hope against hope I'll be same as u in 5yrs... no growth. Trust your docs unless u get severe symptoms. We are the lucky ones.

[Gramms]

Ty