I need some prospective and support on my newly found thoracic ascending aortic aneurysm size 4.8

John echo is not super accurate .. And it has problems seeing certain areas ... You need to ask for a CT scan of everything and get your lower belly aorta checked also

I sent you another response with a colorful medafore and the site deleted it ... In short yes the waiting stinks. I was struggling in areas of my life before this and now I need to face this thing. We can be glade it was found and they won't let you get in that danger zone. I keep telling myself it's not cancer ... It helps sometimes. I'm with you on the mental struggle and if I decide to do this early that will be my reason. All Drs say no wait till 5.5

Yes get a few opinions and bring your findings from first dr with you or ask to have them sent to the other surgeons .... Go talk to a surgeon... Pick the one you would possible want to use in your area ... Talk to him they are the better word on when

I just re read your original post that said your echo was smaller than the ct. I'm going to call my doctor to have one scheduled.  thanks

Yes do that ... My echo only saw the aorta leaving the heart and that was 4.2 ... I went for a CT and the biggest part of the bulge was not in my echo. The Dr was almost going to say at the point of the echo it's just wait and watch. Didn't really make a big deal about it and I didn't know how to respond. But he asked if you feel better we can do a CT and I said absolutely

Stay calm John because growth is slow usually. With the BP meds he gave you that should also stop it or slow it .... Possibly... If mine grows then hopefully I will be in Bette mental shape to except it then ... Now I'm just a mess. I work construction with manual labor...

And if I don't work I don't get paid ...

I get massive waves of depression thinking about this. Ugh

Ask me anything and try to relax and keep thinking your life was saved or extended finding it.

trying my best to keep my thoughts straight.  yes everything i read says they do usually grow slowly.  i hate not knowing. i know at 4.9 i'm not at 'risk' but i almost hate knowing that it's there. but your right that it's good that they found it and can watch it.  nice knowing i'm not the only one dealing with this.  i started the bp meds so hopefully that helps as well.

The meds will drastically help you. You will see a big drop quick. They gave me a statin and that really messed me up. I was on for one month and had ghost pains all over my muscles. Felt like somebody was touching me and pins and needles. Dr said because my CT showed no calcification I should come off. Lots of bad info about statins and how they can hurt you really fast. I was on a health kick when I found the problem. I don't really have the full story but I BELIVE when I was running with high BP it was giving me chest tightness and a cough. That's why I went to go see cardiologist for a full work up. So right after BP meds I actually now feel a calmness in my entire body. It has helped with anxiety and that feeling of overwhelmed in your chest. I ran after BP meds and that symptom is gone. Very frustrating. Leaves me to think it was a symptomatic response in my chest from the Anuerysm. IDK and Drs can't say yes or no. FYI if you are symptomatic they will operate on you now. Google symptoms of Thoracic asending aorta aneurysm

so frustrating that they can't tell you if it's a symptom or not. so your still able to run with no symptoms?

my bp is on the high side so the meds should be a big help.

l just don't know if i'd want the surgery any sooner than necessary. part of me says just do it but i don't know.  

John, I've been reading your posts...believe me, I understand....I'm 71 years old and will have surgery Nov. 1 with a 4.3 aneurysm....I'm 5'2", 120 #'s.  Mine was discovered 3 years and has grown each year.  All doctors want to wait til 5cm...but....research has shown that smaller frame people will dissect at a smaller size.....also....my intelligence tells me that the older I get, the older my organs become and additional health issues that could hinder any surgery.   That is the reason I've elected surgery now....also..the daily struggle with maintaining BP, HR, etc. was just too nerve wrecking!  Vascular surgeon knows my case and says he has no problem with doing surgery now.  Another factor is that it would take  6 hours to get to the surgeon if I should dissect......this has not been an easy decision and I'm not looking forward to it....but...the aneurysm is not going to go away and because it has grown annually and I'm not getting any younger, I feel this is the smartest for me at this time.  It's a huge decision...talk to your doctors, pray about it (or whatever you feel comfortable with) I also gave consideration to the fact that now, my hubby can help with my recovery.  Time goes by quickly and our bodies age and start to deteriate.  This is just my personal decision with issues that effect my life.....yours will be different.  My thoughts are with you and pray all goes well no matter what you decide.  

Wow! I wish you all the best of luck, 1st Noveber it's not so far! Please stay in contact with us and let us know how did it go and share the experience! We will be so thankful😌My thoughts and prayers with you, Anastasia          

Oh btw please share details, hospital, surgeon name etc it will be highly appreciated😌 

The hospital is Hermann Memorial in the Medical Center in Houston, Texas and my vascular surgeon is Dr.Estrera.  I will definitely post once I feel like it after I get home...I'm only planning on being in the hospital 1 week!  

Thank you and best of luck to you with your surgery.  let us know how it goes.

Hi again sec2709, i have a few more questions. i hope you don't mind. how big  was your aneurysm when it was found? i know you said the doctors agreed to operate but did you get any pushback from them initially? everything i read says it's so unlikely to have the surgery before at least 5.0 cm.  i've already had one surgeon tell me to wait.  i'm 44 and it's 4.9cm.  what have you been told the recovery is like?  i'm really leaning towards finding a surgeon who will do the surgery on me; i think?!? 

Hi Joh, I got resistance from all docs except the vascular surgeon!  After an hour consultation, he was assured I knew what was involved and risks involved.  Also, my age, distance from hospital, small frame, etc. played a decision, I'm sure.  Also, the fact that  the aneurysm continued to grow each year.  Recovery will be different for me than you because of the age difference.  I've also just found out that I have an aorta leaking (regurtation) valve that will need to be addressed....waiting to hear from the surgeon what his thoughts are...For me, elective is the way to go and due to reasons listed, I don't want to continue waiting for the inevetiable.  Recovery and healing gets slower and portentially more issues as you age.  Just let me know what you decide and if I can answer any questions....my surgery is Nov., 1....as soon as able, I'll let you know how things are going......

Oh, when my aneurysm was found 3 years ago it was a 3.8cm...now 4.5cm.....with a leaky aorta valve.....evidently, Ascending thoracic aneurysm goes hand in hand with aorta valve issues.....also....the only doctor that truly knows the answers to our questions and the correct answers is the vascular surgeon himself!  The other docs, including cardio, only know very little of what they read....more research is being done all the time and new analysis given.....

Oh, when my aneurysm was found 3 years ago it was a 3.8cm...now 4.5cm.....with a leaky aorta valve.....evidently, Ascending thoracic aneurysm goes hand in hand with aorta valve issues.....also....the only doctor that truly knows the answers to our questions and the correct answers is the vascular surgeon himself!  The other docs, including cardio, only know very little of what they read....more research is being done all the time and new analysis given.....