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I've been diagnosed yesterday with a slight Widening of the Aorta & I'm so scared

Posted , 6 users are following.

vickie20270
vickie20270

I'm just 49 & never smoked but have bad asthma all my life. I was in a awful car crash in 2010 & in 2011 had surgery on my collar bone, right shoulder & upper arm which resulted in a bad upper arm blood clot. Then in 2012 I accidently tore my left achilles tendon & broke my ankle too!  Had a cast on for 10 months, while in the cast I suffered a blood clots behind the knee & in the thigh.  I'm on warfarin for life. Now I've been diagnosed with a slight Widening of the Aorta & I'm feel so scared!

Does anyone have anything similar to me?  I would really appreacite any suggestions, please!

1 like, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • mary-rose15619
    mary-rose15619 vickie20270

    Posted

    Hi Vickie, there are many of us on this forum who have been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm. I would not know if the accidents you mentioned have contributed to it but they may not have and you may simply be predisposed to it. Like you, I am fit, never smoked and have normal blood pressure yet last year at age 55 I was diagnosed with an aneurysm measuring 4.3cm. It all came to light when one of my sisters was dianosed with an aneurysm measuring 5.1 at age 50 and she underwent repair surgery and has since recovered remarkably well. Our youngest sister age 45 also has it but measuring only at 4.1. It is very scary when you first get the news but the anxiety does settle down and there are times when I completely forget about it. Then I may have a bad weekend as I trawl the internet for hours. If yours is only slightly dilated then all you need isr regular monitoring. I am on annual checks now. Good luck Vickie and keep taking care of yourself.
    • vickie20270
      vickie20270 mary-rose15619

      Posted

      Hi Mary! Thank you so much for your e-mail, I deeply appreciated what you wrote!  I'm trying my best to stay calm, but you can only imagine the  feeling of despair I have at this moment in time.  You all seem young to have this too now a days!  I will be doing some internet  searching as well!  Keep up the good work on yourself!
  • 68survivor
    68survivor vickie20270

    Posted

    Hello! I heartily agree with all that mary-rose15619 says. Only to add that the rate of monitoring would depend on ultrasound scan results. That is, the quicker it is apparently growing the more frequent the need for scans. My own AAA was discovered at 4.5cm in 1998, it took until 2013 to get to 6cm. still not had an operation because of lots  of other co-morbidities. Don't be afraid to ask your Vascular team or GP any questions you may have.

    All the best.

    • vickie20270
      vickie20270 68survivor

      Posted

      Hello there 68survivor!  Thank you for you e-mail, I so appreciated it too!  I shall be doing a lot of questioning to find out more from my GP & Vascular team.  You take care now.  With best wishes always! 
  • marlborough
    marlborough vickie20270

    Posted

    Hi Vickie,

    Sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I agree with everything Mary-Rose has written. I  have an aortic root aneurysm at 4.2cm, and it is very frightening when you first find out. If I were you I would ask lots of questions and find out where the widening is and what size it is and also whether they think it could be caused by the trauma or if you have a bicuspid valve or other predispostion.  I expect as it is a slight widening, they will follow up with regular scans to watch for growth and advise you to keep your blood pressure stable. Honestly, you will settle and be able to forget it for long periods although I can appreciate how scared you are right now. Very best wishes to you. 

    • vickie20270
      vickie20270 marlborough

      Posted

      Hi there Marlborough!   Really valued your e-mail & thank you truly for it!  I feel a bit better in knowing that I'm not alone with this condition & that we all can give each other emotional support!  I recognize the full worth of it & information we can share with each other!   With my best wishes to you always!  
  • derek76
    derek76 vickie20270

    Posted

    How slight is slight?

    I have a small abdominal aortic aneurysm  that was 3.1cm when found in 2003. Overtime is has grown to 3.6cm and is still regarded as hardly an aneurysm by the consultant. The only people it concerns are travel insurers:-)

    • vickie20270
      vickie20270 derek76

      Posted

      Hello derek76!

      Thank you for your e-mail!  I don't know as yet the size of mine is but I'm grateful for information on the travel insurers sitution!  I shall be looking it up to get all the information there is.  Just wondering do you get pain in the chest most of the time or not?  Because I do get it more often now.

    • derek76
      derek76 vickie20270

      Posted

      Out of interest I once phoned around asking about travel insurance. They didn't want to know and asked stupid questions from their tick list after my telling them it is tiny. Has it bled? Have you had surgery? One qouted me £2000 for a month in America. I asked what it would be  for Cuba and they said £1000.  

      The insurer I mormally used said that they could exclude it from the policy.

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