Uncoiled Aorta.....anything else???

Posted , 3 users are following.

Hi everyone, right now feeling p*ssed off and concerned....got off the phone with my pulmonologist after getting a chest x-ray done. Chest x-ray went well, said lungs look normal, heart okay except he noticed I have an uncoiled aorta. Said the aorta is supposed to wrap around the heart, not too tight. Mine is uncoiled. Said high blood pressure could cause that (which I do not have), as well as "other reasons". 

So now of course I'm googling this and trying to find out if there are concerns with this, as he said it could be "problematic". He is reaching out to my insurance company for a pre-authorization to get a type of CT scan done. It will most likely have to happen after my Cozumel scuba diving trip (Jun 24 to Jul 1)

Background: for those of you that are seeing this and hearing from me for the first time, I was diagnosed with a TAA of 4.5 approx 4 years ago. Went for follow up exams (EKG, electrocardiagram, stress test) a month ago and THANK GOD nothing has changed (despite very occassional cigar smoking, powerlifting at the gym (on and off) and 3 1/2 years of scuba diving.

Been having issues when breathing deep where I feel a slight pain on my left side, towards the back. Primary Care Physician is convinced it's musculcar/skeletal and pop an Advil. Pulmonologist gave me breathing test, I passed pretty much with flying colors, chest xray went well like I mentioned earlier except for this uncoiled aorta.

Anyone else have this, know about this, know anyone who has this? Am I right to be concerned? Any additional risk factors? 

Anyone watch The Force Awakens, when Kilo Ren flips out and destroys equipment with his light saber, then says "Anything else??" 

I'm upset and concerned, but my nature is to accept it and move forward and continue to live my life, always taking the precautions needed. I'm joking about the light saber slashing and the anger associated with it, but in reality this is a real pain in the @$$. I'm hoping nothing else is found.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    Well, at least you have a heads up, I wasn't lucky enough to know in advance and ended up fighting for my life helocoptered from one hospital to the next.

    All of us are different and will recover different, but I would tell anyone to take it easy and change your lifestyle to be more relaxed & that alcohol is heart disease.

    • Posted

      Rg thank you for the advice, I've backed off completely from any type of weight training and am just focused now on cardio, trying to squeeze it in every opportunity I get (average 2-3 times a week, looking to increase it to 3-4, then 4-5)

      Diet is getting cleaner, drinking as much water as I can tolerate. Lost 9 lbs in the last month, BP was 120/78 Thur evening follow up visit. 

      Thank God you survived, just the thought of what you said is scary. I work at a hospital in NY and constantly see the helicopter flying back and forth. I can't even fathom what must be going on with those patients. 

  • Posted

    I just received a copy of the report for recent chest xrays. It too said, that I have an "uncoiled aorta indicative of hypertension" except I have very low blood pressure. So, yah...what's up with that?!

    • Posted

      Let me add. I don't drink, don't smoke, don't do drugs and never have. I'm a little overweight, but not bad. I work out, combo of cardio & resistance. I'm stumped for now.

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