I would have never known about this

Kerry S

I finely got copies of my first and last CT scans. The hospital is 103 miles away and just never got around to it. Found something interesting in the reports. I have a bilobular, infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The damn thing measures 3.8 cm and has grown by .4 in 1.6 years. Did some research on this and found that 1 out of 5 guys my age (67) get these. From what I read, they don’t do anything about them unless they get up to 5 cm.

I also read that if the damn thing pops, I would have just enough time to reach down and turn the tractor off before croaking. Would not even need to call Hospice.

Here is what is interesting. With all the other 6 scans I have had at 2 other hospitals, there is no mention of this in their reports. I am not worried about this and I don’t think my colon surgeon is, as he never even told me about it. He has always been straight with me. It does make one wonder about the quality of folks that do the reading of the scans.

Damn, is this yet another check mark on the positive side of cancer!! Had I not had cancer, I would have never known about this.

Any of you other old guys have one of these????

Kerry

AnneCan

Hi Kerry
Hi Kerry,

I don't know anything about aneurysms, but just wanted to say hi + that I am SO glad to see your recent posts. I hope someone more knowledgeable than me has some answers. Stay well.

John23

Oops ?

Personally, I would give my colorectal surgeon a call, and ask
if he noted that condition, or if it's something new. You did say
that it's gotten larger......

An aneurysm can be "clipped" via Laparoscopic surgery,
and it might be able to be done in your case. There's also
a procedure that is used where they put a small "spring-like"
device inside the artery, and it supports the area of the aneurysm.

The problem with the "spring" method, is that if the artery pops
open during the placement, it takes them longer to get in there to
"clip" it and stop the bleeding.

The "clip" is a small stainless steel clip, like a tiny clothes clip,
and they shunt it across the bulging aneurysm. The clip stays
there and the artery eventually can heal shut without that nasty
bulging bubble.

With Laparoscopic surgery, they only make a few tiny holes,
and work with robotic instruments inside you, instead of opening
you up and digging around.

They can even do it over the Internet if you have a high-speed connection!

No they can't; I made that up.

Ask your surgeon about the scan report, and make an appointment
if needed. Hell, get a second opinion as well.

The chemo can cause aneurysms, and this could be something
that wasn't noticed earlier...

Call, willya? I don't want to read about how you died on that
damned tractor.

Best of health!

John

pf78248

Oh, Kerry!
I sure hope it turns out to be nothing but John's post seemed to have a relatively easy cure for it if the aneurism grows. Let's hope it turns out to be nothing. Seems like it should be enough just to deal with cancer, much less everything else.

I wish you the best and please let us know what happens.

Hugs and Healing,
Priscilla

Kerry S

John23 said:

Oops ?

Personally, I would give my colorectal surgeon a call, and ask
if he noted that condition, or if it's something new. You did say
that it's gotten larger......

An aneurysm can be "clipped" via Laparoscopic surgery,
and it might be able to be done in your case. There's also
a procedure that is used where they put a small "spring-like"
device inside the artery, and it supports the area of the aneurysm.

The problem with the "spring" method, is that if the artery pops
open during the placement, it takes them longer to get in there to
"clip" it and stop the bleeding.

The "clip" is a small stainless steel clip, like a tiny clothes clip,
and they shunt it across the bulging aneurysm. The clip stays
there and the artery eventually can heal shut without that nasty
bulging bubble.

With Laparoscopic surgery, they only make a few tiny holes,
and work with robotic instruments inside you, instead of opening
you up and digging around.

They can even do it over the Internet if you have a high-speed connection!

No they can't; I made that up.

Ask your surgeon about the scan report, and make an appointment
if needed. Hell, get a second opinion as well.

The chemo can cause aneurysms, and this could be something
that wasn't noticed earlier...

Call, willya? I don't want to read about how you died on that
damned tractor.

Best of health!

John

John
John,
The damn thing was there before I had chemo/rad. Yep, I read on how they can fix it. One study showed it is best not to screw with it until it gets up to 5 cm. They can keep an eye on it with a simple sonogram. Hell, if I could get in there, I would just wrap it with duck tape.

I think it got bigger because that wonderful chemo/rad ran my blood pressure up to a new normal of 140/77. More pressure makes for a bigger bubble. Before they tried to kill me with chemo/rad it was a nice 120/80.

My Humana nurse told me they can also just leak. A leaker gives you plenty of time to plug the hole. I am only a 35 min drive to the ER from here.

I get the rod up my butt end of July. Will talk to the doc about it then.

John23

Kerry S said:

John
John,
The damn thing was there before I had chemo/rad. Yep, I read on how they can fix it. One study showed it is best not to screw with it until it gets up to 5 cm. They can keep an eye on it with a simple sonogram. Hell, if I could get in there, I would just wrap it with duck tape.

I think it got bigger because that wonderful chemo/rad ran my blood pressure up to a new normal of 140/77. More pressure makes for a bigger bubble. Before they tried to kill me with chemo/rad it was a nice 120/80.

My Humana nurse told me they can also just leak. A leaker gives you plenty of time to plug the hole. I am only a 35 min drive to the ER from here.

I get the rod up my butt end of July. Will talk to the doc about it then.

Aneurysms...


My wife had a ruptured cerebral aneurysm as a result of years
of Vioxx... The surgeon "clipped" it, and she resumed bossing me
around within weeks.

Re:
"More pressure makes for a bigger bubble."

Actually, no. Her surgeon specializes in brain surgery, and
was head of the department... well known in these parts...

He gave me an education regarding high blood pressure,
and the myths that surround it. It doesn't cause an aneurysm,
and it doesn't cause an aneurysm to burst. In fact, most aneurysms
rupture during sleep, when one's BP is the lowest....

High BP is a symptom of an underlying problem, and taking
BP meds only disguises that fact. The problem eventually gets
worse and shows up with symptoms a lot uglier than "high BP".

But anyway... that aside....

Have the surgeon look over the scans, not just the radiologist's
report. I have all my scans in the closet, and grab what they need
to see prior to the visit. The labs give you either the originals,
or copies, and you're entitled to them. Get 'em. Or ask the
surgeon's office to get them there for the doc to read.

Stay well... ehh?


John

ktlcs

Same Here
Although an aneurysm sounds more serious, we had exactly the same experience, Hanks' scans, from the very first one, all make mention of several small renal calculi, aka kidney stones. Not one Dr has mentioned it, ever. But guess what happened last week? He started to get real bad back pain, constant urge to go etc etc. When I called the Dr she told me not to worry too much, it was most likely one of the stones passing! If I hadn't read the report myself I never would have known what was going on and proabaly subjected him to a trip to the ER. Seems they read the scans for only what they are looking for, any other findings are inconsequential.