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Hello, I'm Sarah


Guest Sarah G

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Guest Sarah G

I'm new to this site. Just wanted to say hello and see if I can find others who are in my stituation. A few months ago I had a small brain aneursym clipped and now recovering. Now that I am feeling better I'm starting to worry about a large carotid aneursym behind my right eye that they say is in too risky for surgery on. Any one out there who is living with an unruptured annie?

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Hi Sarah and welcome!

Thankfully, I'm not in the same position as yourself....and can't begin to imagine what it must be like.....we have another lady called Sarah aka Fifibucks on the site that has an unruptured annie....but she's going to have it treated in a few months.

Is it the risk to your sight, the reason why they haven't treated it?

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Guest goldie

Hi Sarah, welcome to the site, I don't have a unruptured annie, but, I wanted to say hi...hope you will find others here who can give you some advice...they are very nice people here...hope you are doing ok...take care Cindy

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Hi there

I have an unruptured anni, but as it was on the same stemas the one that ruptured they coiled it at the same time.

I think Keith also has an unruptured anni but I'm not quite sure (you can see his brain scans on the home page).

Feel free to ask any questions or just sound off - we're a crazy but nice bunch :lol:

Sami xxx

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Guest Sarah G

Thanks for your replies. I don't know exactly why I'm not a candidate for surgery on my untreated annie. When my neurosurgeon talked to me the first time he said it was in a bad position and he would only clip it if, after the arteriogram, they determined that it would bleed into the brain. After the arteriogram he told me that there was a small cerebal annie found that he would clip, but he wasn't doing the one on the carotid. He didn't really want to talk about it and all I could get him to say is that it did rupture I would experience double vision/headache. When he woke me up after surgery he told me he did take a look at the carotid annie to make sure that it wouldn't bleed into the brain. I do know that it is near the opthalmic origin. I'll need to corner him on it during my follow up appointment in 2 weeks. I've read the other's accounts of their SAHs and now realize that my doctor knowing it's there is a good thing. He would take any signs of rupture for being a rupture. It is unnerving to know it 's there though.

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Hi Sarah,

I can well imagine how you feel ..... I would give him a good grilling at your next appointment and find out the reasons as to why he doesn't want to treat it ... Perhaps it's too small? At least they do know that it's there.....

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Guest Sarah G

Thanks Karen.

My untreated annie is large- 11mm. I, unbelievably, found two people yesterday that have annies in the same spot. I found out that it's rare. It's in a spot that can't be clipped, but they will both end up getting stents put in the artery. One was coiled before, but that hasn't worked out well. I'm definately looking into it. Feeling better.

Sarah

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Hi Sarah,

Well, that is large .... so it's not a case of being too small and that out weighs the risk of surgery .... I don't know too much about stents either .... hope that you're able to get some answers .... but glad that you're feeling a bit better. Is it a case that they don't want to carry out any surgery, as there's a risk to your eyesight? Really feel for you .....

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Guest Sarah G

When I tried to talk to my surgeon about my untreated, unruptured annie he barked at me that it wouldn't rupture. I went to the hospital today for speech therapy and stopped by radiology to get a copy of my films and reports. A friend of my stepmother is a neurovascular surgeon who works at Stanford University. She was talking to her boss (a brain surgeon) about me and he asked her to get a copy of my arteriogram/MRI films for him to look at. How nice is that that! I'm sure all of you know how terrible it is having an aneursym rupture. I'm hoping that I end up lucky enough to have ALL my annies taken care of before I join that group. Found out that it's a cavernous ICA aneursym, 11 mm with the neck approximately 50% of the maxiimal diameter. That doesn't help me a lot. :roll: Wish me luck getting some answers!

Sarah

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Guest Firefly

:D Welcome to the site! You will find great support here!! :wink:

I had a ruptured 4mm aneurysm next to my left optical artery and communicating arteries. Mine was stented and coiled.

The best advice I can give you is to get copies of all your test and surgery reports and make your NS explain eveything to you!! It is your brain and you have a right to know!!! My NS explained everyhing to us!! We took a list of questons and took notes on what he told us.

I can't believe your Dr. wouldn't talkto you about it?? You have to be an advocate for your own health care!! I would suggest a 2nd opinion if you are not happy with your Dr.!!

Long story short, I went to the ER 3 times and saw 3 Dr's before I finally found my own NS and he saved my life! Literally!!

You need call your Dr. and demand answers!!! Or find one who will!!

I will keep you in my prayers, keep us posted. God bless you hun!! Tricia

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Guest jennybee

Hi Sarah,

Don't think I can really say 'welcome' as I only joined the group in the past few days, but hello anyway! My mum has had unruptured annies for decades now, and although she is in hospital right now getting treatment, it isn't actually for one of the ones that hadn't burst, but for an old one that had been clipped. Anyway there is a wee cluster of unruptured ones in a tricky place and touch wood 15 years down the line she is still doing fine. She's been up in planes too! Hope you get yours sorted - it sounds like that brain surgeon friend is a gem - I hope it helps though how frustrating to have to go outside the health system to get advice!? Best wishes, Jenny.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest Sarah G

I got a second opinion on my unruptured, untreated annie by a neurosurgeon and professor at one of our (US) ivy league schools.

He totally disagreed with my neurosurgeon. He said it bordered the brain, could bleed into it, and needed stented and coiled. My current insurance will not allow me to go to another group of surgeons than the ones that decided via commitee that my annie shouldn't be treated. I can't change my insurance plan until 2008. I just returned to work after my coiling and was starting to feel my life was returning to normal. :(:(:(

Bummed-Sarah

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Hi Sarah,

Really sorry to hear that. Is there any possibility that you can appeal to the original committee that discussed your case, considering that you've now obtained a second opinion, that differs from theirs? I'm from the UK so not quite sure how the American system works...

Try to keep your chin up.....

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Hi Sarah, sorry to hear your shitty news :(

It's so confusing when you have conflicting opinions from different surgeons. I also have unruptured aneurysms, 5 of them to be precise!!! My lot have also said that they don't want to operate as the annies seem stable and one is also in a peculiar position, somewhere near the spinal cord and my surgeons are equally as vague as yours, they give as little info as possible. I would have a go at appealing to your guys, as Karen has suggested, you never know they may reasses.

Stay strong and try not to worry to much,

Vic x :)

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Hi Sarah

Good to hear from you. Yeah that it Lousy news about your Insurance. I think the other folks have the right idea. If you appeal. at least you will know and won't be wondering.

I have just one Anni (Ruptured) but a lady from home has a few unruptured and they are just monitoring them as they feel they are too small (I think). And an operation would pose more risk.

Good Luck with the plans.

Aine xox

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