Got some bad news today

I had a routine screening and I've been told that I have an AAA (Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm)....That is a bulge in the body's biggest artery. It is classed as 'medium' which means I have to be screened every 3 months from now on.
The other sizes are small, in which case you need a yearly check and Large meaning you have to have an operation, a very dangerous operation I might add.
It has knocked me sideways to be honest, my wife too.
I already have left sided heart failure so I really didn't need this.
If it continues to balloon and I end up needing the op I think I'd die of worry anyway.
  

Here's a diagram:



  

You have to be guided by those treating you Tone. On the plus side its been picked up and its being monitored, wheras as an aneurysm gives no warning and usually is fatal. Are you not classed as a bi pass candidate or is this a separate issue that a bi pass wont resolve?

Best not to worry/stress mate if possible as that could make matters worse.

I have the utmost faith in cardiology, Tone, as you know from my old man - quad bypass in '86, given a 50/50 chance of success, he said he was no use as he was, do it.

That was 1986, he was 52. He subsequently had diabetes and TIAs later down the line, and had a stent put in over time but it took 25 years for that to be necessary. He lived 26 years where he was suitably active and would still be here if the fates decided that because they couldn't take him down with one thing, they racked up a list of problems for him.

You look after yourself. That's both a statement of fact and an order.

Cheers guys. Thanks for the consoling words and advice.
Boat, the drugs I now take for my heart failure stop the need for bypass surgery because of the size they dilate the arteries and vessels to thereby  enabling blood to flow easier.
If they have to operate on the aneurysm, they do it with this procedure:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007391.htm

 

Sorry to hear this nobby ,what causes it ?

missyj wrote:Sorry to hear this nobby ,what causes it ?

Old age and bad luck.
  

Nobby Cheese wrote:

missyj wrote:Sorry to hear this nobby ,what causes it ?

Old age and bad luck.
  

least it's not something you could of prevented