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Aortic dissection, aortic aneurysm - The aorta - Life after an aortic dissection

Just recovering from my SECOND AD!

On bedrest for the next month, suffered my second AD two weeks ago. It was a type B, right at the level of my T12 vertebrae, near my kidneys etc.

It had been a normal Friday, met my wife aFter work and we headed to Iceland to stock up on fish. I had been feeling "under the weather" for most of the day, but nothing I could pinpoint. We finished the shopping and as we left it hit. Nausea, sweating, the feeling of bayonets being shved through my chest and out past my spine. First thought was a heart attack so i used my spray, we grabbed a taxi to hospital (quicker than waiting for an ambulance) and they took me straight in to cardiac resuscitation. CT scan confirmed an AD.

My second AD, anybody know the odds?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by norma bell on May 6, 2015 at 12:09

Hi James - so sorry about what's happened to you.  I hope you have an uneventful recovery.  You're probably feeling like you've been run over by a truck right now "one day at a time" as the saying goes.  I'm waiting for surgery and have been told that there is a "small chance" it can happen again further along the aorta because in my case its linked to congenital weakness of the connective tissue so you may be in the same boat.  The important thing is you're still here.  Hope you dont get to stir crazy with the bed rest, best wishes xxx

Permalink Reply by Kimberlee Jones on May 11, 2015 at 14:21

Wow 2!!! I have actually spoken to on Facebook a couple of people who have survived more than one AD.  Have they done genetic testing?

Permalink Reply by james fullwood on May 11, 2015 at 19:55

Thanks Norma, this one seems harder to bounce back from than the last one. Still on bed rest, not easy to do but oh well.

Kimberlee, EDS was mentioned but my GP will have to refer me to a specialist. What HAS surprised them is how well my first one has healed, they said they had never seen one heal that well before. Now they want to do CT scans every couple of months on this new one. Great, I get to be injected with radioactive dye 6 times over the next year, LOL.

Permalink Reply by Kimberlee Jones on May 15, 2015 at 12:04

Wow, has to be good to know that you healed so well. That must give you some comfort. Can't they watch the new one with ECHO instead of CT? Mine is now checked by ECHO so I don't have to have be exposed to xrays and dyes every 6m.  Good luck!

*hugs*

Kimberlee

Permalink Reply by Gregory Smith on May 19, 2015 at 13:55

Hi James, when was your first AD and what type was it? Mine was almost 5 years ago and was a type A on the ascending aorta. It was repaired with a dacron sleeve from the heart and around the arch. The dissection extended all the way down past my kidneys and the surgeon told me it may not be long before he would have to operate on me again. However, the last scan showed that the blood that had got in between the layers had coagulated 'nicely'. Doesn't mean it won't happen again, though.

Permalink Reply by james fullwood on May 19, 2015 at 14:58

my first one was about 3 years ago, Type B descending, it really has healed well, but i seem to be having a more difficult time recovering this one. Still in a lot of pain, uncomfortable to move around, get crippled just climbing the stairs.

Permalink Reply by Gregory Smith on May 20, 2015 at 13:25

So no operation? Just being treated with meds?

Permalink Reply by David A Palmer on July 7, 2015 at 23:28
Don't know the odds but you are still here. A second AD is what scares me most, after my AD last April and six weeks in Hospital I got zero de brief from my very excellent surgeon who put my stent in, they gave me 95% chance of not making it, so a second type B is scary! Good luck with your recovery. David
Permalink Reply by james fullwood on July 7, 2015 at 23:47

It's a crazy life. Came off bedrest and went out with my wife to a friends birthday party. Very mellow night, very quiet, but on the way home suffered a heart attack. The taxi had to divert to the hospital. Luckily our local hospital has a dedicated Cardiac and Stroke Receiving Unit with an amazing team. Ended up in hospital for a while, now I might be looking at my second bypass (had a quad bypass at 42). Is life crazy or what? I have to laugh at it all or I will scream.

Permalink Reply by norma bell on July 8, 2015 at 8:50

Good Lord! James i'm so sorry you really are going through the mill right now.  Your poor wife too, she must be so upset.  Looking back at what you've already survived you must be a tough old boot.  Hang in there, if good wishes were £5 notes you'd be up to your knees at least from me. Norma 

Permalink Reply by james fullwood on July 8, 2015 at 11:24
A little less of the "old"there please, LOL1 Thanks for the sentiments though. I am going to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford at the end of the month, scheduled for a series of tests and then we will go from there.
Yes, it has been tough on my wife, she has had a lot to deal with, she is one in a million.
Permalink Reply by David A Palmer on August 4, 2015 at 16:22

James, how did the tests go? Hope all is well for you and yours. David

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