New Problem For Me....has Anybody Had

[john999]

I know a guy who just kept on eye on his aneuryism for years. When it reaches a certain size is when you need to get it fixed. I would not trust the VA to do something like this since they are just now telling you about it. What incompetent and negligent idiots. I think you are right about them blowing off MH cases.

[steve&pat]

STRETCH--- for my cholesterol they tried the statin drugs and now its down that Im allergic to them so the VA gave me -ZETIA_ to help but I got an extra -its been over a year now and the EXTRA IS -I got the cholesterol down but I went from 336# down to 270# and I havent tried any lifestyle change yet----- All I noticed the appitite has gone down=== ask your provider=

STEVE

[Stretch]

I haven't been taking the Simvastatin because they make me very sick. I will ask him for another way to go. I haven't been concerned about this because I didn't know there was a reason to be. Thanks steve&pat, I will talk to the PCP about it. Zetia...

I have been reading about AAA, I don't think this is something to mess with.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/463354-overview

Indications

Even patients who do not have symptoms from their abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) require surgical intervention because the result of medical management in this population is a mortality rate of 100% over time due to rupture. In addition, these patients have a high likelihood of limb loss from peripheral embolization.

Monitor patients with AAAs smaller than 4 cm in diameter with ultrasound every 6 months, and offer surgical intervention if the aneurysm expands or causes symptoms. In patients with AAAs of 4-5 cm in diameter, elective repair may be of benefit if they are young, have a low operative risk, and have a good life expectancy. Additionally, AAAs in women have been shown to rupture at smaller diameters in comparison with men; therefore, a threshold of 4.5 cm for elective repair has been advocated in this patient population. Patients with AAAs of 5-6 cm in diameter may benefit from repair, especially if they have other contributing factors for rupture, including hypertension, continued smoking, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For patients at higher risk, the threshold for repair may be a diameter of 6-7 cm, depending on their condition. At this size, the risk of rupture increases with age. These sizes apply to males of average height (170 cm).

[jbasser]

Stretch, Your AAA will be repaired by a Vascular Surgeon. You will be incacitated for 6 to 8 weeks with limited activity fior the first month. Very limited. My mother has one close to where yours is and she cant lift over 5 lbs.

J

[carlie]

Stretch,

I do not write this to scare or upset you.

This is just FYI as the only information I have to share.

My Dad was diagnoised with an AAA when he was about 65

it measured 3.5 and he had it checked at least once a year.

He had also undergone 3 hernia surgeries and none were very successful.

He owned a Condo building on Indian Rocks Beach and a 12

unit Mom & Pop motel on the intercoastal.

So Dad was always a real busy man.

He had a touch of COPD but not bad at all.

By the time he reashed 72 the AAA had grown just a bit

to a 4.0 and the VA doctors told him he should go ahead and have the

surgery or he just might fall over dead with no further warning.

Dad said NO - he would still wait awhile.

Dad got to 78 years old - he called me up and said babydoll

I went to my doctor and had some tests today. The doctor

says my Aneuerysm measures 5.0 now and that I'd better have

that surgery.

Now babydoll, I know you can find out just about anything

on that computer so how about looking into it for me.

I said sure Dad - I'll call you tomorrow around 2:00pm

and we said good-night.

Well I called him at noon and got no answer, called him later,

no answer, called him 6:oo pm - no answer.

I got in my car and drove over 50 miles to his house - no answer.

The next day his wife called me and said your Daddy's in the hospital

and he had that surgery.

I said well why did he do that before we talked more about it.

His dip-shit wife said, well I was worried about

him so I told him let's not put it off, lets go on today

and see if that doctor will get you in for the surgery.

Well he stayed in that hospital about three weeks.

I picked him up from the hospital and drove him home while his wife

followed us.

He told me babydoll, this is bad -

I should have waited more, I'm dying.

I told him Dad you just went thru alot and you've got to recover.

Over the next month - I drove to his house,

(mind you, his wife absolutely hated me being there - but

after all the years of hardly no relationship with Dad - it was me

he called to take him to the doctor's and pharmacy).

The last time i saw him alive we had gone to the doctor on a Thursday.

When we left he said he would like to eat a piece of fish

so of all places, because it was on the way back to his house

we stopped at a Steak and Shake.

Dad got a fish sandwich and didn't eat any of the bread and

about half of the fish.

This was the first time I had sat and eaten anything with my Dad

in at least 20 years.

When his wife went to the bathroom he told me again he was dying.

His wifes daughter called me Sunday morning and said Carla,

I'm sorry but you Daddy died yesterday.

I said what happened - why didn't anybody call me.

She told me that Saturday morning he got up to go pee

and blood just came flowing out of his mouth and he fell over dead.

At the funeral his wife would not even allow my younger sister and I to

put our baby picture in the coffin with him - it was the only photo we

had of being with Daddy befor he and Mom divorced.

On his desk underneath clear glass,in his office

he had several photos of us when we were young.

Well I just hooked my arm into my sister's and we went back up

to the casket.

Imagine my surprise when I looked down again at the yellow flowers in

his hands - placed inside of the flowers were photos of his wifes

three grandchildren.

I lifted up one side of Daddy's suit jacket and put our picture

face down over his heart.

I sure wish Dad had not let the doctor scare him so quick.

I sure wish my Dad would not have listened so much to his

Edith Bunker wife.

I sure wish that since he had called me for help he would

have had the backbone to stand up to his stupid wife.

Between he and I - we would have researched that surgery

up one side and down the other, prior to the first cut being made.

ALSO - Stretch - You need a vascular surgeon to do this

not a cardiologist. jbasser concurs with me on this.

Stretch - you MUST do your research please.

carlie.

[Berta]

" Sort of seems the PCP just dismisses a vets symptoms because the vet has MH problems."

I cannot agree more with that!

I think they should have told you sooner because exertion can probably make this type of conditions worse!