A cautionary tale...
He Dog
Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
About four years ago, I was having my annual checkup with my primary care provider. (they used to be doctors). He kind of off-hand asked if “we had ever given me a lower abdominal ultrasound.” “Not that I recall,” said I, “Why would we do that?” It seems that men of a certain age say 50 or 55 and up, have a much higher incidence of lower aortic aneurysm if they have smoked as many as ten packs of cigarettes ever. I smoked more than that most finals weeks, and told him so. Three days later I was having an ultrasound. They asked me to sit in the lobby while they conferred. My primary was out of town, but they found another doctor in his group, who told me they wanted to schedule a contrast MRI. It seems I had a 6mm aneurysm and they pretty much figure you are gone any day at 7mm. 5 days later I had he MRI and another hour later I was seeing a surgeon. This was all during the height of covid so I was texting home as things progressed. It seems I was a bit of a hot potato and 5 days later I was on the surgical table. The rest of the story involves a leaky incision, blood all over the floor, a nurse leaning on my groin for ten minutes, while others scurried about, but the next morning after 24 hours flat on my back, I got a shower and went home.
No punch line on this one, but there is a moral: If you are 55 or over (and at least 2 or 3 guys here are) and you ever smoked 100 cigarettes in your life, ask your primary for that ultrasound.
They say it is better to be lucky than good, I know I have lucky my doctor is good.
Comments
Good to hear you are doing better.
I am 71 and my primary asked the same thing at my physical in June and ordered the same, an ultrasound test.
Found that I have a 4 mm lower aortic aneurysm. Waiting to meet with cardiologist for next steps.
I have not smoked in 50 years so while smoking is a major cause it is not the only one.
My yearly physical comes up in a few months….. Guess I will ask about it. Thanks for sharing the story Dale..
And I am happy you came out of it fine !!!!
I'm SO GLAD you caught this and handled things. I'm sure things could have gone a little better, but knowing you caught it makes me so happy.
Hmm. I smoked for a long time, quit 14 years ago. Last annual physical was 20 yrs ago. Never had the clydascope exam either. Think about getting done one day.
A dissecting aortic aneurysm. I worked a few of them when I was a paramedic, they went to the morgue. John Ritter, the goofball star of Three's Company, was filming another sitcom, was feeling badly one morning on the set, they drove him up to the ER, this was a top-notch hospital in Hollywood, for the rich folks. He was 54 years old.
Dissecting aortic aneurysm. Docs were a little slow coming up with the diagnosis in the ER, as Ritter needed immediate surgery, they could have saved his life. John wound up in the morgue that day.
You're lucky to be alive HeDog, you have a good doctor.
Yep, lucky dog for sure….. or lucky Hedog anyhow. Good catch! Amazing that smoking as few as 100 cigarettes can have such a profound impact. Never would have guessed that.
That’s some great intel He Dog, my paternal grandfather had one about age 80, didn’t rupture and was repaired. Maybe that moves me into a higher risk bracket?
Glad you had a keen Dr.
Mule
I was told it is also hereditary by my doctor, I had mine repaired 10 months ago, my mother died from it and never smoked. My younger brother has it also.
I would never argue smoking is the only cause, but the incidence among smokers is much higher.
JOE, you are 20 years over due man! No excuses, call tomorrow.
I had a full scan about six months ago. Nothing abnormal.
I do understand the concerns, as I've lost three friends to aneurysms. All were feeling healthy as a horse at 42 and the last at 48 years old.
Zeke was jogging and his son was riding a bike next to him. Done, over. Never smoked.
Tim was walking fence lines with his dad, same thing, six days after Zeke. Smoked like a chimney.
Russ was working out on his treadmill, and dropped on the floor as soon as he stopped. Never smoked.
Terrible! I miss them every day.
I agree with Dale, get checked.
At the age of 59 I had a Popliteal Aneurysm in my left leg. I was smoking heavy at the time. It broke and sent a clot down my leg. I was misdiagnosed for three days. The doctor gave me cortizone shots for a bad knee. In the three days I went through hell, my foot felt cold and turned dark. I went back to that same Doctor and told him the shots had really hurt me. He told me he had given women two shots and it never bothered them. I showed him my foot and leg and immediately got taken to the hospital for eight days. I had a good lady surgeon and she told me she didn't know if she could save my foot. It was successful, a hundred and. forty four staples and stitches. They pulled the vein reversed it to make a new artery and attached it at my groin and ankle. I go in every year and get tested for both legs and the aorta. The Doctor said "You keep smoking and I'll keep cutting pieces off you until you die." She said I have a 25 percent chance of developing another.
That was my last cigarette. I am now eighty five years old. I've been tested twenty six times, so far, so good.
HeDog can outwalk me at gun shows. He has offered to bring a wheelchair and push me around. So far I can walk about thirty minutes in WalMart, but all day at a gun show. priorities you know.