I'm new to this board but am desperately trying to find some out some information. My husband had an ultra fast heart scan done 5 years ago that indicated he had a dilated aorta ("at sinuses of valsava" - which I've learned means ascending aorta at the root). Five years ago it measured 4.5x4.6cm. He had this done on his own because his mother and father both passed away from heart conditions, his mother's an aneurysm.
Last week he had a horrible headache which was a bit different for him (I say different because he does get migraines frequently at the base of his skull and neck). Anyway, this one made him vomit and he got another one very suddenly the next day, so at my urging he went to the doctor about the headache and (finally) asked about this "aorta thing". The doctor ordered scans for both and he is scheduled to have a contrast and non-contrast of his head (for the headaches) and a CT Angiography of his chest to measure the dilation.
I've been researching and now I'm worried that my husband could perhaps have Marfan Syndrome. He is tall and thin, he has the "positive wrist sign" (pinky and thumb overlapping wrist), his arm span is 75" while his height is 70", he has flat feet, astigmatism (sp?), horrible vision (nearsigtedness ? - not sure, but real thick glasses), and now of course, a dilated aorta. He also always seems to be so tired.
I'm scared to death that all this time has gone by and also angry. It seems to me that this "dilation" (isn't this actually an aneurysm?) should have been monitored at least every year and he should have been referred to a cardiologist. He was told to do neither. I'm so scared right now, I feel like we are sitting on a ticking time bomb. His tests are Friday, but that just seems like forever to wait now that it seems so serious (to me).
Does anyone have any information they could share to help shed some light on this for me? Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks so much!
Last week he had a horrible headache which was a bit different for him (I say different because he does get migraines frequently at the base of his skull and neck). Anyway, this one made him vomit and he got another one very suddenly the next day, so at my urging he went to the doctor about the headache and (finally) asked about this "aorta thing". The doctor ordered scans for both and he is scheduled to have a contrast and non-contrast of his head (for the headaches) and a CT Angiography of his chest to measure the dilation.
I've been researching and now I'm worried that my husband could perhaps have Marfan Syndrome. He is tall and thin, he has the "positive wrist sign" (pinky and thumb overlapping wrist), his arm span is 75" while his height is 70", he has flat feet, astigmatism (sp?), horrible vision (nearsigtedness ? - not sure, but real thick glasses), and now of course, a dilated aorta. He also always seems to be so tired.
I'm scared to death that all this time has gone by and also angry. It seems to me that this "dilation" (isn't this actually an aneurysm?) should have been monitored at least every year and he should have been referred to a cardiologist. He was told to do neither. I'm so scared right now, I feel like we are sitting on a ticking time bomb. His tests are Friday, but that just seems like forever to wait now that it seems so serious (to me).
Does anyone have any information they could share to help shed some light on this for me? Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks so much!