(Foreword: This is the continuation of our response to Macbeth of Generalao regarding her anxieties on aneurysm because her sister has just been diagnosed of this life-threatening disease.)
DEAR Macbeth of Generalao,
Now, we are nearing the final stretch on our affair with this aneurysm.
So, how is unruptured aneurysm treated? This will actually depend on whether your doctor thinks that the chance of it to burst is so great. Let’s see. This is based on the size of the aneurysm, where it is sitting, the age of the patient and the overall health and of course, the family history. Well, in your part, the impact is really greater than the rest of us because you have a sister who unfortunately is suffering from this aneurysm.
But, if your risk is low, just be sure that you get your check up every now and then, so that your doctor can monitor your aneurysm. I hope you won’t come to visit when it’s already too late and your doctor can not do anything anymore. Try also to do some lifestyle changes. Don’t smoke. Limit alcohol. Lose weight. Eat less fat in the diet. But, if ever, the aneurysm is really on the verge of bursting, your doctor may recommend surgical clipping or endovascular clipping, so that the aneurysm will not burst. Your aneurysm is as much as possible kept from bursting, because you will be succumbed to more complications later on.
I remember I have a family friend who had this surgical clipping about 10 years ago and that cost her more than P500k. She told me then, that her aneurysm did not burst, but, her heart seemed to burst on the expenses. Well, life is priceless, anyway. What good is it to keep all the money in the world if you won’t spend it to save your life? If you keep it and will not use it to save your life, your money is useless and just a waste.
These procedures might be expensive, but, you will recover soon. If you have endovascular coiling, you only need to stay overnight in the hospital. Then, you can get back to work within a couple of days. But, if you will have surgical clipping, you will be spending more days in the hospital and you will need about 4 weeks to recover.
Oh, oh, here we go again, we are running out of space, so, let me, continue this in my next issue. Until then!
Dr. Fritz
(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” She is also a faculty in a College of Pharmacy. For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/o Sunstar-Davao Publishing Inc., Ebro-Pelayo Building, Jacinto St., Davao City, (former Department of Foreign Affairs office), across Ateneo de Davao University and beside Holy Child School of Davao, or you e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)