Hereditary?

[Sportsnut]

Hi,

I have read many posts and you all appear to be extremely helpful and supportive. My family and I have had a rough few months, as my Mom passed away suddenly from a ruptured aneurysm. Needless to say, with a very healthy Mom who was rarely sick, we are completely devastated. My Mom had breakfast with my Dad that very morning, and was ready to start her day. No complaints, no symptoms whatsoever. She fainted and then "came to," and to be on the safe-side, my Dad called 911. She was even talking in the hospital, and then had a massive rupture & was gone very soon thereafter. We are still in shock and can hardly believe it.

I have read mixed reviews on whether BA's are hereditary. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get screened/MRA, but this is pretty scary.

Good luck to all of you who are recovering successfully. Since my Mom didn't have any symptoms, and the rupture was massive (on both sides), there didn't appear to be any hope. I miss her terribly.

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Be well, Maureen

[Kyria Dylan]

I am very sorry for the sudden loss of your Mom and understand how you feel. How old was she and how old are you? I don't remenber the exact connection,but the aneurysm being hereditary has something to do with age. I would get checked just to be on the safe side. God be with you and your family. Kyria

[Travelingdueo]

So sorry to hear about your mom... We didn't even know that was the problem with my husband until it happen.
My husband Ray had a rupture aneurysm.
He had three uncles on his mothers side who also had aneurysm two died and one survied.. His uncle was 35.. talking to his wife she mention they were worried if they had sons when he had his (which was 35 years ago).But they only had daughters.. As Rays doctor said its usually more a heredity thing for females it seems.. But said that it would be good to have the boys checked.. as maybe in our family line its the males... and its going to next generations.. Our son has been having a lot of headaches is suppose to get checked.. was waiting for insurance to get it done.. he is only 26 years old.. ( he was adopted but from a family member on Ray's side).
Will keep you and your family in our prayers as you go on.. Hold on to the good memories as your love will never be forgotten in your hearts.

[Lyn]

Hi Maureen

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your Mum. It doesn't matter how old you are it feels like the end of an era, and when it happens like this you can't justify it in any way. I was thirty-one when my Mum passed away, and I felt as vulnerable as a sixteen year old.

Please get yourself tested. At least then, if you have one, you can get it fixed. The nightmare of not knowing will never allow you any peace. I had an unruptured annie clipped in 2004, I had no family history, but I know there are a LOT of people on here who have lost several family members to this monster.

If they find it, they can fix it. No, it is not a nice thought, but neither is walking around wondering if you have a time bomb ticking away in your head.

Welcome to our wonderful community, you will find lots of friendship and support here.

Lyn

[JulieNH]

Dear Maureen,

Please accept my condolences for the loss of your Mom. Like your Mom, I had no warning, had been really healthy, and then WHAM, my aneurysm struck. That was scary, what you watched your Mom go through was scary, being tested is easy. If you're thinking about being tested, do it. Walking through life being scared is so much harder than being tested and getting the "all clear" or finding an aneurysm, and fixing it before it ruptures. What happened to your Mom doesn't have to happen to you.

I think the medical community is also split on the heredity factor, there is evidence that some aneurysms are genetically linked, but not ALL. Below I have included an article I posted before about IF there is a genetic link, the incidence of aneurysm happens earlier in the next generation, so perhaps getting checked out early is a smart thing.

I'm sure you miss your Mom very much. Remember her love.
JulieNH


Inherited Aneurysm Gene Study Results


Inherited Aneurysm Gene Erupts Earlier in Next Generation: Study

THURSDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- People who've inherited a brain aneurysm (weakened blood vessel) may experience a dangerous blood vessel rupture at an earlier age than relatives from the previous generation did, a new U.S. study says.

This "genetic anticipation" occurs when one generation has a disease and passes it on, and the next generation has the disease earlier in life, explained study author Dr. Daniel Woo, an associate professor of neurology and director of cerebrovascular genetics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

The findings were expected to be presented at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting in San Francisco.

About 10 percent of people who suffer an intracranial aneurysm (bleeding inside the brain caused by the rupture of a weakened blood vessel) have a first-degree relative who also had one. This kind of rupture causes a type of stroke called subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Researchers looked at 35 families in which intracranial aneurysms had occurred in a parent and child or an aunt/uncle and niece/nephew.

"We found a strong anticipation between generations, with the age of the rupture being an average 15 years earlier from one generation to the next," Woo said in a prepared statement. "So, if someone had an intracranial aneurysm in the parent generation at the age of 50, their kids tended to have their aneurysm rupture around age 35."

He and his colleague found that smoking and high blood pressure were not factors in the differences between the generations. The researchers suspect that some genetic abnormality worsens with each generation.

"Our findings suggest that in families where aneurysm rupture tends to occur, early screening of younger generations is justified, because there is strong evidence that they are at higher risk of having it a younger age," Woo said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about brain aneurysm.

[ChrisC]

Maureen, please accept my sympathy in the untimely loss of your Mom. Please get tested - there is a very strong link with familial aneurysms. A friend of mine in Chicago (Kathy) was taking care of her sister who had suffered a rupture, and when she came home, her doctor wanted HER checked, and they found 2. She had them both fixed and is fine. It's always better to have found them and dealt with them under controlled circumstances, than wait - with that thought always hanging in the back of your mind. Again, my condolences - my prayers are with you and your family.

[FireflyR7]

Hi, I am Tricia. I am truly sorry to hear about your Mom!!! It is a very difficult shock to deal with, I know!! God bless you and your family!! This is a good support group to help you get through this and answer your questions! I too would like to know her age? I was 45 when I had one rupture with no warning. I was pretty healthy and a firefighter. I survived mine thank God!! I do have a long recovery though. I am almost 2 years post rupture and still have a lot of hurtles to overcome. I am getting better, it just takes some rupture people a lot longer to heal. My Dr. told me that everyone in my family should get tested!!! It can be very hereditary, I am the first one in my family that I know of ?? Age doesn't seem to matter but, most of seem to be in our 30's and up. Babies have them all the time, women have them giving birth sometimes. They can also rupture from an accident, or straining too hard, doing too much physical activities... That is how mine ruptured.
I am so sorry about your Mom!! I hope that your family gets tested!!!! It is better to be safe than sorry!!! Usually all that you have to do is get a CT, with contrast. Easy test and doesn't hurt. One little needle for the contrast. They may order one without contrast for just getting tested?? I would talk to your Dr. about it though hun!!
Take care and I will keep your family in my prayers!! ;) Tricia

[Gabrielli]

Maureen
I'm so sorry you lost your mom and want thank you for sharing your story. Please get tested...my doctor told me that my siblings and children need to be tested since I had multiples Annie's.
Thoughts are with you...

ooxx
mimi

[Horsegirl]

My mom had an aneurysm rupture when she was 49. She made it through, after 3 months in intensive care. I had my aneurysm found before rupture at 36. My sister was just tested, she is fine. Please get looked at, as mentioned, if you can detect before rupture like I did, you are so much better off.

[GeePer]

Maureen,

First please accept my condolences about your mother, I'm truely sorry she didn't make it.

There is a lot of proof that aneurysms are indeed hereditory but there are exceptions too. For example no one to my knowledge in my family ever had one. Mine was cause by very high blood pressure not controled by medicine. The result was a giant one... 2.2 cm. And yes, it ruptured too but I have no memory of any of it. The memory of about a full year is gone and doesn't seem to be coming back two and a half years later. I was very fortunate it and the two hemorraghic strokes that followed didn't kill me.

Glenn

[ChrisC]

Maureen, just a comment here about being tested - a CT without contrast will show nothing of the circulation in the brain. It will only show any active bleeding, space enhancing lesion or tumor or any problems inside the skull. Contrast HAS to be used to visualize the circulation in the brain. A CT is good, and MRA is better, and an cerebral angiogram is the best (but that's not usually done unless something questionable is found on either of the first 2 tests). Just wanted to clarify that!

[joey]

HI Maureen I am sorry to hear about your Mom. My Mom died at 62 of an aneurysm in '84 when I was 25. I never had any symptoms and only went for a preventitive MRI in March when another cousin died of the same thing. Her sis called me and said her doctor recommended getting tested, which I did thank goodness. My 10mm aneurysm is going to be coiled next week. I urge you to go and get tested. Again I am so sorry to hear about your dear Mom. All the best to you. joey

[Greenie]

Hi Maureen, I feel for you. My Mom had a ruptured aneurysm and survived, but it was always very critical. I feel for you because I know how I felt when I might lose my Mom. All I can do is give you a "hug" and pray for you to have peace.

The hereditary thing scares me. On one hand I want to get checked and on the other I'm scared of what they might find. Right now I'm up in the air.

Peace, Brenda

[Sportsnut]

Hi again to all of you ... and thank you so much for your kind, caring, and informative responses to my first post regarding the passing of my Mom. For those of you who asked about our age, I am 43 and my Mom was 73, very healthy, went to Curves 3x/week ... never had a complaint & was rarely ever sick. I was on the phone with her the night before ... we laughed, she had no signs of anything.

Your advice was very helpful with regard to being tested. My sister just had an MRA and is fine, and I, my other sister, and brother will all plan to be tested shortly. Thanks for the encouragement. I just wish we had known about my Mom's aneurysm ... we are all a very close family, vacation together etc. It is not -- and will never be -- the same without her. I just wanted to thank you all again. Your responses were very caring, resulting in many tears. All the best to all of you who underwent, are recovering, or are undergoing surgery. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Thanks again!

Be well,
Maureen

[FireflyR7]

It is good to hear from you, I know that this has to be very difficult for you and your family. I am so sorry you have to go through this. I had no warning before my rupture and was 45, quite the shock for me & my family!! I am so sorry for your loss, it sounds like you had very many great years and memories together. Those memories will never go away and you will always be a part of her!! ;) I am glad to hear you are all getting tested! My neice did and was good but, my Mom 60 & my sister are putting it off??? :o I need to get on them!! Please keep us posted on the testings for your family.
I hope that your family can heal together, time heals all wounds. I will keep your family in my prayers. We are always her for comfort, take care hun. Tricia

[goldie411]

Dear Maureen, I'm so very sorry to hear about your mom...my prayers are with you and your whole family...
My father died of an annie when he was 39 years old...just like your mom, it came out of the blue...fine one day and a rupture and coma the next day, he lived almost a week in the coma....we were all very shocked, I was 14 at the time, very scary for a kid...
I'm 42, and had my rupture at the exact age as him..39...I knew what it was while it was happening...I was so scared..but, thanks to all the great advances in medical care, they can do wonders now...I thank god everyday..I asked my doctors when should my children be screened, and they said it's getting around that time now...this can happen at all ages...My brother has been screened also...he really worries about it...so far everthing looks good with him...
Again, I'm so sorry about your mom...you've come to the right place here on this board...there are so many wonderful people who can help you...even if you just need a shoulder....take good care...Cindy