Patient with AAA needs answers

November 21, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: It is my fervent prayer that this letter reaches your hand. One cannot imagine the plethora of mail you receive daily. Therefore, I have attempted to keep my letter as short as possible.

Three words — abdominal aortic aneurysm — spoken to a patient conjures up one word: fear. Please address AAA in your daily column for the sake and benefit of the multitude of those aware and unaware of potential ramifications of this nefarious disease. I have read that 1,500 Americans lose their lives to this condition every year.

Our doctor has failed to satisfactorily address my questions about my husband’s condition during the past four years. The only medication he takes is Lovostatin daily for slightly elevated cholesterol. What causes AAA? What causes fat in the liver?
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Daily Column, Leading Letter Tagged With: ,

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Needs Monitoring

April 7, 2009 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 79-year-old female. I had a CT scan and ultrasound screening in September 2008. At that time they found an abdominal aortic aneurysm. One doctor said it was 4.8 centimeters but another said it was 4.2. Both told me that that nothing would be done until it reached 5 or 6 and at that point surgery would be recommended.

My question to you is, what do I do now?

DEAR READER:
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are potentially fatal areas of bulging or ballooning of the large blood vessel that supplies the abdomen, pelvis and legs. They can occur in anyone but are most common in males over 60 with one or more risk factors.

Those factors include emphysema, smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, being male, and certain genetic factors. There is no known cause. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Daily Column Tagged With: , ,

Daily Column

January 31, 2009 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
In 2007, at the age of 90 my husband was diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. His vascular surgeon said it was so large that no stent would be available in our town at the local hospital. He made arrangements for the surgery at a nearby teaching hospital where two surgeons performed the miraculous repair with two customized stents.

My husband is now 91 years old and a productive senior citizen who attends luncheon clubs, lodge meetings and is able to enjoy his family. We have been married 68 years and hope to have many more wonderful years ahead.

We know miracles happen and perhaps the disgruntled “professional consumer advocate” will admit he was wrong. Our family has proof.

DEAR READER:
I thought this issue had been put behind me but then I received your letter. I felt it was important to print it because it shows what competent and caring physicians can do.

Age doesn’t always have to be a limiting factor in deciding appropriate courses of medical treatment as your husband’s case clearly shows. I hope you both continue to lead productive, fulfilling lives together for many years to come. Thanks for writing.

Filed Under: Daily Column Tagged With:

Sunday Column

December 14, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am writing to you as a last resort for my ongoing problem.

In April 2005 I had an abdominal aortic aneurysm which burst while I was on the operating table. Against the odds I lived.

In July 2005 I developed two hernias which were treated non-invasively. In April 2006, I developed three hernias which were again treated non-invasively.

In May of 2006 I had surgery on my left carotid artery because it was 95% blocked. I was fine until March 2008 when I had to have surgery for another hernia. I have enclosed the hospital papers with this letter for your review.

Aug 2008 I returned to the same hospital because of more hernias. The doctor said they could not operate and that I would have to be seen by a specialist at a nearby medical university hospital or the Mayo Clinic. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Daily Column Tagged With: , ,

Daily Column

June 17, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
What can you tell me about aortic aneurysms? Can they be visually detected? I am worried about my male partner. He is 71 and keeps physically fit by walking, biking and swimming everyday. He takes Zocor because of a cholesterol level of 225.

His stomach protrudes slightly but also has a smaller “bump” beyond that. It’s noticeable through t-shirts or when he lies flat and is located exactly where the internet information says an aortic aneurysm would be. I cannot find anything that says if one can be visually detected, though. This spot looks like a grapefruit is hidden in his stomach.

He is “medically dense” and doesn’t even know that it’s there. Looking straight at it in a mirror, it can’t be seen. I don’t want to raise a red flag if there is nothing to worry about.

DEAR READER:
To the best of my knowledge, an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is not visible [Read more...]

Filed Under: Daily Column Tagged With: , ,

Daily Column

April 10, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I’m a 73-year-old male. I get flyers in my newspaper every couple of months for Life Line Screening and have forwarded one to you for your comments. Are the tests offered worth the money and do they do a good job?

DEAR READER:
These flyers are extremely useful in directing you to testing offered in your area. The services are offered at a fraction of the cost charged by your local hospital or health care center. The flyer you sent me publicizes screening for carotid artery stenosis (a common cause of stroke), abdominal aortic aneurysm (a potentially fatal thinning and ballooning of the major artery feeding the lower body), osteoporosis (a determination of bone strength in men and women), and peripheral vascular disease (arterial blockages in the legs).

I encourage you to partake in the program offered unless you have had recent, similar testing performed. All procedures offered are non-invasive, completely painless screenings using Doppler ultrasound technology.

A board certified physician who is fully insured and licensed to practice medicine will review and confirm all results. Should you have any abnormal readings, I recommend you take the reports provided to your own primary care physician for interpretation and possible follow-up.

To give you related on two of the conditions mentioned, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports “Stroke” and “Osteoporosis”. Other readers who would like copies should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 (per report) for each report to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title(s).

Filed Under: Daily Column Tagged With: , , , , ,

Daily Column

March 18, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
You have no business dispensing medical advice in any field in which you are not a specialist. An 88-year-old man has absolutely no business having an abdominal aortic aneurysm repaired. Do you have any idea how extensive this surgery is? It will most likely kill this man, if not on the operating table then within a year from surgery even if he were in good physical condition. I wish I had access to your files and if I had this man’s name I would warn him. If he died I’d have you up for criminal prosecution. How the heck does someone like you ever get to write a column of this type? I have read your column in the past and seen the ludicrous medical advice you have given on other issues but this one takes the cake. Stop giving medical advice to people on the basis of their letters and suggest only that they see a real specialist in the field of their condition and symptoms. I am contacting my local paper and requesting your column be pulled from this and any other newspapers their parent company owns. I’ll also contact the Newspaper Enterprise Association. This stupidity has got to stop! Get it?

You are the “Dear Abby” of medical journalism and you should be ashamed of yourself.

I am, by profession, a consumer advocate so you had better take my words seriously.

For the purpose of this letter I will remain anonymous; however, you will know my name if this malpractice continues.

DEAR READER:
I’m sorry that you disagree with my column which I write to keep people informed about medical issues. Judging from the 2500 letters I receive each week, my readers are glad to have this information. I think this makes me a successful consumer advocate, unlike you. In all the years I have written this column, I have received only a handful of letters such as yours. I believe this is inevitable — but sad in a way because such people are missing the point. I recommend that you have some anger management therapy and perhaps a few typing, grammar and spelling lessons as well. (It took quite a while to correct your letter to make it passable for a syndicated column.) Doing a spell check and re-reading your letter for errors before sending it is always a good idea for those who wish to be taken seriously, so forgive me that I‘m not “shaking in my boots“ at your threats.

Now, to the article in question. If you had read the letter from this gentleman, you would have known that his vascular surgeon RECOMMENDED the surgery. He also had a friend (who happened to be a physician) recommend surgery if the aneurysm grew. So you see, I was simply a third party physician who recommended the surgery as well. I hope your next letter, which I am certain will be a response to this, will be more thought out. Thanks for writing. I needed a chuckle today!

Filed Under: Daily Column Tagged With: ,