Shouting &aorta dilation and an update.

[themalteser]

Dear everyone, it has been a long time since I posted last. I have now moved to the Netherlands, and I'm still getting used to the culture and the system of healthcare here. Not sure I will stay for long, and may well return to the UK after a year. But anyhow. I last checked my lovely aorta beginning of October, which was showing a size of 46/47mm. My Cardiologist has reminded me that just like death and taxes, for me, surgery seems inevitable in the future...yippeeee! But, he also suggested that I may want to consider surgery sooner to benefit from the PEARS procedure.

Long story short, I met with a surgeon here in the Netherlands, who, although he completed his first PEARS procedure last month, he is against this method, because it is very new, and not enough study has yet been completed on it to determine the pros and cons accurately. I have a full evaluation on the 19th of this month. We shall see....

Anyways, as I approach yet another appointment, I start having reflections on my life, and on how I behaved during the last few months. I know I am anxious, I am stressed and so on. I also feel depressed, because I hate my job and so on, but I do try and stay positive at all times

Anyways, sometimes, I shout to correct my children mistakes for example, or when the dog misbehaves, etc. I shout quite a lot, to the point that my wife said my veins in my head seemed to be close to burst! Not a great image and I don't like it, but its an initial reaction.

Then after I shout, I start reflecting and thinking, wow, I must have placed a lot of stress on my aorta, and of course, I start to worry. So, does shouting put pressure on the aorta's walls? I know it not right to shout, and I'm working on this, but do you think that there can be damage to the aorta during shouting?

Thank you, all for your time to read this post, and I look forward to your responses.

 

[epstns]

Malteser, I am most definitely NOT a medical professional, but from my own experience (yes, I get a bit LOUD occasionally), when I shout, it feels a lot like the valsalva maneuver in which you hold your breath and strain to lift, etc. I'd consider that a prime indicator that it could exert extra pressure on your aorta. I do know that once I was diagnosed with aortic stenosis I was told to forever give up heavy lifting to avoid causing extreme pressure on my valve and aorta. Might apply in your case as well?

Also, I have absolutely no knowledge of the healthcare system in The Netherlands, but if you have any sort of counselor available, talking to someone might help you to regain control of your emotions and to better manage your stresses. "Bad" jobs, raising children, living in new unfamiliar places, etc., can all be major stressors, and having several of them at once can be rather overwhelming.

 

[cldlhd]

I have to assume the shouting probably isn't a good idea and I don't claim to be pure but the kids and dog probably don't like it either.

 

[epstns]

I have to assume the shouting probably isn't a good idea and I don't claim to be pure but the kids and dog probably don't like it either.

Yeah, but when we have a need to shout, we don't care if they like it. . .

I often find that when a device (not a person or animal) is not performing, if I simply tell it what I feel, in a normal speech level, with whatever vocabulary is applicable, the device does not respond but I feel immensely better. ;-)

 

[cldlhd]

Yeah, but when we have a need to shout, we don't care if they like it. . .

I often find that when a device (not a person or animal) is not performing, if I simply tell it what I feel, in a normal speech level, with whatever vocabulary is applicable, the device does not respond but I feel immensely better. ;-)

Wait a few years and maybe the machines will respond....

 

[dornole]

Dunno about aorta but my kid once screamed so hard he got petechaie from broken capillaries. All kinds of our language for totally losing it in anger are related to heart symptoms -- don't have a coronary, don't have an aneurysm. This study found that destructive anger expression can raise risk of a coronary event but also that positive anger expression can be protective.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2831051/

Maybe some anger management classes are in order for your own health, let alone your family's.

 

[cldlhd]

I was at the Philadelphia Eagles parade yesterday and I learned a few new ways to express myself

 

[epstns]

Wait a few years and maybe the machines will respond....

Ummm. . . Our Google mini will already talk to us. It just has limited ability to constructively interact beyond simple questions. I can't wait to see what they will be able to do in the next few years - seriously, these things are fascinating.

The downside to all these "assistant" devices is that they make kids so lazy when doing their studies. None of these kids know how to really look for information. All they have to do is ask for it.

 

[pellicle]

Ummm. . . Our Google mini will already talk to us. It just has limited ability .

 

[themalteser]

Hi, all. I'm sorry for my late reply. I was reading your comments, but did not had a moment to sit down and reply to you.
First of all, thank you so much.

I am Maltese, and we are used to shouting! I don't like it, and I wish I'm much calmer, but I have bursts of these shouts every now and then.

I think, yes, it has something to do with the Sinus of Valsalva, and this is not a good thing with an aorta aneurysm. I have my scans this coming Monday, so hopefully it has remained stable in its size!

Epstns, thank you for your advice. I have already discussed with my doctor here. As always, they wanted to give me some pills to help, but I rejected the idea for now, and asked for someone to talk to. It will help me tremendously to speak with a professional, but to find one, I mean, a really good one who is not simply following a process, is very difficult. I had CBT, Humanastic, Hypnotherapy etc. but none worked well.

 

[cldlhd]

Hi, all. I'm sorry for my late reply. I was reading your comments, but did not had a moment to sit down and reply to you.
First of all, thank you so much.

I am Maltese, and we are used to shouting! I don't like it, and I wish I'm much calmer, but I have bursts of these shouts every now and then.

I think, yes, it has something to do with the Sinus of Valsalva, and this is not a good thing with an aorta aneurysm. I have my scans this coming Monday, so hopefully it has remained stable in its size!

Epstns, thank you for your advice. I have already discussed with my doctor here. As always, they wanted to give me some pills to help, but I rejected the idea for now, and asked for someone to talk to. It will help me tremendously to speak with a professional, but to find one, I mean, a really good one who is not simply following a process, is very difficult. I had CBT, Humanastic, Hypnotherapy etc. but none worked well.

Well driving into work today someone irritated me. So I kicked a cardboard box then I was all better. Sometimes getting it out is cathartic.

 

[cldlhd]

That's good stuff. I have a couple dots and echos at home and that's often how it goes.
My 11 yr old does use it to cheat on his homework sometimes.

 

[epstns]

Oh, save me! The machines have taken over, and they are just like everyone else!

 

[pellicle]

Well driving into work today someone irritated me. So I kicked a cardboard box then I was all better. Sometimes getting it out is cathartic.

Totally

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[pellicle]

Oh, save me! The machines have taken over, and they are just like everyone else!

Sure seems like it...

 

[themalteser]

Very funny videos! I am confused
CLDLHD - I understand, but also that the feeling in my chest that I need to kick something can be quite as intense as when I shout!

P.S. I don't go around shouting at everything! I just have some moments when there is a reason to do so (I know that there should never be a reason, but you know what I mean! ).

 

[epstns]

Malteser - I wouldn't say that there should "never" be a reason to raise one's voice. Although I am rather volatile at some times, at work I am one of the calmest people they have ever seen. It is said that if someone came in yelling about a fire, I would be the one to calmly speak to each of my folks, direct them out of the building, then I would turn out the lights and leave, locking the door behind me. That said, if I ever do raise my voice, it has many times the impact compared to others who are always raising their voices. Contrast has the impact.

 

[themalteser]

Malteser - I wouldn't say that there should "never" be a reason to raise one's voice. Although I am rather volatile at some times, at work I am one of the calmest people they have ever seen. It is said that if someone came in yelling about a fire, I would be the one to calmly speak to each of my folks, direct them out of the building, then I would turn out the lights and leave, locking the door behind me. That said, if I ever do raise my voice, it has many times the impact compared to others who are always raising their voices. Contrast has the impact.

Thank you, Epstns. I am Maltese, so I am used to shouting and yelling! I am also volatile, but also very calm at the same time. You're not Pisces by any chance are you? I will try and be conscious when I shout going forward.

I will also post an update shortly.

Thanks all.

 

[epstns]

Not a Pisces, Malteser. I am a Saggitarius.