So I’ve posted a few times before about celebrity aneurysms, because when celebrities have them it makes the news and that’s a good way to raise awareness about things that may be lurking in peoples’ brains. Usually this has been in the context of those who’ve passed away from them, such as Tom Sizemore and Grant Imahara, but not long ago I saw several articles about Lauren Miller Rogen, the actor Seth Rogen’s wife, whose story went a little differently. Well okay a lot differently:
Yes, in this case, the patient opted to get a full-body MRI, just to, you know, see what was going on in there. Unexpectedly, this turned up what the articles described as a “small” cerebral aneurysm*, which, being small, they decided to monitor with annual MRAs**, in order to keep an eye on it. According to the articles, in 2022, these scans noted that the aneurysm had started to enlarge, so in consultation with her doctors, the patient opted to have the aneurysm removed. This is all pretty typical, in all respects, of what happens with an aneurysm that hasn’t ruptured yet, i.e.:
- It was detected when they were looking for something else (or, in this case, basically going on a big fishing expedition); but
- Because it was small, they decided not to do anything about it, but just to monitor it, since treating these things—even small ones—is not risk-free; until
- The aneurysm started to grow, and they decided to do something about it
Obviously if you can catch an aneurysm and take care of it before it ruptures, you’re going to be better off. Equally obviously, not everyone has the wherewithal to go and get an MRI just because, or to go back for annual follow-ups after it picks something up. (This is in fact one of the main reasons they don’t routinely scan for such things, because if you find one and can’t properly treat it, Congratulations! You’ve just given yourself something new to worry about. Yay for the health care system.)
Incidentally, if you look at the comments on some of these articles*** about Lauren Miller Rogen, you’re going to find the usual chorus of people claiming the COVID vaccine is responsible for her aneurysm, which is kind of interesting since they found the aneurysm in 2018 and there was neither COVID nor a COVID vaccine in 2018. But we don’t let things like that deter our conspiracy theories. For what it’s worth, though, there is little to no evidence that the COVID vaccine (or, for that matter, COVID itself, although COVID is implicated in ischemic strokes) causes cerebral aneurysms. However, I can say anecdotally that a day or so after each of my COVID vaccines, I had unusually high blood pressure—I take my blood pressure at home regularly, for obvious reasons, and have always made sure to check it the day after a COVID shot—so if you already have an aneurysm that’s inclined to rupture, then maybe that could be problematic. But the evidence suggests that COVID itself can cause high blood pressure, and for longer than the vaccine does; and what with all the other effects of COVID, I think I’ll continue to put up with the vaccine’s transient side effects.
* And we all know small aneurysms never rupture, right? Oh wait.
** The articles say yearly MRIs but most likely they are MRAs, which is basically an MRI with contrast material injected so that they can get a better look at your circulatory system; because if they’re watching an aneurysm, your blood vessels are what they really want to see.
*** Which you should of course never do.
Viscosity 
James, thanks alot for this information especially the part with the MRA. I’d like my parents – especially my Dad – to really get a handle on their health especially after COVID. i know that if I pay for MRAs and MRIs both of them will go and get it annually. And I should do it for myself too.
As for the COVID vaccines, yes they do cause the high blood pressure and I believe it because almost immediately after I got mine I started to get that high blood pressure feeling. It wasn’t bad for the first round but the second round had me a little unwell. Nevertheless, after COVID I started on a daily aspirin regimen (something almost everyone in my line of work does) and am also taking my BP as much as possible.
Again, thanks for the information.
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Yeah I take my blood pressure mornings and evenings on Wednesdays and Saturdays and it so happens my first two COVID shots were both on a Tuesday, and I noted the unusually high blood pressure on my Wednesday checks both times. (I sent the information to a scientist friend of mine and she was like, “Ooh, reproducible data!”) So now I make a point of checking my blood pressure after every vaccine, not just COVID, in order to see what happens. The flu shot didn’t raise my BP and neither did the Shingrix shots against shingles, although the Shingrix vaccine made me pretty miserable for a couple of days for other reasons … still better than getting shingles, though! 😬
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Aneurysms that are not fatal can cause so much disability in people, I am amazed they don’t encourage those MRI on a regular basis, for those who may be at higher risk…such as those with obesity, hypertension and other factors.
It truly is something horrific…as you well know!
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WOW! It is a good thing Lauren’s Aneurysm was found sooner rather than later James!
When I was under the ‘care’ of the (so-called) Neurologist (might have had better luck with BellaDharma’s Vet); I had to ASK for a Head Scan…..
Doctor was like “WHY?”
MY Response: “Gee, I don’t know. I’ve had over 100 Seizures since 2017 (all documented) as you can see Doc & sometimes the headaches after the fact last for days & I am worried about an Aneurysm….”
Apparently nothing showed up (HURRAH!) but it was not long after, I was discharged. Thanks for all your help Doc!!! NOT.
Canada’s Health Care is actually in worse shape then yours……
Even with each Province having their on Health coverage, many Canadian are NOT receiving proper & adequate care.
Which brings me to the phrase: “$Money talks & B*LL….BS walks!” 😉
Thank you for sharing your journey & for sharing about Aneurysms. You are helping shed light onto a health issue we all shoudl be aware of!!
{{{huggies}}} BellaSita Mum aka Sherri-Ellen & **purrss** BellaDharma
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A Cat Scan, or CT scan for short, is the most accurate method for imaging an aneurism but you can only get one per year due to the radiation. I have an aortic aneurism and I will need surgery to repair it in about 2 years. I will also have my aortic valve replaced. I get echocardiograms in between the CT scans. My doctors are following the situation carefully. You have to pay your dues at my age no matter how well you take care of yourself. I’m getting total knee replacement surgery in two weeks. My party life will be on hiatus for awhile.
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Good point! I guess it depends on what they need to do ― they don’t use CT scans to monitor coiled aneurysms like mine, apparently, but they’re excellent for imaging them otherwise. I don’t know how many or what kind of scans I got when I was in the emergency room but I’m sure it was a lot. Not long ago when my shoulder was bothering me my doctor was debating if I should get it X-Rayed because of the radiation and I was like, do you think a little more radiation really matters at this point? And he was like, yeah, fair enough. (I got the shoulder X-Ray and it didn’t show anything.)
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We should all be able to get MRI’s every 5 years or so to look for things like this.
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NICE POST 💖👋🇪🇸
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