I had my Gamma Knife procedure done Sept 26, 2007. Mine was in the right, frontal lobe and small in size. It was discovered May 30, 2007 after going to the emergency room for a severe on set of veritgo, which I had never had before. By June 2008, I was having headaches and if I sat under a ceiling fan, my head got really cold in the area of the AVM. I never connected the headaches were connected to the AVM area. After 2 months, a girlfriend insisted i go to the emergency room. They found edema surrounding the AVM area. I was put on 4 mg 4 times a day to reduce the fluid build up. I had terrible, terrible side effects from the steroids. I will never again allow a doctor to put me on this amount of steroids. I know they helped and saved my life, but they made me crazy and like I wanted to hurt someone or myself. The weight gain was great and the shape of my body was pear shape and that included my face. In 2007 I was 55 years old. In Aug 2008, I had another angio-gram and the AVM had closed up. So mine closed up in less than a year. After the Gamma Knife procedure, I went on to work and live as before knowing about the AVM with the exception of working out. I walked instead of doing weights, etc. I no longer have headaches and am living as full of a life as I can after having both hips replaced...but the hips are not related to the AVM.
After reading others posts, I feel very fortunate about the outcome of my Gamma knife procedure. I would do it again. The thought of having brain surgery and having the AVM "scooped" out as one doctor put it, with all of the possible side effects of surgury was not for me. It all depends on the location, size and number of AVM's. Good luck to all.
It was on the small size. The first neuro doctor I went to gave me the dimensions in metric measurements and I do not relate well to metric measurement. I would say it was about an inch long and less than an inch wide at the widest spot. Prior to my Gamma Knife procedure, I did have a minor bleed but didn’t realize it. We were told after the Gamma Knife procedure. I do remember having bad headache for about two days at the first of September 2007, but thought it was weather and work related. I would get headaches when the barametric pressure would change due to storms or tornadoes. Funny how I don’t get those “barametric” headaches anymore.
Brett Dalbeth said:
Hi Janice, Thanks for your post, it’s good to hear a successful story. Less than a year to close, that’s great. Do you recall the size at all?
Did you have delayed side effects? My daughters are 1 yr post gamma and having headaches and nausea regularly. They started about 6-7 months after the procedure.
I recommend you have her seen by her neuro-surgeon. My side effect was due to my AVM closing up very quickly and my body “thinking” something was now wrong in that area of my body. Fluid built up in the area in order to “protect” what was “wrong”. I was put on massive doses of steriods to control and reduce the edema. I was on the steroids for one month. The headaches were due to the edema. Once that was under control and reduced, I came off the steriods and life is good. My doctor was able to see the edema with a CAT scan. That was simple and non-invasive. Let me know what your doctor finds. Hope all goes well.
Christine said:
Did you have delayed side effects? My daughters are 1 yr post gamma and having headaches and nausea regularly. They started about 6-7 months after the procedure.