Also, after the laser surgery, my hair did fall out in that area but it soon grew back.
There is a lot of research on side effects of gamma knife for AVM treatment - usually there are none, or they are minimal, but it depends on the location & whether the AVM has well defined vs. diffuse edges. Folks who end up with disabling side effects typically are those with AVMs in the basal ganglia/thalamus area. A diffuse AVM makes it worse - to get all the abnormal tissue nuked you have to nuke some function brain tissue. Typically, though, gamma knife does not produce side effects as per large studies. I haven't read this stuff in a few years, so I don't remember all the details.
I have been wearing glasses all my life and I couldn’t tell you if glasses corrected the visual changes my eyes are bad do I’m use to it. But I did and still can notice changes in my eyesight. I still have a long road to go before I can say the AVM is gone but I know that it will be soon enough. I just keep busy and not to worry bout it and continue with normal life and enjoying my kids and my fiancee!
I had gamma knife back in 1989. In in the center of my brain, so there little risk of interactions with hearing. There were no side effects and it’s been fine for 27 years.
I’ve had 3 rounds of gamma knife the procedure is uncomfortable but no side effects after. 
You got this!!
My daughter had an AVM rupture in July 2013. She did not have the choice of this procedure, so I do not know much about it. They proceeded with a full craniotomy on the Fourth of July as an emergency procedure. It was on the left side of her brain on her parietal lobe. We were told she would not recognize letters, numbers, or symbols, therefore she would not read and write. We’re also told that she would never drive again and most likely be a disabled adult functioning at a very immature age range.
Fortunately, and what a blessing it’s been, she is a perfectly normal, fully functioning sophomore in college. She drives, has a multitasking job as a waitress, and is earning straight A’s after completing her third semester at a CSU school. Things are definitely more challenging for her, don’t get me wrong. And it’s harder for her to concentrate on her schoolwork. She definitely puts a lot more effort into everything she does. Things used to come easily for her, but now she actually has to try. It is frustrating, but she knows how truly fortunate she is.
She was in ICU for a total of 19 days. She lived in a full-time facility for two weeks after leaving there. Then she was in a Monday through Friday return to community living program for a couple months. Along the way she learned so much from all of the professionals in this industry. Although the diagnosis was grim to us initially, we are so grateful for all of the people who have crossed our paths and taught us to only move forward and forget about the past.
Keep focusing on the positive. I hope your procedure goes well, and that your recovery is even better.
Wow! My daughter is a sophomore in college too. Her AVM never ruptured. She was diagnosed in July 2013. She had Gamma Knife and now it is gone. My heart breaks and is over-joyed for you and your daughter. We all have so much to be grateful for. Best of luck to your daughter, I hope she achieves all of her goals and more!
I also had 2 gamma knife treatments in 1989 and 1994. Treatment was on my left occipital lobe. I was told there was a risk to my vision and of stroke. My vision has not been affected and no stroke. I do get migraines and visual disturbance occasion. But I had a bleed in 1988 so that could be the cause. The gamma knife was successful - complete obliteration of the AVM about 10 years after the second treatment. I never expected that. I did lose hair but it grew back and it was a small price to pay in exchange for getting rid of the AVM. The treatment itself I was very scared about before it happened. I had a frame bolted to my head while conscious so I knew they would be drilling holes in my head while I was awake. This was actually fine. Getting the local anaesthetic injection before they started drilling was pretty painful but after that I didn’t feel a thing. Go for it and good luck.
Hi Gypsy, I have a DAVF too. I have had 2 Gamma Knife Surgeries and Embolization. In 2015. Each Gamma Knife were different. The first was with the crown , and took a very long time. The actual radiation part was 4 1/2 hrs. I had a headache once I got home. Then for two days I was fine. Then I became extremely fatigued and nausea. Started vomiting and had no nausea medication so ended up at the ER where they admitted me for the night, after an MRI, and gave me an IV of fluids. I was simply dyed rated. I was fatigued after the first one for about 6 weeks. The second one was much simpler. I had a face mask made and the radiation only took an hour. Same pattern , a headache, felt fine , then a couple of days later nausea ( this time I had nausea medication) , I only had to take two pills and I drank tons of water and Gatorade before and after the procedure. The fatigue only latest about 3 weeks. I did lose a chunk of hair about the size of a tennis ball! Good luck , it really isn’t bad.
I am astounded by the number of responses I have received to my question. Thank you all. I realize that no two of us have the same AVM or DAVF so the particulars of our treatments and recovery will vary, but your insight, encouragement and support mean a lot as I adjust to this new reality. The information you have provided, along with feedback from my kids, has guided me as I come up with a number of questions for my neurologist to help my husband and me fine tune our understanding and make treatment decisions.
All my best to all of you.
Weaver, after reading your response I think I will have some nausea medications on hand. I will also force myself to take it easy even if I feel okay. Avoiding dehydration also seems to be a goal. Thank you so much for your input. Take care
Pauline, thank you so much for your response to my question. Congratulations on a complete obliteration! I am so glad to hear that you did not have the side effects that they predicted.
Wishing you all the best
Loving life, I am so glad you shared your daughter's story. It had to have been terrifying for her and the family to experience all that she went through. I am so very glad, however, that she has come through with flying colors and is working so hard to succeed at reaching her goals. Thank you for sharing information and providing encouragement. Wishing your daughter all the best.
Thanks, Rachel
Thank you for this information, Armand.
DB20, thank you so much for sharing your insights.
Jacqueline, thank you so much for sharing your experience. Thank you for reminding me about how lucky I am to be able to be treated at Mayo. Thank you for your words of support.
Kosta, thank you so much for your response to my question. The information you have provided helps me to understand the timeline of hair loss. Congratulations on such good news at your first annual checkup. I hope I can get to a place where I can have your peace of mind about my decisions. Wishing you all the best as you continue your recovery.
My 10yo son had gammaknife surgery in October 2015. His treatment was for an AVM in the left temporal lobe. Since yours is in a different location, I am not sure if his experience is applicable to your situation. However, I can tell you that he does not appear to have any post surgery side effects. He was fatigued for a few days, but No hair loss, nerve damage, vision/hearing loss or headaches. He does have some cognitive impairment but this is likely just a stroke side effect (stroke was in June 2015) and we are hoping he will make a full recovery of cognitive abilities once the AVM is gone. Best wishes!!! I hope your procedure is a success!
One thing I forgot to mention is that the doctor gave me anti-seizures medication for a few days and also dexomethazone for a few days before and couple weeks after to control the swelling of the brain. Not sure if they were needed or not. My procedure did not last long at all. I went a few days before and they created a mask to fit my face and head and than I went to have the radiation done. I was in and out before I knew it. I am not sure but I probably fell asleep on the table...lol. Do not agonize to much about this. Make a decision and be happy about it. I am in science and I know a lot of scientists as friends. We all looked at the data, read every paper out there and everyone had an opinion and most were different than mine. If I listened to my friend I probably would have done something else. I decided what to do and I did not even told anyone until after it was done and I feel good about it. I did what I could and that is all. I felt it was better than sitting around waiting for a bleed to happen which by the way was one of the options. This past year went by so fast I did not even think about it once. It's done. Good luck to you whatever you end up doing.