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Permalink Reply by Dewey M Reynolds on June 25, 2010 at 1:12pm

Hello Tanner:
I have a dura arterio venous fistula which is simiar to AVM's, only a little more rare. Mine is located on the surface of the brain, and so far I have had 3 embolizations and will have the gamma knife procedure next week.
The doctors attribute mine to trauma to the head. I was in combat during the Korean War and exposed to a lot of concussion from shells exploding near me. I was also in an auto accident in 1965 and suffered a skull fracture along with numerous head and face lacerations. (We didn't have seat belts then)

As this happened while in the military, the VA has been picking up the tab for my treatments.

Yes AVM's and DAVF's can be brought on by head trauma. Most people are born with the AVM's or develop them in early childhood, and they usually manifest by the time the person is in their forties or sooner. I am 78 and mine was discovered about five years ago after suffering a loud swooshing noise inside my head and frequent and severe headaches for two years.

Dewdo from the other Washington

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Permalink Reply by Tanner Lunt on July 26, 2011 at 2:08pm

That's a tough life you led. thanks for fight ing for our country. i'm glad the VA is picking up the tab it's hard when you're young and in a country that insurance for someone like me costs 750 dollars. i couldn't afford it so i've kinda abandoned persuing treatment since it's not affordable and there really aren't any options for me either. In hindsight i've had symptoms i can remember from my avm since i was in my teens. like the whooshing sounds and light sensitivity speech paralysis and other stuff. just never stopped going to worry about it. my Docs including Dr. Robert Spetzler and Dr. William Cauldwell believe most avms and davfs are congenital and that mine is fur shore. Unfortunatly mine is somewhat untreatable beacause of its location and size. i can't have any embolizations or gamma knife treatments and choppin is risky too because of it's spatial relationship to eloquent brain tissue (motor and functional areas). i have however undergone some experimental imaging (Functional mri and angiograms) to see how my brain is naturally trying to relocate the neurological activity controlling my breathing, heart, and other funtional processes into different areas; or if it's just usin those areas for help or somethin. we don't know yet. i also am trying different foods and stuff that might combat the death of cappilary beds from scarring due to hypertension or somethin in the caps. idk just trying what i can when i can but still trying to stay normal. hope all is well. god bless

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ModeratorPermalink Reply by Barbara H. on July 26, 2011 at 3:21pm

Yikes...on top of my prayer list...the reason I am on here...my husband and I both had a rare catastrophic illness and SURVIVED! Also, we are both Navy Brats! PS...my first cousin had a pulmonary AVM.

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