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Permalink Reply by kevin matthews on July 20, 2009 at 11:21am

From what you are saying these could be "simple partial seizures". I have them now and again, there is plenty of info about these on many epilepsy sites.
Don't understand why your nuero said you would not have any kind of seizures because the avm was too deep, doesn't matter where it is located. If they are a problem you may need some medication to control them. Hope this helps.
Kevin

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Permalink Reply by Jake M on July 20, 2009 at 12:09pm

There were two periods of time where I had countless Simple Partial Seizures. One was shortly before I was first diagnised with an AVM, the second was a few years after my initial diagnosis and in the months prior to my surgery. I'd have the common deja vu feeling, a bit of nausea, and while I knew what was going on around me and was able to function physically, I'd end up rather mentally disassociated. I'd find myself talking to someone and then forgetting what I had just said or where I was trying to go with it.

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ModeratorPermalink Reply by Alicia on July 20, 2009 at 7:45pm

it sounds like you are having simple partial siezures....i too suffer from these regularly...i started by having grand mal siezures which are now controlled well now..havnt had one since january this year... but seem to suffer simple partials regularly....for me it is a sense of neausa...and it feels as though the floor beneath me is moving and at times my legs feel weak and my arms get a funny sensation seems to only last a minute or two then passes....wait till you have your eeg that will confirm if there is any siezure activity for sure...if so it can be controlled with meds

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Permalink Reply by Rachel on July 21, 2009 at 11:47am

what was your visual aura like? I had two visual aura experiences which lead to the discovery of my avm. they were almost a year apart but the "episodes" were identical. It started as a visul aura of these flame colored triangles going across my vision...felt like someone drugged me! From that point of the visual aura I got dizzy and confused and my arm went numb and tingly....then I felt like I was choking ....I think this part was an anxiety attack because of the initial "aura" which freaked me out! Then I would get a nasty headache and would vomit. The first I thought was a fluke...maybe something I ate or whatever...the 2nd time it happened almost a year later I knew there was something wrong. I got diagnosed with my AVM on Dec 4 2008.

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Permalink Reply by rhonda on July 25, 2009 at 2:17pm

Are you on Dilantin or any seizures medicine? For me.....when my avm ruptured there was no sign. I just went down and woke up 5 days later in the hospital.

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Permalink Reply by juli thomas on July 25, 2009 at 3:15pm

thank you for all the replies. i had a e.e.g. and it showed no seizure activity just a very swollen right brain!

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Permalink Reply by sharyn l on August 4, 2009 at 9:29am

Hi. I have visual auras before migraines and the visual aura is blinking lights, cloudy vision (esp at bedtime), and sometimes a terrible zigzag). For me, it's a warning of an impending migraine which for me feels like a tension headache feel (tightness in forehead) and nauseau/light sensitvity. Wearing sunglasses (even indoors) helps me. I'm not a doctor, but you definitely can have visual problems without having a seizure, but if anything changes from the ordinary for you, I'd say to visit the neurologist to be on the safe side. Ironically, stress adds to migraine and seizure issues which is very unfair, but practicing deep breathing while visualizing a relaxing or happy scene really can help and at least makes me feel better pretty quickly. The neurologist said it makes sense because being happy releases good chemicals in the brain. Easy to try out. Good luck with everything. I really think there's much to be hopeful about with AVM's. They're so much farther in understanding the brain than even just five yrs ago. God bless!

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Permalink Reply by KevinRH on June 23, 2010 at 11:54am

Does this restrict your driving?

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Permalink Reply by Lee Ann on June 23, 2010 at 12:11pm

I have all types of seizures and the simple partial seizure does cause me to have the type of aura you are talking about along with confusion and at times I am not able to communicate. Glad you are getting an eeg done. I have epilepsy which they can not say if it is caused by the AVM or not but feel it is a possible.

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Permalink Reply by Colin Rogers on February 12, 2012 at 3:46pm

The short answer is YES! But how would I know that if as you ask "and not know". Seems like a catch 22 situation. I was first diagnosed with FMS some thirteen years ago and although this may well be caused as a result of my AVM, when I researched FMS I found many features that I recognised, one of which was when out and about and with no apparent reason everywhere looked strange to me even though I was in the town that I had lived in for many years. I also knew that if I just stopped for a while then I would slowly recognise where I was again. This had to be some kind of siezure.
Last year I went to see an eye specialist because my sight is going very blurred and he asked me if I had been getting siezures and I told him yes and I also mentioned the events listed above. He told me that those are what they call "Absence Epilepsy".
My AVM is on the right side and so I get visual aura starting on the left side and then migraine on the right side. Any AVM will cause some kind of siezure as it disrupts brain signals! Good Luck and Be Strong.
P.S. Sorry if spelling bad but can't check it today, eyesight very blurred!

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