Help - "series of microbleedings"?

Symptoms & Treatment
#1

Can someone explain to me what happened to me in the past? :frowning: My doctors aren’t being of much help and I really wish I knew what was going on, or at least a better idea if anyone has anything to share.

So, in short, way back then (10 years ago) I had a lifechanging episode. It kinda began with a “zigzag” sensation in my head and a feeling of general weakness that made me sit down in a stairway and then I had (on the following days ; maybe the days prior too ? idk) :

  • Transitory aphasia - sometimes I couldn’t hear what others were saying and for maybe a week my reading skills were horrible, as if I was an elementary school student though I read better than that when I was in elementary so an elementary school student with bad reading skills.
  • Vision issues - on some days everything seemed too bright ; otherwise saw light or black spots etc. These remained for a while.
  • Paresthesias - also remained for a while.
  • Anxiety - I always had anxiety but for a few days it kept going from “zero” to “a lot” in short timespans. I felt calm like I had never but I also felt very scared when “reality” came back to me and I realized I was doing everything erratically.
  • Memory loss - wasn’t thinking clearly all day and it felt as if my neurons were being corroded and replaced with others so I tried to educate my brain to re learn things.

It was usual for me to feel sad and tired everyday back then so not sure if I felt that more than usual. I believe I woke up with a headache maybe once but not sure either. That was very long ago - either way, I wanted to know if anyone else with an AVM can relate to having a series of stroke-like symptoms for days before it receded. I just started acting very erratically for a short while and had to work on my own recovery so it was dismissed by psychiatrists I went to as some kind of mental illness of psychological origin. After maybe a month of suffering I had a break from school and work and my mind became … stable-ish again, though I had many sequels for months.

My first MRI was taken last year and that’s when they found out the occipital AVM and a frontal gliosis - they aren’t sure if I ever had a stroke before. So I wanted to know if anyone had anything like this. Most of all because I have been feeling that my brain is a bit … unstable, or has been for the past year and worsening (confusion, sometimes I look but don’t see for a couple of seconds etc. ) and been waking up with warm “ice pick headaches” on the AVM location on occasion and I want to prepare myself for the worst lol. Thanks!

(Speaking of which - there are a couple of MRIs showing my brain but I don’t know what to look for ; I took another a while ago and there was an unilateral bright… scratch which I have been told could be a sign of bleeding but not sure and it went unnoticed by the technician. Any clues? Got a picture if that’s needed.)

#2

I had no indication of an AVM until it bleed, but had no previous symptoms. Many folks have signs that something is amiss, so I will leave it to them to pass along their personal experiences. I know they can show signs in a variety of ways. I have experienced ice pick headaches, but hat was well after my bleed and after gamma knife, I hadn’t prior to this. Any further plans for follow up, or treatment? Take Care, John.

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#3

Hello, John - thank you so much really. Not sure if it bled before but seeing as it is quite small and there are wide bright / dark (depending on contrast) “flow-like drawings” on the MRI around the occipital area I believe it mightve. The doc neuro refused to tell me anything. The ice pick headaches are new here but I believe I had a silent stroke at 19 probably. No plans unfortunately seeing as I can’t really trust that doctor and that is as far as my insurance goes. Gotta figure out something then. Thanks loads. Best of luck :sparkling_heart:

#4

It is too bad you can’t get a referral, but I don’t know the system in Brazil at all. I know the insurance limitations are present, but I am fortunate as in Canada we have public health care. Stay at it, and do as much research as you can, there must be a way. Take Care, John.

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#5

Don’t worry - there is free public health care but it takes too long so people with a better income rely on private insurance plans usually ; I have 2 bc one is from my job and the other is familial but the doctors on the 2nd one weren’t of much help and those on the 1st one I am afraid of seeing them and having to quit my job … so I have been kind of lost … thanks for your kind words John :slight_smile: This is what I have been doing and will keep doing - it is the least I can do and if it wasn’t for it I would be unassisted until now. Thanks !!!

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