How have you found diagnosis and treatment in the U.K. and what has your aftercare been like?

In 2014 aged 34 I was diagnosed with an AVM after two grand mal seizures but years of debilitating migraine headaches that were said to be part of other conditions although I visited my GP several times in 2014 knowing that there was something not right. Has anyone else had difficulty like this in the UK?

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Hi Laura. Unfortunately yes. It took several years and many appointments for my mum to convince my GP that my own debilitating headaches (starting at age 12) were not just migraines. She had a 6th sense about it. My GP insisted I try loads of different migraine tablets, all of which had no effect. As a last resort I was sent for a CT scan which showed severe hydrocephalus and was admitted to hospital as an emergency. The scan also showed a ā€˜birthmark on the brainā€™ which later turned out to be an AVM.

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Generally very good but excruciatingly slow.

My wife was finally diagnosed in 1999 after nearly 2 years of pushing to get her an MRI scan. Faye had always suffered from severe headaches and vacant episodes, her parents had tried for years to find a doctor that could tell them what the problem was with no results. Faye and I met in the summer of '99 and after some long talks I asked if she had had a brain scan, which she hadnā€™t. Soon after she had her first grande mal. When they got the results the medical team were shocked how far the AVM had progressed.
Faye tried loads of different drug treatments, some which sort of worked some that didnā€™t, Epilim made her put on 3 stone in 6 months! Apart from bi-annual assessments Faye receive no further treatment, the prognosis being that it was too dangerous to operate.
In 2007 Faye was put on a new drug that had just finished clinical trials and it was great, although her seizures had been reduced they still happened occasionally, since being put on the new drug she has been seizure free apart from the occasional petit mal.
In September this year Faye had a huge bleed that nearly killed her and has left her paralysed on the right side and with lowered brain function, up until this point weā€™d pretty much given up on medical treatment as we had hit a brick wall, now I had to switch back in to high gear to try and get everything sorted out. I had nothing but problems, Faye was shipped from one hospital to another, I was never given the full facts of what was going on even though I am her next of kin, I was given false or misleading information and in one hospital Faye was left on a high dependency ward for 2 months with no real care! After 2 more transfers she ended up in the ABI unit in Poole where staff tried to help her but by this time she just wanted to come home.
Although on paper we were offered loads of different help, nothing substantial has been put in place, luckily I have done plenty of research over the years and worked at one time with children and young people with physical and mental challenges so I have confidence in my ability to care for Faye but it does not take away from the fact that over the years very little medical help has been given and this most recent challenge has only lowered my expectations of the UK medical fraternity!

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Thatā€™s rollercoaster ride, have you looked at getting a second opinion at a hospital further afield? Its incredibly tough dealing with the administration of the NHS, it has felt like one of the 12 tasks of Asterix where Asterix gets a cart permit from the Roman Civil Service. Having been through a great deal of physical difficulty and pain fighting to be seen and persisting with chasing appointments has been the thing that has nearly broken me. But it has been worth persevering and as you say doing a lot of research. I wish the NHS was slightly different it has so much potential to be truly great.

Yes. Iā€™m 52 and have been experiencing debilitating migraines since I was 13 years old. Last year I had a TIA and 24hrs later was diagnosed with AVM. Itā€™s since been found I have AVM with an associated aneurysm. I have been treated like a freak, a hypochondriac, a drug seeker, attention seeker, work shy, lazy, etc etc etc. Iā€™ve had bone cancer (as a teenager), small children, one of whom has a heart defect. Iā€™m autistic I think, my eldest son is diagnosed. Iā€™m an amputee and have often been heard to say Iā€™d rather have my other leg amputated than experience another migraineā€¦ such is the excruitiating, debilitating affect of my migraines. UK GPs have ignored, minimised, mis-diagnosed AVM for almost 40 years.

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I have had an easy ride of it really. I went to my GP in early 2016 with a very bad pain in my left temple. Iā€™d been having symptoms for around six months, but being severely disabled and a bit agoraphobic I chose the wait and see approach. Once I did see my GP he referred me straight away to see a neurologist at Lincoln county hospital. He arranged an MRI and thatā€™s when I was told I had an AVM on my frontal right lobe. As to the original pain in my left temple he didnā€™t know. I ended up having stereotactic radiation for the AVM at Sheffield Hallamshire and it has shrunk somewhat. Although I do get really disorientating deja vĆ» on regular occasions.
Incidentally the pain in my left temple is Giant Cell Arteritis ā€¦ an autoimmune disorder, which potentially can lead to blindness if not treated as itā€™s a vascular disease.
Hope this information helps you. And good luck.

I completely understand your ā€œwait and seeā€ approach NikNak. Why would we hand ourselves over willingly?! <3 How long ago was your gamma surgery? I have everything crossed your deja vu is temporary.
I went to see them last week. All ok. I think itā€™s the way ahead but Iā€™ve got high blood pressure now. Never happened before. So Iā€™m working on that. It will delay gamma if I donā€™t crack it.
That your vision is at risk is interesting to me. My AVM is positioned deep and on the area of the brain that sorts vision. Theyā€™ve told me itā€™s at risk but might be affected temporarily over the 4 year ā€˜cookingā€™ time. FOUR years! That blew me away.
Iā€™m going to challenge your ā€œeasy ride of itā€ comment. I mean, seriously. :wink: xx

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I had my stereotactic radiation in October 2016. My latest MRI shows the AVM is shrinking, quite considerably.
Thanks, I hope the deja vĆ» goes too, but itā€™s been a long time now. xx

Iā€™ve been away a long time I know. I wondered how you are? I had my stereotactic surgery 2 days ago. Relieved itā€™s over but still processing it all. It was intense.
Tell me how you are? x

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