Occipital lobe AVM symptoms

Hi All!

I was wondering about other people’s symptoms who have a AVM in a similar region to me - left occipital lobe.

I like many AVMers have had migraines all my life. But I got diagnosed after my migraines with aura became more frequent (1-3 times a week). I was diagnosed by the optician with right homonymous inferior quadrantic visual feild defect (blind on the lower right of my peripheral vision on both eyes) which was then confirmed by more tests taken by my ophthalmologist. I was then sent for a MRI a few weeks later, I’m that time the migraines progressed from few times a week to every day.

Since my diagnosis when the MRI results came through 4 weeks ago. My migraines have reduced to being only once a week. However I have been having dizzyness, neck pains, sensitivity to both light and sound, large dark squiggles jumping out at me in the day time, random pains in the back of my head that last only a minute and then go and also the aura without the migraine (blurred vision creeping up from the right peripherals then across my visual field with flashing lights) which also comes and goes. I have also had very low energy levels for the past 6 months which im not sure if related or purely due to depression.

I am on the urgent list to see the neurosurgeon consultant for the first time. But in the mean time I am wondering if anyone else had similar symptoms?

Thank you to all of you for taking time to read my post and offer me any experiences of your own.

Corrine

Corinne,

I think my symptoms have been quite mild compared with many. My AVM is a fistula in my Dura Mater over my right occipital lobe. I can tick the dizziness, neck pain / headaches associated with my neck and immediately post embolization, I had some visual effects which sound like yours. Quite typical for occipital lobe, I think.

Cheers,

Richard

Hello Corinne
Like RIchard I too have a fistula - Mine is where my left transverse vein used to be. It blew out due to a rare stroke due to five blood clots forming in my brain. While I was recovering from that stroke I started to hear the whooshing and then started to get so dizzy I started to pass out after I walked a few steps. Because of the noise I started to not be able to sleep. I also felt like someone was pulling my hair kinda pain right behind my left ear.

As I waited for my 1st angio/embolism the scans showed it was making the blood go backwards ( retrograde) and I had to wait a few months the sound got louder and it grew. They were able to treat it with medical glue and crushed onyx . They wanted to go back in to finish but I had another stroke during recovery so I just felt terrible and thought I needed to give my brain a chance to heal. Then a few years later I went back in and some how my body sealed the rest up. I hope you get in soon!

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