Six months update

General
1

Just had an MRI six months after Gamma Knife and it is not showing any change on my AVM! anyone had that experience? and how did your progress go after that?

Thanks
Ahmad

2

It takes time. I don't think I had any changes for a year or more.That was after my second treatment. Mine were staged because of the size. Six months apart.

3

After Gamma Knife, my neurosurgeon warned me that I may not see any change at 6 months. The 6 month MRI was more about checking the amount of swelling around the AVM than about how much change had occured. The waiting is nerve racking, but hang in there.

4

I had the same exact results as you at my 6-month MRI. My Neuro said the 6-month MRI was mainly to check to see if the Gamma Knife had caused any damage to tissue surrounding the AVM. She further said that a change in size of the AVM is not likely at 6 months. I was so let-down! Even though she had warned me, I wanted to hear that my 4cm AVM was at least, a tad smaller. She followed up with ... "be patient". In October, I will have my 18-month MRI, and again, I'm praying for a decrease in the size of the AVM. So, Ahmad ... be patient!

5

Thanks Sharon :)

6

Thanks Molly!

7

Thanks Melissa

8

It can take 2-3 years for GK to fully take effect. When I had an MRI 6 months after the first treatment, we didn't even discuss if the AVM was shrinking yet--it was to plan the 2nd treatment (on a different part of the AVM).

I've had 4 treatments--June 2011, December 2011, June 2012, June 2014. Slowly, but surely, the AVM is shrinking.