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@avmcbellar

Hi @snoopyrn nice to hear from you! Mayo Connect offers a great way to learn of other members experiences and get answers to questions. Welcome aboard! I did notice the RN in your name but wasn’t sure if it stood for a nurse. You mentioned you work in the hospital. What is your specialty? Nice to know the staff to get better service.
The headaches were awful at first because they occurred more often about twice a week for me. Luckily they tapered off to where now I get them once a month. I was given a prescription for a pain reliever when I left the hospital ICU. Never was I told it was for headaches. I never did take that drug instead I tried Tylenol which did not work. What I did discover worked best was a bag of ice over my head. Sometimes I would sleep with the ice on my head. Recently, through another member recommendation, I tried a tea called “Shifa”. I purchased it through Amazon. I prepare it differently from the package directions. I freeze mine. When I feel the migraine coming on I take 2 cubes of the tea with a little water to sip slowly. The headache goes away. I was told the headaches were the result of the brain healing. Hopefully that belief is right.
I did not have a craniotomy. The surgeons were able to get to the AVM at the base of my skull. I have an incision scar at the back of my neck. I basically had a reverse mohawk haircut. I did not have the coils but I did get the Onyx glue to stop the bleed. I had a total of 3 surgeries for the repair. The last one being 5 months later. I did have a cerebral angiogram which showed the AVM did not reform. That was 3 years ago. The recovery has been a slow progress. In your case cant the any surgery or angiogram be done through the femoral artery?
Funny you mention strabismus. The AVM has left me with strabismus which has made matters worse with the nausea and motion sickness. I know exactly what you are talking about with the dizziness. Being thrown around like in a car is difficult. Staying still makes the dizziness go away. Did your strabismus not go away on its own? Usually that happens in children. If you do not have diplopia then your strabismus is very slight. As a result of my AVM I have palsy of the CN4. No prism can help so I will wait for the strabismus surgery. Hey, good luck at your doctor’s appointment. I will answer any questions you have. Toni

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Replies to "Hi @snoopyrn nice to hear from you! Mayo Connect offers a great way to learn of..."

@avmcbellar I’ve had strabismus since I was born 44 years ago. I had to wear eye patches as a baby. I had eye muscle surgery in 2004 and it straightened for a while, but it has slightly turned back in over the years. I have an astigmatism in that eye, so turning the eye in helps me focus, I guess that’s why it regressed a little. Only really noticeable when tired. Yes, each time I’ve had an angiogram it’s through the femoral artery/vein. The coil was also placed using this route.

I used to work in cardiac critical care, the I worked in endoscopy, now I’m in urology research. I’m hoping I can get my hospital to start it’s own support group. It’s a well-known facility, so I think it would be helpful.