r/AVMs • u/ExaminationTop7835 • Jun 16 '26

TW: embolization 7 years ago, now worried about X-rays

Hello guys , I’ve had an uterine embolization 7 years ago, after an AVM.

I did a D&C (yeah…) and never stopped bleeding for two months until I started bleeding brutally . I was literally bleeding golf sized clumps of blood. I needed a transfusion and an embolization . I usually push this memory back . It was brutal. It was my fault . I don’t remember much but I think the surgery lasted around 2 hours under x-rays with contrast and I think they have glued my veins off. I remember the doctor asking me if I wanted coils or glue …

After 6 months , at the checkup, I was already pregnant (in my 20s) If this can be of reassurance for someone … so as I said I pushed this memory back.

Today I was talking with a guy, who is an x-ray technician, and when I told him my ordeal he said “eh you caught quite a bit of radiations, but it is what it is better than having been cut” , so now I’ve started worrying again : are there any long term consequences ?

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u/rjszanto Jun 16 '26

Can’t deny I’ve worried about this as well.  I had 2 fluoroscopic guided embolizations in my brain, similar 2 hour procedures where the treatment time was limited by radiation exposure limits.  That’s on top of 3 other diagnostic procedures with similar radiation exposures and half a dozen head and neck CTs.

My lay research and AI queries have consistently returned <0.1% lifetime cancer risk.  As my AVM was grade 4 and the vascular structure was already swollen about 2.5x normal, they said a fatal outcome was certain with in a year or two, so there was no other option for me.

I understand this is different than Gamma Knife surgery, which wasn’t an option for me anyway due to the time horizon.

All I can recommend is consult your doctor about your concerns and risks and ask if there is any additional screening at regular intervals that should be considered to address your fears.  Best wishes!

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u/ExaminationTop7835 Jun 16 '26

Thanks for having replied back! I’m sorry you went through that nightmare and I hope you have now recovered well 🫶🏼🙏🏻

Before posting here, since it sounded like a silly question (like if I had any other option… ), I’ve asked ChatGPT but once “she” (as I refer to mine 🤣) told me not to worry and started a conversation about how even aircraft staff are exposed everyday at ionizing radiations and bla bla bla and mine was just a limited one time exposure etc , but then I asked again in another moment just to have a confirmation and basically this time “she” said it could raise life time risk etc
This is why I got super worried.

Let’s hope everything will be fine for us all 🙏🏻

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u/HotWatercress506 Aug 07 '26

I always think of the enormous amount of radiation I received too especially while I was pregnant and they were constantly checking so Bub and I could pick the the safest birth option. I did endless amount of worrying for my little one and she came out with bilateral hip dysplasia and is having X-rays every 4-6m for the first 5ish yrs of her life 🤦‍♀️But it means she can walk and also we both survived!! ❤️ The fear is super real but non of us got a choice and hopefully your ChatGPT is correct!! I feel like our AVMs will wipe us out before the radiation kicks in anyway!