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Fit woman left paralyzed after missed AVM diagnosis

Alicja Faryniarz suffered a stroke after doctors dismissed her serious symptoms.

August 4, 2025 at 10:57 AM
blur ‘Fit and healthy woman’ left paralysed at 44 after GP dismissed her ‘work stress’ headaches

Alicja Faryniarz suffered severe consequences after her persistent headaches were overlooked by doctors.

Paralysis follows ignored symptoms in woman diagnosed with AVM

Alicja Faryniarz, a 44-year-old from Cobham, Surrey, faced a life-changing stroke due to a rare condition called brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM). After years of debilitating headaches and fainting, her doctor attributed her symptoms to work stress. On September 3, 2022, while playing tennis, she suffered a stroke, ultimately leading to paralysis on one side of her body. The AVM, present from birth, was only diagnosed after her collapse, demonstrating the need for better awareness and diagnosis of unusual medical conditions.

Key Takeaways

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Alicja faced years of ignored symptoms before a stroke changed her life.
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Her diagnosis of AVM came too late, only revealed after her collapse.
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Healthcare professionals must listen more carefully to patients.
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Early diagnosis could lead to better outcomes in cases of rare conditions.
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Public awareness of AVM and similar conditions is crucial for safety.
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Similar cases may not be isolated, highlighting systemic issues in medical evaluations.

"My life ended on the day I had the stroke and I'm still trying to get it back."

Alicja reflects on the drastic change in her life since her stroke, emphasizing its impact.

"If I was given a CT scan instead of doctors brushing it aside, I believe they would have found it and none of this would have happened."

Alicja expresses her frustration about the missed diagnosis and its consequence.

"Half my body was gone, like it never existed, like someone had just taken it away."

This describes Alicja’s experience after waking from a coma, illustrating the severity of her condition.

"I'm sharing my story as I want to spread awareness that it could happen to anybody."

Alicja aims to educate others on AVM and the importance of recognizing unusual health signs.

The case of Alicja highlights significant issues in the healthcare system, particularly the dangers of dismissing patient concerns. Despite being a fit individual, her experience underlines the importance of thorough evaluations in healthcare. As she stated, necessary scans could have potentially changed the course of her life. Stories like hers compel both medical professionals and patients to advocate for a more proactive approach to unexplained symptoms, potentially saving lives.

Highlights

  • Ignoring symptoms can lead to devastating consequences.
  • A simple scan might have changed everything for me.
  • I want to spread the word that something could be wrong.
  • Every headache should be taken seriously.

Potential risks of misdiagnosis

Alicja's case highlights the dangers of overlooking symptoms, which can lead to severe health consequences. Immediate and thorough medical evaluation is essential to avoid such tragedies.

Raising awareness about unusual symptoms could help prevent further tragedies.

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