I read your story when googling pain in shunt.I quickly joined the site because I couldnt believe what I was reading.My story is almost identical to yours.I was 29 when I had my first shunt put in tho.
Prior to the last week of April I was on top of the world.I had finally made it in my career(hairstylist) was newlywed (2weeks) and so fulll of life.
I was at work and dropped a mirror because my hand just let go of it when I was showing a customer her hair.The next day I had the day off work.My husband and I had plans to have dinner with friends and I was feeling horrible.My head felt like somone was drilling into it.My body ws jerking and having spasms.We went out to dinner anyway and I was just irritated and trying to keep my best face on.We went to the mall after and my hands and feet were pouring out water.I was disorientated and walked into glass door I coulnt figure out why.
After that we went and got a coffee and the pain in my arms and legs was geting worse.My right leg was actually moving up and down.The next day we though somethings really wrong.I was so sick we thought maybe I was pregnant.Not that we would know what thats like but I just knew something was really wrong.We went to ER and well my life has neer been the same.
I was told the shunt would make everything better and I would fully recover in no time.......Ya right.
I was very determined and went back to work shaved head and all 3 weeeks after surgery.I only lasted a couple weeks and have been bouncing off and on disablilty ever since...Recently had to apply for SS.
Since my surgery I have had a ton of medical problems.I still get horrible headaches daily.I have pain attacks in my arms and legs back and hip.They have diagnosed me with fibromyalgia and Hydrocephalus.At first they said I had pseudotumor cerebri.Now I get mixed and confusing reports from doctor they are all over the place .
They say its fibromyalgia but that same pain is part of the reason we went to ER in the first place.I dont know what to do anymore.The doctors tell me they dont know what caused hydro or anything else.The doctors also say my case is so rare....After reading your post I guess its not so rare.
Im really concerned right now thats what brought me here is that my neck near my tubing is killing me.I have tried pain medication and muscle relaxers ,ice and heat.Nothing is helkping......
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Originally Posted by Felicia1981
I had a VP shunt placed back in October of 2008, I have since the surgery had short term memory loss, now out of the blue the actual shunt itself is hurting.... it starts out as a "throbbing" then remains... I have experienced the "throbbing" before an thought nothing of it... but earlier yesterday morning I nearly fell from being dizzy an light headed... like I had gotten up to fast, but that was not the case... this was differant. Also, its like the pain is ONLY where the actual shunt itself is, its not a severe pain more annoying than anything...
I went to the ER last night mainly because I was scared... this is all new to me... Anyway, to make a long story short the dr was very rude an walked out of the room as I was in mid sentence an then went an hid in a little room down the hall from my room... he ordered a CT Scan but like my primary dr told me, results are only as good as the person trying to read them.... so I am goin to go an get a copy of CT Scan that was done last night an go see a neurologist. ... The second time the dr (what a joke!) came in my room was to give me a Rx for Fioricet and papers on "What is a headache" I was beyond mad! It was because of a headache they even did my first CT Scan that showed I have hydrocephalus to begin with....
Either way, the shunt still hurts... my short term memory still sucks, still get light headed for time to time an just want to know if anyone else has had this an if so, how was it treated?
I just know this isn't normal I guess I feel that I have had the shunt long enough to know now the differance between what is an is not normal for me....
ps: I know the abdomen pain you are talking about... mine comes an goes, once it got so bad I had to sit down in the middle of a store because I couldn't walk it hurt so bad... and my neurosurgeon had told me that it was the tube moving around not to worry.... yeah... I still get headaches, not as bad as before I was "shunted" but have noticed I have more limitations than expected... I am 27 an feel like a prisoner... sorry its not more of a positive message.......
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