Quote:
Originally Posted by piggywig
Hi, I have just joined today. i had a VP Shunt inserted 4 wks ago following an ICP. (I'm 42). Ever since i came round from anaesthetic i've had abdomen pains & pains in my right side. Pains come and go, sometimes really bad. I went to A&E on monday night coz had v. bad rectal bleeding as well as severe pain in lower abdo & right side. they did blood tests, said i was ok & sent me home. My GP faxed urgent referral to surgeons monday, to review me in clinic. As yet heard nothing. I went back to GP today who tried access the surgeons to no avail! I am getting v bad head pains every time i exert pressure (i have a chiari malformation too). The shunt was put in coz my ICP was megga high when i lay down & asleep. Have my first review in Oct! Am getting worried about the abdo pains, more so after reading other posts. I was given no info by the hospital about what to expect after a shunt insertion. Is it normal to get pain. Also my head is lumpy - lumps on skull as well as the shunt. V. sore to touch parts of skull. Am lookking for reassurance & any wisdom from others who've had VP shunt inserted. Oh and I now have infection in tummy wound and on antibiotics! Feel alone with it all. thanks!
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I have a vp shunt too and have had 9 surgeries on it including the initial surgery to put it in. (from 11/09 to 10/2010) I also have pain in my abdomen and I was told it is from the fluid draining which causes pressure until your body absorbs it. However, be careful with any infection. I ended up in the hospital 19 days (15 days in ICU) because the tube in my abdomen was coiled and it caused the fluid not to drain. That ended up turning into infection and the infection moved to my brain. I had the chiari decompression surgery February of this year. That surgery although more invasive was a breeze as opposed to the problems I have had with my shunt. Hope you have better luck. Watch you temperature daily and if it is even slightly above normal go to the hospital ASAP to prevent any infection going to your brain.