Originally Posted by duuwop

Hello everyone.
I was recently diagnosed with hydrocephalus or the third and lateral ventricles. I've since seen one Neurologist, and I had an appointment with a Neurosurgeon as well, which he canceled the day of because he said he looked over my MRA and MRV and said surgery is unnecessary.

The Neurologist was more concerned with treating my headaches and believes they aren't connected with my hydrocephalus. I also have an unsteady gait, which he believes in vertigo resulting from an enlarged artery that as of two years ago somehow moved to be underneath my eardrum, causing pulsatile tinnitus in that ear. That was the original reason for my seeing an ENT, who ordered an MRA and MRV, which ultimately lead to my diagnosis with hydrocephalus.

I don't understand why they can't do something for my hydrocephalus. No one is giving me answers for if this could possibly be degenerative. I honestly do not believe my unsteady gait isn't linked to the hydro. Two years ago I also developed skull splitting headaches at the crown of my head that weren't resolved with OTC medications. After seeing Doctors for these headaches, I was prescribed oral imitrex, which did not help, and none of them sent me for imaging. The headaches and tinnitus started at the same time. The unsteady gait started last May.

Any advice? I'm scared. I'm scared of facing degenerative issues later in life. I'm scared of letting this go untreated. I have an uncle who has hydrocephalus and he was fine until his late 40s, during which he developed Parkinsons and Dementia. His was a very chronic case, unfortunately, and mine isn't as bad, but all of these possibilities still scare me. I would have at least liked to talk with the Surgeon to see why he thinks surgery isn't an option, and what I could possibly be facing later on down the road if left untreated or otherwise.