Hello Everyone,

I have posted here before. I have chronic headaches due to hydrocephalus. I have a Medtronic programmable VP shunt. It seems no matter where my NS adjustes the pressure it dosen't seem to work. Or the pain relief dosen't seem to last for long. I take Topamax and Nuritin twice daily and elivile on a daily basis.

My neurosugern gave me Percacet for the headaches but that dosen't even seem to be helping and will not give me anything else. For some reason he refuses to send me to a pain clinic.

I am not sure what to do either this type of shunt is not the right one and I need a new programmable one with a wider range of settings like the Codeman shunt or I will definately need better pain management.

I have dental sugery coming up and the percacet do not even help my head.

Ripplegirl99

Hi Ripplegirl~
Sorry you're having so many problems! Gosh, I wish I had some answers for you about your shunt. I am not familiar with that at all, sorry. I'm hoping someone more knowledgeable than I am will come along that can help you. Since this is a new board, I'm not sure how many people will be here though.

I also do not know anything about hydrocephalus, sorry. I do know about headaches, as I'm a migraine sufferer for over 40 years. I also am on Topamax 100mg 4 x's/day and Elavil/Amitriptyline 50mg/day, like you are. I was on Neurontin over a year ago, but was switched to Cymbalta, then Lamictal, and now it's the Topamax.

I am on these meds for different reasons than you are, but the Topamax has decreased my migraines.

Have you talked to your Neurologist about the pain? Maybe it's time to "play" with your meds--do the old trial and error thing? I'm sure you know how we have to try so many until we hopefully hit something that will work.

As far as your concerns about the shunt, maybe you would feel more comfortable if you got a second opinion? It might ease your mind if you did. You could also discuss pain management with him/her too.

I hope you get some answers to your questions, and things turn out great for you! Good luck and please keep us informed of your progress!
Hugs,
Jan

Hello. I have the same shunt and the same problem. I tried to have mine adjusted once and it made it worse and my ventricles are still huge. I just started on topomax and am on 10 mg vicodin. Can u tell when its going to rain or when the barometric pressure is high? I know what your going through!

I have a VP shunt , different than what you have, but it has helped the pain, it's bearable now, but I still have some issues with climate change, body position etc.

I can tell when the storms are coming from California or the up from Mexico. The wife tells me I'm more accuate than the weather channel.

As I have pains all over my head, face, ears and neck I have heard for a very simple medicine, at least for a few hours:

Since I drink in the morning black coffee with lemon, I have less pain. Maybe it looks strange, but is not only me doing that. There was in German magazine written about that and many people were satisfied.

My female friend working here had a very hard headache and no pill did help her. I have told her to drink such a coffee. I went for a lemon to the shop and other friend working together cooked the coffee.
After half an hour my friend was lucky as the pains were over.

It is worth to try and has no side effects.

Bozena