[DigiM4x]

Hello,

I am a new poster here but a reader for awhile. I want to share my story and ask for advice from our VP shunt people.

On August 5 2010 i was told by my neuro-oncologist that my 4th ventricle tumor hadn't grown over the past year but my upper ventricles were swolen slightly which could be the cause of my reoccuring headaches, dizzyness, and vision problems. He told me he thinks i need a VP shunt. In shock i must of just gave in and said ok. Not too many questions came to mind over the next hour of being at the Dr Office. He arranged with my old neuro-surgeon to install a Shunt the same day. So i went with it and said ok. Had the shunt put in.

VP Shunt #1, i would like to call it, was doing well. My dizzyness and vision problems cleared up immediatly after its placement and my reoccuring headaches with in the week. By the second week after my surgery i felt Extremely good and ready to conquer the world.......until the day of August 21st when i woke up with nausea, vomiting, double vision mostly left eye tilted in, and a minor headache. I was rushed to the local ER where they wanted nothing to do with me so they pumped me with pain killers and anxiety medications. I woke up 2 days later at the hospital that intitial put the shunt in. This hospital is 5 hours away. I didnt remember how i got there or nothing. I was in Neuro ICU where i was being told i had a shunt infection and i would have to stay for 7 days. They put an external shunt in and was told everything should clear up in a few days including my double vision. Well 7 days rolled around and it was surgery day....

VP Shunt #2; This shunt had a larger scar. Was installed on August 29 2010 and lasted about 2 weeks. I started getting stabbing pain in my stomach and lots of low pressure headaches. When i went back for my follow up the surgeon was willing to replace it again with no hesitation. I was told i look like a seen a ghost and i didn't feel good at all. Apparently he put in a different shunt than the first one. A Low pressure shunt vs. a med pressure( like the first one). He told me i was being overdrained as the shunt tap produced no CSF. He also told me during my CT scan it looked like the ventricle the cathetor was in collapsed around it causing it not to function. I agreed with the surgreon that a med pressure needed to go back in cause I felt great the first time around. Up to this point i had very bad head pressure or low pressure headaches as most would call them. Once again surgery day...

VP Shunt #3; Sept 29th, i had my 3rd VP shunt installed. I am getting the same symptoms as my second one just quicker. Sat on the phone with the Dr. office on monday Oct. 18th 2010 for about 2 hours trying to figure out what to do. My surgeon is going out of town this week. He told me to drive up; keep in mind 5 hours away; to the ER and get admitted. So i did. The hospital ER treated me like crap. Then the Neuro surgeon on call shows up to do his work up. I tell him whats going on and he runs some test. CT Scan, XRay, shunt tap for infection. Everything comes back clean and clear. So what now i asked? He asked if i want to go home.... I said no. Well he leaves and another Dr. shows up and said i was being discharged. I asked to see the neuro Dr. waited 2 hours nothing. So i gave up.

This journey has been exhausting.

Before my shunt i was weightlifting, running 3 miles every other day. Lifting stuff. Now i can barely stand without having pain. I can't cough, sneeze, laugh hard or even have a bowel movement without pain in my head. Anyone else having issues like this? This is all over the course of 9 weeks.

[mandy17]

Originally Posted by DigiM4x

Hello,

I am a new poster here but a reader for awhile. I want to share my story and ask for advice from our VP shunt people.

On August 5 2010 i was told by my neuro-oncologist that my 4th ventricle tumor hadn't grown over the past year but my upper ventricles were swolen slightly which could be the cause of my reoccuring headaches, dizzyness, and vision problems. He told me he thinks i need a VP shunt. In shock i must of just gave in and said ok. Not too many questions came to mind over the next hour of being at the Dr Office. He arranged with my old neuro-surgeon to install a Shunt the same day. So i went with it and said ok. Had the shunt put in.

VP Shunt #1, i would like to call it, was doing well. My dizzyness and vision problems cleared up immediatly after its placement and my reoccuring headaches with in the week. By the second week after my surgery i felt Extremely good and ready to conquer the world.......until the day of August 21st when i woke up with nausea, vomiting, double vision mostly left eye tilted in, and a minor headache. I was rushed to the local ER where they wanted nothing to do with me so they pumped me with pain killers and anxiety medications. I woke up 2 days later at the hospital that intitial put the shunt in. This hospital is 5 hours away. I didnt remember how i got there or nothing. I was in Neuro ICU where i was being told i had a shunt infection and i would have to stay for 7 days. They put an external shunt in and was told everything should clear up in a few days including my double vision. Well 7 days rolled around and it was surgery day....

VP Shunt #2; This shunt had a larger scar. Was installed on August 29 2010 and lasted about 2 weeks. I started getting stabbing pain in my stomach and lots of low pressure headaches. When i went back for my follow up the surgeon was willing to replace it again with no hesitation. I was told i look like a seen a ghost and i didn't feel good at all. Apparently he put in a different shunt than the first one. A Low pressure shunt vs. a med pressure( like the first one). He told me i was being overdrained as the shunt tap produced no CSF. He also told me during my CT scan it looked like the ventricle the cathetor was in collapsed around it causing it not to function. I agreed with the surgreon that a med pressure needed to go back in cause I felt great the first time around. Up to this point i had very bad head pressure or low pressure headaches as most would call them. Once again surgery day...

VP Shunt #3; Sept 29th, i had my 3rd VP shunt installed. I am getting the same symptoms as my second one just quicker. Sat on the phone with the Dr. office on monday Oct. 18th 2010 for about 2 hours trying to figure out what to do. My surgeon is going out of town this week. He told me to drive up; keep in mind 5 hours away; to the ER and get admitted. So i did. The hospital ER treated me like crap. Then the Neuro surgeon on call shows up to do his work up. I tell him whats going on and he runs some test. CT Scan, XRay, shunt tap for infection. Everything comes back clean and clear. So what now i asked? He asked if i want to go home.... I said no. Well he leaves and another Dr. shows up and said i was being discharged. I asked to see the neuro Dr. waited 2 hours nothing. So i gave up.

This journey has been exhausting.

Before my shunt i was weightlifting, running 3 miles every other day. Lifting stuff. Now i can barely stand without having pain. I can't cough, sneeze, laugh hard or even have a bowel movement without pain in my head. Anyone else having issues like this? This is all over the course of 9 weeks.

sending hugs hope things work out