Hey Everybody!! Had a post-op follow up and CT with my neurosurgeon this afternoon. I guess the radiologist was concerned that my vents were smaller than before?? Not sure if neuro meant smaller than before the surgery or since the CT from 3-4 weeks ago. If the vents are smaller NOW than BEFORE SURGERY, then I believe that would indicate that the "old man" (shunt) is/was failing anyway.

On the chance that the vents are smaller now than just 3-4 weeks ago, is this a big deal? I'm thinking not really because I'm NOT having any headaches like before surgery...not nearly like that. The NSG didn't seem concerned with it, he's just concerned with bleeding in the brain (umm..I forgot the technical term off hand...) but he said everything looked good. He OK'd me for job hunting starting Oct 1 (or sooner if I feel up to it) and set another follow up and CT for mid December.

I feel like a whole new person right now...hopefully the vent thing isn't a big issue...I don't wanna go through it all so soon again.

I'm not positive about this, but if your vents are smaller now than they
were 3-4 weeks ago, I'm thinking either one of two things:

you're right that the shunt was failing anyway, and the change in vents
means the pressure is going down.

or

you're (possibly) draining too fast (overdraining) and it could be a sign
of the beginnings of slit ventricle syndrome.

But, I'm really just guessing, here.

I can relate to the "feeling like a whole person" because when my shunt
was blocked and the NS tapped the shunt, it was like a weight was off
of my head. I felt so much better after that!

Yep...I just had my 2nd revision in 29 yrs. Technically not a revision. He was going to take the old shunt out but since it's been there since I was 5, there was a huge risk of hemorrhaging if he pulled it out and he didn't want to take the chance. So, he put in a programmable on Aug 18th. I feel SO much better.

I kinda thought of the slit ventricle syndrome angle, BUT since this new valve is programmable, that can probably be fixed pretty easily if the need arises. I had chronic headaches for the past yr or so before the new shunt was put in. Since surgery...only 2 headaches, and they were minor. I took Tylenol and that was it. We'll just have to see how I feel and how the CT looks in December I guess. For now, I feel pretty good.

Hi Kathi,
I had my revision on the 29 July and my vents are now 'too big' according to the last scan I had a few weeks ago! But I have symptoms of overdraining and I'm actually going to have the pressure RAISED on Monday next week. CT's don't always reflect exactly what's going on in terms of pressure as I have learnt! If you feel better, that's the main thing. Believe me, you'll know if you're overdraining! I know I am as I feel worse towards the end of the day and after moving around and the pressure feelings are pretty bad. I feel pretty rough most of the time...but that's not because the new shunt isn't working....it's actually working perfectly well.....we just haven't found the right pressure yet (it's a programmable). I did have slit vents at the time of my surgery and apparently this takes a while to correct itself and for the pressures to return to normal, which is why 7 weeks after surgery I'm still up and down. If your NS isn't worried, I wouldn't fret too much...if you start to feel ill again...that's a whole other story. But if it IS overdraining, they'll probably catch it before it gets too far. Glad you're feeling so much better though! That's great!

My name is Jennifer and I am 22 with a shunt and I had my last one put in probably when I was 5-6. Do you think I will have to have another one? I have not had a CT scan for probably 4-5 years. When I go back in 2yrs, Do any of you think I will have to have a CT scan?

Thanks

Hey, Jennifer.

Yep, I think you'll need more surgery, as I'm sure I will. My shunt is older than you are, and I am fully prepared for the very high probability that I will need more shunt surgery. Shunts are man-made devices and rarely last longer than 30 years. It's natural and normal for them to deteriorate over time.


LIZARD

If I may need more surgery, than what signs do I need to watch for? When do you suppose they will do more surgery? I think about this everyday, I also think what if they see someone on the CT scan and my mom tells me that they will take care of it. What if I come out worse this time, than I did the last?