My daughter had her shunt for 16 years and had no problem. Over spring break we found she had a whole in the lower shunt tube so the neuro put in another one leaving the rest of it alone. Morgan had severe headaches afterwards and vision trouble. We went a little over a week before we saw the doctor. We had to call him because she started throwing up. We went to the hospital and they tapped her shunt and he could get very little fluid out. He also saw a slight increase in her ventricles. He put her in the hospital and decided to go in again. The next morning he tapped her again to see if there was a change and there was not. He took her to surgery and came out and told us the shunt was working fine. He said that she probably is not adjusting to the new pressure change because her shunt tube is shaped different. I am really concerned that they are missing something else. Morgan can't stand the laying flat and has a problem feeling dizzy when she gets up. He kept us two days in the hospital. Has anyone else heard anything like this? Could it really be that her body is just trying to except the new pressure? Please help

I really don't know why lying down would hurt but if the neuro couldn't get much fluid out it sounds like low pressure. But its been my experience that lying down actually helps in that case because it slows down the fluid flow and keeps the brain from sagging. But if the pressure were too high the neuro would probably have an easier time getting fluid out during a tap. If the neuro is right and Morgan isn't adjusting to the pressure(which is totally possible and a problem I've had a few times myself) then he wouldn't be finding a problem with her shunt because there isn't one. Also changing how the shunt is routed could change how the pressure affects her. When my shunt was re-routed in December, my body just wouldn't work with the pressure it had been at before. You might want to see if your neuro works with programmable valves. Thats what I have now. It works so that the neuro doesn't have to do surgery to change the pressure. Its a simple procedure in his/her office where they put a special magnet thing up to her head and it will adjust the pressure.

If you don't mind me asking, what tests have they done on Morgan? CT Scan? Shunt Series? Nuclear Medicine Shuntgram? It's been my experience that the shuntagram finds problems that a normal ct scan and shunt series totally miss. ~Melissa~

have your daughter drink caffeine
it will help stimulate the brain keep up with the new shunt
i had the same problem for a yr and a half

Jenny3100--

If I may, I would suggest you talk to the neurologist at the hospital your daughter was at for her last surgery.

I would ask for a new shunt completely they have new shunts now that are programable and can be adjusted. The weather in my case and 2 others that i know of causes headaches.i wish i could be more help but i will get back with you

My 14 year old daughter is going through this right now. What did you end up doing? Her Neuro says he has never seen dizziness after a shunt revision. But you and 3 others had the same problem.