Anyone else having abdominal issues after ventricular shunt
 

Hi!
2 months ago I had a ventricular shunt placed after discovering an arachnoid cyst in my brain. I have had no problems with the shunt but was having pain in my abdomen every day. It was usually on the left side where the catheter runs down. Some days it put me down with pain sometimes running up into my left shoulder. My PCD was wonderful in trying to help me find out what was causing this. He sent me for a CT scan and the radiologist couldn't really see anything significant. I went back to my NSG and he pulled up the scan. He said there was some inflammation in the muscle where the tube runs through. He said that is normal post op. He put me on 300 mg on Nuerontin which has helped considerably. He said to take it for a month and then we would re-evaluate.
Now I also have pain in my right side which feels like something is poking me. I also sometimes have pressure and pain in my groin. My surgeon did tell me he left 12 inches of tube- could this be what is causing my discomfort?
I'm hoping to find someone who has had similar problems.
I am a healthy 55 yr old female with no history of any other problems.:confused:

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. Happy to see you have come to be with us. Just let us know if we can be of any help. There are great number of fellow members here to assist as possible.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around.

Darlene:hug:

Welcome to NT

So sorry you're having problems after surgery.

I hope you get better quick.

See you around the board...

Welcome to NeuroTalk! Sorry you're having such troubles after surgery. I really wasn't sure which forum would suit your concern best so here's a link to the General Health Conditions and Rare Disorders forum....http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum2.html. Possibly someone there might be able to relate to your question. If not, someone will come along here with a better suggestion!

I hope you feel better soon.

same boat
 

Hi there,

I am having similar pains both left and right side in the abdomin. however my last surgerie was 20 years ago when I was 13. I have two LP shunts(one is not operative cause it got twisted) and the other is 32years old it is a VA shunt that i received when i got head trauma when i fell off a balcony 3 stories. I have been to emerg. 3 times twice for a headache that lasted 5 days, no pain meds did the trick until the 3rd try. and lastly when the abdomin pains where getting to me. it seems like it hurts in different locations. My doctor has been delaying my refferal and the other doctors seem to not know enough and are only concerned if i am vomiting. my nsg seems to believe that all is well, but if it smells and looks like a rat... the headaches really gave me a scare. and made me review my last couple of years and realized my pains go back far and i just lived with being in pain, thusly grumpy.

I too, just had surgery a little over a week ago and go Monday for my sutures out. This is my 7th surgery. I know it's the tube that is poking me, how long did it last for you.

Nice to meet you!!
 

Welcome CNAJACLYN. :Tip-Hat:

Hello everyone,

I had my vp shunt installed 8 years ago at 27 years of age. For about 3 months afterward I experienced extreme nerve pains. The way I described them to the doctor was that it felt like a pulling downward on my testicles, a punch to my gut, and a sharp stabbing in my perenium/rectum. That is no exaggeration. Eventually they decided to laparoscopically cut 15mm off of the tube. The pains were gone 100%.

I just had a failure 6 weeks ago, requiring emergency revision. Since then I've had sharp pains on my left side approximately at my 5th rib and clavicle. There is some testicular soreness. I haven't ever seen complaints about pains as high as the clavicle. Anyone else ever experience this?

Welcome Rynohanley. :Wave-Hello:

Well, back in the ER tonight. Yesterday my nerve pains persisted almost nonstop into this morning. My neurosurgeon and orthopedic surgeon seem to be doing whatever they can to convince me that they are not shunt related. They almost have me questioning my sanity.

Today, after telling him that I had been essentially paralyzed with pains in my ribs and clavicle for hours, the orthopedist again repeated that it didn't make sense and suggested that I wait for our next scheduled appointment. In THREE weeks. What angers me the most is that I've never been accusatory in the least towards him. If it's not shunt related, THEN AT LEAST ATTEMPT TO FIND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING IT.

I'm very sorry you're dealing with this pain.

I hope you are able to get answers and start feeling better fast.

You're right. Your doctors should be finding out the cause.

take care there.

Well, as I suspected, 8 hours in the ER later and I'm apparently fine. All tests and blood work looks good. So I guess I really must be imagining these pains. Or maybe it's for attention, or just to get drugs.

Or maybe they can take an hour to go in laparoscopically and move the tube that we all know is causing the pains that never existed until the surgery to install it.

:mad:

I'm sorry. That's really awful for you.

Potential Solutions to the Poking from Shunts
 

Hello - I too have recently had a shunt - arachnoid cyst - I had been searching, like many for the answer the mysterious pains I have been experiencing since surgery 5 months ago. Sent for a variety of ultrasounds, CT scans, X-rays, tried many "home-remedies". I am a nurse, and was beginning to think it was all in my head, until I read the blogs on the internet; and now these.

So here have been my solutions - and they are working so far - Praise the Lord.
1. Prayer is number one - God always answers prayers. He is the great physician healer - but most importantly, prayer centers you - calms you down, takes your mind off the pain.
2. The minute I start to feel any twinge of these pains, I stop what I am doing, sit down and begin taking deep, slow breaths; close my eyes, relax.
3. I have found wearing loose clothing, nothing tight around my waist has made a tremendous difference - I mean this has truly done the trick for me. I have gone away from pants. I wear leggings, skirts, dresses. (ladies now) no tights with tight fitting waist bands... look carefully. I cannot tell you what a difference this has made. I don't know if i will have to do this forever, but for now.. no pains for 3-4 days, when i was in serious pains - right to left moving to the middle - just as all of you have described..sometimes i couldn't even walk... brought me to tears. I believe the muscle goes into spasm, anxiety goes up and pain increases.. lactic acid builds and it becomes a vicious cycle...
4. Bio-feedback might help some.
I would not suggest continued pain meds as this will not work on a long term basis.
For now, i am pain free.... I continue to pray every day for continued relief from my pain and now that i know I am not alone, i pray for all of you to find the relief the Lord has so graciously granted me.
Take care all. i will check back in to let you know how my "solutions" are working
Blessings to all Diane

Welcome drossim9. :Tip-Hat:

Nice to meet you!!