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: