I have a programmable shunt, had it put in 6 months ago. I'm still learning about them myself, had to have the settings changed a few times already. Feel free to friend or message me, I'll try to answer any questions the best I can.

My son has a programable shunt in and it is running on 2...That has to do with the amount of fluid released over a period of time to release the pressure on the brain...My son was running on 1 1/2 but it was giving him hell so they changed it to 2 and is doing well...He went in to see his neurosurgeon and he pulled out a round magnet and put it on his head where the shunt is and turned it clockwise...and that was it ...end of visit..he told me to write down what his shunt was running on so if he needed to go to the hospital they knew straight away if it had to do with his shunt,...hope this helps...

hello,
I had the strata programmable vp shunt placed in 08/2009. It worked for a while. In 08/2010 i had the sophy programmable vp shunt placed. So far it has been working, As side from it having to be inserted in an alternate route b/c of excessive scar tissue.(stems from having a distal tube in me more than 10 years old, and them my bowel "kinking" within the strata valve) I have had other problems, not known to me.....bladder and bowel problems, intestinal problems. My shunt is working good, set at 3 (draining 110ml/H20) . Does get tight at the valve sight; doctors says that is normal. Otherwise, no other complaints with this shunt. Hope this helps.

I had one placed in July, 2005 after two medium flow valves failed. My current valve is set to a medium flow and so far it hasn't needed to be adjusted. But, to tell you the truth for me it doesn't feel like a normal valve at all. I feel pressure and discomfort, and it's an almost constant reminder that I have Hydrocephalus. I've had several CAT scans since my surgery and everything has checked out fine, despite my discomfort. If you have any questions feel free to send me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Hello there...A J Here.

At my last surgery they put in a programable shunt. I don't understand alot about it, but I know that they can adjust the shunt with a hand held gadget. My doctor did adjust mine a little at my last checkup...just glad it works.

A J

I had a Codman-Hakim programmable shunt put in in in January, 2006, and surgically revised in February that year (the abdominal end had "coiled up" and was not draining properly and ICP built up again.). The hydrocephalus was blamed on scar tissue from the three posterior fossa craniotomies that I had to remove brain tumors (1986-1990-1996, and the 25 radiation treatments in 1997.)
The shunt has been no problem. In 2009 the setting had to be changed a few times, but that is done in the office with a magnet, not with surgery. The NS was a little concerned about possible "slit syndrome" (overdrainage). It has been OK since. I recently had several weeks of headaches and other sympttoms that I was afraid were ICP building up again, but the CT is OK. The shunt is apparently doing its job. I was recently put on Topamax, and that seems to be relieving the headaches, which are called migraines. I'm also on Co-enzyme Co Q-10 daily to prevent migraines. In the past I was on Pamelor (nortryptilline) for a while.
BTW, I'm 68. KK