Hi Greenbay,
I didn't have a Vp shunt but had a LP programmable shunt surgery 2 weeks ago and I have been having exactly the same thing but in my left lower abd. quadrant....I went to my NS and he said it had nothing to do with the shunt, but it felt like an intestional thing and actually has slowly gotten better over time...don't mean to sound gross but are you having reg. bowel movements (even though this whole time I've been fine in that area)?

He palpated over the area where I had the cramping but I did't have any acute pain from him pressing..just to make sure I would def. tell your NS and see if he wants you to come in or not. Good luck, Jazzy

GBF,

I had all sorts of abdominal problems and tubing issues with my VP shunt. Even since we got the tubing problem straightened out I still have weird abdominal cramping and pain. It comes and goes - worse when I do too much. My NS says it is just my body adjusting to the shunt and since I have had a bunch of abdominal surgery it is just the weaknesses in my ab wall. It has gotten less frequent with time.

Resting has been about all I can do to get relief.

Hope you feel better soon!

Bianca

Hi Greenbay, if you do talk to your Dr. can you let me know what he says?

Thanks Bianca, I was wondering if it was our bodies just getting adjusted to the shunts, I know that the head of the tubing is free floating and I remember my NS telling me it can tie up someones intestines but he said that was not going on...right after my surgery, the nurse put a heating pad on the area that had the pain and I noticed that helped and I have been doing that at home. I have a pill that I take when I need it called "Levsin" for intestional spasms/cramps that I get from my immunosuppressents..I'm going to try that if it gets bad again. Thanks for sharing, now I know its just not "one of those things", Jazzy

Hey ladies,
I was able to get into my pcp today (my NS is about an hour away) and he sent me to the lab for blood work and he wants me to get a CT scan with contrast tomorrow morning. He said he didn't want to take any chances with me having the shunt and all to just "wait and see" what happens. I'm so happy he felt that way. I don't have an appendix or gall bladder and I've also had a complete hysterectomy, so I can rule those things out. Of course, this morning, my stomach/side felt better. Isn't that how it usually goes? lol! Thanks for your responses and I will let you know what I find out :) Thanks again, GBF

Thanks Greenbay, I was talking to my husband and I don't want to wait and see either. I have an appt. in two weeks to re-adjust my shunt again, I was going to ask him about getting an ultrasound but will instead ask about the CT scan, I'm not supposed to have contrast because of my kidney transplant (I had contrast about two months ago and I had to sign all these forms about the dangerous effects of the contrast to even transplanted kidney's and then the tech wouldn't do it until she comfirmed with my NS that it was what he wanted to do and then she argued with him).
Would you let me know what your results are? I'm still having those shooting sharp pains, but they come and go (but I still get them daily). Thanks and good luck, Jazzy

Greenbay - I haven't experienced this (yet!), but when I was researching shunts before my surgery, I saw quite a few posts about abdominal pain over on the UK IIH Support Forums. Here's one thread in particular: http://www.iihsupport.org/index.php?topic=3969.0, but you might check out some of the others as well. If anything, they'll give you an idea of what people have gone through and at what point you should maybe worry.

OMG thank you so much KSMama, it helped me alot, I guess the free floating end of the tube is rubbing up against my internal organs and will have to see if my body adjusts to it, some people described the exact same thing that I was feeling, thanks again for the link you really helped me! Jazzy

I have had my LP shunt since May 7th and I have had severe abdominal pain ever since. I keep telling the doctors it is related to my shunt and they keep saying it isn't. I have had CT scans, ultrasounds, gall bladder tests, etc and everything comes up fine. Has anyone found anything that helps this pain? My just won't go away. I have an appointment with a new neurologist today, I'm hoping he will help me.
Also, while I am writing, After my shunt I had about 3-4 weeks of being symptom free, but then all of my symptoms have returned. I now have vision problems, headaches, etc. My NS says it can't be the shunt failing yet but I don't know why I would get the symptoms back. Anyone have any ideas on that?
Thanks.

Hi bocc,
After my first LP I had all my symptoms return after about 3 weeks, my NS said it could be the shunt is obstructed but he didn't beleive in the test that can be done to check for it (i should have insisted) so then he put a second shunt in which made me drain too much CSF...I do know that they can obstruct so soon after surgery, rare true, but it can happen. I went to my neuro opth after my LP shunt wasn't doing the job and he confirmed my papilla edema had returned so I was able to show that to my NS who kept on wanting me to "wait" and see if it got better...later I got a new NS.

So far, putting a heating pad on has helped me, that site that KSMama listed had some good suggestions.

Sorry you are going through so much and remember to bug your NS (which is what I did) to take you seriously. Many Blessings, Jazzy

Jazzy - I'm so glad you found the link helpful! Since it's such a large board, I often look for answers there.

Bocchinot - I agree with Jazzy, I would stay on top of your NS until you get some answers (and get a 2nd opinion if that doesn't work!). All of your symptoms coming back would seem to indicate some type of problem with the shunt. Is it adjustable? Perhaps it just needs to be on a different setting?

Hey everyone,
I'm still waiting to hear back from my doctor about my CT results. The tech that did my CT said it was labeled as "STAT", but here I am still waiting on results. I called my doc office today and my doc is out of the office today and they are going to have him call me first thing in the morning with the results. They said they have them, but are not authorized to give the results out..ugh! The pain has gotten a little better, but it seems to get worse after I use the bathroom (sorry, TMI I know). I will let you all know once I find something out. Have a great day!

I'm so glad your Dr. ordered it stat, unfort the techs aren't supposed to tell you anything about what they see/or the results since they get in trouble from Dr's. I hope you hear soon what the results are, Blessings, Jazzy

GBF,

Thanks for keeping us all posted on your progress. I hope the results came in and you are feeling better.

Bax - thanks for the great link to the UK site! It's good to hear that other folks have had similar experiences. This tubing can cause all sorts of pains that make me crazy.

Bianca

Sorry, meant to send that last part of the note to KSMama.

Bianca

I finally got the results of my CT scan last night. My doctor called me and said that there wasn't anything major that showed up, but there is some inflammation that showed up in my colon area. He said that he is going to have a GI doc review it at the beginning of this coming week to see what should be done about it. He said I may need to be "scoped" which I'm not looking forward to that at all if that is the case! Hope everyone is doing well and I'm just happy it isn't anything major :) GBF