Hi Vicky! Welcome to the club! Sorry you had to join. I don't have any advice, I don't have a shunt, But there are wonderful people on here that can talk you through their experiences and the process of it all. Again, welcome and try to relax, everyone here is awesome!

Thanks Nicole !!! Glad to meet you!!! And yes hoping to get input from people that have it!!!

Hi Vicky and welcome. Yes, we are a bit divided about shuntting. I have a VP shunt since dec 08 and its effects last ten days! It is working, but now they think it can not cope with the amount of scf I produce. I was to have a second VP shunt placed last Sept but in the interm, my ventricles collapsed, Thats it for me.

My opening pressure at the time if diagnoses was 49 and with the shunt , it is in the mid 30s.
I also had pretty bad paps, which only got better two months ago!

But, I was quite willing to do the second surgery.I felt at the time , it was worth it, and save my eye sight.

I still have constant headaches and visual balence problems.
Thats the holy old truth, from me.

But, we all are different! You will not know until it is done if it will be a sucess. But I do think, since I joined here, one point has become apparent to me. If, after a lumbar pucture, you only get hours relief...think carefully about a shunt. It does seem to predict how effective the shunt will be.
For me, I only every got about 10-12 hours relief. Did nt put this together till now. I am not sure I am right but it is worhth thinking about Cath.

Thanks for the info Cath that is were I am confused I thought the vp was for people that did not get help from taps (which I didn't except 1 time the others either caused pressure to drop too low and required blood patch or had no effect at all). I will just have to wait and see!!!

Vicky,

I think it is the other way around. If a LP helps relieve your symptoms then there is a good likelyhood that a Shunt will work. I went thru a Lumbar drain test that completely eliminated my HA so I went for the shunt. I have been HA free most of the time since getting a shunt but am having some issues with my peritoneal absorbing the CSF.

Good luck.

TJ

I got a shunt, and while it is not perfect, I would do it again, It worked wonderful for 6 months and since then I have been fighting doctors but that 6 months was worth it and I hope to get there again.

Hi vicki!
I had my VP shunt placed on may 25 2010 aftger being diagnosed in march. Since then I have had minimal amounts of headaches. my NS first did a lumbar cath drain to releive pressure and it helped each time, however 20min later the headache would stgart to return. I explained to them everytime it drained was like a good pee. Just a sign of relife! However I have been having problems absorbing the csf and has been siting in my peratenial wall. I feel and look bloated often. Overall I have been doing fairly well with the shunt.

Thanks so much...,,, everyone your comments and replies are helping me so much!!!! Please keep them coming the more I learn the better prepared I will be!!!! Had MRI on Thursday to check for any more damage next I will go to the UAB Hospital and see neuo surgeon!!! Fingers crossed!!!!

Hi Vicky,
Brand new here myself!
I have been through quite a bit with shunts. I had a lumbar peritoneal shunt for a year- it helped for awhile- but could not handle the pressure my body produces. I now have a foramen magnum shunt (to pleura). I have had 2 revisions in the past year, but it has saved my sight. When it was first placed, (July of 09) I was headache FREE for four months- it was like having a new life! I am hoping to get back to that point again.