Hi JT,

I have had so many variations of headaches, it's crazy. I have had them on the side, on the top, in the front and in the back. That is PTC for you. It's a fickle friend this condition of ours.

The test will put your mind at ease if there is nothing there. But I can tell you for a year I would run to both my neuro and opthamalogist just for them to find out what was wrong and it was usually a "migraine variant" or some type of PTC headache.

Increasing Diamox did help. When you sleep, be sure to prop up some pillows so that your head is a little higher.

Trust me, I have had that top of the head headache and it felt like I was wearing an incredibly tight wool cap. But it's always good to get the test done.

I ask for an MRI every year and am due for on in September. Just to make sure everything else is okay.

Be sure not to anticipate the worst. I am sure that there are enough people on here who can tell you about the headaches they have had.

Good luck!

Hi JT,

Somewhere between shunt operation one and 3 or 4, I slipped and fell and smacked my head really bad. I ended up with a subdural hemotoma. It was small and went away but my NS was not happy and very concerned about it.

DO you have a shunt? I had a neuro apt today and the subject came up. He said an improperly adjusted shunt could cause this under certain other conditions. Kind of freaky.

Hope everything is ok.

TJ

I had one after my 2nd revision surgery in March. My pain was much more intense and meds wouldn't touch me. So I called and went in. My Dr ordered a ct scan and he saw it right away. He then sent me straight to the hospital to have a MRI, after the test the radiologist refused to let me leave the hospital once he saw my results and emergency surgery was done. They went in and made a bur hole in the skull and released the blood, I was there for a few more days. After surgery was horrible to say the least, they make you lay completely flat for 2 days and will only let you have very little pain meds, this is so that you can report any weird feelings going on in your head. I have damage from it, after surgery I woke up with my right leg numb and it hasn't returned and they said it probaly won't, so I had to learn to walk again on that leg, I came home on a walker and later went to a cane and now I pretty much have to hold onto something for support. Mine was because my Dr dropped me to quickly on a shunt setting change. I believe from 110 to 70, so if they ever try to do this, refuse it. Now I have to have ct scans every month, they say once you have got one that they chances are extremely high you will have another. Hope this helps a little. Best of luck to you, let us know how it goes.

I don't have a shunt. It freaked me out when he said it but he said it's really just protocol to get the CT scan due to the change in headaches. He really isn't too concerned about it and thinks that it is just my pressure rising. So, I'm trying to think positively and hoping the increase in Diamox will do the trick. Thanks guys!