Pseudotumor Cerebri Support Group
Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) is a neurological disorder that is characterized by increased intracranial pressure, in the absence of a tumor or other diseases affecting the brain or its lining. Diagnosis requires brain scans and lumbar puncture. Characteristic symptoms are headache, transient visual obscurations or transient visual loss in one or both eyes usually lasting...
Hello quick question does anyone have a shunt and a stent
My NS wants to try stents before doing a shunt Revision
For the people who have stents how was the surgery
Pain wise
How long was the recovery
How long did you stay in the hospital
My NS wants to try stents before doing a shunt Revision
For the people who have stents how was the surgery
Pain wise
How long was the recovery
How long did you stay in the hospital
I had my shunt surgery at the end of July and i haven't really felt any different my NS changed my setting from a 12 to a 8 last month thinking that would help and it didn't so now he wants me to re-look at the stents which I hope it works because I don't want a shunt Revision
In 2010 I had two stents put in my transverse sinus (one on right and one on left) to open up narrowed veins. Now in 2012 I have gotten a VP Shunt. My NS feels that the shunt would have been a better option for me then stenting first but I had a different NS at the time who felt the other way around...there isn't really one right way to do it. Stents are still controversial and not as commonly used as VP shunts for this disease. However these are my experiences - Before my stents I had papilldima, chronic daily headaches and migraines, and the horrible whoosing in my ears. After the stenting my papilldima went away, so did the whoosing, but my headaches have not changed at all. Now two yrs later, I have a shunt and my left stent is 20% narrowed already - very dissapointed and concerned as to what this means next for me. After my shunt (had it put in September) I am still going through adjustments etc... and have had some relief from my everyday headache pain. Not complete relief but I don't feel as much pressure. My eyes, also look better than before surgery so its great. Personally, I felt that I needed to try everything I could first before shunting because it was such an invasive surgery and I did try everything. So when it finally came time to shunt I knew I did all I could. If you have narrowed veins, then you'll be considered for a stent , but looking back now I should have just gotten the shunt right away when they told me I needed one. Also, my pressures before stents and shunt was 34, now after my stents it went down to 24. I don't know where I'm at now with the shunt because its very new but I hope this information helps you a bit.
The surgery for the stents is very easy to recover from - nothing like the shunt. You go in one day and come out the next with just a pin prick in your groin area where they went in. You head feels a bit sore because your body as to adjust to the stents but you're up and going right away . Its pretty amazing. If you've ever had a cerebral angiogram (I've had 3) its just the same except they are putting stents in and not just measuring gradient pressures, etc... in your veins. Message me if you have more questions, I'll be more than happy to help. But this is a personal decision you have to make, and these are just my experiences.
Hugs,
Mandy :)
I do know a little about the stent surgery I talked to the guy who is going to Perform it when I had my Angiogram done but I think what scares me is that what if it doesn't work what if it's just another failed surgery but i guess that's the chances I have to take
Glad I could help a bit - stenting is kinda scary sounding I know but its much easier than the VP shunt to get through! I'm sorry to hear the VP shunt didn't help you that much - I was hoping I'd be in less pain after it too but there hasn't been any dramatic changes. Frustrating.
Your right it is a decision you have to make. If your going to spend the rest of your life wondering "what if" then maybe its something you should try - you never know. At the time I figured I had nothing to lose. Like I said I had 80% blockage in each vein and then it opened them up almost completely with the stents. But now my left is already narrowed after just two years?? How can that be - no one told me they could continue to narrow after the stents - I have had blood clotting issues but I don't think this is the problem - but then again I only know as much as the doctors are willing to tell me.
Think about it, message me with questions if you want. Am thinking of you. You could always get a second opinion if you wanted as well.
:) Mandy
Sorry your shunt isn't helping. I'm the opposite where I have stents & now being told I should also have a shunt.
It shouldn't really be about what they think you need, that's not how it works here in UK. There is a 50/50 split opinion on both posibilitis, 1 is that IH comes 1st causing high pressure that squashes the veins inturn causing stenosis. The other is that the stenosis comes 1st and blocks the veins so the csf can't flow causing high pressure.
Both make sense and I believe that people are different and you could be one or the other. The way to test is reduce the pressure and if stenosis resolves then your high pressure caused it & you probably need a shunt. If the stenosis doesn't resolve & pressure comes back then you are the later & probably need stents.
In my situation, I had stenosis but no high pressure then a few weeks later got papilledema & presure was high. So in my case, I don't have idiopathic IH, I have secondary as we know it was caused by the stenosis.
That said, they are recomending a shunt for me now as I have a tumor/clot stuck inside my stents that cannot be treated. I am the only person known with stents to have this so it is not expected to happen to everyone.
All I will say is, a shunt can be removed if it's nnot helping whereas stents can never be removed, you're stuck with them for life!
I hope this makes sense how I've explained it. My brains not working to capacity right now so hope I haven't confused you. Best of luck, Stefanie x