problems after surgery

[kathy84]

Iam having problems after the first surgry , I have headaches, numbness in hands and feet headaches and nausea I did not have these problems before surgry  and they just did another mri and are saying i have a small leak has this happened tyo anyone any of this ? iam not sure i should have more surgytr

[pandw77]

Explain what hydo is.  Did you have Chiari malformation decompression surgery?  Why and what kind of surgerys did you have?  
My daughter had CM surgery and had to have two surgeries after that for torn patches and then a shunt put in. She is having trouble with vomiting and she has been going to a Neuro surgeon, but he's not helping her with the vomiting. We are checking in to seeing a Chiari specialist.  You keep refering to an Neuroligist, I would seek out a Chiari spcialist like we are. I know I'm not giving you any answers and I'm sorry, but when we find out something I will post again.  
Good Luck

[Anne1721]

I had my first shunt (VP)shunt surgery in 1984,after 6 yrs of being told that there was nothing wrong with me ( my husband had a severe seizure disorder and I was constantly being told I was a nervous"Nellie" due to his surgeries....Okay, I bought that for a while. One day,when being in the local GP's offiice with my daughter the Dr.noticed how ill I was, and asked again. I became suddenly upset and told him to leave me be. He insisted on having a CT-scan scheduled and that is how the hydro was found.
   After the surgeries, about the only thing that was better was the head pain for awhile and the vomiting wasn't so bad...for a few years. In 2001,however, things continued to get worse, and the NS began what he thought would be a one time surgery ( a low pressure shunt...and it ended up to be 17 more surgers, lasting 54 days in a major hospital's Neuro ICU. The last surgery performed,...because the NS was worried I would die, was a programmable (Codman-Hickman). I left the hospital in severe head pain...and the vomiting never has stopped.
   My NS passed away, and since then in the last 7 yrs I have virtually been ignored by all the medical staff. The GP I have has documented the constant vomitting with several admissions. I now have IV Zofran that I admister at home to myself ( I am an RN ) and the pain meds are ridiculous.
   When the pain gets to the point where I can't stand it, I bug the NS's again....( abouut once or twice every year only to be told " I don't know what you want us to do.This is something we can't help you with. "
   Is this something I am going to have to live with ?
Would the doctors that have told me this ( and mind you have I have never "doctor" shopped since this incident....either ! ) Let their FAMILY members go through what I am going thru ?
    I can't sleep for more than 45-to 60 minutes at a time.....
If anyone has any answers ...I am all ears !
Thanks in advance ! :)

[Shane99]

First off, I'm not a health professional, but you might re-consider having a second surgery. Some of the problems you are describing can become very serious.

Did they say the leak was in your spine? Syringomyelia (or syrinx)?

I've had the surgery and I know how rough it can be, but if you don't, the symptoms will most likely get worse and can lead to permanant problems - like paralysis.

I didn't have to go through a second surgery, but I had the headaches, numbness in hands and legs befiore surgery and still have them to a lesser degree. My Doctors caught mine just before serious permanant damage - I have some permanant mild damage as it is.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.