vp shunt gas and bowel issues

[knd01]

I have searched and searched online for answers - and cannot find much of anything on this...
I have a 9 yr old child who has had a VP shunt since she was only a few weeks old.  She has never had a revision and so far no "detected" shunt issues (we have been for CT Scans and MRIs numerous times with false alarms).

BUT - she has always had bowel trouble -and it seems to be constant gas!  She has also has been taking Myrlax on and off for about 2 years now - another note would be that her belly is constantly "bloated looking" and she doesn't eat that much!!!

The question(s) that I have are this...
1. could the gas issues be coming from the shunt - she is at that age where it is getting really embarrassing - and she constantly has to excuse herself from class and the dinner table to "pass gas"
2. Same thing basically but with the bowel issues - could they be coming from the shunt? and the shunt being the reason why she has such trouble with her bowels?
(she doesn't go for days at a time - and when she does it is either large - or it takes SEVERAL trips to the toilette and she has the runs)
3. If it is/could be the shunt - at what point should I be alarmed? Or what are the signs of the tubing causing tears or anything like that (in her stomach or intestine areas)
(I know all the signs for blockage/backup)

I want to find help for her!  
KND

[knd01]

Hello -
If you are vomiting along with it I would def go to the neurologist and have it checked out - possibly even a gastro doctor.  This is the route I am wanting to take with my child now - going to a gastro specialist - as the neurologist has not seen any of this as an issue.  We do go in for another CT and Xray series in two weeks, just routine follow up - if we find out anything I will post here.

[sharij]

My husband and I have been discussing this very issue the past few weeks- and he has mentioned it more than once in the past year. I had a shunt put in- 31 years ago- I am now 42. I have always had bowel issues as long as I can remember, constipation same as you explain with your child. I am now having huge gas issues as well.  Stomach swelling til I thnk it will pop, and then vomiting to rid myself of the pain. Nearly anything as much or as little as I eat, will make me gas up.  I was searching here to see if there is a connection- something I have never thought of before for some reason- and saw only your post