vp shunt problem later in life...

[fairygurl82]

My husband had a VP shunt placed when he was a newborn; he is now thirty and for the past week has had terrible pain around the shunt. He says it feels like the skin is tightining around the shunt. He can barely turn his neck anymore, is disoriented, and has severe headaches. He went to the ER and received little help. We have a follow up with a new neurologist, but everyone is scratching their heads right now. They said the CT shows possible dialation but not sure if this is new or from the hyrocephalus he had as a newborn. He is in pain and needs help; should we consider another VP shunt being placed or could this be something else?

[Dr Vinod]

Another shunt is a last thing you have to do if nothing helps.
You have to visit a good neurologist/neurosurgeon and follow up the diagnosis as what is the reason of the present problem? If it is shunt related then go in that line of treatment whatever your neurosurgeon tells you.
Have patience and go for the best possible treatment for your husband.

[warga1]

make sure he gets a programmable shunt put in if they have to put in a shunt.

[mom5sheila]

Please inform us how your husband is doing.  My son is 30, as an infant recieved a shunt and is now doing horrible.  
We have a hundred disgnosis!!  Looking for help!!
When we was hospitalized 2 weeks ago and given high doses of antibotics - that was the first time we saw him as his old self in 15 months.  Now we are back where we started!
Help
concerned mom

[RobynW]

I too got my shunt later in life, at age 17, and Im 42 now.  I have been having this soreness around my shunt site on my head and my stomach has been upset....I also have a horrible taste in my mouth.  I have an appt with my neurosurgeion next week so I'm curious to see what he says.  I have had 2 children and had no issues with the shunt until now.  I will keep you posted.

Robyn

[heidle9]

Hi, I am a 28 year old female who had a VP shunt placed at 6 months of age.  It went great, but for the last 5 years I have had horrible pain around my incision in my abdomen.  No other problems.  Went though CTs and Xrays, saw a neurosurgeon, general surgeon, and my regular doctor.  The neurosurgeon said he would be more inclined to do surgery if he had done my 1 and only shunt revision when I was 13.  The general surgeon said I should put ice on it.  Basically, noone was alarmed, just adhesions.  Too much scar tissue where the skin doesn't even lie correctly, as it is being pulled too much.  I have been getting acupuncture for the pain for months and it is working.  In the last 2 weeks, the pain came back and my acupuncturist wants to talk to my last surgeon and see my xrays and CTs.  She will go into my abdominal scar area and break down the scar tissue, making sure not to hit the shunt itself.  She can tell there is scars pulling and lots of inflammation in the area.  She has gotten rid of much of the inflammation until this flare up.  I am excited for the breakup of it, but scared at the same time!