Hello! And any help with my VP shunt problem?

[Millymax]

Hi Everyone,

First, a Big Hello! You don't know how great it is to find others with hydro that you can talk to! (Actually, you probably do!!!)

I've had a little mosey round the forum, and my first thought is how blooming lucky I am! I had a VP shunt fitted about 14 years ago after subarachnoid haemorrhage -- and no major problems at all. Some of you guys have really been through it.

That makes my teeny tiny problem pale into insignificance. But it worries me ... so here goes ...

About 6 months ago I got sore patches along the track of my shunt tube, across my chest. There was some swelling, and the areas were very tender.

No evidence of raised intracranial pressure, apparantly, but my chest was painful.

I went to see a loavely neurologist who was baffled. Never seen this before. He thought it might be scarring in the tube track, and suggested I should massage it. Which I did, and the soreness did go away.

Then it came back. And every now and then, I get the soreness, and tenderness and swelling.

Anyone else experienced anything like it? It's blooming annoying!!!

[MandaPearce]

Is it directly along your shunt tract or is it just blotches around your chest which you are worrying may be the shunt?
Have you been to your GP?

[Millymax]

Definitely along the shunt tract. Sometimes there are swollen areas that are tender to touch, usually where the tube goes over my collar-bone.

I've seen my GP. She referred me to the neurologist earlier on, and she's sending me back again. But I don't think they have much of a clue. I'm hoping I'll find someone else it's happened to who knows what I'm talking about!!

[Brandon's Mom]

Well, the first problem is that your GP sent you to a neurologist. You already found out neurologists know NADA about Hydrocephalus and shunts. You need to see a neurosurgeon in order to get that looked at. Only a neurosurgeon is educated to help you.

[Millymax]

Of course!! Neurosurgeon -- makes complete sense, now you point it out!

Thanks for that. I'll get in touch with my GP and change the referal.

[KathiDG]

I ditto on Joy's post....check in with your neurosurgeon....sounds like infection, but I could be wrong....

[Millymax]

Yeah, I was worried about infection. But they found no intracranial swelling or any of that stuff -- but that's not to say that there isn't local infection along the shunt tract, I suppose.

Hey, ho. Neurosurgeon here I come!

[GTF]

Guess what? Last year & a half ago I developed a soreness across my right chest area.
Hurt BAD. I had to take T3's because of it.
I went to a neuro. X-rays, flash MRI, touchie feelie. Ouch that hurts!
He said isn't most likely scar tissue. I think they call it adhessions.
Anyway he said take the T3's as needed and see what happens in a year.
Either that or they would have to remove and replace both my shunt tubings.
It's a year or so later.
Guess what? It still hurts but it's minor enough to ignore.
Maybe you have the same thing.

GTF

[monicad1974]

Should we all not have a regular NS that we have a check up with at least once a year?

[Millymax]

GFT -- I love you!

You're the first person that I've come across who's had what I've been talking about . And yes, it sounds just like what I've had!

And -- ow! -- don't like the sound of replacing tubes! So long as there's no major danger with all this, I think I can deal with it like you do: '... minor enough to ignore.'

Adhesions, huh? Well, I just Googled the word and found a site called the Internatinal Adhesions Society (who'd have thought it?) and they say this:

An ADHESION is a type of scar that forms an abnormal connection between two parts of the body... By far the most common kind of ADHESION is the one that forms after surgery. ADHESIONS typically occur at the site of a surgical procedure although they may also occur elsewhere.


Now, that makes me think that a fair number of us will have had hassles from the wretched things -- yet nobody tells you about it! Probably because they're not life-threatening.

And Monicad, I quite agree -- we should be seeing a NS regularly for a check-up.