Jess

[pringlec]

Jess, wondering how you are doing. Hope everything went well with your follow up.

[Jess]

Hi

I am sorry I am just getting to this now, but after I got home my family went away for the fourth of July weekend. I have hydrocephalus as well as Chiari and Dr. Rekate thought that my shunt needed to be turned up. The Chiari is completely decompressed and according to him should not be giving me problems. I have to go back in about a month and get looked at again. He felt that perhaps the shunt that is in my neck was pressing on a nerve. If everything else fails he will go that route, but I want to avoid surgery again if possible. Thank you so much for asking.

[pringlec]

Jess, this might sound stupid but how do they turn up a shunt? I was suppose to have a shunt put in during my decompression surgery but the surgeon decided not to while he was in there. Also, are you feeling better?

[Jess]

They turn up a shunt (if it is programmable) by putting a magnetic device over the shunt valve. They set the pressure on an electronic device that the magnet will set to the specified pressure setting. i am feeling a lot better than from before I had surgery. Since having the pressure changed I even feel a little more improved. The neck pain is my only big hang up right now.

[pringlec]

That is very interesting, thanks. And I am glad you are feeling better:)