Should I be testing my shunt?

[dagaz]

After what happened this summer, ... read my other thread for more info I please:( I am afraid to touch my shunt bulb thingy let alone push it in to see if it re-fills fast or takes forever, what should I be doing? Thanks for your advice.

Dag

[CoolAngel28]

After what happened this summer, ... read my other thread for more info I please:( I am afraid to touch my shunt bulb thingy let alone push it in to see if it re-fills fast or takes forever, what should I be doing? Thanks for your advice.

Dag

Consult an NS before you do anything...Hang in there..

[monicad1974]

Please do not pump your shunt...Your neuro should only do that... You could have an issue without a doctor present. Your shunt drains on it's own. If it's not right you need your doctor...

[LIZARD]

Backin' up Kris and Monica here. Pumping is now known to be unreliable in determining shunt function. I was actually taught when, how, and how many times to pump my shunt as a kid (about the only thing I was told about hydro :rolleyes: :( ), but in nearly 40 years, I haven't touched it more than 10 times or so. If you have not been given specific instruction on how to pump a shunt, you should never pump it, plain and simple. Also, a programmble or a shunt with an anti-siphoning device should never be pumped. See a nsg ASAP, and make sure to see one who is experienced in treating hydro. Not all of them are.


Good luck!!

LIZARD :)

[Nick,Brian,andJon'sMom]

I agree with everyone else. Don't pump your shunt. Only your NS should do that. I don't even let Jonathan's other docs touch his shunt. Had a bad experience with a resident who wanted to do that and I told them no.

Marcie

[KathiDG]

Backin' up Kris and Monica here. Pumping is now known to be unreliable in determining shunt function. I was actually taught when, how, and how many times to pump my shunt as a kid (about the only thing I was told about hydro :rolleyes: :( ), but in nearly 40 years, I haven't touched it more than 10 times or so. If you have not been given specific instruction on how to pump a shunt, you should never pump it, plain and simple. Also, a programmble or a shunt with an anti-siphoning device should never be pumped. See a nsg ASAP, and make sure to see one who is experienced in treating hydro. Not all of them are.


Good luck!!

LIZARD :)

I'm with LIZ and everyone else on this one too...up until August, I had a non-programmable shunt. I still have it, but I am now without doubt that it is not working anymore. I found out at my last NS follow up that this Strata valve can also be pumped, but he also said there is no need for me to do it.

I was taught MANY MANY years ago how to pump and turn off the old shunt. My ped neuro said to pump it once a week. This was back in 2000 or so. Since he retired and I'm seeing my current guy, he says don't touch it.

I can definitely understand the comment that pumping the shunt is no longer reliable to see if it's working anymore. Mine pumped just fine, and appeared to drain on its own, but when it came to shunt study/shuntogram, the tracer did not go through on its own even after 35 minutes so the doc had to pump it.

I would just find a neuro you can trust (if you don't already have a good one) and let him/her deal with it.

Pumping the shunt won't tell you anything, and sometimes even tests won't tell you much...take it from me. I had almost a year's worth of testing and lost my job because my neuro wasn't sure what to do for me until August. Now I'm glad he did because in actuality, I was in shunt failure/malfunction. BOY WAS I A TRICKY ONE TO FIGURE THAT OUT ON! I am NOT textbook at all when it comes to symptoms.

[Lemontree]

Hi,
I don't remember ever pumping my shunt either. My mom said that on one of my past one's she did, but this one is nearly 29 and I don't mess with it.

Good luck to you!

Lemontree

[Nikki_Poohs Mom]

Hi Dag,

Another one here in agreement on not pumping your shunt. I'm sorry to hear of all your summer sorrows. I hope everything gets much better for you.

Hugs~

Nina

[AMBush]

My daughter's NS is adamant that we are NOT to touch the shunt...."don't even look at it!" ;)

[baitcatcher35]

I pumped my shunt twice one time for no apparent reason other than to see how fast it filled up. I ended up with a subdural hematoma in which I had to have surgery for. The NS said that my shunt must have just finished a draining cycle and the added drainage by the pumping caused a sudden drop in fluid which caused the bleed. In other words I wouldnt touch it.

[JSARDONE]

I am new to this but, I am having a lot of problems right now and really don't know who to turn too. I have a programmable shunt and last monday night spent the night in ER running test. I am dizzy all the time, like the room is spinning and sick to my stomach. I get sharp pains at my temple where the shunt is and headaches all the time, the doctors cannot figure out what is wrong. My ER doctor has suggested a shuntogram. I have a appt. with NS 11/17 to follow up. I have not felt myself since my revision on 2/1/06. Has anyone else had systoms like these? My gut feeling is that my shunt is not functioning correctly, but the CT scan shows that nothing has changed.

[LIZARD]

I am dizzy all the time, like the room is spinning and sick to my stomach. I get sharp pains at my temple where the shunt is and headaches all the time, the doctors cannot figure out what is wrong. My ER doctor has suggested a shuntogram. I have a appt. with NS 11/17 to follow up. I have not felt myself since my revision on 2/1/06.

Just a guess, as I'm just a hydro patient of 40 years and don't have a programmable, but I'd ask about your pressure setting. It may not be right for you. If you can survive 'til the 17th, ask your nsg about that. The ER doc was smart to mention having a shuntogram done, too. It could give you an idea.

(((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))), and hang in,

LIZARD :)

[canadianlistener]

If your doctor won't listen to you and ignores you, pump your shunt. If that is the only way you can get it to work, go for it.

Robert

[ian]

I strongly disagree with u Robert thats not a good thing ... i have been told many times by my NS under NO circumstances am i supposed to touch my shunt .. mum was told only her and my G.P are to check the shunt to see if it is still working

[LIZARD]

I have read info in recent years that said pumping actually is not an indicator as to whether the shunt works or not, and if it's not done properly, you can damage it and cause overdrainage or even cracking or breakage. I agree with Ian wholeheartedly. If you haven't been carefully instructed on when, how, and how many times, don't touch it!


LIZARD :)

[ian]

Hi Lizard
that scares me alittle coz i went to see a physican in late december 2003 and he ordered a scan and it showed 'mild over shunting (overdrainage?) a copy of the scan went sent to me and my nsg. and the nsg got back to my G.P and said there was nothing for me to worry about .... thats not a good thing i think .... :confused: :(

[sdsures]

Ditto. I used to pump my non-programmable. It was deemed OK to pump it occasionally to check function. Now, with my programmable, that's a big no-no.

[dagaz]

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply, Thank you all for your advice. I did talk to my NS that day and she (the one on call) She said to try to see if it refills once. It's very slow but it did refill. All I need is to go for more surgery...NOT!!

Thanks again...