Guest deb Posted November 1, 2009 Posted November 1, 2009 Hi everyone: Does anyone have any experience living with a shunt? My aneurysm ruptured during coiling and I ended up with hydrocephalus and a permanent shunt. Anybody else experience this disconnect from your emotions? Thanks, Deb Quote
charty Posted November 1, 2009 Posted November 1, 2009 Hi Deb I have a permanent shunt which was fitted folllowing my SAH and subsequent coiling. I used to think about it a lot but now I dont. I still have a few problems but none that I have put down to the shunt. Happy to compare notes if you want to PM me Take Care Caroline Quote
rod123 Posted November 1, 2009 Posted November 1, 2009 Hi Debs my wife had a shunt fitted in may this year a month after her sah and at first she said at times it was uncomfortable to lay on that side at night and she was aware that it was there but she never mentions the shunt now so she must have got used to it, some one said to me when Merrills shunt was fitted she has a heart and kidneys that she's not ware of and the shunt will be just like that in time and i think that is proving to be true, hope that helps Best wishes Rod Quote
Guest deb Posted November 2, 2009 Posted November 2, 2009 Caroline, thank you for your prompt reply. Will I have to be checked annually, and what does that entail? I live in the US and about three hours from my doctor, at Mass General in Boston. My doctors haven't told me what to expect, Are you able to work and do all the things you did before? Do you get momentary pressure heaches when you lean forward? I appreciate your caring enough to respond. In February I have to go back for an angigram to see how the coils are holding. Dreading that...had a rough go of it the first time round. Best wishes and thank you again! Deb Quote
Guest deb Posted November 2, 2009 Posted November 2, 2009 Rod, thank you for answering so quickly. I wish you and Merrill the best. Quote
Guest deb Posted November 2, 2009 Posted November 2, 2009 Hi again: Are annual checkups essential and do they involve invasive angiograms? Just not sure what to expect... Thank you, Deb Quote
paul99 Posted November 2, 2009 Posted November 2, 2009 hi debs lin has a shunt fitted permanently although lin is not able to do anything as such the checks you are having is to check its working ok lin has an adjustable shunt which maintains the correct flow of cfs fluid from the brain cavity if this stops working there are signs and symptoms the checking is not painful and therefore something not to worry about unduly it would be propberly a scan which is pain free lins is checked under angiography scanner and adjusted if necessary if you have an adjustable shunt so no pain take care debs Quote
charty Posted November 2, 2009 Posted November 2, 2009 I have to have a scan each year, but not an angiogram, also seeing the neurophyschologist next week. I am fortunate not to get headaches. i have had to take early retirement as I couldnt process the information and function to do the job I had, please PM me if I can help. There are lots of people on here who will offer advice, its a great site that has been tremendous help to me. Caroline Quote
Super Mario Posted November 2, 2009 Posted November 2, 2009 I have a shunt fitted but now, 5 years down the line, it is no longer checked. I have been totally discharged with the instructions that if I get any of the symptoms of shunt failure to go to my local A + E. A fat lot of use that will be methinks. Quote
Louise Posted November 2, 2009 Posted November 2, 2009 Hi there welcome to the site. I too have a shunt have had since the SAH, dont think about it now. only times its niggly is when the weathers bad..... take care Quote
perrycornish Posted November 2, 2009 Posted November 2, 2009 Hi I too have a shunt and it goes mainly unnoticed:) Quote
Guest deb Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 Thank you, everyone, for your advice. "You'll know if something goes wrong," the doc told me. So I guess there's no point in worrying. It's good to know you're out here with such great support and advice. I'll keep you posted. Quote
rod123 Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 Hi again debs, i read somewhere on the internet that aquired hydracephalus is caused through the brains natural drainage systen becoming blocked,so they fit a shunt, but in many cases the brains drainage system clears itself after a period of time, and the shunt becomes redundant, so i rang the brain and spines helpline and they said that in many cases this does happen, i then spoke to Merrills n/s who also backed this up, no one has ever given me this information, except when i asked, and they can scan to check that the shunt is working properly so why can't they scan to see if it is still being used ? but anyway someone else on here may have the answer to that one Quote
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