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Hydrocephalus/VP shunt problems

I was diagnosed with hydrocephalus a bit later in life than most patients with it, I was diagnosed at age 12 (1999). Last year, I became pregnant unknowingly which increased my ICP, and a VP shunt was placed. As of lately (the last two months) I've had excruciating headaches.. every day, and numerous ER visits later, only to be diagnosed with a migrane. However, the last ER visit I was finally given something else, that some patients with VP shunts have 'shunt headaches'. I've never heard of this, and never had anyone else tell me anything about a 'shunt headache'. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this? I've been told to look into pain management but have no insurance, so I think I'm out of luck until I can get some.. I'm debating on having the entire shunt removed. Could this even be an option? I just really need some help with this, I can't keep living in pain like this.
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My brother is 81. He has had a shunt placed and removed within 8 weeks.
We are waiting to find out if he can recover.  There afe other procedures they can do but who knows what they will be.  The brain shrunk slightly.  Now the fluid will build.....
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My daughter keeps having headache and vomiting sin c e her last surgery 1/15/15. pain management or malfunction?
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Hello everyone,
My daughter just had a revision about 2 weeks ago at age 13. Her las shunt was done at 8 months old and after 12 years she start getting massive headaches and even vomiting of pain after the second day I knew she would need to be taking to ER for shunt revision. When we where in the ER she started being lethargic and her eyes where almost closed. She had surgery and 2days send home. After surgery she has neck pain and not sure if she just has it from surgery and has nots of stress or if something else is wrong..?
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this is literally my life...i just started experiencing really bad tightness and what feels like burning just went to the hospital they saw nothing on the mdi or shunt scans but kept me for observation for 2 nights then sent me home because my neurosurgeon is on vacation and they want me to see him because they don't think its anything major is there  any home remedy because also no type of medicine is helping. Please help
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I am about to turn 58 and have recently been diagnosed with hydrocephalus and early onset ischemic brain disease. I am due to see my neurologist in about 6 weeks and it is likely that he will suggest putting a shunt in. Having read the posts here I am a bit wary of going that route and would like to explore other options. Any form of surgery would be tricky given the ischemic brain disease so I could potentially end up worse off.

What other options would people here recommend?
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Avatar universal
Wow I know exactly how you feel. I was diagnosed a few months ago at 59 years of age. I was complaining of dizzy spells so they did mri and found out I have hydrocephalus and meningioma
. I lost a son at 17 years old do to brain tumor so even though they said it was 95 percent chance non cancerous I insisted on radiation cause was told it was no operable . I still haven't had anything done about hydrocephalus but should have another mri in 3 months really scared. Doctors act like all u have to do is wait and see. If I tell them I'm dizzy pressure in ears they say it's not from hydrocephalus when I know it is.
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