How are VP shunts affected by rain?
With certain amounts of CSF pressure, can the mind be affected as well?
My entire body seemed to be affected by the rain while my tight, "indented" shunt felt crushed.
I hope each of you are finding what you need to live well. <3
Morning Kady.
While I am not sure about the actual research on this subject, there are many with VP shunts who feel the atmospheric pressure around us has an effect on the way those of us with VP shunts feel. So it would not be the rain as such, but rather the low pressure which brings with it the rain, which has it's effect.
I have read of many fellow shuntee's who feel the impact of atmospheric pressure changes including myself. Though not heard on any Neuro professionals who would confirm this.
I hope today is a better day for you.
Sara
Hi Sara,
I do not have any problems with being out in the rain regarding the shunt but I have read about how certain people have problems with altitude.
Some have said being high up, like on a high hill or mountain, the thin air causes pressure to the shunt. They have no problems in a plane though.
When I was a teen, 13,14,15?, I went to Scotland, I went up Ben Nevis and had a brilliant time, no problems.
I went to Wales in 2010, went up Mt. Snowdon and the few days after that I found the shunt was blocking.
I saw a doc in Wales who actually did not know anything about shunts! He was getting his info from the computer.
He eventually told me that I could get a scan in Wrexham and if the shunt has blocked I could go to the hospital in Liverpool to have the shunt unblocked.
Being as we live in Gosport and the hospital where my BI took place was in Southampton, we decided to cut the holiday short and go to Southampton.
And that was not the first time we had to cut our holiday short :).
It sounds to me that VP shunts seem to act a little differently with certain people.
MJ
Thank you for your kind words, Sara. 
The weather seems to bother me often. Lifestyles usually require people to push through exhaustion. However, this is not healthy, especially for those who are affected by something that is connected to their brain.
Shunts being affected by barometric pressure wouldn't surprise me at all because they are such complicated machines.
Hi Kady,
A couple of things I am not supposed to do unless I want to bugger up my shunt is contact sports and deep sea diving.
With contact sports, I have gotten away with lightly. I mean, I have played football with friends who know about me. Even if you played a game of kicking a football against a wall (wall ball) that could be considered a contact sport.
With deep sea diving, I can understand that much more. I have never tried it and never intend to. Pressure of the water would crush your shunt.
I have been swimming in the past and on occaisions would dive under the water, not very far about 1-2 meters.
The last time I went swimming was around 2009,10,11. Even diving in shallow water, I was sure I could hear something, a sound that was coming from my shunt. For all I know I could have been hearing things.
But from then on, I decided to stop diving under the water. In 2010 was when I had my last op on my shunt. So, although my docs told me "NO DEEP SEA DIVING", it could actually mean to not dive at all, or at least for me, that is what it means.
I did return to swimming after the shunt ops but I did not do any diving.
MJ
This is interesting I had no idea people can have these issues. I'm not sure if I'm better or not then based on the following....I'm informed I had a couple of shunts installed and then removed due to infections I then had 2 further Ommaya reservoirs instead which also got infected thankfully the third was and is ok. I remember asking repeatedly when it was coming out!! I laughed and thought they were joking when told it wasn't. I have a skin head pretty much with a matching dent on my head the other side like bad matching antlers. I often say to my kids if I push the Ommaya lump the dent pops out....like a coke can.
Hi Matt, I think, as you say some people are more sensitive than others to pressure changes. Strangely my experience of pressure and Mt Snowdon was not necessarily a good one.
Kady, if you find your mind/memory is being affected it may be worth getting your shunt checked. For many years before a change to my shunt I walked around with a dreadful 'brain fog' and found that I was over draining. Are you able to ask the Neuro team to check your shunt?
Let us know how you get on, and take care.
Sara
Thank you for your support, Sara.
I'm not sure what you mean by "the Neuro team". Are you referring to a group of doctors in a hospital near where I live?
Those days are out of reach as of now. I have not had any neurological examinations since I had a shunt tap after being unconscious around the age of 9.
Life is very different now but still very concerning. I have many problems that mostly affect everything above my shoulders in many ways.
I just posted an elaboration today (May 29, 2015) that is far too extensive for the time that most people have. However, it has at least the majority of the necessary information for my situation, if not all of it.
Although everyone has their own perceptions, I understand what you mean by "brain fog"! I'm sorry to see that you've been dealing with problems like that. I hope you're alright.
I wish you well. <3
Hi Kady,
I think I've said before I notice changes in my balance coinciding with air pressure, if it rises or falls too quickly.
I haven't met a doctor yet who doesn't look at me like I'm mad when I mention this, but I'm sure it's true.
I'm adversely affected when I get congested with a cold or catarrh.
I don't have a shunt, but I'm sure I'm more sensitive to the air pressure as a result of changes in my CSF since the encephalomyelitis.
Just recently although my GP referred me to the hospital , they said they didn't want to see me because they were happy with my last MRI done 18 months ago and I'm not getting headaches.
So, I'll wait and see and hope that my balance improves again when the weather is more stable .
Take care Janet xxx
Thank you for your input, Janet. I appreciate that.
I'm happy to see that you're not getting headaches.
If you ever need a VP shunt, please be sure to talk with as many people who are experienced with them as possible and have as many checkups as possible since they can be very hard to deal with.
To each his own-some people have far less trouble than others with shunts of any kind.
I hope you're having a nice day.
I am not sure how helpful I can be as I know nothing about shunts.
Pre bi I used to get terrible thunder headaches with the changing pressure.
Post bi I have had many fewer and a lot lot less debilitating. I can only put this down to taking hydration seriously.
Love n hugsxx
My daughter has a shunt and does complain of headaches but I am not sure if this is a result of the head injury or the shunt.
Does anyone know if air travel is okay with a shunt?
Most of the issues relating to air travel with a shunt relate to the possibility of high rates of medical insurance that will adequately cover the person travelling without it being deemed invalid. Medically, having a shunt is not a risk, when flying, although if someone has noise intolerance / sensitivity issues, air travel may bring these to the fore.
The environment inside an aeroplane can feel quite alien and unusual, so it possible that this may heighten the possibility of headaches.
I have spent most of the 54 years I have spent on the planet exploring it, a great deal of that involving both long and short haul flights. Aside from my 'plumbing' setting off security alarms EVERY time, I have had no issues, but, at the risk of trotting out the obvious, medically trained professionals are the only ones who can safely advise on air travel with a shunt in YOUR circumstances and are the only ones whose specific advice I would suggest that you trust.
What is and isn't advisable varies enormously with each individual and at different times, depending on how long they are post surgery too.
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