Pain from Ligated Shunt

[Smithybadger60]

I have had six shunts fitted since 1976 . In March 2014 rather than proceed with a 7th brain shunt my neurosurgeon recommended that I opt for ETV procedure instead . As part of this process my last ‘ operational ‘ was ligated ( cut / sealed ) to prevent over drainage of the CSF . However I still have the valve mechanism and the other part of shunt ( along with a number older shunts ) still in place . I get frequent pain around the valve at the back of my head . Has anyone had a similar experience ?

[Matt2584]

Hi Smithy,

I was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 1996 and because of the tumors location (brain stem) it was blocking the flow of CSF so I had to have a shunt installed.

The tumor calcified which means it is continuously blocking CSF and I have to keep the shunt in at all times.

From 96 up until 2005 the shunt was working brilliantly.

In 2005, I was diagnosed with a cyst in my back against my spine. The operation was simple but “somehow”the surgeon managed to dislodge my shunt. I ended up having an emergency op where they replaced the shunt.

In 2006 I was back in hospital because this new shunt had basically fell apart.

In 2008 the shunt had blocked/malfunctioned and in 2010 the shunt had blocked once again but I had another op afterwards because during the first op I had a haemorrhage and blood got into the shunt. The 2nd op was to completely flush out the shunt.

I haven’t been in a hospital for ages now and I never want to be in one again quite frankly.

I do believe that diet plays a hugs role in our health.

When I was little, my diet was terrible. A pure junk food diet, full of sugary foods and rarely and fruit or veg. This was when I went through neurological problems.

Growing up, I slowly came away from all the sugar (refined sugar) and began feeling a lot better for it too.

Now I eat a lot more fruit and veg and try to consume as less sugar as I can.

I realise not many will agree but I do think that my diet was reason for my neuro probs.

[Smithybadger60 in reply to Matt2584]

Matt sorry to hear your woes . Shunts as you are aware are susceptible to blockage / infection albeit the latter very infrequent . I was due to have some of the 5 remaining shirts removed and biopsy done on the mid brain but it was deemed too risky . This was to be done along with the ETV and I had hoped I would be shunt free ... instead I get a lot of pain from the shunt valve which I think still works and releases CSF into the short piece of shunt from my head to collar bone where it is ligated . I get lots of headaches daily and take Tramadol , Rizatriptan and Paracetamol to stay on top of this . I am not sure what effect diet has but I do eat lots of fruit and veg and stop taking alcohol 7years ago . Need to take lots of water though!

[Matt2584 in reply to Smithybadger60]

Sorry to hear what you have been through and what you are eperiencing now with the shunt.

I know I have been through a lot and I consider myself very lucky that I am not going through recurring problems with tumour or shunt.

I used to get frequent headaches after my bout of operations but now that I have changed my diet I rarely get them.

As we both know, brain injuries affect people in different ways and everybody is different as well. A change of diet has definitely made a massive difference on me but it might not do much for others, who knows.

I am glad to hear you eat fruit and veg, that is always good to hear that :).

Can I ask though, do you consume a lot of sugar? I mean, sugar is virtually everywhere. Sugar is in almost all processed foods from the supermarket, it’s in fast foods, it’s in fizzy drinks, it’s in condiments, it’s in biscuits etc. Sugar is addictive and is considered a drug (refined sugar that is).

So although fruit and veg consumption does help, ditching sugar also helps.

I haven’t ditched sugar completely but I have got rid of a lot of sugar from my diet and it has made a big difference.

[Smithybadger60 in reply to Matt2584]

Hi Matt , I have cut back ( a few years ago ) with my sugar in take - don’t have fizzy drinks and stopped taking sugar in tea and coffee. Being retired now I have more time and inclination to cook from fresh ingredients so keeping an eye on sugar and carbohydrates . I think they key thing for me in keeping properly hydrated and that means drinking a lot of water each day !! I have tried cutting back and changing medication via my GP & Neurologist but one theory is due to number of brain ops some damage to the nerve pathways has occurred meaning some of the pain is probably false stimulus !

[Matt2584 in reply to Smithybadger60]

Ah yes, keeping well hydrated is important too. When I was younger I probably didn’t hydrate myself as well as Imshould have and when I did drink it would be a fizzy drink which isnno good.

As I got older, my brother (who is a chiropodist and knows quite a bit about science) he told me to hydrate myself more and drink more water, so I did. I found that had helped me out a lot too.

Later I found out that most tap water contains very small strains of fluoride in it (sodium fluoride).

What is sodium fluoride? It’s poison. And MicroGrams of the stuff is added to most drinking water!!

Not only is it in the tap water but in toothpastes and mouthwashes too. I could pick up a tube of Colgate toothpaste or mouthwash and amongst the list of ingredients it will say “sodium fluoride”.

So I think you may have guessed that I don’t touch commercially sold toothpaste or mouthwash now and I don’t drink water from the tap much either.

But what I would like to know is why? Why would they add poison to the water?

I hydrate myself with coconut water now that I buy from hralth shops.