Author Archives: brockettv

Grrr…

Since July 2013 I’ve been feeling vibrations inside my head, pain down
the right side of my neck where my catheter is, pain in my abdomen and stomach,
feeling the catheter clog in my stomach, four seizures ( in October and
November ) which I haven’t had since I was 3 months old before the shunt was
placed, numbness in parts of my head, pain on the shunt valve and
pain/throbbing in random places in my head, over drainage and csf pressure
buildup in the back of my head and forehead ( this happened last Friday and has
happened multiple times since July. He did say it could mean the shunt is
clogged in one area, but they’re not sure.  He wants me to make an
appointment to see him next week so we can discuss the matter again. Not sure
yet if I want to do this.  I could see the benefits of hearing more of
what he has to say. I’m also not in the mood to visiting their office.
 It’s obvious the shunt is over draining and I would need a new valve
which is the only way to resolve some of these issues. The catheter in my
stomach could also be dislodged and hasn’t been replaced since 1993.  I
think I need it replaced, but they’re hesitant to do this for the reasons
mentioned above. I’ve been given all sorts of pain medication which does
nothing to relieve my symptoms. I have no way of relieving the pain I feel.
 I’m going to try and get an appointment with another neurosurgeon to get
their opinion. But how much longer? 

August and then some…

I suspect I’ll have a shunt revision sometime next week. After playing phone tag with the doctor’s office ( my surgeon spent the last two weeks working at the hospital ) I may actually get some answers on the day of my revision.  Of course, as always the shunt decided to give me the worst day ever today.  Even while I was sitting in the movie theater this evening watching The Lego Movie, the interior of my skull felt like it was going to burst open. This week I recorded the following shunt activities: 

2/3/14 – Sharp
pain on shunt valve at 3:20am (multiple times), 6:30am (multiple times),
7:57am-8am, 8:34am (multiple times) with pain in stomach/abdomen
simultaneously.  Pain on shunt valve
(multiple times) at 8:53am, overdrainage at 9:12am in forehead/back of head.
Pain on top right corner of head at 10:16am, pain on left distal catheter at
10:22am (multiple times) with pain on shunt valve at 10:24am, 5:58pm. Pain
behind right ear with pain on top right corner of head at 10:50am, pain on top
right corner of head at 12:16pm, 12:48pm. 
Vibrations in back of head all afternoon. Sleeping too much.   Vibrations in back of head at 6:05pm. 6:11pm,
6:25pm, 6:27pm with pain behind right ear. Pain on shunt valve at 6:34pm with
nausea, pain in stomach. Nausea in stomach/pain at 6:57pm.
2/4/14 – Pain
down right side of neck at 5:15am with pain on shunt valve and throbbing/pain
in abdomen/stomach area.  Sharp pain on
shunt valve with pain in stomach at 5:41am, pain in abdomen at 7:15am, 8:30am
(with pain on side of neck/shunt valve at 8:40am.  Pain on shunt valve at 10:48am, 1:16pm (with
pain down right side of neck). Pressure buildup in forehead with pain in
abdomen near ’93 revision scar at 1:35pm. 
Pain on shunt valve at 2:21pm with pain in abdomen. Abdominal pains
continued into evening hours every hour multiple times 3pm. 
2/5/14 – Sharp
pain on shunt valve multiple times with pain in stomach and right side of neck
at 1:26am (with pain on left distal catheter multiple times) 4:11am, 8:04am.
Pain on left distal catheter at 8:16am.  
Sharp pain on shunt valve at 9:15am, 9:30am (with pain on left distal
catheter) pain on shunt valve at 11:34am (with pain down right side of head).  Pain in stomach at 11:47am, pain on shunt valve
at 11:54am, 12:05pm, 12:13pm. Vibrations inside head multiple times at 12:52pm.
Pain down right side of neck on catheter at 3:39pm.  Pain in stomach at 3:41pm. Pain on shunt
valve at 3:59pm. Pain top right back corner of head at 4:27pm. Sharp pain near
’93 revision scar at 6:55pm. Pain on shunt valve at 7:14pm.
2/6/14 – Pain
on shunt valve with pain in abdomen near ’93 revision scar at 5:47am. Pain on
shunt valve at 4am. Had gated walk around 4:11am. Cramping and pain in
stomach/abdomen at 7:44am, 12:27pm. Pain in abdomen with pain on shunt valve at
11:19am, 11:25am. Cramping/pain in abdomen near ’93 revision scar at 1:41pm. Pain
in stomach 3:14pm.  Pain on shunt valve
at 5:56pm,  6:09pm, 6:14pm, 6:16pm
(multiple times)
2/7/14 – Pain
on shunt valve at 3:25am, 5:17am, 6am with pain in stomach and abdomen.
Pain/vibrations in spinal cord during early morning hours while in bed around
5am.  Pain down right side of neck at
5:30am. Pain on left distal catheter at 7:40pm, pain on shunt valve at 8:47am.
Pain in stomach, abdomen around 10:06am. Vibrations inside head multiple times
at 10:15am-10:16am. Pressure buildup in forehead at 10:36am with pain in back
of head and stomach.  Pain on shunt valve
at 10:43am. Pain in lower abdomen at 10:47am. Pain on shunt valve and right
corner of head 11:15am, 11:26am (with pressure in forehead) pain in back of
head and pain on shunt valve again at 12:34pm, 12:36pm (multiple),
12:52pm.   Pain down right side of neck
on catheter behind ear at 12:53pm. Pressure in forehead at 1:06pm. Pain on
shunt valve at 1:09pm, 1:13pm, 1:48pm (with pressure in forehead) Pain behind
right eye at 1:57pm. Pain in back of head and on left distal catheter at
3:01pm. Pain on shunt valve at 3:13pm. Pain on shunt valve multiple times
between 5pm – 6:15pm, 7:26pm, 7:28pm with pain on top right corner of head and
pressure down back of neck.  Pain in top right corner of head at 7:34pm. 

The shunt didn’t interrupt my ability to enjoy the movie and I don’t allow it to interfere with my work during the daytime.  I don’t know what happened today, but it was the worst pain I’ve felt in week…which is why I’m going to bed tonight before 8pm.