I wanted to find out if anyone has experienced the same problem as I have following the insertion of a peritoneal-venous (PV) shunt.
I had translab surgery to remove the AN on 3/9/2006. After that surgery, the CSF pressure continued to rise, so I had a PV shunt installed on 4/29/2006. The shunt worked like a charm; since the procedure, I have had NO headaches, my double vision went away, my balance improved, and I was able to start sleeping through the whole night. In short, I know it was absolutely the right decision to have the procedure done.
There has been one negative side effect: severe abdominal cramping. Sometimes it's up under the lower rib cage, sometimes around the belly button, sometimes in the groin. My surgeon said that cramping is normal because body is reacting to having a foreign object implanted in it. He said I should take Ibuprofen, and that it would eventually go away.
I took the ibuprofen (6 pills a day), and it had no effect. It's now been a little over two months since the shunt was installed, and instead of going away, the cramping is getting worse. At first, I would have about one episode every two days. About four days ago, it started up and hasn’t stopped since. It's particularly bad when I try to lie flat on my back.
When kids run for too long, they’ll get a cramp that we used to call getting a stitch in your side. That’s exactly what this cramping feels like. Has anyone experienced something similar?
