anyone else preggy with vp shunt ??

[groovyjem]

i know this is long shot but just wondered if there is any ladies pregant with shunt to share journey with

 

[jkbmah]

sorry - maybe i am being thick - what is shunt?

 

[groovyjem]

hi jkbmah heres a link that explains but i had mine last year not as a child https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003019.htm

 

[jkbmah]

wow gosh i didnt even know that exsisted - I would talk to your midwife - she will prob send you to a specialist clinic - I am going to one for my exceptionally high cholesterol!

 

[groovyjem]

am going to hospital on 4th may for my scan then and will ask then if will be under specialist my doctor thinks i will and surgeon but midwife didnt seem to know

iam not worried about it as such just wondered if anyone else was in same situation.

do you just get monitored and more appointments to go hospital when under specialist ??? or have you not been yet either as i dont have no hospital appointment until 12 wks 4 days

 

[jkbmah]

my midwife wasnt sure about my high cholesterol either but during booking visit she rang the doc at the hospital who told her to book me n to specialist just to be sure. not had appt for that through yet but she said it would be between 12-16 weeks

 

[drdionne]

I have a VP shunt that I have had since I was ten and had a healthy daughter by normal vaginal birth 2 1/2 years ago. I did have some neurological issues during my pregnancy because (we now know because of studies done after her birth) that my particular shunt is very long and coils around the floor of my pelvis. The baby was able to pin the shunt against my pelvis and block it until she decided to move. Most people's shunts are no where near as long as mine and if the shunt is floating around in your abdomen then there is nothing for the baby to "pin" it against. I only post this as something to be aware of. My OB and neurosurgeon had never seen my issues before. Have a happy and healthy pregnancy!

 

[rhilew22]

Im currently 35 weeks pregnant, I had a VP shunt inserted in oct 2009 (last yr) for hydrocephalus which I only found out that I had end of sept 2009. Im booked for a c section at 39 wks & 2days but if I go into labour myself before Ive been told Im to have a normal birth. I am really worried about all this. Ive been told to wait for appt to see anaethatist to discuss anaestitic for the c sect. I auto thought id have an epidurial but been told now I may not be able to have an epidural due to having a V.P shunt. Has anyone experienced this? I am dead against general anaethatic which they said is the only other optition if I cant have a spinal.

 

[Cloe]

i know this is long shot but just wondered if there is any ladies pregant with shunt to share journey with

Hey,

I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone, there are many women out there who share the same condition. I am one of them.

How far along are you now? Is everything going well so far? Have you encountered any problems?

Just a few months back, I consulted my doctor and he told me that there is no reason why women with a VP Shunt should not get pregnant. BUT he specifically pointed out to me that I should not get an Epidural (because of the pressure change involved).

My fiance and are in our first TTC#1 and my NMT is the 24th of August, 2010.

I would love to hear from you and share my story.

Warm Regards,

C.

 

[Hunnybear]

For those of you ladies who have these shunts, I have a question. I read about what they are and why you get them but I just have a question. Do you have open drainage holes in either the abdomin or cranial points? And what kind of "maintenance" is involved in having a shunt? Sorry, just inquisitive! Hope you don't mind! Also, do you have to keep them in forever?

 

[Cloe]

For those of you ladies who have these shunts, I have a question. I read about what they are and why you get them but I just have a question. Do you have open drainage holes in either the abdomin or cranial points? And what kind of "maintenance" is involved in having a shunt? Sorry, just inquisitive! Hope you don't mind! Also, do you have to keep them in forever?

In my case the drainage leads to the abdomen. In regards to maintance, check up every 2-3 years (which means to check if I have no health complaints, no headaches and to check whether or not the shunt is still draining liquor properly). Ehm, yes, also in my case I was told I will have to have it in forever. An average shunt has a life cycle of 10 years, but I have heard of so many people, who have had one shunt for 15, 15, 27 years. I also have to take antibiotics every time I have the flu or an infections so no bacteria can "nest" on the shunt. Ah, sauna is not allowed for me anymore, no extreme sun bathing and any kind of extreme sports. But there are a lot of differnt types of shunts out there, so I assume it is a bit different for everyone.

Regards,

C.

 

[Elle Vee]

I'm 26 and I've had my shunt since I was 9. I've had 3 revisions but been good since 1997. However, I found out when I was 20 that I had a tumor on my brain stem which may have been the original cause of my hydrocephalus. As that is my story, I found out today I was pregnant. If anyone have any advise on what I should do or who I should talk to first that would be excellent. I've read reports on women having successful pregnancies but shunt malfunction and I don't like the idea of more surgery. And also neurological issues...if anyone else has a tumor. Thanks!

 

[DeffleeMe]

I'm 26 and I've had my shunt since I was 9. I've had 3 revisions but been good since 1997. However, I found out when I was 20 that I had a tumor on my brain stem which may have been the original cause of my hydrocephalus. As that is my story, I found out today I was pregnant. If anyone have any advise on what I should do or who I should talk to first that would be excellent. I've read reports on women having successful pregnancies but shunt malfunction and I don't like the idea of more surgery. And also neurological issues...if anyone else has a tumor. Thanks!

Hello,

I am 28 with a vpshunt placed 2009 due to hydrocephalus caused by a brain stem tumor. I am ttc but worried about complications and such...How are things going for you?

Thanks

 

[k22tte]

After searching google I found this forum. I am due to have a VP shunt within the next month, after only finding last week that I am going to have this we have had to put trying to get pregnant on hold. And have found this thread very useful as I never even asked my consultant about pregnancy with a shunt, it was really the last thing I thought off.

I was wondering if any body would be able to answer some of my questions I have...

 

[Cloe]

After searching google I found this forum. I am due to have a VP shunt within the next month, after only finding last week that I am going to have this we have had to put trying to get pregnant on hold. And have found this thread very useful as I never even asked my consultant about pregnancy with a shunt, it was really the last thing I thought off.

I was wondering if any body would be able to answer some of my questions I have...

Hi I am Cloe,

I am 11 weeks pregnant and also have a VP shunt.
I just read that you have your shunt placing still ahead of you and I wish you all the best!!! Everything will be fine, but I honestly think you should focus on yourself right now and put the baby thought aside for a year or so. It will take time to get used to everything after the surgery and recover.

I would love to help you with all the questions that you might have. My surgery was 5 years ago.

Long story short, feel free to ask anything you want!

Good luck and a speedy recovery!

Cloe

 

[christalklear]

I am 8 weeks pregnant and have a vp shunt. I was curious any one else have lp shunts prior or during delivery? How did you deliver?

 

[groovyjem]

hi all i was just looking back on some old threads i made and come across this one .... thank you all who replied and sorry never got back to you x

am glad this thread has helped people but unfortunately i carnt now answer any questions about how pregnancy went with shunt as i found out at my 12 weeks scan i had mmc ... hence maybe why i totally forgot about this thread but we got straight back on the ttc wagon and still going

k22tte if you have not already i wish you good luck for your op or hope you are now having a speedy recovery any question feel free to ask or pm me.

 

[MommaX2]

Hey, Everyone,

I'm 24 yrs old, will be 25 in early may of 2011. I myself, have a vp shunt, the biggest kicker is that I've had my shunt in place since 1987, I had the first one put in when I was 4 months old, it was then replaced due to it becoming blocked, when I was a year old. I'm now 16 weeks pregnant with my second child.

Now, due to the fact that my neurologist has never seen a patient whose had a shunt, and become pregnant I was told I could not have a natural delivery, mostly due to the fact that they were afraid that during the pushing phase of labor the shunt would become dislodged. But now with finding this message board, and reading other peoples experiences, I'm going to discuss with my ob, the option of having a natural delivery with the assistance of the vaccum, or forcepts. But I also think the biggest debate is at to wheather or not my shunt is still functioning. I've had some recent MRI's but no one can tell me if it still functioning. And on top of that due to my insurance its very hard to find a neurologist who takes it. My insurance is Medicaid.

If anyone has any suggestions or even what you think, please let me know.

 

[SapphireGirl4]

I also have a VP Shunt. I was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and shunted at age 3, and then had to get re-shunted at age 9 after I fell on the playground at school, and hit the side of my head with the shunt (right side). I'm now 30 years old (and single still), but I've always had a fear that getting pregnant would be an issue. My neurosurgeon (who I see once every 2-3 years) has completely assured me that he has seen cases of women with hydrocephalus who have carried to term without complications. My GYN states that I would be considered a high-risk pregnancy, and that I would just have to be closely monitored when the time came. (My drainage is in my stomach)

I've always tried to google information on pregnant women with hydrocephalus, and came across this forum today. So thank you for having this forum!

 

[PreciousMM]

Hi there,

I had a permanent shunt put in over 15 years ago. My doc says that everything should progress the same as a usual pregnancy. I am feeling more pain on the side on my belly where the tube descends but doc says that it is probably scar tissue. I'm still waiting on a call back from the neuro to know whether natural childbirth or c-section is advisable.

Almost 6 months in and Mom and baby look great.

Good luck