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To: ptc@yahoogroups.com
From: enformer@...
Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 15:06:58 +0000
Subject: [ptc] Hi I'm New Here

Hello Everyone. This is my first time here. I found this group doing
a search for support groups.

I was looking for a place I can talk to people about PTC that
actually understand. Well I'll tell about myself. First I am from
Pennsylvania.

I was first diagnosed back in 2002. I started the medication
(Diamox), had multiple LPs done and went on a diet. In 2004 it went
into remission. In 2005 it came back. Not real bad like before but it
was back and I was very close to losing my vision because of the high
pressure on my optic nerves. The headaches were annoying but not to
bad. Now its 2008 and its acting out in rage. I've had a non-stop
headache for 2 1/2 weeks straight. I was put in the hospital because
nothing was making it go away. I had a spinal tap and it did go away
for about 6 hours before it came back with a passion. After a week
and a half in the hospital on morphine and dilaudid, I still had it,
so they decided to put in a VP shunt. That was last Friday. Now I'm
starting to get a headache again so I don't know if maybe its not
working or needs adjusted. I know its only been a week. I go back to
the neurosurgeon tomorrow to get these awful staples out my head and
stomach.

I'm starting to wonder if it was a good idea to get this shunt put
in? Besides the throbbing in my head where they cut it, I've been
headache free basically. But every now and then I feel a twinge like
its trying to tell me, its gonna come back. Anyone else here have the
VP shunt put in? And also, I've read stories on the net that said,
sometimes when going thru a store with those anti-theft alarms by the
door, that it can turn your shunt off.. is that true?

And one last thing to those that have had the shunt. Does your
stomach ever stop hurting from where they cut it at??

Thanks for everything.
Gina