Lumbar-peritoneal shunt

[Endless]

Has anyone here had an LP Shunt (Lumbar-peritoneal shunt)? for any disorder - hydrocephalus, IIH, etc. It is a shunt that drains CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) from the brain, down into the abdomen.

What has your experience been like, both before and after surgery? Is your Shunt working? Did it work first try?

Most of what I've heard about it is bad. But I know it's not all bad. It has a 50% success rate. But that doesn't count how many people suffer from horrible side effects afterwards. So I don't know what to think.

It's really early in the process, but my neurologist has been talking shunt for my IIH. I told him "no way," but I'm still trying to learn about it. If my vision continues to get worse, when it reaches a certain point I may not have a choice. A shunt will be needed to lower the CSF pressure in my brain to save my vision. I'll just have to do it. (Blindness is one of the potential results of IIH)

Like I said, I think I'm a long way away from this. But I'm also reading from others that you can be fine one moment, then blind the next, so I want to be prepared with the knowlege I need.

Anything anybody who has had one - your input would be appreciated.