Pseudotumor Cerebri Treatment in India

Saanvi Ali, a 28-year-old high school...

Saanvi Ali, a 28-year-old high school biology teacher, had always been active and healthy. Over the past six months, she began experiencing debilitating, pulsatile headaches that worsened when she bent over. Her vision would occasionally blur, and she heard a constant 'whooshing' sound in her ears. As an avid reader, she became terrified when she started seeing transient black spots. Her primary care doctor, after noting her recent weight gain, referred her to a neuro-ophthalmologist. A fundoscopic exam revealed severe papilledema, and an MRI/MRV ruled out a brain tumor, leading to a diagnosis of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (Pseudotumor Cerebri). Despite trying high-dose Diamox, her symptoms and vision continued to deteriorate. Her neurosurgeon recommended an elective lumbar-peritoneal shunt to divert cerebrospinal fluid and relieve the pressure. Saanvi was terrified of brain surgery but even more scared of going blind. The procedure went smoothly, though the first few days of recovery were tough with back pain and adjusting the shunt's pressure setting. Within two weeks, the whooshing in her ears stopped and her headaches reduced dramatically. After three months, her papilledema resolved and her vision stabilized. Emotionally, she journeyed from a state of fear and frustration, feeling her body had betrayed her, to profound relief and cautious optimism. She returned to teaching part-time, forever mindful of her health but no longer living in fear of the next headache or vision loss.