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gearcar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Jan 2006
Posts: 8
Location: saint john nb
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Lumbar Puncture Negative Pressure Headache
Posted: 01-03-06 12:37pm
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I had a lumbar puncture performed on oct
14 at the emergency department of the
hospital. I had a fever of 103 and a
severe headache so they did the lp to look
for causes. At the tests were negative
and the fever disappeared after about 24
hours. I have had a severe headache
since that time caused by a leak of spinal
fuid due to the lp. I had a blood patch
done on oct 16 which alleviated the pain
for 5 hours and then it returned. I am
unable to sit up for more than twenty
minutes before the pain becomes so that I
am nauseated. If I lay flat however the
pain
goes away.
My doctor says that only time can make the
headache go away. I am unable to work at
all. I seemed to be getting a little
better just before christmas and forced
myself to shop for 3 hours two days in a
row. This put me in bed totally unable
to lift my head without pain.
Does anyone know what I can do. I have
been asking my doctor if there is anyway
to tell if it is still leaking but he
tells me simply time will build up the
fluid level.
Does anyone know if an mri would determine
if the leak was still present. I have had
a ct skan of my head which was negative.
Please give me some guidance if you can.
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edplisner
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Nov 2005
Posts: 30
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Posted: 03-06-06 13:42pm
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Depending on the degree of severity, it
may or may not show up on the mri. I
would recommend going to a phsyician and
having them write you a prescription for
physical therapy, as a prescription will
allow you to receive care at no cost to
you (dependent upon insurance). Finally,
when you see the physical therapist, they
will be able to closely look at your
condition, and recommend further care.
Also, have you thoguth about a specialist?
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fatfamily02
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
Posts: 3050
Location: Georgia, USA
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Re: Lumbar Puncture Negative Pressure Headache
Posted: 03-06-06 14:07pm
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| gearcar
wrote: | i had a lumbar puncture
performed on oct 14 at the emergency
department of the hospital. I had a
fever of 103 and a severe headache so they
did the lp to look for causes. At the
tests were negative and the fever
disappeared after about 24 hours. I
have had a severe headache since that time
caused by a leak of spinal fuid due to the
lp. I had a blood patch done on oct 16
which alleviated the pain for 5 hours and
then it returned. I am unable to sit
up for more than twenty minutes before the
pain becomes so that I am nauseated.
If I lay flat however the pain
goes away.
My doctor says that only time can make the
headache go away. I am unable to work
at all. I seemed to be getting a
little better just before christmas and
forced myself to shop for 3 hours two days
in a row. This put me in bed totally
unable to lift my head without pain.
Does anyone know what I can do. I
have been asking my doctor if there is
anyway to tell if it is still leaking but
he tells me simply time will build up the
fluid level.
Does anyone know if an mri would determine
if the leak was still present. I have
had a ct skan of my head which was
negative.
Please give me some guidance if you
can. |
i had the exact same thing---puking for 5
days from the pain--and I am no weakling
for pain. They did the blood patch and
it worked for me---it just means in your
case the blood patch did not take.
they need
to do another it will not go
away---and you are leaking your precious
spinal fluid into your body. I could
lay down on one side and could feel the
fluid in my head run to the other
side---like I was 1/2 empty. I was
drinkin 64 oz of water every couple hours
to no avail--for a few minutes the
headache would let up---but I still
couldnt even get outta bed. It would
pound so hard. Most horrible pain I
have ever had--worse than child birth.
Had to ride a cart in the grocery
store--and still puked on that trip.
They need to do the patch again--it will
not go away. The headache he is talking
is nothing like this---he is mistaken. I
had a headache after all this--and I dint
even barely feel it. After such agony,
it was nothing. He is wrong seek
help---the blood patch did not stay--i am
certain of it--you need another.
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edplisner
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Nov 2005
Posts: 30
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Posted: 03-06-06 14:14pm
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It does sound like you need a new
patch...Keep us updated!
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gearcar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Jan 2006
Posts: 8
Location: saint john nb
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Posted: 03-07-06 09:01am
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I have had three further blood patches.
The second one was very bad. I had to
stop the doctor when she was injecting the
blood as the pain down my right leg was
severe. I was unable to move that leg
after the procedure for about 10 minutes.
The neurologist simply states the only
solution is to continue blood patches
until the headache ends. The
anesthologist is willing to keep doing the
blood patches until the headaches go away
but as he stated it is easy for him to say
and much more difficult for me to agree
to.
The last blood patch was just yesterday
and I was completely pain free for about
20 hours. At this time while I am sitting
up at the computer I am able to feel a
pressure building in my neck and head and
I am hoping that it will not turn in to a
full blown headache again.
I have a mri scheduled but that is not
until mar 03. I would like to see the
results of the mri before I subject myself
to another blood patch if it becomes
necessary. In the meantime I can only
pray that the severe headache will not
return.
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fatfamily02
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
Posts: 3050
Location: Georgia, USA
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Posted: 03-07-06 12:08pm
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This all began in oct---well...I can say
you are a bigger 'man' than me. No way
could I take that for all these months.
.God I pray this time works out for
you.
Yeah...The pinched nerve is common in
lumbar puncture---course they are suppose
to be so good at it, not to pinch your
nerves. Thanks for updating me.
.God bless you
ps and I just noticed this morning it is
an old post--and that this all started in
oct. My goodness.
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gearcar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Jan 2006
Posts: 8
Location: saint john nb
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Mri Performed
Posted: 04-12-06 14:35pm
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I have had another blood patch with no
results and am still having headaches that
will not allow me to work. The mri was
done but I am still awaiting the results.
My insurance companies are getting antsy
because no-one is able to give them a date
for return to work. This morning I got
up for about 2 hours and felt wonderful
thern boom the pressure was back and I had
to lay down to get some relief. Can't
travel and sure couldn't fly anywhere.
Depending on the results of the mri I am
going to try to get another opinion.
This neurologist keeps saying to continue
with the blood patches however he should
be in my body when the procedure is being
done. I would put up with anything if it
would work but it isn't.
Does anyone have a suggestion of any other
procedure.
I can't even visit with my grandkids for
over 45 minutes because it requires me to
move my head around too much. Life is
pretty desperate and with the insurance
companies getting troubling I may have to
try to work which I know is impossible.
Sometimes I am at the end on my rope and
just wish it were all over. Anyway that
is a little morose. By the way I am a 54
year old woman who has had great health
until this time except a small basil cell
carcinoma which has also been dealt with
while I have been off work.
I looked into other sites in which some
people are mentioning surgeries but all of
these seem to be major steps.
Help !!!!!! Anyone
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sandyallen
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
Posts: 4580
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Posted: 04-12-06 16:54pm
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Have you thought of getting another
opinion, are you taking something for
nausea? Pain? Has your dr classified
you as unable to work? What about
disability? Keep bothering your dr until
he can help you or find someone else who
can!
Good luck!
Keep us posted!
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gearcar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Jan 2006
Posts: 8
Location: saint john nb
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Hanging In
Posted: 04-12-06 19:47pm
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Yes I am now on disability but it is the
insurance company that is giving me a
difficult time.
I am on tylenol 3 for pain and gravol for
nausea caused by pain.
I am getting my results of the mri next
week and plan on insisting on a second
opinion. Hopefully someone else can come
up with a solution.
In the meantime, as long as I pace myself
and lie down as soon as I feel the
headache start ( I made two hours up
today!!!) I will continue to survive.
Thanks for the support. It is much
appreciated
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gearcar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Jan 2006
Posts: 8
Location: saint john nb
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Posted: 04-22-06 09:32am
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I have just got the results of the mri and
it did not show anything. I do not know
if the fact that when I lay down the
headache goes away has any bearing on the
mri. It is all done when I am laying down
and by the time the testing began the
headache was not there. I do have an
appointment for a second opinion...On july
5. My gp seems to think that I do not
have a headache caused by the original lp
but for some other cause. The current
neruologist has said to continue the blood
patches, in his words it sometimes takes
five or six to work. The gp says not to
do further blood patches. There are
painful and if it is to no advantage, why
subject myself to another one.
How do I wait until july for another
opinion. Living is canada, healthcare is
free but not always convenient. I am at
my wits end. If I could simply resume my
life, work and live I certainly would but
how do you work when you are in pain
unless you lay down.
I am wondering if I were to make an
appointment in the us if I could see
someone sooner. Problem is I cannot fly
with my head so it would have to be east
coast maybe as far as boston. Anyone
have any idea if you wait forever to see a
doctor?
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gearcar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Jan 2006
Posts: 8
Location: saint john nb
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Posted: 11-07-07 15:45pm
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Just thought I would update eveyone. It is
now over two years since the original
lumbar puncture and I still have the
headache. They did a procedure that
injected a solution of my own blood
platelets made into a gel into my back at
the original incision site but it did not
close the leak as the headache persisted
after. The procedure itself was never
done before and it was watched by a number
of health professionals however everyone
was so intent on watching the monitor that
they almost forgot about the patient. My
blood pressure was about 40 over 20 when I
finally got a nurses attention. I was OK
in a while but no change in the pain.
It is very frustrating as I am no longer
able to do much having to lay down after
being up for two hours at the most,
I am also now addicted to the drugs that I
have been taking (oxycondin and fenatyl
patch) and have terrible sweats that I
think are attributed to the drugs.
I would like to try eliminating all the
drugs and simply try to suffer the pain of
the headache but I don't know if this is
being realistic.
Has anyone done anything similar. Parhaps
some sort of pain management with drugs
that are addictive.
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CarolDiane
Supporter
Joined: 23 Sep 2007
Posts: 2225
Location: Finally a picture to a name,
Thanks: 87
Thanked:126
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Posted: 11-16-07 08:33am
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Blood patch is the only thing that is
going to help this. LP's give the most
horrific headaches worse then a migraine.
I hope by now you are feeling better
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