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spinal tap

my girlfriend had a spinal tap this past tuesday night 4/2/08.  she has since had a terrible headache that is the worst she has ever had.  it lessens when she lays down.  friday 4/4/08 she went to the er.  they tried all kinds of pain meds & magnesioum & nothing helped.  she is still in pain.  now she is coughing thick brownish stuff up from her lungs.  her back is very sore & ache & her neck is killing her.  she doesn't want to spend hours at the Er to get a blood patch.  will the leak stop on its own?  can she die from this?  will it cause more complications if she lets this go?
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thank you for your concern.  she went back up to the hospital last night.  they admitted her.  they wanted to do a blood patch in the morning.  this morning a differnt doctor looked at her & said that it is a tension headache & they are going to send him home.  i told her to stress how bad the headache is when she is up but ok when she is laying down.  she had the spinal tap done cause she had been very sick & they thought maybe she had meningitis.  she did not.  now she has this problem.  at home her pressure is up.  as long as she lays down she is fine.  but she has a baby to take care of & can't be laying down all the time.
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Avatar universal
Hi pookey8342, how are you and how is your girlfriend doing? Relax! I do understand your feelings towards your girlfriend. You need to have patience and convince her to get re-examined by the attending ER doctor or it is far better to directly consult a neurologist even without referral from attending doctor as she is in severe pain following the spinal tap. Her headaches might be due to increased pressure followed by tap. Does she have fever and have you noted the blood pressure level? I feel she requires immediate care by a neurologist, so take her for a faster evaluation. Can you give the reason for her spinal tap? Please update her progress. Take care.
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Avatar universal
If it that big of a concern, you need to go to the ER.
Just because she doesn't want to spend hours there, does not mean she should ignore all that is happening.
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