Blood Patch

[cara61]

I had the blood patch done on Monday, and everything seemed to be fine.  Woke up this morning, got up and the pounding started again.  Is this a normal occurrence?

Cara

[blc1971]

I'm a 44-year-old male who had a lumbar puncture in the ER a few months ago. I had the typical headache afterwards and went back to the ER a week later for a blood patch. For over three months following the blood patch, the headaches continued. They were particularly painful mid-day for some reason, and it was extremely painful when I coughed, sneezed, or bent over. I went to several doctors, all of whom said there was no sign that spinal fluid was still leaking. They wanted to run test after test, which I didn't do, and at least one of them thought I was crazy, I'm sure. Well, I'm happy to report that -- FINALLY! -- after three months, my headaches are disappearing. I still feel them from time to time, but the pain is very faint and much less frequent. It seems my body is finally healing. I had a difficult time finding any information about my condition and my doctors didn't know what to think either, so I wanted to share my story. I hope it helps someone else out there.

[arob2013]

I passed on the blood patch and had a week of spinal headaches (probably the worst pain of my life...) the dr said my options were to have the patch or to drink 2L caffeine. My husband made me guzzle 4 liters of coke I a. Day (and... I'm not a soda drinker)

I woke up the next day feeling fine. Apparently the caffeine helps the blood flow to the site in large amounts and it clots??

Just thought I'd share!

[babybear2200]

Hi Cara,

I had a blood patch Tuesday night after 8 days of the most excruciating pain in my life. I still have a headache and backache but the quality is much different from what it was. I also developed torticollis (muscle spasms in the neck) and tension headaches as a result and the Anesthesiologist informed me the tension headache would stay with me for a few more days but would gradually get better as would my neck. I am also receiving therapeutic massage for my neck.

As you probably found out no medication helps the spinal headache but pain relievers will help with tension headaches that I was told often accompany spinal headaches; I am taking Norco 5-325 and a muscle relaxer. My Drs told me the patch is effective 95% of the time and a second patch is effective in 98% of the 5% that do not receive relief the first time around. Try some pain meds, drink lots of water and caffeine (I alternate the two) and take it easy and see if that helps. I stayed in bed for the most part yesterday to raise my chances of the patch working. If you don't get relief from the meds call your Dr later this afternoon as you may need another patch. I will pray this is not the case for you. Please don't let yourself go through that pain again unnecessarily!

I hope this helps and you feel better soon!

Hugs!