Lumbar Puncture Headache

[heidelcampbell]

I went into the hospital with spinal stiffness all the way up to my neck, sickness and headaches. The docs suspected Meningitis. I had a ct scan and then a Lumbar Puncture, they only made one successful attempt at getting the fluid, and i was told it was probably ok because the pressure was low and it took about 20 mins to get about a thimble full. (Low pressure means no nasty bugs round my brain apparently) I stayed on my back in hospital for the next 24 hrs to reduce an LP headache. I got over my virus in about 10 days which thankfully wasn't Meningitis, but continued to suffer with debilitating headaches and back stiffness which caused me to lie down to relieve the pain. This lasted 3 weeks and i was then reviewed by the docs at the hospital and a neurologist. Because i now have no visible symptoms and seem healthy i feel the docs have more important things to deal with than someone with a "bad headache" because they cant see the pain its hard to measure how it affects your life. I was given an injection of steroids which over the course of 24 hrs helped greatly, i can now stand long enough to do a couple of hrs at work but now after 6 weeks still find that i can't get through the day without a few hrs lying down here and there, not good when you have your own business, there's only so much my poor husband can do and i really just want my life back. The docs say i have to wait for my brain to just reproduce the fluid that was lost, but after 6 weeks i still feel as if i have a long wait to get back to normality, as without sounding negative each day doesn't seem to improve i just feel exactly the same as the day before. I'm normally a very healthy active person and lying around doing nothing starts to get depressing.

Can anyone suggest a solution, pain killers don't make the problem go away they just mask it, and don't work that well anyway. The docs are busy and keep suggesting that i just wait for it to go away, but how long do i have to wait.

[HVAC]

Is the headache worse when you stand or sit up? Did you have migraines before the LP?

LP headaches are worse when you rise up and decrease when you are lying flat.

I had a Neurologist say she would not do an LP on someone with migraines because it what you described can happen.

Usually they can do a blood patch soon after the LP, but I am no Dr. but I think six weeks is too late.

I have migraines and had to get some narcotics from my PCP the week after my LP. I only took two. Sometimes when pain takes a hold it is hard for it to let go.  Sounds like you tried that.

Some on the forum have had good luck with acupuncture for pain. I go to a hypnotherapist for my extreme MS pain. I did not think it would work so well as it does.

I hope you find some relief soon,

Alex