Anyone been needled 28 times in spinal tap?

I had an emergency room visit, and the er doctor wanted to do a lumber puncture to rule out meningitis. She used two lumber kits, and she needled me 28 times. I was in excruciating pain, and she was hitting nerves constantly. The kicker is she got not fluid. (I was dehydrated) They gave me no fluids, and then she sent me home with no sample of fluid. The next day, I couldn't stand up. My head was going to explode, and my lower back and left leg were intensely painful. I went to the neurologist, and he immediately had me admitted to the hospital. I was in there for 6 days, all doped up because of this ER doctor. I am in constant pain from lower back down on a scale of 6 that does not go away. They have put me on Ultram, extended release and my family doctor wants me to go to therapy. My mother wants me to go to a lawyer. The director of the hospital called my mom and wanted to have a telephone conference with her, me and the emergency room physician. I can't live like this, I know. I have been out of the hospital for 2 weeks and I have no relief.  :(  I wonder if I have permanent nerve damage??

[Jules77733]

For starters, I wouldn't have a telephone conference without a lawyer present. If you or your mother (she probably shouldn't be too involved in this anyway except to offer you emotional support and act as another witness, unless you are a minor) say something wrong, that could ruin any chance you have at being fairly compensated for your injury and other damages, should you decide to go the route of litigation and sue for medical malpractice. The hospital will likely record any and every conversation and correspondence they have with you at this point, because they are smart enough to know what might happen in the near future. If you have lost money as a result of this, such as not being able to work when you otherwise would have or medical bills, then I would definitely ask a lawyer for a free consultation to see what they think. Lawyers cost a great deal of money to begin with, but in your case, I cannot see why the hospital wouldn't settle...28 lumbar punctures with no results except obvious nerve irritation and trauma...is really hard for me to even imagine.

I'm not a doctor, but I was a Biomedical Engineering major as an undergrad, so I've taken a decent amount of anatomy and physiology courses...I'm willing to bet that a majority of the nerve damage you sustained isn't permanent. Your nerves are definitely traumatized from the repeated lumbar puncture attempts, so it will likely take several weeks to months for them to completely heal and regain their full function. The pain may go away sooner, but you might still experience numbness or a loss of sensation in certain areas of your body as a result of the damage, and as part of the healing process. There is always the possibility of permanent damage, of course, but this is rare. If anything, only time will tell--but I wouldn't get too worried if it has only been two weeks. Nerves are extremely complex cells, and take much longer to repair themselves than most other cells do. After a lumbar puncture, nearly everyone experiences some sort of mid-to-lower back pain, but this is typically self-limiting.

I hope you feel better soon; keep us posted on what happens!

[bdm92]

I felt your pain just reading your story.  Yes you should get a lawyer asap.  You should probably get an mri of your lumbar region.  28 times, no way could I have been able to take that pain.  I had this procedure done once for a myelogram, I was only stuck one time, but the needle was placed too high on my spine and hit the spinal cord, and it was instant pain as if I was struk by lightening, I didn't walk for about 5 or 6 days, I couldn't even have a sheet on my leg or foot, I couldn't even put my pants on, it was horrible my leg and foot stil botrs me all the time, I am able to walk normal but always in pain.
The headache you had was terrible! I had that also for about three days.  This makes me so angery, this person should have never stuck you that many times,
I would NOT talk to anyone from the hospital!
Keep us posted on how everything turns out.
Best of luck,
bdm92

[crystalhanzelka]

I get spinal taps frequently due to pseudotumor cerebri.  It only takes my neurologist once.  I am sorry you had to go through this.  Stupid ER doctor could have had this done under fluroscopy in the radiology department.  Or could have called an anesthesiologist.  I would have never let anyone stick me that much.  I know you did not know..so I am not saying it is your fault.  I just had a tap yesterday with one stick and I am in so much pain.  I can not imagine how you feel.  I think the ER doctor was trying to practice maybe.  This disgusts me....I am so sorry and I hope you feel better soon.

[Lahoma40]

Thank you all for the comments, and the sympathy. It has gotten no worse, or no better. I will be seeing another neurologist on Monday, the 15th. I am so glad I found this forum. Thank you all so much.

[biggirlinpain]

I am so sorry to here what is going on, I pulled you up by asking the question of Is there any one out there who think they may have a injury due to a spinal cord injury. And i really didn't get much but i was very surprised due to I have an injury similar to your. Now that I have had a spinal tap that was done 6 mos ago their have been no relief for me. I have experienced lots of head pressure, nausea, vomiting, numbness in the hands and feet, burning sinsation in the back of my head, urination and bowel problems, painful back with numbness, loss of feeling total in ceartain places of my back and a stiff neck. Had a blood patch and was offered to me twice and still no releif. Went to a neurologist 2 diffenrnt ones at that every one seems they don't know what is going on or just don't want to be involved. My question would be what do we do. I't been a half a year and I am still depressed and still no answers. Please some one help.

[FurballsMom]

I remember when I had a spinal tap one time.  I felt so sick afterwards.  I felt your pain and nausea just from reading your story.  Since that experience I haven't let anyone do a spinal tap for anything.  And, I hope nothing happens again to give doctors a reason to try to convince me otherwise.  I hope you have success with your legal case, but most of all, I hope you get better.  28 times is just outrageous.  I'm no medical expert or anything, but I thought common sense would've told them that if they weren't successful with the first one or two tries that they should've stopped trying to get spinal fluid.  Instinct tells me that spinal taps are just too dangerous to be done so routinely.