REALLY BAD HEADACHE AFTER LUMBAR PUNCTURE

[BAGLADY17]

MY 15 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAD A LUMBAR PUNCTURE FIVE DAYS AGO TO TEST FOR LYME DISEASE.  SHE HAS LAYED FLAT AND STAYED HOME SINCE PROCEDURE ONLY TO GET UP TO QUICKLY SHOWER, OR GO TO THE BATHROOM.  HER HEAD IS KILLING HER, SHE'S NAUTIOUS AND MISERABLE. SHE IS DRINKING LOTS OF FLUIDS, INCLUDING CAFFEINE AND EATING FINE. THE ON CALL DOCTOR AT THE HOSPITAL JUST SUGGESTED THAT SHE COME INTO THE ER FOR A BLOOD PATCH.  ANY SUGGESTIONS?

[NomaRoo]

Forgive the type-os, please:  I am on my cell phone. Lol

[NomaRoo]

I had a Lumbar puncture on June 30 (2012) and was pain free within 3-4 days. It's August 5th now and I've been having pain at the site where they jabbed me and across my lower back for about 4 days. My fiancé's mom is a natal nurse and tells me that the doctor who gives the epidurals at her hospital (epidural is similar to a LP) tells his patients that they could have pain, nausea an headaches for up to 2 months after it:  no heavy lifting an no exercising. Running a vacuum cleaner is the most exercise he recommends after such a procedure. (restrict all that for about 8 weeks)  SO, that said, use heat and ice alternately. Get lots of rest and limit standing. Do not lift more than 5 or 10 pounds. And like my doctor told me, if you are having numbness, tingling, loss of feeling in your legs or feets, or weakness, call your primary care doctor right away or go to the ER as there may be a more serious problem!  There can be complications even if your doctor was the best in the world. They are putting a hole someplace that nature never intended and everyone's body reacts differently. Also, personally, I would suggest sleeping when you need to rather than when you think it's an "appropriate time."  A healing body, even a young one, benefits from lots of sleep!

[knzie]

obviously this is too late to help BagLady17, but for anyone else who might be reading this... I had a lumbar puncture a week ago and was unable to get out of bed until two days ago.  Though my pain was rather tolerable while lying down, lifting my head for any length of time resulted in an excrutiating headache.  Following my doctor's instructions, I drank a lot of caffeine, took Tylenol1 and rested.  In my case, about 4 days after the procedure my headache got worse during the night and then was virtually gone by lunch the next day.  After the headache was gone, I started experiencing extreme pain in my back (of which there had been a little before, but not much).  The back pain got worse the next night and then again was virtually gone the next morning.  I am now one week from the procedure and am almost entirely recovered.  I did not have a blood patch and am glad that I didn't.  It was definitely not fun, but it did go away.  In my case at least, patience was all that was required.

[PaulMD]

Hi there.

Headaches are a natural consequence of lumbar puncture but should have already disappeared by the 5th to 7th day.  Sometimes, the extended symptoms of nausea, headaches and vomiting, may not be due to the lumbar puncture, but can already be due to the condition for which the patient has been tested for in the first place.  I'm also not sure if caffeine will help or aggravate the condition and I believe it is best to avoid such.  I suggest you have her looked at by her doctor so that she can be evaluated properly.

Regards and God bless.