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Spinal headache after Blood Patch Question
by hlh6574, Apr 02, 2008 06:40PM
Hello,
I have had a spinal headache for 29 days now. I had a blood patch 13 days into the headache which helped to lessen the severity of headache to the point where I could function, but it did not go away completely. My nuero sent me in again today (day 29) to have a second blood patch performed. I still feel like I have a headache on the top of my head. The anesthesiologist who did the patch said that because the headache had gone on for so long, my head might still hurt because of inflammation and it would get better over the next few days. I am just wondering if anyone had a similar experience after a blood patch and went on to have the headache resolve in a few days. I am terrified the second patch didn't work either. THe anesthesiologist said if this didn't work it was unlikely a third patch would work either.
I have had a spinal headache for 29 days now. I had a blood patch 13 days into the headache which helped to lessen the severity of headache to the point where I could function, but it did not go away completely. My nuero sent me in again today (day 29) to have a second blood patch performed. I still feel like I have a headache on the top of my head. The anesthesiologist who did the patch said that because the headache had gone on for so long, my head might still hurt because of inflammation and it would get better over the next few days. I am just wondering if anyone had a similar experience after a blood patch and went on to have the headache resolve in a few days. I am terrified the second patch didn't work either. THe anesthesiologist said if this didn't work it was unlikely a third patch would work either.
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I had a spinal tap about 2 weeks ago and developed the headache. I am scheduled for the blood patch tomorrow and am frightened by just the thought of it. I don't have any answers for you but thought I would post to let you know that you're not alone. I'm hoping my headache goes away after the blood patch, if I don't run out of the hospital before they do it. I'm so scared to do this but I don't know what else to do. I hope you get some replys from people that can offer advice. I have been reading that you should stay as flat as possible for 4 days afterwards. I hate this. Let me know how you are doing, hope you get some relief.
I had a similar problem to yours... I had a spinal epidural cortizone shot in 2002, which punctured my spinal cord....... I laid flat for 7 days, and when it did not seal I had a blood patch.
In my case, the actual "spinal headache" did go away - meaning that my headache no longer resolved itself when I lay down ---- what happened is that the spinal headache left me with a migraine/tension headache caused by the stress of the situation and the inflammation.
I ended up going to the ER the night of the blood patch. They gave me demerol, then 2 doses of morphine. The ER doctor told me he had given me all that he could legally give me, yet it didnt even TOUCH my headache - when they gave me the morphine, I still had an awful headache and couldn't tell I'd been given morphine. All I could do was cry.
I was admitted, given DHE (an all-stop migraine medicine) to which I had an allergic reaction....... talk about a nightmare.
Fortunately for me, I'd been seeing a great Neurologist who specialized in migraines before this entire episode. He gave me a high dose of Ativan through IV and knocked my butt out for 24 hours...... my husband said I didn't even twitch. When I awoke, I still had a headache, but it was manageable. I left the hospital on 3 Xanex a day......... couldn't tell I was taking them like when most people take Xanex, it barely affected me....
The stress of the entire situation had worn my nerves to where it just wouldn't stop....... but slowly, over a period of about a month, I was able to wean myself off the Xanex.....
So, I believe your doctor may be correct about the inflammation & quite possibly stress causing your headache to remain........ Does it change when you stand up vs. lying down now??
Hang in there
God Bless!
Amy