Headaches and spinal taps/lumbar punctures

I had a lumbar puncture last Tuesday and the headaches are still bothering me. Anyone else had an issue like this?

I had a Lumber puncture last year and they told me to lie down the headaches will last about 2 weeks

Hi PG,
I’ve read that some of the most positive diagnosis are made after a lumber puncture. I hope
the headaches clear soon. xB

Oh wow.. that's not my experience thank goodness.. poor you. I was forewarned about headache so insisted that I be booked in for overnight stay. you need to lie flat for at least 12 hours and sip water through a straw to stop dehydration.

I have had three and they have all been fine.. nothing to worry about..you hear a lot of scare mongering about lumber puncture quite unnecessarily. Did you get a positive result?

It's nerve conduction tests that I hate most.

I had a lumbar puncture in 2011 in a hospital, in my bed. I think surgeons did it. I was told to lie still and not move around for two (not twelve!) hours, I had no headaches afterwards.I don't remember drinking a ton of water. The results were normal. It did not hurt much. I was told to lie in a fetal position and be still during the procedure.. The nerve conduction tests (I had two) were unpleasant but not painful; put it this way, alot less painful than the dentist's drilling (w/ithout a novocaine shots---- which I always insist on, double strength!!!!.) The test I hate the most is the MRI which also doesn't hurt but is confining, creepy and noisy.

I had a lumbar puncture as a teenager and only found out recently (because of poor memory or only being given patchy info back then) that it was for suspected meningitis!

What I do remember from my experience with lumbar puncture was that the first attempt misfired and the needle scratched some part of my spine but the second attempt succeeded. I had to spend a few days in hospital for observation and to allow my lower back to 'heal'. I remember too that I was warned that I could experience headaches and, possibly, nausea for some days after the lumbar puncture. I do not know if it was a direct result of the first attempted lumbar puncture that hurt me or just a normal affect of a lumbar puncture but for some days after the procedure I could not walk! After much effort and a nurse suggesting that I would not want to spend the rest of my life wheelchair bound, I started to walk again - in much pain at first then as normal after a fortnight or so. (Oh! The irony!).

I hope you feel better soon,

Michael.

Dear PG, I've never had a lumber puncture. Just wanted to wish you well, and hope the headaches subside soon! ;o)

Hi

You can go back to the doctor who did it and request a 'blood patch' to fix it. This is where they inject some of your blood into the hole to stop the CSF from leaking. The leaking CSF literally causes your brain to 'sag' as there's not enough cushioning fluid around it, thus causing the headache. In retrospect I obviously should have done this and wouldn't have suffered the most vile headache for two and a half weeks!!

Good luck

Poppy

Thank you

rose said:

Dear PG, I've never had a lumber puncture. Just wanted to wish you well, and hope the headaches subside soon! ;o)