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Do the severe headaches eventually go away?

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Guest
Guest

My wife had a lumber puncture 10 days ago. the procedure itselfe went ok and she did not experience any immediate pain or discomfort. She was warned that she might experience headaches for a few days following the procedure. In practice she has been suffering extreme headaches and pain in her neck for the past 10 days. She gets reliefe when she lies down bur as soon as she attempts to raise her head the pain becomes severe again. She has been back to A&E and was put on a drip and given two litres os saline along with paracetomal. The pain subsided marginally so she was allowed home gain. However she has since experienced what she describes as the worst pain in her life (including child birth). Caffine seams to help more than anything else. She has been told that what she is experiencing is typical and effects up to 25% of lumber puncture patients. She has been re-assured that the headpain will eventually subside and she will return to nomal. It has eased a little over the past two days but she is still unable to get out of bed for more than 2 hours before the pressure and pain in her head builds up again and she has to lie down. She is now worring that this might never go away. there are plenty of experiences of a similar nature on this site but no one seems to advice if th pains eventually subside and they go back to normal. can anyone help so I can give her some re-assurance.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Cogley
    Cogley

    Posted

    Hi, I had a very similar experience from a spinal block during a c section..It has now been six months since the birth of my son but I am still experiencing awful headaches and pressure in my head..I am lying flat writing this post!! Please tell me your wife 's headaches went away..I have been for numerous MRI and scans and thankfully they are clear..The neurologist thought it was a leak from the needle so I have been for two bloodpatches but unfortunately they did not work sad Any advise and help welcome..Thank you..
    • krystine77
      krystine77 Cogley

      Posted

      Hello there, are you still having these problems? I am trying to find someone to talk to. Thanks!
    • Cogley
      Cogley krystine77

      Posted

      Hi Krystine77.

      I'm afraid Im still having some headaches but I'm doing alot better since I wrote the last post.I finally found a neurologist who knew what he was talking about and said that the spinal block I had caused a brain irritation which in turn caused me to develop chronic migraine and daily headachessad I'm on migraine tablets and painkillers daily for my headaches to try manage them and in Jan of this year I went for botox injections which were a great help.I went again 3 weeks for my 2nd round of injections and have noticed improve ment thank God.I hope this is of some help to you.x

  • samUS
    samUS

    Posted

    Hi -- I'm having a Lumbar Puncture tomorrow (in US) and the nurse who called told me a headache can be a side-effect BUT: if it lasts more than 24 hrs, there may be a (leak?) from the puncture site -- and she said, it's not common but it does happen. They fix by having the patient come back in, they draw some blood from your arm and inject it into the space in your spine. --She made it sound like, since the spine is a closed system, it has a certain Correct Pressure in there - a puncture can change the pressure, which makes sense for causing headaches.

    http://ms.about.com/od/multiplesclerosis101/a/postlp_headache.htm

    They say you can also try Saline patch or IV caffeine

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