recently diagnosed

loosing weight is a good thing if u have bih..... it was gune of 2005 when i went to hospital far the first time and my reading was 39.5. i'am still going reguarly to hospital doing the lp....... i just went last monday and reading was relly high................. it was 33. i'm taking diamox 3x a day... if u go reguarly to hospital doing the lp u don't have to be scared. good luck.

dont be scared it is really daunting as you feel like no one else has it etc etc

I had my first LP Aug 2004, and I had never heard of anyone having it before. I continued to have them monthly for a year and then eventually had to have a VP shunt as after loosing weight and also being on Diamox above the Uk rec amount (it can go higher with consultants permission - side effects awful) I was 23 when diagnosed and hated it but you live with it, some people never get raised pressure again others like me have a shunt, i found it helped to talk to others who have experienced it so you are on the right track and feel free to ask any questions. oh tip for you if you ever have to have another LP ask for a saline drip straight after - recover so much quicker or drink pepsi max or take pro plus - my consultant told me that trick and it works!!!!

I think the key factor after you have an LP, is to stay laying down for 6-8 hours (24 if you can). It will GREATLY reduce the chances of having a post lumbar headache (crawling to the restroom). Not trying to frighten anyone, but the neurologist that gave me my first LP did not tell me to lie down so the puncture could patch, and I ended up in extreme pain for about a week. As far as losing weight goes...I know they say weight is a factor in IH...but do they REALLY know this? Has it been proven? I have lost 60 lbs. and I am still getting the headaches. The papilledema is down, but I'm sure the Diamox did that for me, not the weight loss. Weight loss is ALWAYS key to health if you are overweight..but don't beat yourself up, and feel guilty if you are struggling with weight. You have enough to struggle with right now. Instead of putting TOO much effort into the weight loss, try to do one simple step at a time. I started with drinking more water every day. Then, I started filling half my plate with some sort of vegetable. I didn't completely cut fatty foods or sweets, but ate them in moderation. Simple steps. Don't overwhelm yourself, and don't let your doctor put too much emphasis on the weight issue. (My opinion is sometimes they do this when they don't know the exact answer for something)