Lumbar Puncture Question

    • November 9, 2006 at 7:13 pm

      Ok; I went to the neuro today and she wants a MRI and Lumbar Puncture.

      MRI no biggy, but I do not remember much from the last lumbar puncture.

      What do I need to know after for after care?

      Lifting bending restrictions the day after?

      How long do I have to ly still?

      My home is about 1 hour from the hospital, we will be riding in a Chevy Silverado. How am I supposed to ly still after? Will this affect me having a headache after? I am a wimp to pain you see.

      I am so nervous about going.

      Please give me some info and I hope it “calms my nerves”…lol ๐Ÿ˜ฎ

      Schel

    • Anonymous
      November 9, 2006 at 8:23 pm

      Schel, I had a Lumbar Puncture recently. Another patient told me that I should lie in bed for a couple of hours. I asked the doctor, who performed it, and he said that I should stay in bed all day in order to avoid a severe headache. He also ordered 3 liters of water, and also coffee or coca cola – which should help close up the wound, I think. In case of headache, I was informed, they would draw blood and put some in the needle wound in order to stop the pain. No other restrictions as far as I know.
      Ninus ๐Ÿ™‚

    • November 9, 2006 at 8:30 pm

      I was given a nice dose of morphine for mine because I was a basket case about it. It was still uncomfortable for me…others have said they were fine with it.

      I had to lie flat for 6 hours. I didnt. I had to go to the bathroom and was not using a bedpan! I should have opted for the bedpan because I ended up with a screaming headache that made a migraine seem like fun. I took 4 excedrine and an ice pack and slept (the morphine must have helped in that area but it didnt do diddly for the headache) and it finally went away.

      this article says to lay flat for 20 minutes to an hour:
      [url]http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lumbar-puncture/HQ01414[/url]
      This article says to lay flat for several hours:
      [url]http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=3953[/url]

      guess it depends on your doctors advice, but definitely have some tylenol or exedrine on hand just in case.

      Let us know how it goes.

    • November 9, 2006 at 9:32 pm

      Did either of you have to ride in a car to get home before lying flat?

      How were you the next day?

      Schel

    • November 9, 2006 at 9:33 pm

      [QUOTE=Ninus]Schel, I had a Lumbar Puncture recently. Another patient told me that I should lie in bed for a couple of hours. I asked the doctor, who performed it, and he said that I should stay in bed all day in order to avoid a severe headache. He also ordered 3 liters of water, and also coffee or coca cola – which should help close up the wound, I think. In case of headache, I was informed, they would draw blood and put some in the needle wound in order to stop the pain. No other restrictions as far as I know.
      Ninus :)[/QUOTE]

      Did you get the headache?

      Schel

    • Anonymous
      November 9, 2006 at 10:34 pm

      [COLOR=”Purple”]Hi Schel, as soon as my lumbar puncture was completed, I got up off the table, got dressed and went home. My only instructions were to “take it easy, no exerting myself such as bending and lifting for that day and notify the doctor if I developed a severe headache”. I never got even a minor headache. Took a 2 hour nap to let the versed wear off and then went out to supper with my husband. Every doctor will be different with his instructions. It is, however,important to stay well-hydrated. Take care, Vicki[/COLOR]

    • Anonymous
      November 9, 2006 at 11:05 pm

      Schel-Don’t worry about the procedure so much its a little uncomfortable but not the worst experience by any means. I was a little sore in the back for a few days but on day#4 had a headache that you would not believe!The dr said it come from the spine leaking fluid where they punctured it. I took caffeine pills and some other prescrip and it went away in a couple days. I am pretty sure I over did it as usual and made the puncture leak. If it doesn’t heal on its own they do a procedure called a blood patch-I don’t know what that is. The moral of the story is drink a LOT of fluid and rest a LOT for several days and you will be fine. Good Luck! Ted

    • November 10, 2006 at 8:16 am

      Thank you everyone. My plan is to go do the procedure, and come home lay still and flat with all my Lifetime Movies I have taped. Oh and sleep. This drives me nuts though all this laying around and thinking I need to do this and that you know?
      I know I have said in the past if I could just have a day off. Well here it is and now I don’t want it!
      Thanks.
      Schel ๐Ÿ˜‰

    • Anonymous
      November 10, 2006 at 1:24 pm

      Schel,

      You should lie down immediately after the LP and stay prone for at least 1 hour. They should be able to give you a spot in the hospital or doctor’s office where you can do this.

      Have your husband bring the car to the front door and put the seat down in a prone position. The hospital staff can wheel you to the door in a wheelchair and help you get into the car. Lie down during your ride home. Then go to bed and lie flat for the rest of the day. Drink plenty of water.

      I got the “killer” headache, and believe me, ANYTHING you can do to reduce your chances of getting it are well worth the effort. The pain with that headache which lasted 2 days, was as bad as the pain from GBS.

      Just take some precautions and most likely you won’t have it.

      Best wishes,

      Suzanne

    • Anonymous
      November 10, 2006 at 2:24 pm

      Ok, not a first-hand experience, but my husband had one done two weeks ago to help diagnos gbs. The procedure was nothing. He expected it to be horrific… needle in the back and all, but there was no pain or anything. They made him lay down flat in a hospital bed for three hours afterward. He got a little bit of a headache, but tylonal helped it. When the numbing medicine wore off hours later he was feeling a little discomfort, like a stiff muscle, but not too bad. We too had about an hour drive in a chevy truck. It didn’t seem to bother him too much. Nothing really hurts, so bumps wern’t a big deal.

      He was a little concerned because his lower back was pretty sore the next couple days, but when he called the doc, they said he should try moving around a little bit more. THey tell you to take it easy, but not to restrict movement all together! I noticed that he wouldn’t bend from the waist, and his movement was stiff, like he was afraid to injure himself. It turns out that once he began moving and streatching a little bit, the back ache went away.

      Hope that helps. I was freaked out that he was having it done and it turned out to be nothing at all.

    • Anonymous
      November 11, 2006 at 6:29 am

      I have undergone the said puncture too. After this I was advised to lay down immediately having downward slop towards head (w/o pillows of course) for about 6 hours. Sever headache started one day later and was given one Crocine tab for every after 4 hours. The headache lasted for two/three days. Horrible experience it was.

      Any way all the best. God is there to give us the strength to bear it.

    • Anonymous
      November 11, 2006 at 6:31 am

      I have undergone the said puncture too. After this I was advised to lay down immediately having downward slop towards head (w/o pillows of course) for about 6 hours. Sever headache started one day later and was given one Crocine tab for every after 4 hours. The headache lasted for two/three days. Horrible experience it was.

      Any way, all the best. God is there to give us the strength to bear it.

    • Anonymous
      November 11, 2006 at 9:46 am

      Schel

      Have you had the lp yet? Let us know when you are feeling up to it.

    • Anonymous
      November 13, 2006 at 9:02 am

      A few details on an LP. The doctor puts a needle into your spinal column to draw spinal fluid for tests. A good doctor can often do so easily, with little pain, and with little damage to the sheathing of your spinal cord.

      If you have an inexperienced doctor or have troubles, the needle penetration can build a hole in the sheathing through which your spinal fluid “leaks” … thus when you stand up, the spinal fluid creates a low pressure vacuum at the top (your head), and you have a horrible headache. That is why lying down (horizontal) is highly recommended for those with “spinal headaches.”

      Even with a “spinal headache”, as long as you lie horizontal, you will be in minimal pain. If, however, you go vertical, the vacuum is created, and it can be horrific pain to the point of blacking out.

      One membed commented on a cure for the spinal headache, the official term of which is a “blood patch”. This is very similar to a reverse LP. First, the doctor puts a needle (just like in the LP), into your spinal column. Then, using a second needle, blood is taken from an arm. The blood from your arm is immediately injected into your spinal area, slightly higher (~2 vertebrae) than where the original LP was performed. The blood is helped by gravity, and flows downward, hopefully flowing over the initial hole in the spinal column. The blood quickly clots, hopefully covering the hole and eliminating the spinal fluid “leak.” Within 10-15 minutes of the blood patch, the spinal headache is almost completely gone.

      For shorter term relief, drink LOTS of fluids, and also take LOTS of caffeine. I am unsure as to the method of relief from caffeine, but a large amount in your system can temporarily relieve the pain of the spinal vacuum headache.

      My most recent LP featured two residents, both of which were not very strong in their needlework. After 60 minutes with a needle in my back (and 3 separate holes into my spinal column), they finally got the fluid. However, I ended up with a very tough spinal headache with multiple leaks. Luckily, my wife is a physician, and after ripping the two residents apart for not getting assistance after they had trouble, my wife took me from the hospital I was in, to the hospital where she worked. She had an anathesiologist meet us in the ER, and I had the blood patch (completely done) within 5 minutes … it is amazing the difference of a skilled physician with the needle vs. the residents.

      My word of advice: Make sure you have an experienced Doctor do the LP … with a good doctor, it is a very easy procedure. Don’t be afraid to tell any resident that you would like the attending to do the procedure.

      Best regards,
      doug

    • Anonymous
      November 13, 2006 at 12:11 pm

      I would say lay down for 2 hours if you can then stay as reclined as possible on your way home. once you get home lye flat as much as possible and drink a lot of caffeine. I did get the headache from my first LP but they were planning to do a second one a couple days later so they didnt give me the blood patch. I had to lay flat for 2 days and and then after my second one I still had the screaming headache. The headache is pressure building up so once you get up you feel ok, then after a minute or so your head starts to feel pressurized and then your ears start to pop and it continues to progress for a few minutes. After my second LP I still had the headache but they wouldnt do a blood patch for 24 hours after that so I had another day where I had to lay flat. I did what they said with caffeine drinking etc but when you are laying flat because of a headache its difficult to drink a can of cola.

      After my blood patch they told me to lay flat for another 2-3 hours to make sure that it took. I was told after the first LP not to do any heaving lifting for 24-48 hours (although since I was laying in a hospital bed they said it with a laugh). After I got my blood patch I was given the same warning (although with another chuckle since I was still in the hospital).

      My 3rd LP was 4 days after my blood patch and that one did not result in a headache. I layed flat for about 2 1/2 hours after that one which is about how long i layed after my first two so I guess it was just luck of the draw if you get the headache or not.

    • November 13, 2006 at 11:39 pm

      Had the puncture on Friday the 10th… took it easy and did nothing for 2 days. Today the Headache came… Oh my ***!!! I sneezed and thought I would shoot gray matter out my ears the pain was so bad!!! So here I am at 10:36 PM and wide awake from the 1 & 1/2 pot of strong coffee I had, pain pills and maxalt on top of it. Wired….

      So I am hoping that this will get better with rest. On the brighter side…
      My doc thinks that I am having some sort of flare up Post GBS and not a relapse. Praise the Lord! My and everyone elses prayers have been answered.

      I am going to give work a try on Wednesday so wish me well and I will say prayers for all you folks here also.

      Thank you again!

      Schel ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Anonymous
      November 14, 2006 at 9:51 am

      Schel,

      Im glad to hear it went well, that is besides the headache ๐Ÿ˜ฎ . Good news about the diagnosis of flare up and not relapse. Wishing you all the best if and when you return to work on Wednesday, and dont be a stranger ๐Ÿ˜‰ .