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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006 General Board Posts >> Need suggestions
        
(Message started by: catlind on Apr 6^th, 2006, 10:53am)

Title: Need suggestions
Post by catlind on Apr 6^th, 2006, 10:53am

Does anyone here know how to get rid of a spinal headache?? I've been hyperhydrating and taking in lots of caffeine per the anaesthesiologist but I can't shake this damn headache. If I lay down it's fine, as soon as I am upright for any more than 10 min. my head feels like it's going to explode from the inside out.

It's not severe like a cluster, but after 3 days with this, it's wearing REALLY thin.

Any suggestions on how to get rid of this are much appreciated.

(don't even think about recommending a blood patch, no one is coming anywhere near my back with a needle again!)

Cat

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by sandie99 on Apr 6^th, 2006, 11:04am

Cat,

I don't know that much about spinal headache, but I did just find these websites:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Villa/5422/index.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/spinal-headaches/DS00643/DSECTION=7
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/100/105595.htm

I hope that you'll find a way to get rid of your HAs.

Wishing you lots of PF days,
Sanna

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by Jasmyn on Apr 6^th, 2006, 12:59pm

Sorry that you are hurting Girl! I hope this side effect passes soon [smiley=hug.gif]

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by Karla on Apr 6^th, 2006, 1:17pm

I am praying that you get relief real soon!

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by Margi on Apr 6^th, 2006, 1:46pm

Cat, I hate to tell you this but my daughter had this hideous headache after a botched epidural during Savannah's birth last year. I took her back to emerg two days post-delivery and after eight excruciating hours in emerg, they finally did do the blood patch. She walked out of there within the hour totally pain free. I think she had, what, three full bags of morphine before they finally decided that she was a good candidate for the patch. It didn't take long and it was night and day difference for her.
You say it's not worse than a cluster...I'm tellin ya, I've seen lots of cluster pain and then I saw this spinal headache. She was almost speaking in tongues, she was in so much pain and her blood pressure nearly bottomed out once we reached the hospital. We had to stop 3 times in the 2 mile trek to the hospital for Corinne to decorate the sidewalks. It was pretty grim.
But, honey, even thought I know you don't want another horse needle in your back - I know you want this pain to stop and sometimes it's the only way. We're with you, Cat, holding your hand.
hugs,
Margi

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by catlind on Apr 6^th, 2006, 1:52pm

Hmmm thanks for that info Margi, I wasn't sure if the nausea and vomitting was related or not. Apparently it is. Add in the fact that we have a massive low pressure system moving in and about to get severe t'storms and tornados...with a pressure of 993mb I can't tell if it's all spinal headache or if migraines are acting up as well. I suppose I will call the anaesthesiologist's office and ask him what I should do.

As long as I stay laying down it's manageable, but if I'm upright for more than 10 min. it's a killer. I should thank my lucky stars it's not worse.

*sigh* here's hoping a blood patch won't be necessary and it will go away on it's own.

I guess them taking 4 vials of fluid out of a brain that has high CSF pressure is just asking for trouble. According to multiple sites on LP's they shouldn't even DO a spinal tap on a person with elevated CSF pressure.

Well I suppose it might actually lead to some answers about all these things that are a mystery to the docs.

Cat

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by Grandma_Sweet_Boy on Apr 6^th, 2006, 2:31pm

I'm sorry to hear you're in such pain. Sometimes life is just damned unfair.

Hang in there girl but Margi did give you some pretty sound advice (doesn't she always - gotta love that gal!).

Hugs
Carol

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by Margi on Apr 6^th, 2006, 5:00pm

Yes, Cat - Corinne's exact problem too. As long as she was horizontal, it was all good. However, sometimes we have no choice but to be vertical.
What's happened, as you know, is your brain has lost its cushion of fluid and it's just grinding around in there, crashing into and grinding against your skull. You need that fluid back in there. By injecting blood into the hole, it forces the fluid to go back up the spinal column and into the brain to allow it to float around happily again. (No, I didn't just call you a bubble brain! LOL)
Go let them do it, Cat. Maybe it's a few moments of discomfort ... but the ends definitely justify the means here girlie.
I guess after all these years of us being totally incapable of finding cures for cluster head pain, when we find a cure for another type of head pain - we jump all over it. This one is fixable, darlin. Go get it fixed. :)

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by Sean_C on Apr 6^th, 2006, 5:59pm

I hope you get some comfort Cat. I'm glad your alright otherwise ;)

Sean.....................................

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by nani on Apr 6^th, 2006, 6:53pm

No advice, cat...but I have a hug for you...

http://bestsmileys.com/hugging/4.gif

feel better soon. hugs, nani

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by Mr. Happy on Apr 6^th, 2006, 7:12pm

on 04/06/06 at 17:00:59, Margi wrote:

As long as she was horizontal, it was all good.

Horizontal is good. See: http://horizontal/Clark/input.html (http://mushys.com/pix/stupid.html)

At least 50% of the affected population will have a positive result, which has clinical, statistical validity.

You'll be fine and dandy. Any day now, any day..........
RJ

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by catlind on Apr 6^th, 2006, 9:50pm

RJ yer too much. [smiley=laugh.gif]

Well I called up to the anaesthesia dept today but haven't heard back yet. I'll call them again tomorrow and see what has to happen. Maybe I'll be lucky and it will be gone by tomorrow morning.....a girl can hope.

I hate the thought of going back for another stick in the back, my back only quit hurting today...the neuro that did the tap had poke and fiddle around before she got it into the dura of the spine...I kept shouting "you're too far to the right!!" hehe.

This headache really sux the big one though. It feels like my brain is being squeezed out of my skull, or maybe it's my skull shrinking around my brain. Either way, it isn't fun. I was eating tylox like candy and it wasn't even touching it. Surprised I didn't OD on the shit.

Thanks for the input folks, I'll let ya know what the doc says tomorrow (unless the headache is gone by then)

Cat

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by ClusterChuck on Apr 6^th, 2006, 10:18pm

Cat, so sorry you are suffering. During one of my wife's procedures, she had a spinal, that ended up giving her a doozy of a headache. The bandaid for it was very simple, yet extremely efficient.

To see if it does anything, first get a ~~sucker~~ volunteer to help you. Preferably someone big and strong (know anyone who fits the bill?). Have him/ her come up behind you, as if they were going to give you the Heimlick maneuver, but take one fist, and place it in the center of your breast bone. Take the other hand, and put it on top of the fist, of the first hand, and then squeeze or compress in. By squeezing the breast bone in towards the spine, it somehow evens out the pressure. My wife said it was almost instantaneous results. If it works, take something, relatively hard, to fit between yer knockers, and press against the breast bone, and then wrap it VERY tightly with an ace type bandage.

The above, did wonders for her. I hope it works for you.

Chuck

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by tanner on Apr 6^th, 2006, 10:41pm

Cat, I am so sorry to hear this is happening to you. The only advice I can give is based on my own experience with this this problem. I gave permission for a med student to give me a spinal tap (one of 10 or so that I have had) and she stuck the needle too far so that it punctured both sides of the spinal canal. The doc in charge was alert enough to realize that when my fluid was pink what had happened. This was done at Mayo and they gave me a blood patch but still advised me to stay horizontal for 7 to ten days if i could manage that. I took his advice (except for cheating a couple times and it went away after about a week. I wish i had not cheated but I refuse to use bed pans unless they strap me down and somehow arouse me so I don't miss the damn thing, LOL.

This too will pass ....hang tough and stay down..........tim

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by BlueMeanie on Apr 6^th, 2006, 11:00pm

No advice Cat.... just vibes that you get to feeling better soon.

You must be married to a meteorologist or something. 993mb.... lol ;)

Title: Re: Need suggestions
Post by catlind on Apr 7^th, 2006, 2:01pm

*sigh* well Margi, I called the docs office. Didn't do me a damn bit of good. They won't consider a blood patch until at the very earliest, 1 weeks has passed, and normally not until after 2 weeks. I've been told to hyperhydrate, take in copious amounts of caffeine (apparently that helps to equalize the pressure) and to stay horizontal.

Easy for them to say, I have yet to experience a time in motherhood where you can stay laying down for 1 whole week let alone 2.

Guess I'm just going to have to suffer through this :(

Chuck, I'll have to try your suggestion, right now I'll try about anything. I'm likely to poison myself on OTC pain killers before this gets any better.

Sorry for the whine, I'm just a wee bit bitchy right now hehe.

Cat