It's rare to find a young person with a spontaneous csf leak. Im 24 and have had one for 7 years. Ive been through blood patch hell as well. Fibrin glue patches are more effective/less invasive than surgery. Ultimately the ct myelogram is the definitive test to locate it. California, specficially UCSF and Cedars sinai are the hubs for this. I have a ridic long history, so if you have any specific questions let me know.