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10-01-2011, 12:24 PM | #1 | ||
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Junior Member
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I had this surgery (L5 S1) a year ago and since then have had these unpleasant sensations that you all describe: pressure in the ears and temples, a lot of ringing in the head. Once the sensations were so strong, I passed out for 5-6 seconds. Several times mentioned these symptoms to both my GP and my neurosurgeon and they wouldn't say anything. Finally, last week when I had a post-surgery MRI they saw a big (tennis ball size) mass between my spine and the muscles... Now I need to schedule a surgery for the leak. I'm really concerned now not to have it again as I don't even know why I had it in the first place. Some people mentioned caffeine here. Does it really help? I thought I didn't strain myself and didn't lift any heavy things after the surgery, and I still had the leak...
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10-02-2011, 11:55 AM | #2 | ||
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10-04-2011, 12:57 PM | #3 | ||
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10-17-2011, 11:33 AM | #4 | ||
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Junior Member
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Had my surgery four days ago. Everything went fine, they patched the dura and I felt great for 3 days. But today I woke up with the familiar ringing in the ears. Don't really know what to do: should I call the surgeon and go back to hospital? Or should I stay in bed? I will see him next week to have the staples out. I am trying to find something to help dura heal. Does caffeine help? What about enzymes? Wobenzym or vitalzym. Did you try them?
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11-10-2011, 12:19 PM | #5 | ||
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I have had two spinal taps and four blood patches and still have not been fixed. I have been down (90% bedridden) for over 5 months. After every blood patch I feel better for about two weeks, with only slight discomfort, and then it gets worse. I have had a billion MRI's, CT scans, CT Myelogram, etc. and they can't find the leak. My last blood patch we drove & took a train 3,000 miles so that I could lay flat to see Dr. Schievink. He did a full volume blood patch. When we left LA I felt good, but within a few days started feeling bad again. This time with even greater pain in my lower back. He came highly recommended, but I would have to say that he has been hard to reach to get answers. I don't know where to turn from here....
sleepless in st. pete |
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10-19-2011, 02:33 PM | #6 | ||
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Junior Member
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Caffeine? Doesn't make a difference to me... Lifting things? Sometimes, it just doesn't matter, you're gonna get the leak no matter what you do. I earned a couple of leaks after a stepped down funny off of a ladder one day. |
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10-19-2011, 08:34 PM | #7 | ||
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Well, on Friday I'll have the stitches out and will see what my doc has to say. I have an MRI scheduled in a month... Ringing in the head is pretty strong.... |
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10-21-2011, 03:02 PM | #8 | ||
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My story differs slightly from what's already been posted. I too had an initial "migraines" diagnosis, but in 2009 Dr. Linda Gray at Duke UMC ( u can call DUke directly at 919 684 8111 and book an appt with Dr. Gray )found 7 tears in my dura were causing the low pressure pain. Took 14 blood patching procedures over 1 1/2 years to seal me up. Then the real culprit, HIGH pressure and underabsorption by brain tissue, was discovered. Pseudotumor cerebri is the name of the condition. It's rare but not unheard of, and in APril 2011 Dr. Gerry Grant, Duke neurosurgeon, put in a VP shunt. After initial complications (infections and then blockage) I have had good results and relief with my Codman programmable VP shunt.... until this week. Pain in my chest, along tubing route sent me to ER. no infection found in blood and no fever. was sent home with pain med Rx. I am now in contact with both doctors mentioned above (both are away at conferences, but emailing and/or calling me) to determine next step. I cannot recommend these two doctors highly enough. DOn't stop til you get to see them.
Has anyone else had chest pain from shunt catheter? It's different from infection or blockage pain. |
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