Hi

I had a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) on 24th December and have had a severe headache ever since, meaning I've spent most of my days in bed as they only time I don't have the headache is when I lie down on my right side in a foetal position, head straight (the same position the lumbar puncture was done in). I also generally haven't been able listen to, watch anything or read anything as this makes the headache worse.

Has anyone got any tips for getting over this?

Things I've tried:

Meds: Cocodamol, Dihydracodeine, Paracetamol 1000mg, Dicoflex
Success: Didn't do anything

Other:
Caffeine (my husband found this as a remedy on google)
Success: Made it bearable to keep my head upright

Acupressure points (manutally plus using an acupoint)
Success: Some relief - able to stay up for a few hours

Novasonic Intrasound machine
Success: Able to eat a sandwich and get onto this forum... headache starting again though as I use the PC.

Any help very gratefully received... I will ask my husband to look out for any replies.

Thank you very, very much for any help you can give.

Sue



UPDATE 29th DECEMBER:
Having perservered with the Novasonic (used it 5 or 6 times yesterday), have woken up today with a mild headache, that's treatable with simple cocodamol.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
If any of you are having a lumbar puncture test, remember to drink lots of fluids afterwards as this often stops the headached. If, like me, you do get a severe headache afterwards try caffeine and then if this doesn't work sufficient get a novasonic drug frree pain relief tool... it worked for me. I had completely forgotten about it... when the headache had lasted so long, my husband remembered that his late mother had tried some pain alternative tools (an acupoint acupressure tool and a novasonic) and he retrieved them from our garage - receipts from 1987 in tact!) I couldn't believe it when I looked it up this morning and they are still making them ... I have listed the URL below in case it helps anyone:

http://www.novasonic-therapy.co.uk/

Happy 2009

Hey,

What you are experiencing is a low pressure headache which occurs when CSF has been taken from the spinal cord which connects to the brain. Now when a lot of fluid is taken out your brain needs A LOT of fluids to help it float nicely in your head so to speak. So, what I suggest is that you stay lying down but drink PLENTY and I mean PLENTY of water and slowly start to sit up and then slowly start to walk BUT, if this carries on and gets worse for a couple of days then go to the hospital they will hook you up to a intravenous machine which will send fluid straight through your blood stream. This happened to me when I got my Lumbar Puncture done and I went home that day only to come back the very next day and then had to be kept on intravenous fluids for 3 days. Best of luck with this but trust me drink tons of water and I mean constantly but if it becomes too painful and you can hardly walk n such then go straight to the hospital even if the ambulance has to come and get you cause I could hardly even sit up in the car so I needed the ambulance to pick me up so I could walk anyway mail me if you want if you would like more on this. By the way, if you do not mind me asking, what reason did you have to get a LP for?

WOW i wish they hooked me up to IV Fluids when I went back to hospital with my Post Lumbar Puncture headache!

I had 5 lumbar punctures all UNSUCCESSFUL on thursday 8th January, the doctor said that i could go home straight away even tho I advised them I had an immediate headache apon sitting up.

Thinking this was odd, i lay there for an hour just resting as this was the first i had done and a bit traumatized that it was unsuccessful. I bearly made it to the car and the drive home - the headache was unbearable!

My doctor had to make a house call on friday arvo to make sure i didn't have meningitis as leemarie says it's all connected with the brain, and being an invasive procedure i may have got infected but it was all good and if i deteriorated i was to go to hospital.

Saturday night after my partner scouted on google and caffene was found also! I had some nodoze caffene tablets and took two which didn't work at all! At 10pm we went to emergency, as 2 1/2 days with such a headache or migrane, and the panadol / nurophen or codene combo did nothing for even my normal headaches, after 5 hours of waiting i was given tramadol to take on top of the 4 tablets 3 times a day i was already taking and sent home.

The tramadol didn't even really work to take away my headache. It first made me hallucinate a little and made me drowsy which was good - when i was sleeping the pain wasn't there.

A week later and still experiencing headaches and now really sore eyes - i'm not sure if thats because of my swollen optic nerves - diagnosed with benign intracranial hypertension and the lumbar puncture was the tool to help find a cure for the swollen optic nerves. but for 5 days i could not sit, stand, walk, even lift my head up for a sip i was in so much pain! i even drank like a fish and nothing worked. I managed to go back to work yesterday and today with cronic sweats like i was coming out of a major flu or cold!

I can't bear to think what my next Lumbar puncture on tuesday the 20th January will bring me. This one will be guided so will have to be successful with only one pin hole this time to add to my other 5 i have as temporary souvenirs.

Thanks so much for your post susanjpullen, i'll take a look at that url and see what i can do to be headache free this time round!

Hey when I got my lumbar puncture I had the same thing too my head aches were so bad that I could not even sit up and I tried to push past it and get up and walk only to push myself so much that I was taken by ambulance to the hospital because I was shaking soo much because I tried to push past all of the pain. Well, I have just been for my first repeat and I got up straight away and went home and didnt get a low pressure head ache this time which was good as if you get what we have gotten after a lumbar puncture it is called a low pressure head ache and all the rest which I stated in reply to susanjpullen. You are saying that you are still feeling headaches a week after and eyes are still sore. Well, it is normal for you to still have problems with your eyes because it takes a long time for the swelling to come down but taking pressure off will help it to not increase the swelling which is what the LP is for and as for the head ache still carrying on, that could be from the LP still as I it took me 3 days to get over mine with fluids put into me so I could only imagine mine would have taken a week plus too to go away with out the fluids I hope this answers your guys question. It sucks doesnt it but I have just written what is going on with me now and updated everyone on my situation with this condition in my thread that says something along the lines of bening intracranial hypertension with a sad face at the end lol sorry I can not remember exactly what it is called but check it out

Usually if you have a headache that bad after a lumbar puncture, the doctor will do what's called a blood patch.

Contact your doctor and/or the hospital where you had the LP so that can give you the proper advice.

I did a quick search for you about the lunbar puncture headache, and came up with all these posts. : http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/se...g_searchinfo=1

Members with Multiple Sclerosis frequently have an LP as part of their diagnosis, so you may find the information that you seek by checking out the MS Forum.

If you need another one in the future remember..... plenty of fluids, and lots of caffeine.

I do hope you get relief soon.