I am unsure about my neruo...and today made me even more unsure.

I was scheduled for a Lumbar Puncture in the neuro's office, she wasn't able to get a sample. She tried for over an hour. She poked me at least 7 times with the numbing medication that burns, but she went in with the lumbar needle almost 30 times. I felt like a voodoo doll...jolts of pain down my legs, across my butt, in my groin, my spine, my tail bone...it went on for an hour. She never did get any fluid. I have to reschedule with radiology.

Is this common?

A Neuro who cannot do a lumbar puncture, ought to go back to school. That is awful to put you thru that...sheesh!.

There's no way I'd let her touch me again. Talk about "practicing" medicine! How many of these has she done?

Just be glad she ordered it to be done with the radiologist. That's the only way I will have it done because he/she is guided with xray going in! Good luck and I hope the doctor didn't charge you anything

The word that comes to mind from your story is the same word I used to describe my own LP. Barbaric!

((Shudder))

Thanks for responding...

This is all so new to me. It's been one crazy thing after another with this neuro...and I really think I need to switch. I just didn't know if this is something that happens frequently or not. I kept asking her to stop, but she kept saying "I am going to try one more time".

My back is really sore this morning...and as you all know, when something gets inflamed it means trouble in my whole body. It isn't horrid pain, but it will result in a flare up. And since I am just coming off of 5 day iv solu medro and 7 day oral taper I don't need anything messing with my mojo.

Ick.

Thanks.

Anyone sticking needles into your spinal column shouldn't be "trying"!

Definitely, definitely get another Neuro. Please don't let that first one ever touch you again.

I've never heard of an LP being done in the doctor's office.

There's other ways to diagnose MS that don't involve sticking needles in your spine. Talk to another Neuro about your options. Your original Neuro need to take a "refresher" course.

The rule is "3 tries and you're done" and you have someone else do it. Thirty is very desperate. It's not like your life depended on the results- not an episode of House!

I am sorry for your frustration and pain.
ANN

My first one was a failure too, when the neuro suggested it I mentioned that I had degenerative disc disease in the area he would be probing and suggested it be done under the scope.

Not need, I have done hundreds of these in my office, 15 - 20 minutes and we will be done and have an answer. So after 45 minutes or so of him probing around at my spine and not getting enough fluid? Hmmm... we have to go over to the hospital to finish this, wrong dude, the needle comes out? I am done, and also with you. Arrogant A-Hole.

Neuro # 2, we need a proper L/P you didn`t have enough fluid drawn for a good test, tests results incomplete due to that, I can do it right in my office! Dude, that is not going to happen, it gets done under the scope or not at all.

So I got a referral to the Cleveland Clinic to have it done under the scope. Much less hassles with positioning of the needle, but I was on a tilt table and they did have to tilt it to get the fluid.

Er... and the results were negative, for anything. Neuro #2, after having his nurse wheel me in the direction for another L/P when I came to get the results of the one done at the Cleveland Clinic? and me telling her to stop the bus, lady your boss doesn`t have a clue, I am here for results not another L/P, take me to your leader.

So clueless walks into the exam room, do you have the results? What? You set this up? You made all the arrangements? You are the neuro? Did you think they would send the results to me? Get them, I didn`t come here to visit.

10 -15 minutes later clueless walks back in smiling, good news, you don`t have this, that, the other thing, and you can`t have MS, the results were all negative for anything.

Well... OK doc, name that tune? I am going to call it Transverse Myelitis! So after me asking some questions about why my T/M doesn`t seem to fit the mold for T/M asking for the elusive T-Spine MRI and or repeats of the brain and c-spine mri. I got no further testing is needed or necessary.

My reply to that was simple, yet effective, " dude, I want to see a real doctor! " That led to a referral to the Cleveland Clinic`s Mellen MS center, a real doctor who agreed with my personal diagnosis of PPMS and ordered tests to confirm it.

I was even offered a 3rd L/P, but when he said he wouldn`t change his diagnosis even if it was negative again? I passed, I had really had enough fun with L/Ps.