Sometimes post spinal puncture headaches are caused by vasodilation of the blood vessels around the brain, which happens as a compensatory mechanism to restore intracranial pressure after the spinal fluid is removed.
Caffeine, being a vasoconstrictor may prevent this.
There are also some vasoconstrictive medications that also help prevent & treat these sorts of headaches.

Another type of headache that occur following the proceedure is due to intracranial pressure changes as one moves about.
Laying down also makes it easier for the body to maintain intracranial pressure after the proceedure; especially for those who tend toward orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure when standing up suddenly).

Wtih love, Erika

Just tell the doc you want the EASY tap that they sometimes depict on TV. Some of the shows make it look easy as pie.

Wishing you an easy procedure. We will be thinking of you.

The good thing is it will be over with after it is done and so will the apprehension.

I had mine about 6 years ago. Pretty much what Erika posted; except I drank 2 cans of Monster energy drink afterwards and lay on my back the whole day except for meals and bathroom breaks.
The caffeine seems to open up the blood vessels; I know many who drink strong caffeinated drinks to prevent migraines.

Getting lots of fluids beforehand is great advice also. I only was told to lie flat the rest of that day, and I did as I was told and was fine.

It didn't hurt much at all; kind of reminded me of having dental work done under local anesthesia; pressure and a bit of a pinch but not much more. I also had mine done under fluoroscopy; helped the radiologist locate the spot better.

Just hydrate, lie down and drink caffeine and you'll do great!!

Let us know how it went...

Also had mine done under fluoroscopy by the radiologist. They can see exactly what they are doing. The only thing that hurt was the needle for the numbing medicine. Since I was in the hospital I was on my back for 2 days afterward. I only got a lower back ache that was tolerable...more just annoying. Good luck and try not to worry endlessly about it beforehand.

1) Yes, it went rather well. The doctor who performed my LP, was the same dr that was there for my epidural for my first pregnancy and for the spinal for my third. I felt, at ease, by virtue of historic trust of him and his skills with a needle in my spine. I was tired, after.

2) I was already using Alleve, at the time, so I took that.

3) yes, there is supposed to be enough localized anesthetic to not feel it, not that you cannot feel the pressure of the removal of the fluids. Much like, one can feel the tugging of the baby, during a C-section, it's pressure, not pain.

I can appreciate your concern, the spine is a sensitive area to have needles stuck into you. After the extra dose of anesthesia with my second child, and the inability to move my legs on time, LP's are a cake walk for me.

By now, I'd presume, you've already had this? Or is this coming up, this week?

Best wishes!!

Well I'm a guy so I don't know about epadurls or whatever. I'm having it done this Monday after lunch. I'm also having 2 mmris done before that of mmy neck and upper back. So do you have to lay flat all day when procedure is done and the day after? I have a disability test the day after to take. Its not hard but will it effecy any symptomms?? What are the symptoms of after a spinal tap anyways?

Gee...Next Monday sounds like a rather full day for you. To plan on doing anything on the following day might be pushing it. The MRIs will take at least an hour to do and you will have to lay flat on your back and not move during them. Then to follow that with the spinal and more laying flat right after for another while (depending on the technique used and how you are doing), might prove to be taxing.
I would be pretty stiff if I did all of that in one day; but that is just how my MS afffects the body.

There really is no way of telling ahead of time what you will be experiencing on Tuesday, or if you will need to be laying down for the whole day, but as laying down for around 24 hours after the spinal is recommended, that could mean that you may still be wanting to lay down on Tuesday morning.

Maybe you should call whomever is wanting to do the disability test and explain the situation to them. They might want to reschedule your Tuesday test because if you have any reaction to the proceedures done on Monday, it could affect the results of the disability test.
Mind you, that might not be a bad thing if you are being assesed for disability insurance.

The symptoms after the spinal vary from person to person; and a lot depends on the proceedure and the expertise of the practitioner who does it.
In the best case, there may only be a little tenderness at the puncture site. At the other end of the scale, there can be a headache, site tenderness and an increase in your usual MS symptoms (spasms, fatigue etc).

Try to get plenty of rest on Sunday and maybe spend some time doing something that you really enjoy doing so that your mind will be at ease as well.
I try to spend part of the day before a day of being in the hands of the medical system visiting with a friend, out in nature and/or in my garden. It gives me somewhere to rest my mind during the next day, instead of on what's being done.

I'm reallly wishing that your day on Monday goes smoothly and comes off without a hitch.
Holding you in that thought. ((((())))

With love, Erika

Well, I definitely didn't expect you'd appreciate what having a baby is like, via C-section, but point being, you are numbed up, but there's a pressure/pulling sensation, that may or may not feel comfortable. When they pull fluids from you spine, via needle, you may feel a pressure/pull sensation, try to just place your mind in a frame of reference, that this is what is happening, it won't last long. I think the process of numbing, is longer that the pull of fluids for the test tube.

My baby sitter, at the time, dropped me off, picked me up, stayed a little while, until my ex was out of work, to tend to the kids. It was a school vacation week, so I was able to take it easy, albeit, attending to kids, the next day.

Physically, was tired, may have had a slight headache, same night, but I'd also taken alleve.

The LP, is laying on your side. You'll be asked to slightly curve your back, consider your belly button, as the core focal point. Hard to describe, precisely, but with two spinals for C-sections and an LP, asking you to curve your spine is common. And, I remember focusing on my belly button to do it. (was told I was a good patient, seeming to know what they meant, when they asked, and reflecting on it, to help you out here, that's what I recall)

If it's a disability interview, on Tuesday, maybe, not being at your best, isn't a bad idea, after all