Has anybody had a spinal headache?

[mtemm]

my MIL has a horrible one right now from a spinal tap she had on sunday night. I know when I had my spinal for my 2 c-sections they warned me about getting one and told me to let them know if I had one, but I never did. She's in so much pain I just wish there was something she could do to help. She's talked to her dr. but he hasn't really offered any help.

TIA!

 

[BabyTigger99]

I got one from my epidural when my DS was born. After 2 days of suffering with it, I had a "blood patch" proceedure. What they did was take a vial of blood from my arm, put the epidural needle back in my back adn inject the blood into my spine. Within half an hour, I was back to normal. I just wish the doctor would have done it sooner, the suffering was hard, not only for me, but for hubby as well (ask him about having to milk his wife, not funny at the time, but we laugh about it now!!).

 

[BabyTigger99]

Oops, double post!

 

[chell]

A friend of mine also had to have the blood patch. She had to have it done about 3 times, but then she did not have any more problems.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Originally posted by mtemm
my MIL has a horrible one right now from a spinal tap she had on sunday night. I know when I had my spinal for my 2 c-sections they warned me about getting one and told me to let them know if I had one, but I never did. She's in so much pain I just wish there was something she could do to help. She's talked to her dr. but he hasn't really offered any help.

TIA!

If it is still bothering her a lot, have her go to ther ER and tell them that she had the spinal done Sunday. The young lady my DH works with had one done, the headache became horrific, and they discovered she was leaking spinal fluid. I have no idea how that actually happened, but she was really ill.

Good luck,

Michelle

 

[Kitty 34]

I had one after a spinal tap years ago. I had menengitis so not sure if the headache was from that or the test, tho.

 

[Figaro]

I get these after spinal anesthesia. The best advice I have is to drink, drink and then drink some more fluids. The more fluid she takes in, the fewer the problems. The anesthesiologist can also do a blood patch (numb up back over spinal column and then inject some of the patients own blood that they got from a vein directly into the area where the spinal anesthestic was given). But the leak almost always heals up eventually and making sure that she is VERY well hydrated can help the pain of the headache quite a bit.

Good luck!

 

[MsDisney23]

No joking here, but drink two Miller Brand Beer's! Yes you heard me right, My room-mate in the hospital got a very severe spinal headache after a C-Section, the Dr. order who two beer's. They where Miller! Dr. said the hops in the beer will take away a spinal headache! It worked for her, after 21 years of meeting in the hospital we are still friends, we always joke and laugh about her getting some beer in the hospital. I sure was jealous. lol.

 

[Feralpeg]

Take her back to the hospital and tell them to do a Blood Patch. Having a headache like that after a spinal is fairly common. It is no fun. I think it was the worst headache I ever had. Tell her to lay flat as much as possible until you can get her to the hospital. It helps.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

A blood patch will work wonders.

If that is not an option, caffiene helps tremendously. I must have drunk a gallon of tea a day for 2 day the first time I had a spinal headache. The next time the blood patch did the trick.