Depending on the degree of severity, it may or may not show up on the mri. I would recommend going to a phsyician and having them write you a prescription for physical therapy, as a prescription will allow you to receive care at no cost to you (dependent upon insurance). Finally, when you see the physical therapist, they will be able to closely look at your condition, and recommend further care. Also, have you thoguth about a specialist?

i had the exact same thing---puking for 5 days from the pain--and I am no weakling for pain. They did the blood patch and it worked for me---it just means in your case the blood patch did not take. they need to do another it will not go away---and you are leaking your precious spinal fluid into your body. I could lay down on one side and could feel the fluid in my head run to the other side---like I was 1/2 empty. I was drinkin 64 oz of water every couple hours to no avail--for a few minutes the headache would let up---but I still couldnt even get outta bed. It would pound so hard. Most horrible pain I have ever had--worse than child birth. Had to ride a cart in the grocery store--and still puked on that trip.



They need to do the patch again--it will not go away. The headache he is talking is nothing like this---he is mistaken. I had a headache after all this--and I dint even barely feel it. After such agony, it was nothing. He is wrong seek help---the blood patch did not stay--i am certain of it--you need another.

It does sound like you need a new patch...Keep us updated!

I have had three further blood patches. The second one was very bad. I had to stop the doctor when she was injecting the blood as the pain down my right leg was severe. I was unable to move that leg after the procedure for about 10 minutes. The neurologist simply states the only solution is to continue blood patches until the headache ends. The anesthologist is willing to keep doing the blood patches until the headaches go away but as he stated it is easy for him to say and much more difficult for me to agree to.
The last blood patch was just yesterday and I was completely pain free for about 20 hours. At this time while I am sitting up at the computer I am able to feel a pressure building in my neck and head and I am hoping that it will not turn in to a full blown headache again.
I have a mri scheduled but that is not until mar 03. I would like to see the results of the mri before I subject myself to another blood patch if it becomes necessary. In the meantime I can only pray that the severe headache will not return.

This all began in oct---well...I can say you are a bigger 'man' than me. No way could I take that for all these months. .God I pray this time works out for you.

Yeah...The pinched nerve is common in lumbar puncture---course they are suppose to be so good at it, not to pinch your nerves. Thanks for updating me.

.God bless you

ps and I just noticed this morning it is an old post--and that this all started in oct. My goodness.

I have had another blood patch with no results and am still having headaches that will not allow me to work. The mri was done but I am still awaiting the results. My insurance companies are getting antsy because no-one is able to give them a date for return to work. This morning I got up for about 2 hours and felt wonderful thern boom the pressure was back and I had to lay down to get some relief. Can't travel and sure couldn't fly anywhere. Depending on the results of the mri I am going to try to get another opinion. This neurologist keeps saying to continue with the blood patches however he should be in my body when the procedure is being done. I would put up with anything if it would work but it isn't.
Does anyone have a suggestion of any other procedure.
I can't even visit with my grandkids for over 45 minutes because it requires me to move my head around too much. Life is pretty desperate and with the insurance companies getting troubling I may have to try to work which I know is impossible.
Sometimes I am at the end on my rope and just wish it were all over. Anyway that is a little morose. By the way I am a 54 year old woman who has had great health until this time except a small basil cell carcinoma which has also been dealt with while I have been off work.
I looked into other sites in which some people are mentioning surgeries but all of these seem to be major steps.
Help !!!!!! Anyone

Have you thought of getting another opinion, are you taking something for nausea? Pain? Has your dr classified you as unable to work? What about disability? Keep bothering your dr until he can help you or find someone else who can!
Good luck!
Keep us posted!

Yes I am now on disability but it is the insurance company that is giving me a difficult time.
I am on tylenol 3 for pain and gravol for nausea caused by pain.
I am getting my results of the mri next week and plan on insisting on a second opinion. Hopefully someone else can come up with a solution.
In the meantime, as long as I pace myself and lie down as soon as I feel the headache start ( I made two hours up today!!!) I will continue to survive.
Thanks for the support. It is much appreciated

I have just got the results of the mri and it did not show anything. I do not know if the fact that when I lay down the headache goes away has any bearing on the mri. It is all done when I am laying down and by the time the testing began the headache was not there. I do have an appointment for a second opinion...On july 5. My gp seems to think that I do not have a headache caused by the original lp but for some other cause. The current neruologist has said to continue the blood patches, in his words it sometimes takes five or six to work. The gp says not to do further blood patches. There are painful and if it is to no advantage, why subject myself to another one.
How do I wait until july for another opinion. Living is canada, healthcare is free but not always convenient. I am at my wits end. If I could simply resume my life, work and live I certainly would but how do you work when you are in pain unless you lay down.
I am wondering if I were to make an appointment in the us if I could see someone sooner. Problem is I cannot fly with my head so it would have to be east coast maybe as far as boston. Anyone have any idea if you wait forever to see a doctor?

Just thought I would update eveyone. It is now over two years since the original lumbar puncture and I still have the headache. They did a procedure that injected a solution of my own blood platelets made into a gel into my back at the original incision site but it did not close the leak as the headache persisted after. The procedure itself was never done before and it was watched by a number of health professionals however everyone was so intent on watching the monitor that they almost forgot about the patient. My blood pressure was about 40 over 20 when I finally got a nurses attention. I was OK in a while but no change in the pain.
It is very frustrating as I am no longer able to do much having to lay down after being up for two hours at the most,
I am also now addicted to the drugs that I have been taking (oxycondin and fenatyl patch) and have terrible sweats that I think are attributed to the drugs.
I would like to try eliminating all the drugs and simply try to suffer the pain of the headache but I don't know if this is being realistic.
Has anyone done anything similar. Parhaps some sort of pain management with drugs that are addictive.

Blood patch is the only thing that is going to help this. LP's give the most horrific headaches worse then a migraine. I hope by now you are feeling better