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FINALLY got my appt for the lumbar puncture!

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Posted 6/3/2008 11:39 PM (GMT 0)
I should not be so anxious but juggling jobs and stuff I do,  I needed to know when and unfortunately the neuro's nurse got sick just as he went on call... wouldn't ya know it! Well she got back today and I had left my 4th terse message demanding to know when I'd be called and then the hospital called... confound it, it's tomorrow at 9am according to the hospital, but then she called and left me a mesage it's at 10:30am. So I left another message as to what was what? And she called back to say they must want to "prep" me...

Ok, folks, talk to me about lumbar punctures... exactly what is to be prepped for 1 1/2 hrs? What can I expect? My last LP was in the ER and I was deathly ill with Acute Viral Meningitis so that pretty much nothing could have happened to me that could have hurt worst than my head and body that day... I'd been sick for a week already tolerating this miserable headache by the time I ended up in the ER violently ill.

But this time, I'm really well, the migraines are under control... so I'm a little worried. I know the neuro is good at it... but I am not looking forward to that ungodly headache again, though in the name of answers I'll go the distance. (We're deciding medication at this point - whether to or not, and which).

Any tips?  Supposedly it'll happen, I'll rest an hour, get up go home, rest a few more hours, all done... is this how it happens?

Posted 6/4/2008 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Deb

Well the only thing i can think of is maybe blood work was ordered as well?? Still that wouldn't take that much time. Maybe paper work, but again, that's a long time for anything like that. When i had mine i had no blood work and only minimal paper work...outpatient admission...and then i was led to a smaller waiting room where i wait maybe 10 mins max and was taken for the lp. The whole lp took about 15 mins beginning to end. There is no pain involved, but lots of pressure. I'm pretty much a whimp, so that pressure was a bit much for me, but generally speaking it's not a prob for most. I was told i may have a headache after so i needed to lay flat for several hours. Well, upon sitting, i immediately got the headache! As soon as i laid back down tho it was gone...so do try to lay flat! I was also told to get some caffiene in me...and that was really great to hear!! (i love coke!) I do think that helped. By the end of the evening i was pretty well ok. I stayed on the couch with a coke in one hand and a remote in the other and i was happy! As for resting at the hospital or facility, i'm not sure? I had mine at a hosp and was immediately gotten up and put into a wheel chair...and sent home. Just get lots of fluids in u and keep them coming. Lay flat and take care of u...there's really nothing else u can do as far as i know. Best wishes and please let us know how this goes for u.
Posted 6/4/2008 12:32 AM (GMT 0)

The prep would take about an hour -- they'll want to do some checking of your vital signs, prepare the area (sanitize), presumably give you some instructions about laying flat for several hours afterwards, how to try to avoid the dreaded headache, all that.

But the test itself is simple: you lie on your side curled in the fetal position, you feel a bit of pressure, experience a "pop" sensation in your lower spine.  They withdraw a vial of fluids, then tell you to lie FLAT for several hours... FLAT. No pillow.  And hopefully you'll be fine.  The actual procedure shouldn't take more than 10 minutes or so. 

If you can get a lot of fluids in you..water will work, but caffeinated beverages are better..you should be fine.

I've had 3..for various purposes, one to diagnose MS, the others for other things..without any complications.  In fact, after the first one, got up and went back to work..didn't know I was supposed to lie flat!..and other than a bit of a sore back, had NO complications.  I hope yours goes as uneventfully.

Posted 6/4/2008 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
(big sigh) so hoping this goes as easy as y'all say! I'm really good on pain, not bragging, really, just have such an insanely high pain threshold that it's hard to tell when it's serious until it's too late... ugh, that's kinda ridiculous when I reread that but it's true. (I've actually got a sewing needle in my left foot that's been there since '96 xrayed and discovered by a podiatrist during a bout of plantars facscitis)...

anyhow, so hoping the headache just doesn't happen, I'd love to be feeling fine by the evening and back on track without any issues! So I'm gonna go in positive that will work! The coke sounds great to me too, so will get sis to make that a stop on the way home... thanks for the encouragement and I'll post y'all when I'm back.

Feeling like a wimp for getting nervous now... redface

Posted 6/4/2008 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
Good luck to you!
I have a question tho.. what do you do if you have to pee?
Carolyn
Posted 6/4/2008 2:25 AM (GMT 0)
Good luck! Onwards and upwards! good question and how do you get home....do you sit or lay on your back in the back seat....silly question I know but my ride home may be at least 45mins...
Posted 6/4/2008 3:17 AM (GMT 0)

My my ride had a car with reclining seats.  I just reclined and rode home.  My drive was about 40 minutes.  I did just fine.  The procedure for me was pretty miserable but the recovery was cake!

Good luck!  You will do fine.

Posted 6/4/2008 3:50 AM (GMT 0)
Recline your seat as far back as you can for the ride home. Pick the nearest bed, or couch to lay Completely! flat on and I stooped over to walk to the bathroom. Cuz I always have to go pee! No one told me about having caffeine though. I wonder what that does. Good luck. My LP was negative but I most assuredly have MS. I'm hoping though that yours will give you a better idea of what direction to go.
Posted 6/4/2008 5:34 AM (GMT 0)
Hey All

I rode home in our car with the seat reclined and it was fine. I did try to keep my head as far back as possible and that helped, but when i'd raise my head enuf to get a drink of coke i felt it coming right back. So down i stayed! As far as going to the bathroom...well the actual prep time wont' take that long. It should be a matter of some paper work (outpatient proceedures) and the vital signs and blood draw if ordered. The longest period of time will be the sitting and waiting...so u can go to the bathroom. I did my paper work...sat....was called back to the proceedure which lasted about 15 mins and then left.

Try not to worry...IF u get the headache and it doesn't go away after a certain amount of time...u can ask how long that might be for them...u can contact the facility/doctor and request a 'blood patch'. That is just an injection of u'r own blood into the lp site to seal off the site. The blood forms a clot which seals that opening and prevents further leakage of spinal fluid. Most likely this will go very smoothly and quickly. Relax and don't worry. Drink lots of fluids before and after the lp and take really good care to stay flat. Take care friend.
Posted 6/4/2008 11:02 AM (GMT 0)
Well, after my first puncture...I didn't know any better...I got up, got dressed, went back to work. **Not a good thing**. Fortunately I had NO side effects other than a bit of a sore back the next day, but it was dumb to not go home. After the next two (several years apart), I did drive home, then spent the day lying down (getting up for the occasional bathroom break, and propping up enough to eat and drink a bit), but essentially laid flat. And again, was fine.

Good luck! Tell us how it goes.
Posted 6/4/2008 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
hey everybody! Well all my fears were dispelled by my neuro!  Wow! He really was right when he said he's GOOD! I remember laughing when he said he was, I never will again!

The worst part was all the miscommunication which actually happened to him too! Seems through all this fiasco, his nurse forgot to tell him what time my appt was and 3 hrs later he found out when the hospital called to find out when he'd get there! But, after all that... he was smooth as glass and I now know he can do an LP on me any time! (I'll probably want to shoot anyone else who has to do one!) :) He chatted the whole time, the only thing I noticed was the "pop" of pressure in the lower back as he filled each tube. It was incredibly painless.

Anyhow, I was kept still there at the hospital for an hour afterwards, went home in the car just fine, told to go to bed and lie at a slight incline, drink caffeine drinks, lots of fluids and rest for the next 3 -4 hrs. So I have and I'm all good... very mild headache but that's normal for me as I went in with that this morning.

Everything else is fine. No leaking. The only discomfort right now is that I'm a little headachey and my lower  back's sore, but it's not bad.

Thank you all for sharing so much!

Posted 6/4/2008 11:36 PM (GMT 0)
Oh yay!!!! It is all over!!! Now don't you feel better?  I hope you got a lollipop for having to wait so long and for being a good patient.  Did he tell you when you would hear the results?  It took me about a week.  I look forward to hearing what those say.

Thanks for posting and keep resting.

Posted 6/5/2008 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
Results in about a week though he says it usually takes them about two... call his office if I don't hear from them first... he's kinda low on faith with their follow up right now :) But yep, I'm looking forward to discussing it with him too... he used a new term with me as I asked him to be sure to test for everything this time around so we wouldn't have to do it again... he said with my "index" he'd be sure to cover all the bases but not test for "everything"! :) We had a good laugh of course...

the headache is creeping in now... but it's not bad. Am resting comfortably though. :-)

Posted 6/5/2008 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
I hope you continue to do well. I did have a sore back the next day, kind of achey and uncomfortable, but an ibuprofen seemed to help both with the achiness and the slight headache. I hope yours goes well.
Posted 6/5/2008 12:41 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Uppity, the headache is growing right now (kind of a delayed reaction) but it's nothing more than the usual migraines I've dealt with in the past so I'm all good... I'll be ready for the back tomorrow... :) 
Posted 6/5/2008 11:26 AM (GMT 0)
Yay, it's morning and though I went to bed with the headache, I've woke  up feeling no headache and just that little back pain you mentioned Uppity... not too shabby!  thank you all for all the neat posts and support!  Now for the results and a plan... :-)
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