spinal tap tomorrow

So 3 weeks ago my neurologist called me after I had an MRI of my brain and told me that a small area of inflammation was found in the MRI with contrast. He said he didn't feel it was a tumor, but he wanted to figure out what it was.

Since then I have had several blood tests and a chest x ray which all came back normal. The next step is a spinal tap, which I go into the hospital for tomorrow and I am having such a hard time.

Since getting that call from the neurologist I have had a lot of headaches... and as the date for the spinal has been approaching I am more and more afraid - the questions all come up: "what if..." "what if they find X?" "what if it's y?" "what if they don't find anything wrong, but I keep having all of these symptoms (palpitations, numbness/tingling in hands and feet, daily muscle twitches, headaches, fatigue)?"

I'm nervous and afraid and I desperately want to be well; to be how I was before all of these symptoms began 2 years ago.

Thank you so much Sumgirl.

This has been really difficult for me and I wish so many things - that I could be calm and positive; that I already had answers and was on my way to healing; that none of this ever even happened.

But here I am with something "wrong" with me and all of this anxiety about it to boot.

I really, really appreciate your well wishes and prayers!

Hi searching,

Good luck with your procedure. I have found the best way to handle this is one day at a time. lso my therapist has told me to. Watch out for the what ifs they are just a way to scare mysekf

I've had awful anxiety my whole and had a spinal tap several years back as I have Lyme disease. I didn't have an appt they did it on an ER visit so I didn't have time to mentally prepare for it. Surprising it doesn't hurt too much, so blood draws by bad nurses have been worse. They numb the area before they take the sample so all you really feel is the needle to numb it which is nothing then some pressure and it's over. They do make you lay flat for a few hours. A hand to squeeze and deep breaths helped me! I'm a huge chicken and panic over everything and it was fine!!! It's the anticipation that's the worst.😊 The hole is so small too all they give you is a piece a gauze and band aide. You'll do fine!!

Good so glad you got through the spinal tap, and never want to comment when all I can say is something completely negative or know a procedure can be tough.

I guess we all have different experiences, but my son has had a spinal tape and it wasn't pleasant at all, guess with a sick child it can be very difficult, and he has the strength of a horse, so it took over 8 staff just to hold him down for it and that was at 3 years old, so I am so glad yours is over with.

I've had a c-section and all I can say is I don't enjoy a needle going in my spine whether it is to numb me or to numb me before they numb me, that hurts

Glad you got through it and hope all goes well for you.

Sounds like things went well! Sending positive prayers and thoughts your way!

searching,

Don't let the worries overwhelm you. You can still be productive. My last surgery I did a lot of Netflix and reading. Don't let yourself be focused on the bad things maybe you can make a list of all the good things that have happened over the past two years. Start making plans for what you are going to do once you've recovered. Keep lively. Find some computer games.