When Science Fiction becomes Science Reality
Two weeks ago, I had viral meningitis. I went into the ER, where I got a CT scan (which said there was no aneurysm) and a lumbar puncture (where they drew out spinal fluid to analyze, and through which they discovered what was causing my headaches). I stayed in the ER overnight, then went home. When my headaches still continued the next few days, my husband asked whether my headache was different. In fact, it was. Whereas earlier in the week my headache was in my forehead, by the end of the week it wrapped around my head, and especially hurt in the base of the back of my head, and felt like I was wearing a hat way, way, way too tight.
Well, evidently, one of the possible side effects of a lumbar puncture is a headache. Instead of having your brain floating in a bunch of fluid, when they draw out all that spinal fluid, your brain just sits there. And it hurts. And that's what I got. It figures, really. This is why I don't gamble; I don't play the odds. They are rarely in my favor. When I had lasik done, I had to go back for a 2nd surgery, because my vision had slid a little, which happens to a small percentage of patients (maybe 10%? Look it up if it really matters to you).
I have had 2 epidurals, and never had this side effect, so I didn't even consider that it could happen. But then, I arrogantly didn't think the lumbar puncture was a big deal; the hopeless optimist in me viewed it as getting an epidural without dealing with childbirth.
Well, here's the sci-fi part of the picture. The pain management department offers a treatment called a Blood Patch to cure lumbar puncture headaches. The idea behind it is that they draw blood from your arm and inject it into your epidural space to form a patch in the hole of the injection site of the lumbar puncture. Here's some more information about it. Crazy, huh? Well, I had that done. I went into the hospital for a couple of hours, then went home. My back hurt pretty badly for a few hours, but that was it. The headache was - and remains - gone.
And now I'm all set to dance at my brother's wedding in less than three weeks.
Well, evidently, one of the possible side effects of a lumbar puncture is a headache. Instead of having your brain floating in a bunch of fluid, when they draw out all that spinal fluid, your brain just sits there. And it hurts. And that's what I got. It figures, really. This is why I don't gamble; I don't play the odds. They are rarely in my favor. When I had lasik done, I had to go back for a 2nd surgery, because my vision had slid a little, which happens to a small percentage of patients (maybe 10%? Look it up if it really matters to you).
I have had 2 epidurals, and never had this side effect, so I didn't even consider that it could happen. But then, I arrogantly didn't think the lumbar puncture was a big deal; the hopeless optimist in me viewed it as getting an epidural without dealing with childbirth.
Well, here's the sci-fi part of the picture. The pain management department offers a treatment called a Blood Patch to cure lumbar puncture headaches. The idea behind it is that they draw blood from your arm and inject it into your epidural space to form a patch in the hole of the injection site of the lumbar puncture. Here's some more information about it. Crazy, huh? Well, I had that done. I went into the hospital for a couple of hours, then went home. My back hurt pretty badly for a few hours, but that was it. The headache was - and remains - gone.
And now I'm all set to dance at my brother's wedding in less than three weeks.
posted by BrainHickey | 10:44 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home